Official 2011 runDisney thread!

[Silvered]

I know a bunch of us here on the boards like to train for and run the Disney endurance races so I thought it was about time for us to have our own official thread for the 2011 race year! Share your goals, training and experience, plus feel free to ask questions! We're a community and what's a community without supporting each other?


http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/littlesilvered/runDisnay.jpg
runDisney Website (http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/sports/rundisney/)

January 6-9 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend


Jan 7th Buzz and Woody's Best Friends 5K :clap: Congrats to all the participants!
Jan 8th Walt Disney World Half Marathon (Donald) :clap: Congrats to all the participants!
Jan 9th Walt Disney World Marathon (Mickey) :clap: Congrats to all the participants!
Jan 8th & 9th Goofy Challenge (run both the Half Marathon and Marathon) :clap: Congrats to all the participants!

February 25-27 Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend


Feb 26th Disney's Royal Family Beauty & the Beast 5K :clap: Congrats to all the participants!
Feb 27th Disney's Half Princess Marathon :clap: Congrats to all the participants!

March 5th ESPN 5k


Champion's ESPN The Weekend 5k :clap: Congrats to all the participants! One year the Hokie will win School Spirited, you will see!

May 7th Expedition Everest Challenge


Expedition Everest Challenge :clap: Congrats to all the participants!

September 2-4 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend
(half marathon is full, 5K is full)


Sep 3rd Disneyland Family Fun Run 5K
Sep 4th Disneyland Half Marathon
Coast to Coast Challenge (do DL Half and any WDW Half)

Sep 30th-Oct 1st Disney's Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
(half marathon is full; relay is full; halloween 5k 60% full)
(the 5K does NOT include a Halloween Party ticket like last year)


Sep 30th Disney Halloween 5K
Oct 1st Disney's Wine & Dine Half Marathon
Oct 1st Disney's Wine & Dine Half Marathon Relay

Don't forget! Sign ups for the 2012 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (Half, Full, Goofy and, brand new this year, Relay!), Tinkerbell Half Marathon Weekend and Princess Half Marathon Weekend are open! Sign up today!

UPDATE:New race for Disneyland is finally announced Check out the runDisney facebook for more details! (http://www.facebook.com/RunDisney?v=app_129834940423071)!

[Phylers]

Haha, I was just browsing through the Sports section looking to revive the old Runners' Thread. Great minds and all that jazz. :lol:

Shouldn't the title reflect the upcoming race year, though? All of the dates are for 2011, after all. ;-)

I'll hop into the fray, though.

I haven't seriously trained in over a month (really since coming out of the Wine and Dine), but I'm looking to do a half around the time of the Princess Half (though probably not that one - I get that it's geared towards women, but as it's open to both genders, there should be unisex shirts available!). I'm definitely game for the ESPN 5k, though, and I'm intrigued by the Everest Challenge.

I'm also still looking into whether or not there will be a Hash at this year's Central Florida Highland Games. The Games are awesome every year, but :cross: that the Hash will be back (as I didn't run in last year's).

And while I was hoping to attend and watch - stress watch - the Destin 50, I found out the family condo is booked that weekend. :pout: I was looking forward to seeing it - that sand is powder, and I mean powder powder. It's hard to walk on in places, let alone run. My hip flexors and achilles tendons twitch just thinking about it! :lol:

[Silvered]

Shouldn't the title reflect the upcoming race year, though? All of the dates are for 2011, after all. ;-)

.....Crud. It's what I get for writing it at 2:30 in the morning :lol: Hopefully a mod will take pity on little ole me and change it to the right year.

EDIT: THANK YOU STORY! :clap:

I've been working on strength training my back since it gave out on mile 9 of the Wine and Dine so I'm just starting real distance training again for the Donald. Here's hoping it's not such a disaster this time :cross: But I'm signed up for both Princess races, the ESPN and the Everest. I do want to branch out to do other local races hopefully soon (the one on NASA property in November is one I want to try!) but I want to finish a Disney one first where I know the course. I'm still new to this sport, can you tell? :lol:

I'm really excited for Everest. My mom and I wanted to do it last year but she was out of town and it was for the best since I was put on meds that made me super sick that weekend. We're signed up this year and our team name is Dumbo's Revenge (don't ask what it means, we really don't know :lol: we were tossing around names over the phone and somehow Mom came up with that and I couldn't stop laughing).

And yeah, while I kinda like that the Princess is geared towards women, it kinda stinks that the shirts and stuff were all fitted for women. Heck, most of the women I talked to couldn't fit in their shirts because they were fitted really weird. I know mine won't fit over my swimmer's shoulders so it's hasn't come out of the drawer since :look:

[Silvered]

It's a week and half till Walt Disney World's Marathon Weekend!

Whose running what? I'm doing the Half on Saturday.

[Phylers]

It's a week and half till Walt Disney World's Marathon Weekend!

Whose running what? I'm doing the Half on Saturday.

I'm ... going to browse the Expo! :lol:

Anybody going through the taper blues? Two weeks is usually standard for marathons, right? One week for half marathons? My taper for the Wine and Dine was injury-induced three weeks out, and the two weeks I was sidelined were pretty nerve-wracking. I probably did more than I should have the actual week before the race, but I figured I'd rather get comfortable again than be completely rested.

[Silvered]

I'm the opposite. Injury caused me to be sidelined right after the Wine and Dine so now I'm working up my endurance. I'll be going right up to the wire but then I'll have a small break...before the Princess 5 weeks later :lol:

[Figmentfan]

Hi everyone! I saw Phylers' invitation on the other thread and thought I'd pop in and say hello. I'll be participating in the Half this Saturday too. I'm a walker, but I've been participating in Disney's endurance events for a few years now and can't get enough!

