My Top Walt Disney World Marathon Tips

 
WDW Marathon weekend has become an annual tradition in my family.  In January 2013, I celebrated my 5^th anniversary of attending Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and I am excited for 2014 where I hope to complete the Inaugural Dopey Challenge.  

For those of you not obsessed with runDisney, the Dopey Challenge will consistence of running all 4 of the runDisney Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend races.  I will take part in four days of running fun for a total of 48.6 miles.  I will run the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Marathon and earn a total of six pieces of "bling!"

You might be wondering what possessed me to become a “runner” and how I became so “Dopey” for runDisney!  In July 2008, I was 36 years old and was NOT a runner.  I couldn’t even run a mile.  I had two small children and was a small business owner with multiple business partners.  I was stressed out and needed an outlet to not only get in better shape, but to refocus my mind.  So I made up my mind to run the marathon and registered.  In the 6 months of training, I worked my way up from a 5K to a 10K to a Half to finally the Full Marathon.  I dropped 10 pounds and went from a size 8 to a size 4, but better than that I felt fantastic!  I was really enjoying running.  It was an escape for me where I could let my mind go and seek clarity.

My first Walt Disney World marathon experience was “magical.’  Running through my beloved parks was amazing.  We were “back stage” and on roads I never knew existed, but when I made that first turn onto Main Street, U.S.A. I lost it!  Another runner made me stop and pose for a photo!  The crowd was cheering as we ran by and then I saw my family!!  They had gotten up and made the early morning journey to the Magic Kingdom!  Words cannot express how happy I was to see them (for a second) and then the very, very, very best part was the sound of the trumpets as I ran through Cinderella Castle!  Amazing – that feeling will never ever get old.

What I appreciate about the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend is that there are runners participating of all shapes and sizes.  Yes, there are the “elites,” but this is an “everyman” marathon that a typical “athlete” like me can take part in and not feel intimidated or overwhelmed by lack of experience.

Since that first WDW Marathon I have run the 2010 Goofy Challenge and the Family Fun Run 5K combined with the Goofy Challenge in 2011, 2012, and 2013.  So far I’ve logged 192.7 magical miles during runDisney’s Walt Disney World Marathon weekend.  (I’ve also participated in both the Disney Princess Half Marathon and Disneyland Half Marathon Weekends). Here are some tips to help you survive your first Walt Disney World Marathon:

Here are my Top Walt Disney World Marathon Tips:

1.     Follow a training plan:  For my first marathon I followed the Hal Higdon’s novice training plan.  For my first Goofy Challenge I followed another Hal Higdon training, but incorporated Jeff Galloway’s run/walk method.  If you don’t know where to begin, contact your local running store or running club for a training group.  Marathon training groups normally begin in the early summer for the fall marathon season.  

2.     Get some support:  Bring your own Cheer Squad!  There is nothing like having your family and friends support you during the race.  This event is very family & friend oriented.  If you can’t get anyone to run with you, make new friends on running forums, charity partners or local running groups.

3.     Be prepared for the weather:  Remember that just because the race is in FLORIDA does not mean the weather is going to be warm in January.  It could be freezing cold with freezing rain and snowflakes (2010) or hot with 100% humidity (2013) or just right!  (2011 & 2012).  Remember the race will take place even if it’s raining.  Get out there and train and be prepared for race conditions.

4.     Write a shopping list:  Get to the Expo early and map out your shopping strategy.  Study the expo floor plan.  Know what you want before you get there.  Do not carry extra bags.  If traveling with small children remember that you will not be allowed to bring a stroller past the gate.

5.     Be prepared for the distance:  Wear chapstick, sunblock and glide.  The medical tents will provide Tylenol, Vaseline and BioFreeze if needed.  The water stations will provide water and PowerAde.  Food provided will be bananas, Cliff Shots and candy.  If you have trained with something other than what is provided on course, carry it with you.

6.     Don’t Panic:  This is supposed to be fun and a celebration of your training.  Enjoy the experience and even if you don’t want to stop at the character stops, at least make sure that you pose in front of Cinderella Castle!  Those MarathonFoto photographers got their system down pat – it only takes a second to smile!