This will be my first Marathon Weekend Half, although I completed my first half last October with the Wine & Dine. I've also partaken in the old Minnie Marathon 5K, Race for the Taste 10K, Tower of Terror 13K, ESPN 5K and Everest 5K - and now I'm working my way up to doing more of the longer races. I hope to do the Disneyland Half later this year to get the Coast to Coast medal - for me, it's all about the bling. :)

Good luck to those of you running/jogging/walking in the races this coming weekend!

[Vinylmation245]

Sometime in the future I would love to do this! I love running and Disney! OMG PERFECT LOL

[mshalloween]

Haha, I was just browsing through the Sports section looking to revive the old Runners' Thread. Great minds and all that jazz. :lol:

Shouldn't the title reflect the upcoming race year, though? All of the dates are for 2011, after all. ;-)

I'll hop into the fray, though.

I haven't seriously trained in over a month (really since coming out of the Wine and Dine), but I'm looking to do a half around the time of the Princess Half (though probably not that one - I get that it's geared towards women, but as it's open to both genders, there should be unisex shirts available!). I'm definitely game for the ESPN 5k, though, and I'm intrigued by the Everest Challenge.

I'm also still looking into whether or not there will be a Hash at this year's Central Florida Highland Games. The Games are awesome every year, but :cross: that the Hash will be back (as I didn't run in last year's).

And while I was hoping to attend and watch - stress watch - the Destin 50, I found out the family condo is booked that weekend. :pout: I was looking forward to seeing it - that sand is powder, and I mean powder powder. It's hard to walk on in places, let alone run. My hip flexors and achilles tendons twitch just thinking about it! :lol:

The Gasparilla Half is the same weekend as the Princess Half, if you're interested. I'm still thinking about running that (Gasparilla) although I, like you, haven't really trained since the Wine & Dine!!! It's in Tampa and I've run the race before. It's not as nice as a Disney race, but still a lot of fun :)

[Phylers]

The Gasparilla Half is the same weekend as the Princess Half, if you're interested. I'm still thinking about running that (Gasparilla) although I, like you, haven't really trained since the Wine & Dine!!! It's in Tampa and I've run the race before. It's not as nice as a Disney race, but still a lot of fun :)

I'd heard of Gasparilla before, but after reading the race page, I'm kind of intrigued. How's the course? I've only actually been to Tampa once to see a hockey game, so I'm not too familiar with the city.

And a general good luck to all the runners this weekend! Everybody healthy and rarin' to go? Feeling revved up? If not, try scrolling to the 9:58 mark in this video (http://www.hulu.com/watch/113712/disney-prep-and-landing-prep-and-landing). :thumbsup:

[mshalloween]

I'd heard of Gasparilla before, but after reading the race page, I'm kind of intrigued. How's the course? I've only actually been to Tampa once to see a hockey game, so I'm not too familiar with the city.

And a general good luck to all the runners this weekend! Everybody healthy and rarin' to go? Feeling revved up? If not, try scrolling to the 9:58 mark in this video (http://www.hulu.com/watch/113712/disney-prep-and-landing-prep-and-landing). :thumbsup:

The course is pretty nice! You start off running onto Davis Island and have a nice view of the water and park of MacDill (Force Base). Then the whole course runs along Bayshore Blvd, which is right along Tampa Bay. You pretty much are running next to the water almost the whole race (and on the other side are the million dollar plus houses). If the weather is nice, it's a GORGEOUS run!! The only thing is is that the race doubles back on itself so you see the same thing twice. However, that's not such a big deal to me when the view is so pretty. One year I ran the race and the weather was awful.. windy, rainy, and cold. I thought I was almost going to get blown off the bridge leading off of Davis Island! :lol:

Anyway, I've always had a good time at the race. Budweiser is a sponsor so every time I've ran, there's been free beer at the end. :thumbsup: for that ;-)

[Phylers]

Anyway, I've always had a good time at the race. Budweiser is a sponsor so every time I've ran, there's been free beer at the end. :thumbsup: for that ;-)

:lol:. That sounds like a good incentive, but surprisingly, after the Wine and Dine, beer was the last thing I wanted. I held on to that free drink ticket until last call and burned it on some sangria, the thinking being, "well, it's got fruit juice, so that'll be good." :lol:

And how did everybody do!? Are we going to see some snazzy pics of finishers' medals? ;-)

(Did we ever post pics of our Wine and Dine medals? Somebody, did, right? :shrug:)

[Silvered]

Here it is!

http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg616/scaled.php?tn=0&server=616&filename=trnu.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640

It was slow going and my back threatened at the end but I have finally finished my first half marathon :clap: Maybe mom buying me the vinyl yesterday, even when I told her not too, was good karma!

[Phylers]

Here it is!

It was slow going and my back threatened at the end but I have finally finished my first half marathon :clap: Maybe mom buying me the vinyl yesterday, even when I told her not too, was good karma!

Congratulations! :happy:

That's so great to hear! Well, so great to read. :lol:

The medal's pretty neat, too.

How'd your Mom do? Is she still tackling the marathon to complete the Goofy?

[mshalloween]

:lol:. That sounds like a good incentive, but surprisingly, after the Wine and Dine, beer was the last thing I wanted. I held on to that free drink ticket until last call and burned it on some sangria, the thinking being, "well, it's got fruit juice, so that'll be good." :lol:

And how did everybody do!? Are we going to see some snazzy pics of finishers' medals? ;-)

(Did we ever post pics of our Wine and Dine medals? Somebody, did, right? :shrug:)

That's so funny--beer was actually the FIRST thing I wanted after I finished!! Something about an ice-cold, refreshing beer just sounded so amazing. And it WAS! :lol:

I don't think anyone posted pics of the W&D medals. I'll post a pic of mine in a minute.

---------- Post added at 10:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 AM ----------


Here it is!

It was slow going and my back threatened at the end but I have finally finished my first half marathon :clap: Maybe mom buying me the vinyl yesterday, even when I told her not too, was good karma!

CONGRATS!!!!!! :happy: :happy:

---------- Post added at 10:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 AM ----------

Here's the W&D medal:

http://s3i.dotphoto.com/iB76F306E-28A4-4ABF-8EB1-F7F83D494CEC.jpg http://s3i.dotphoto.com/i60220515-00BC-4154-88B9-BADA78177565.jpg

I definitely think we should post all our Disney race medals in here.. I love seeing them!

[Silvered]

How'd your Mom do? Is she still tackling the marathon to complete the Goofy?

She did! And she did amazing! I took a picture of all her medals!

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/littlesilvered/utf-8BSU1HLTIwMTEwMTA5LTAwMDYyLmpwZw.jpg?t=1294603350

I was going to do the 5k but she forgot to sign up so I let her take my place so she could have all of them :)

[mshalloween]

OMG I love the Toy Story medal!!!!!! Now I totally regret not running that. Grumble. Congrats to you and your mom, Silvered!!!!!

[HT_NSU]

I've been wanting to do a Disney Marathon for a while now! Actually, I should probably start with a 5K or half-marathon since I've never done it before. I was going to try to do the one in January this year, but then I got pregnant and decided it wasn't the best time to train for a marathon. I think I may try to start conditioning myself again for next years. It'll help me lose the baby weight and I might be able to convince my hubby to take us to WDW next January since he's being stubborn about going back. :idea: I think it may work. Maybe then my little girl will be ready for her 1st hair cut and we can get it done on MS-USA while we're there! I'll knock out three goals in one trip! :happy:

[mshalloween]

I've been wanting to do a Disney Marathon for a while now! Actually, I should probably start with a 5K or half-marathon since I've never done it before. I was going to try to do the one in January this year, but then I got pregnant and decided it wasn't the best time to train for a marathon. I think I may try to start conditioning myself again for next years. It'll help me lose the baby weight and I might be able to convince my hubby to take us to WDW next January since he's being stubborn about going back. :idea: I think it may work. Maybe then my little girl will be ready for her 1st hair cut and we can get it done on MS-USA while we're there! I'll knock out three goals in one trip! :happy:

I definitely would start with something smaller than a marathon for your first!! Are there any local races you could get into for "practice" ?? Maybe start with a 5K, then a 10K, then a 15K, then a half, then a full? I mean you certainly don't need to run ALL those races, but they certainly are fun if they're available in your area! And what a fun WDW trip that sounds like!!

On another topic: I don't think I will ever run a full marathon. Do any of you feel like that? I think halfs (halves? haha) are tops for me. I just have no desire to run any further than 13.1 miles. I might do up to 15 miles, but I don't know any races that are specifically that distance. My dad has been running full marathons for years and it has taken a bit of a toll on his body. He has gotten stress fractures in his feet and I know that his knees are going to end up in bad shape if he doesn't cut down the distance soon!! I've already talked to him and asked him to keep it to half marathons, but he really wants to run the NYC Marathon again this year (he ran it last year and it was his favorite race EVER. And he's done a LOT!) He's insane, actually. He ran the Wine & Dine with me last year and then like a month or so later he ran the NYC Marathon. I hope this year he just leaves it at the Wine & Dine and doesn't do the NYC!!

[Phylers]

She did! And she did amazing! I took a picture of all her medals!

I was going to do the 5k but she forgot to sign up so I let her take my place so she could have all of them :)

Congrats to her! That's a serious medal haul! Also, whoa :yikes:, that's a lot of running in one long weekend!

Are you both jumping right into training for the Princess Half, now? After a week or two's worth of recovery, of course! ;-)


I've been wanting to do a Disney Marathon for a while now! Actually, I should probably start with a 5K or half-marathon since I've never done it before. I was going to try to do the one in January this year, but then I got pregnant and decided it wasn't the best time to train for a marathon. I think I may try to start conditioning myself again for next years. It'll help me lose the baby weight and I might be able to convince my hubby to take us to WDW next January since he's being stubborn about going back. :idea: I think it may work. Maybe then my little girl will be ready for her 1st hair cut and we can get it done on MS-USA while we're there! I'll knock out three goals in one trip! :happy:

Sounds like a good plan to me, HT! :thumbsup:

Like mshalloween said, it might be beneficial to run a shorter race just to get your feet wet, so to speak, but you can absolutely go from no races to marathons (or half marathons, for that matter) in a year.


On another topic: I don't think I will ever run a full marathon. Do any of you feel like that? I think halfs (halves? haha) are tops for me. I just have no desire to run any further than 13.1 miles. I might do up to 15 miles, but I don't know any races that are specifically that distance. My dad has been running full marathons for years and it has taken a bit of a toll on his body. He has gotten stress fractures in his feet and I know that his knees are going to end up in bad shape if he doesn't cut down the distance soon!! I've already talked to him and asked him to keep it to half marathons, but he really wants to run the NYC Marathon again this year (he ran it last year and it was his favorite race EVER. And he's done a LOT!) He's insane, actually. He ran the Wine & Dine with me last year and then like a month or so later he ran the NYC Marathon. I hope this year he just leaves it at the Wine & Dine and doesn't do the NYC!!

You know, right up to the Wine and Dine (my longest race to date, and my first attempt at the Half distance), I'd have agreed with you, but in the down-time after finishing, I realized, "well, why couldn't I do a full marathon?" And I couldn't answer that question. I'm not actively planning one, but I know that at some point in the future, I'll inevitably go for it.