 
7.     Stick to your race plan:  If your plan calls for run/walk then do it right from the start.  If you choose to walk, then alert those behind you by raising your arm before you slow down and move off to the side.  If a family member is going to be on course – be as specific as possible of your meet up spot and make sure you sign up for runner tracking or use a tracking app like GSP Tracker or Garmin Fit.

8.     Smile like you’re having a good time (even if you aren’t):  There are many photo opportunities with MarathonFoto.  Make sure your bib is visible and smile throughout your run because you will never know which photos will look best.


9.     Plan your recovery:  Use the massage tent.  Massages are only a $1 a minute and are well worth the money!  Cash only so make sure you have it on your person.  When completing the Goofy Challenge I get a $10 massage on Saturday and a $20 massage on Sunday.  I feel that it does wonders for my recovery!

10.  Make time to celebrate:  Make a reservation for a special post-race dinner and make sure to wear your bling!  You earned it!

2013 WDW Marathon and Goofy Challenge Recap

The goal of my 4^th Goofy Challenge and 5^th Walt Disney World Marathon was to finish.  My goal of any marathon is always to finish in the upright position without injury.  However, I had in my head & heart that I wanted to finish this marathon with a time less than 5 hours (because I had done it twice before – Goofy 2011, 2012).  Unfortunately, the weather called for race temps to be in the 80’s and being from the Northeast, I was not accustomed to running in such hot weather in January.  The last four Walt Disney World Marathon Weekends we had seen all types of weather from temps in the 70’s (2009) to 30’s with sleet and snow (miserable 2010) and then perfect running weather in 2011 & 2012.

We were beginning the Marathon journey with my running gals, Alison & Janice, and their daughters Becca and Dani - both running their very first marathons.  Janice was running her first Goofy and Alison and I were the Disney veterans.  You can tell from our faces that we knew it was going to be a tough day.

Our games plans were set.  Alison was going to stay and run with Dani and Janice with Becca.  I was going to ditch them at the start and focus on Goofy to finish with a time of under 5 hours.  I was going to follow Jeff Galloway’s run 2 minutes and walk 30 seconds race plan, but I was going to slow my pace down by 30 seconds and run a 11:30 min/mile pace the first 10 miles of the race.  At the 5M Split I was a little over goal with a 11:36 min/mile pace and an Estimated Finish Time of 5:04:02.  This was good news and totally doable to knock off 4 minutes on my time with another 21.2 miles to go!

Apparently, I suffered from short-term memory loss and had learned NOTHING from the ½ marathon the day prior.  It was beginning to get hot and once I hit mile 10 and the sun was beginning to rise, I saw my 10M Split of 2:05:43 and a pace of 12:34 min/mile with an estimated finish time: 5:29:36 and threw “my race plan” out the window.  I decided that I was going to have fun.  Yes, that’s right - fun during a marathon.  I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but in the Magical World of Disney, yes, that actually can be a reality.  

I had run 4 previous WDW Marathons and I had never stopped for photos with the characters.  I had never really experienced a Disney race the way it is supposed to be experienced!  What a shame.  As soon as I began standing in the lines for the characters is when I really began to have fun!  This was one of my personal worst finishes for a marathon (only 1 other was worst and at that one it was 90’s degrees and we were running up mountains), but it was the most enjoyable Marathon experiences that I’ve ever had!

Once I realized that I was not going to finish under 5-hrs I loosened up and lived in the moment!  I stood in lines of 10+ runners at the character stops - ALL THE CHARACTER STOPS!

 

I rode a roller-coaster during a marathon!!!  Expedition Everest was set to open in 5 minutes when I ran through Animal Kingdom.  Why not wait and ride it?!!  What’s another 5 minutes to your time when you can enjoy one of the best rides on property!

Adding all those stops slowed my time down, but then I caught back up with my friends Alison and Dani at mile 14!!  

So what I learned from 2013’s WDW Marathon and Goofy’s Challenge is that maybe you really shouldn't think about earning a PR during a runDisney race.  Maybe you should just focus on the runDisney fun and save "racing" for a non-Disney event.

I will have to keep that in mind when I run the Princess Half Marathon February 24^th!