Bummer about his injury woes, but I've got to give kudos to your Dad! I hear nothing but great things about the NYC Marathon. Health should always come first, but let's be honest: that "finish line feeling" is like the speech from the end of Scrooged. Once you've had it, you want it again. :)

[mshalloween]

You know, right up to the Wine and Dine (my longest race to date, and my first attempt at the Half distance), I'd have agreed with you, but in the down-time after finishing, I realized, "well, why couldn't I do a full marathon?" And I couldn't answer that question. I'm not actively planning one, but I know that at some point in the future, I'll inevitably go for it.

Bummer about his injury woes, but I've got to give kudos to your Dad! I hear nothing but great things about the NYC Marathon. Health should always come first, but let's be honest: that "finish line feeling" is like the speech from the end of Scrooged. Once you've had it, you want it again. :)

After I finished the W&D I felt like I could have gone further (I even sprinted the last .2 miles or so), but I honestly don't think I could do double that distance. I guess I could with training, but I just don't want to train for that long of a distance! Running for 2.5-3 hours (I'm not very fast, haha) is enough.. I just don't want to do 5-6+. Maybe down the line, but I don't know.. a half just seems like the perfect distance for me!

And yeah, you can't beat that finish line feeling. You can't beat the feeling while you're running and complete strangers are cheering you on. That's one of the huge reasons I love races--the camaraderie!

[Cosmos]

I'm in agreement that the Half is the ultimate for me. I'm not a big runner anyway so even when I do a half it'll be mostly walking, some running. I did the Princess 5K last year and thought that was a really fun race. I did it with some friends who don't run so we were walking mostly but it was a neat thing to go through the park while it was closed. I would love to aim for the Wine and Dine race this year - I wanted to do it last year, but work got in the way. I ended up doing 5 different 5K's last year instead - 4 locally, and the Princess.

[mshalloween]

I'm in agreement that the Half is the ultimate for me. I'm not a big runner anyway so even when I do a half it'll be mostly walking, some running. I did the Princess 5K last year and thought that was a really fun race. I did it with some friends who don't run so we were walking mostly but it was a neat thing to go through the park while it was closed. I would love to aim for the Wine and Dine race this year - I wanted to do it last year, but work got in the way. I ended up doing 5 different 5K's last year instead - 4 locally, and the Princess.

There were a ton of people who walked most of the W&D so you absolutely can do that!!! I'm really looking forward to that race this year. I had an absolute blast last year! Hope you can run/walk it!!

[Cosmos]

There were a ton of people who walked most of the W&D so you absolutely can do that!!! I'm really looking forward to that race this year. I had an absolute blast last year! Hope you can run/walk it!!

If you do end up walking most of it, does that leave any time to attend the party? I thought when I looked at the times that the party would really be available for those that only took 2-3 hours to finish.

[mshalloween]

If you do end up walking most of it, does that leave any time to attend the party? I thought when I looked at the times that the party would really be available for those that only took 2-3 hours to finish.

It does leave a bit less time but there's still SOME time to do stuff. If you don't check any bags, that saves a lot of time. I remember the lines to pick up your checked bags/gear were horrendous and I can't imagine how long people spent in them!! I think the finish line party went until 3am.. so if you can finish in 4 hours you'll still have an hour there. No, that's not a lot of time, but you'll at least get to grab your free drink and food and walk around a bit.

[Silvered]

If you do end up walking most of it, does that leave any time to attend the party? I thought when I looked at the times that the party would really be available for those that only took 2-3 hours to finish.

Well...let's just say there were A TON of issues with the W&D party that had nothing to do with when you finished. It was just a horrible situation and one I hope Disney fixes this year. I didn't finish due to injury but my mom and her friend did and they walked the whole way. They should have had more then a hour and a half at that point to enjoy the party but Disney had sold tickets to the PUBLIC so the place was so crowded you could barely move. It was worse then the Food and Wine Festival on a Friday or Saturday night.

But yes! Walking the half marathon is entirely doable. That's what I do because running makes my back give out and it's how my mom did the Goofy. It was slow and steady but her 3:15 and 6:41 finishes earned her the same medals as everyone else :clap: Even my 3:48 for the half was not nearly the slowest time out there. Granted, there are cut off points (I know you have to be past mile 10 at the 3 hour mark) but if you can keep up a steady 16-15 mile pace at a walk, go for it!

Now! It's a few days off (I have to have minor surgery next week :P) but then it's back to training for the Princess! Have to break 3:30 now!

[mshalloween]

Well...let's just say there were A TON of issues with the W&D party that had nothing to do with when you finished. It was just a horrible situation and one I hope Disney fixes this year. I didn't finish due to injury but my mom and her friend did and they walked the whole way. They should have had more then a hour and a half at that point to enjoy the party but Disney had sold tickets to the PUBLIC so the place was so crowded you could barely move. It was worse then the Food and Wine Festival on a Friday or Saturday night.

But yes! Walking the half marathon is entirely doable. That's what I do because running makes my back give out and it's how my mom did the Goofy. It was slow and steady but her 3:15 and 6:41 finishes earned her the same medals as everyone else :clap: Even my 3:48 for the half was not nearly the slowest time out there. Granted, there are cut off points (I know you have to be past mile 10 at the 3 hour mark) but if you can keep up a steady 16-15 mile pace at a walk, go for it!

Now! It's a few days off (I have to have minor surgery next week :P) but then it's back to training for the Princess! Have to break 3:30 now!

I understand them selling tickets to the public so the runners could celebrate with friends and family, but I think next year, they should limit the number WAY WAY WAY down OR completely do away with it. You are right--it was REALLY crowded!!!!

[Silvered]

I understand them selling tickets to the public so the runners could celebrate with friends and family, but I think next year, they should limit the number WAY WAY WAY down OR completely do away with it. You are right--it was REALLY crowded!!!!

Oh I'm not talking about to the families. We were talking to some people who did the 5k at the Halloween party the next night and they said they saw Disney selling tickets to the party to the public leaving Epcot that day. So more then half those people had NOTHING to do with the race :/

[mshalloween]

Oh I'm not talking about to the families. We were talking to some people who did the 5k at the Halloween party the next night and they said they saw Disney selling tickets to the party to the public leaving Epcot that day. So more then half those people had NOTHING to do with the race :/

OMG!! Now THAT is ridiculous. I thought they were pretty much all friends and family! Why would you want to go to an after-race party if you're not part of the race or with someone who is? I guess I understand the after-hours aspect of it, but personally, I wouldn't be interested.

[Phylers]

Now! It's a few days off (I have to have minor surgery next week :P) but then it's back to training for the Princess! Have to break 3:30 now!

Oh no! Hope it's not running-related surgery! :cross: Good luck!


OMG!! Now THAT is ridiculous. I thought they were pretty much all friends and family! Why would you want to go to an after-race party if you're not part of the race or with someone who is? I guess I understand the after-hours aspect of it, but personally, I wouldn't be interested.

There were a lot of bad feelings amongst the runners and families that I talked to about that. I understand Disney wanting to maximize the profits, but I don't think they expected so much public interest in the party. For the public though, it offered a chance to basically preview the Food and Wine Festival, at least for a couple of hours, without many people around, as racers and family were consumed by, you know, the race!

My Mom went to the trouble of doing all the ChEar Squad stuff, and she said the park was jammed even before the winner crossed the line. And that dude was crazy fast!

[Cosmos]

Wow, that's really interesting - I hadn't heard that it was that packed. Where exactly was the party held? Throughout World Showcase or in a building?

[mshalloween]

There were a lot of bad feelings amongst the runners and families that I talked to about that. I understand Disney wanting to maximize the profits, but I don't think they expected so much public interest in the party. For the public though, it offered a chance to basically preview the Food and Wine Festival, at least for a couple of hours, without many people around, as racers and family were consumed by, you know, the race!

My Mom went to the trouble of doing all the ChEar Squad stuff, and she said the park was jammed even before the winner crossed the line. And that dude was crazy fast!

Now that I know about it, there's a lot of bad feelings on my end, too. I hope Disney got lots of feedback on that and is planning on improving the situation for this year. If they want to have a preview party, do it when there isn't a race with 10,000 runners plus their family attending!


Wow, that's really interesting - I hadn't heard that it was that packed. Where exactly was the party held? Throughout World Showcase or in a building?

It was TOTALLY packed! I mean, I guess if you were one of the first to finish it wasn't ask packed, but I was nowhere near the top finishers :lol:

The party was held throughout the entire park. You could pretty much go anywhere you wanted. Most stuff (everything?) was closed except for the food and drink booths set up outside. I think there might have been a few gift shops open. Oh, I think Mexico was open too.

Do you guys remember if any of the rides were open?? We had no interest on going on any after the race so we didn't even look. We just wanted some tacos and beer :lol:

[Cosmos]

Has anyone does the ESPN 5K in the past? I've heard that that one is more "intense" than the Princess one - is that because of the audience it attracts?

[Silvered]

Oh no! Hope it's not running-related surgery! :cross: Good luck!

Oh no, it's nothing major, but thanks!


Do you guys remember if any of the rides were open?? We had no interest on going on any after the race so we didn't even look. We just wanted some tacos and beer :lol:

I was in too much pain at that point to notice :lol: I settled somewhere in Germany with an ice pack on my back and didn't move for a good long time.


Has anyone does the ESPN 5K in the past? I've heard that that one is more "intense" than the Princess one - is that because of the audience it attracts?

I did it last year and it's more of an actual 'race' then the Princess one. The 5ks paired with the various half marathons tend to be more things for families of runners to do with their runners. The ESPN had more of a feeling of the half marathons, just way shorter :lol:

[Cosmos]

I did it last year and it's more of an actual 'race' then the Princess one. The 5ks paired with the various half marathons tend to be more things for families of runners to do with their runners. The ESPN had more of a feeling of the half marathons, just way shorter :lol:

That makes sense. I'm hoping to get to do either that or the Princess but I haven't finalized my plans so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't both fill up! This thread is really helpful - I'm so glad I found it :)

[HT_NSU]

So, I think I talked the hubby into going back to WDW in January 2012 to do one of the races (tbd). I think I may take the suggestions about doing some smaller races down here prior to prepare myself. I'd really like to talk him into doing the Wine and Dine this coming October that way we could celebrate my daughter's 1st b-day in the parks and do the F&W Festival since we've never done that before, but he's an Athletic Trainer and that's in the heart of football season, so I don't see it happening.

Anyhoo, I was wondering if anybody had any training tips or schedules for someone just starting out from scratch. I'm awful at running and should probably start slow. One of the members here sent me a training schedule for a beginner last year, but I don't remember who it was. I'd like any help anyone can offer! Thanks!

[Phylers]

Now that I know about it, there's a lot of bad feelings on my end, too. I hope Disney got lots of feedback on that and is planning on improving the situation for this year. If they want to have a preview party, do it when there isn't a race with 10,000 runners plus their family attending!

Oh, I totally agree, but I get it from the perspective of the non-running public. It was only $25 to get into our party, and the actual preview party is priced in line with other Food and Wine Fest events, so it's pretty expensive. It was a great deal for folks in the area, but it also wasn't really fair to the runners and their families. I do hope Disney changes it up next year to keep the party to just runners and supporters, but I'm not sure how they could. Of course, not advertising the party outside of the race web page and the expo might be a start. :rolleyes:


Do you guys remember if any of the rides were open?? We had no interest on going on any after the race so we didn't even look. We just wanted some tacos and beer :lol:

I was in too much pain at that point to notice :lol: I settled somewhere in Germany with an ice pack on my back and didn't move for a good long time.

Isn't that funny? I totally can't remember either! My post-race consisted of putting on socks and taking a few pictures in Canada, then doing a lap of the World Showcase looking for short booth lines. :lol:


So, I think I talked the hubby into going back to WDW in January 2012 to do one of the races (tbd). I think I may take the suggestions about doing some smaller races down here prior to prepare myself. I'd really like to talk him into doing the Wine and Dine this coming October that way we could celebrate my daughter's 1st b-day in the parks and do the F&W Festival since we've never done that before, but he's an Athletic Trainer and that's in the heart of football season, so I don't see it happening.

Anyhoo, I was wondering if anybody had any training tips or schedules for someone just starting out from scratch. I'm awful at running and should probably start slow. One of the members here sent me a training schedule for a beginner last year, but I don't remember who it was. I'd like any help anyone can offer! Thanks!

Awesome, HT! I suspect your hubby might have some great resources. Kinda wish I had daily access to a professional trainer! :thumbsup:

My biggest hurdle was - and remains - form. It's so easy to pick up bad habits or tics in your stride.

As for training schedules, I think it depends on the goal. The biggest difference will be the long runs, naturally.

From other running boards, two of the more popular resources tend to be Hal Higdon's schedule (http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novices.html) and Jeff Galloway's schedule (http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/marathon.html) (Galloway is the official training partner for Disney; scroll to the bottom of that link for his actual schedule). They both have good half marathon plans, too.

Personally, I cobbled together a plan from different resources, but I guess the closest to mine would be the schedules at MarathonRookie (http://www.marathonrookie.com/). They're very easy to follow, and the site in general has a lot of good info.

[mshalloween]

So, I think I talked the hubby into going back to WDW in January 2012 to do one of the races (tbd). I think I may take the suggestions about doing some smaller races down here prior to prepare myself. I'd really like to talk him into doing the Wine and Dine this coming October that way we could celebrate my daughter's 1st b-day in the parks and do the F&W Festival since we've never done that before, but he's an Athletic Trainer and that's in the heart of football season, so I don't see it happening.

Anyhoo, I was wondering if anybody had any training tips or schedules for someone just starting out from scratch. I'm awful at running and should probably start slow. One of the members here sent me a training schedule for a beginner last year, but I don't remember who it was. I'd like any help anyone can offer! Thanks!

When I started training for my last one, Hal Higdon & Jeff Galloway (like Phylers already mentioned) were the two people mentioned to me by a coworker who runs triathalons, marathons, Iron Mans, you name it. I looked into their stuff but really just ended up doing my own thing. I would LOVE to get into a regular training program but for some reason, when I'm out running, I want to do what I want (I guess I'm like that in life, too :lol:). If I feel like I can run for 6 miles instead of 5, I'm going to do an extra mile. If I don't feel like going out running that day, I probably won't go out. I DO believe that you gradually need to work up your distance while training, especially if you've never run a race before. I'm absolutely NOT saying that I know more than those running guys, and I know that if you follow their plans, you will do really well at your half. I just had to tailor the workouts to myself because I don't like to follow directions. LOL. I started out only walking, then worked up my distance, then added in some running. I never planned on running the whole half marathon, and if I did, I probably would have followed a training schedule more closely. I did more of a run .5 miles, walk .1 miles type of thing at the actual half marathon (W&D I'm talking about). It ended up really working for me. I guess for the next half I do (which will probably be the W&D in October), I would like to get into a training schedule so I can run more of the race. There's always a personal best to beat, right?

[SherKhan72]

I really wish I could still run because I would so train for this just to get the experience. But my ankles and knees just won't let me anymore, to much abuse I did to it back then. Plus my weight isn't helping my ankles and knees but even when I loose my weight, I'm on my way :happy:, my ankles and knees still won't allow me, specially my knees, no liquid. I know Phino was training for it. Anyways, since I can't run, I'm really thinking about volunteering. I talked my wife into volunteering too since they need nurse volunteers so we're thinking about volunteering for the Princess run. Has anyone ever volunteered? How was the experience? What to expect? Any perks?

[mshalloween]

I really wish I could still run because I would so train for this just to get the experience. But my ankles and knees just won't let me anymore, to much abuse I did to it back then. Plus my weight isn't helping my ankles and knees but even when I loose my weight, I'm on my way :happy:, my ankles and knees still won't allow me, specially my knees, no liquid. I know Phino was training for it. Anyways, since I can't run, I'm really thinking about volunteering. I talked my wife into volunteering too since they need nurse volunteers so we're thinking about volunteering for the Princess run. Has anyone ever volunteered? How was the experience? What to expect? Any perks?

Have you considered a shorter distance race that you could walk the majority/all of? Those race weekends, a lot of the time, include 5Ks the night before. A lot of them are family-themed, too, so there certainly will be a ton of people walking the whole thing.

About the volunteering thing, I've never done it, but I'm interested to hear other peoples' answers. Without the volunteers, the race wouldn't go on!!

[SherKhan72]

Have you considered a shorter distance race that you could walk the majority/all of? Those race weekends, a lot of the time, include 5Ks the night before. A lot of them are family-themed, too, so there certainly will be a ton of people walking the whole thing.

About the volunteering thing, I've never done it, but I'm interested to hear other peoples' answers. Without the volunteers, the race wouldn't go on!!

Hmmmm, if I walk it, would I still get a chance to get a medal? I would definitely consider this but I thought that you had to finish the race at a certain time to get a medal.
Yeah, I'm really hoping to hear from people who has volunteered.

[Allie086]

I am looking forward to running the Disney Princess 5k and half marathon next week! I am doing it with my mom and really looking forward to that..also once again i signed up for the Expedition Everest Challenge with my hubby once again..that was fun doing that as a team and running threw animal kingdom and the scavenger hunt last year was fun, best part was the after party hanging out doing all the rides at dark.

[mshalloween]

Hmmmm, if I walk it, would I still get a chance to get a medal? I would definitely consider this but I thought that you had to finish the race at a certain time to get a medal.
Yeah, I'm really hoping to hear from people who has volunteered.

As long as you finish the race, you get a medal. The only time you wouldn't is if you weren't going fast enough and they had to remove you from the course, however, I only see that happening in longer distance races, like the half marathon and marathon. I think the rule at the W&D is that if you weren't maintaining a 16-minute per mile pace, you would be picked up around mile 7?? I don't know how stringent they are on that, but I have heard of people being picked up. I don't know if there is a finishing time in shorter races like the 5K, just because even if you're a 20-minute mile, that's still only an hour to have you on the course. They also do a lot of family 5Ks where tons of people walk.

[SherKhan72]

As long as you finish the race, you get a medal. The only time you wouldn't is if you weren't going fast enough and they had to remove you from the course, however, I only see that happening in longer distance races, like the half marathon and marathon. I think the rule at the W&D is that if you weren't maintaining a 16-minute per mile pace, you would be picked up around mile 7?? I don't know how stringent they are on that, but I have heard of people being picked up. I don't know if there is a finishing time in shorter races like the 5K, just because even if you're a 20-minute mile, that's still only an hour to have you on the course. They also do a lot of family 5Ks where tons of people walk.

Hmmmm, this sounds really interesting. I think I would definitely look into this. I'll tell my wife and maybe next year we can join. But I'm still gonna volunteer, lol.

[mshalloween]

Hmmmm, this sounds really interesting. I think I would definitely look into this. I'll tell my wife and maybe next year we can join. But I'm still gonna volunteer, lol.

Awesome! Definitely be sure to check out the runDisney page on disney.com because they usually have the finishing requirements posted on there. That way you'll know if you need to walk faster than you're comfortable with.

---------- Post added at 09:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:25 AM ----------

Okay, I found this on the W&D page about last year's event:


Pacing
All athletes must be able to maintain a 16-minute per mile pace throughout the race. Anyone who is not able to maintain a 16-minute per mile pace may be picked up and transported to The American Adventure Pavilion at Epcot®. You may be picked up at any point along the course for not maintaining a 16-minute per mile pace. It is suggested that athletes train for a 15-minute per mile pace or faster to allow time for breaks (restroom breaks, photo opportunities, etc.)

But remember, that's a half marathon. I'm not sure if a 5K would be as strict on timing as I've actually never ran one. Something to look into!

[SherKhan72]

Well, I guess my wife and I won't be volunteering. I just checked the volunteer page just now and it states that all volunteers has been filled for all the races up till March. I was just at that page yesterday and they had openings. Oh well, there goes another chance to volunteer. Blah!

[mshalloween]

I am looking forward to running the Disney Princess 5k and half marathon next week! I am doing it with my mom and really looking forward to that..also once again i signed up for the Expedition Everest Challenge with my hubby once again..that was fun doing that as a team and running threw animal kingdom and the scavenger hunt last year was fun, best part was the after party hanging out doing all the rides at dark.

I was just thinking about asking my husband if he would do Expedition Everest with me. Is it really cool? I don't know much about it except for that it's a 5K with some obstacles and a scavenger hunt mixed in. I know you don't have to do it as a team, but is it a lot better that way? I don't know if I can talk my husband into doing it with me, haha.

[Allie086]

I was just thinking about asking my husband if he would do Expedition Everest with me. Is it really cool? I don't know much about it except for that it's a 5K with some obstacles and a scavenger hunt mixed in. I know you don't have to do it as a team, but is it a lot better that way? I don't know if I can talk my husband into doing it with me, haha.

well i will say that was some of the best fun i have had in a 5k before..you do the run part/obstacles first and then once done that you get your first clue and run into the park to do the scavenger part..the good thing is not everyone gets the same clue..they break it up to 3 different places for each clue to help move people around the park and not have jam packed areas

[mshalloween]

well i will say that was some of the best fun i have had in a 5k before..you do the run part/obstacles first and then once done that you get your first clue and run into the park to do the scavenger part..the good thing is not everyone gets the same clue..they break it up to 3 different places for each clue to help move people around the park and not have jam packed areas

Sounds awesome! Thanks for the info. I need to be prepared to describe it to him when I beg him to do it with me... :)

[Silvered]

You can get picked up in the 5ks. We almost did at Halloween because we were taking so many pictures XD They are a bit more lienant on the 16 minute pace then the half but there is still a limit.

Also, you can walk a 16 minute pace! I did on the half last weekend. Race walking isn't as hard as you think.

But yes, they will pull you are certain points if you are not keeping up the pace. I know you have to pass mile 10 before 3 hours. That's where I got pulled at the Princess last year when I didn't know what I was doing. I got pulled at the Wine and Dine too, but that was because of injury. They gave me a medal for some reason which I didn't like. It's hidden in the back of my closet. But yes, if you cross the finish line, you get a medal!

[Figmentfan]

I'm a walker as well - I've been participating in Disney's endurance events for almost 4 years now and have never run a race. I'm trying to get more running into my training to hopefully do a run/walk combo for the upcoming ESPN 5K, but you can *definitely* do a half marathon just by walking a quick pace. I've finished two now (W&D and the Half last weekend) and my times were 3:31 and 3:26. Not fast - but I proved to myself that I could do it! :)

Is anyone else going for the Coast to Coast challenge this year? I really want that gorgeous medal. :) And my friend already has planted the seed of potentially going for the Full Marathon next January. I must be psycho to even be considering it!

[jenn]

Our first half marathon was the past Disneyland half marathon (2010). This was also where Garet proposed! So I got a little extra for finishing :lol:

Garet and I completed the Goofy Challenge this past weekend! :happy: It was tough as we didn't train :look: Terrible, I know but I was busy with school! We did the run/walk method as Jeff Galloway talks about (we did a 2:1). We did this for the entire half and for 16 miles of the full. Our times were terrible since we would walk a little longer at times... BUT we finished! And we paid for it! We weren't exactly it great shape the next few days :lol:

We are also going to do the Disneyland Half and go for the Coast to Coast! We are planning to do better for this race, much more training for sure. But Garet's ankle and knee are still swollen! So he's going to get it checked before we go back to running :) We were in Corral C for the half on Saturday, which was awesome and motivating with everyone around us. I think our times from last weekend will put us back a Corral in September :lol:

[Phylers]

Our first half marathon was the past Disneyland half marathon (2010). This was also where Garet proposed! So I got a little extra for finishing :lol:

Garet and I completed the Goofy Challenge this past weekend! :happy: It was tough as we didn't train :look: Terrible, I know but I was busy with school! We did the run/walk method as Jeff Galloway talks about (we did a 2:1). We did this for the entire half and for 16 miles of the full. Our times were terrible since we would walk a little longer at times... BUT we finished! And we paid for it! We weren't exactly it great shape the next few days :lol:

We are also going to do the Disneyland Half and go for the Coast to Coast! We are planning to do better for this race, much more training for sure. But Garet's ankle and knee are still swollen! So he's going to get it checked before we go back to running :) We were in Corral C for the half on Saturday, which was awesome and motivating with everyone around us. I think our times from last weekend will put us back a Corral in September :lol:

Congrats to you guys both for the engagement and for finishing!

For others though, especially new runners, skipping training is really not a good idea. You can absolutely finish, assuming you're fairly fit or stubborn, but the risk of injury is much greater.

:cross: that Garet is okay!

[Silvered]

Bumping to announce the registration for the 2011 Disneyland Half Marathon is now open! Go sign up all you west coasters and Coast to Coasters!

[jenn]

Congrats to you guys both for the engagement and for finishing!

For others though, especially new runners, skipping training is really not a good idea. You can absolutely finish, assuming you're fairly fit or stubborn, but the risk of injury is much greater.

:cross: that Garet is okay!

Thanks! Garet is okay now! We will start training again soon since we are already signed up for the Disneyland Half! :)

[Cosmos]

Thanks! Garet is okay now! We will start training again soon since we are already signed up for the Disneyland Half! :)

That's awesome!

I signed up for the Princess 5K now that I'm sure I'll be in town for the race - can't wait!

[DisneylandNut]

i dont run or do sports but wanted to just say good luck n happy running to all that do

[Belle Ella]

Now better time than the present for a BUMP! Tomorrow is the last day to register for the DLR 1/2 Marathon before the registration increases ;)

I'm just getting back into running myself, but that still qualifies me as a runner! I recently started the Couch to 5K program and I plan on participating in the 5K during the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon Weekend, and then working my way up to do the actual 1/2 in 2012!!

[Silvered]

From the runDisney Facebook page


A Note from Ken Potrock - Changes Being Made to Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend September 30-October 1, 2011
by Run Disney on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 1:10pm

Dear Fans. . .

Thank you for being such enthusiastic supporters of Disney events. Our Disney team has been busy over the past few months with the WALT DISNEY WORLD Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA and this month’s Disney Princess Half Marathon presented by Lady Foot Locker. We’re off to a great start in 2011, and expect to see continued success with the Disneyland Half Marathon in September and then the return of the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend at WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort September 30-October 1.

As a listening company, we constantly seek input from our guests so that we can make the guest experience even better. In the spirit of that commitment, the Disney team has been working on changes to improve your experience at the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon.

First, you may be pleased to note that the post-race party will be expanded to include a variety of Epcot attractions and many more food and beverage locations. In addition, the half marathon finish line will be moved to just outside the main entrance to Epcot. Our intent is to provide more space for the finish itself, a larger spectator viewing area, and a greatly expanded baggage claim operation. Different from the WALT DISNEY WORLD Marathon and Disney Princess Half Marathon events, the Wine & Dine Half Marathon finish area will be in a parking area adjacent to the Epcot main entrance, allowing for easy access to the post-race party inside the park.

I wanted to personally share these updates to assure you that we value your feedback and are committed to making every Disney race a world-class experience for you and your families. We expect to have exciting entertainment enhancements to share among other surprises, both during the race and during the post-race party, so stay tuned for more news on the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon and all Disney events in the coming months. We look forward to seeing you at the finish line.

Yours in running,

Ken Potrock
SVP, Disney Sports Enterprises

[runningstitch]

I'm just getting back into running myself, but that still qualifies me as a runner! I recently started the Couch to 5K program and I plan on participating in the 5K during the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon Weekend, and then working my way up to do the actual 1/2 in 2012!!

Me too! For all of it except the DL 5K; I'll be doing one here in NC. But I plan on running my first 1/2 marathon in January at WDW! :wave:

[roto888]

Now better time than the present for a BUMP! Tomorrow is the last day to register for the DLR 1/2 Marathon before the registration increases ;)

I'm just getting back into running myself, but that still qualifies me as a runner! I recently started the Couch to 5K program and I plan on participating in the 5K during the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon Weekend, and then working my way up to do the actual 1/2 in 2012!!

Hey...My goal this year is to run the Disneyland Half this September . I'm signed up for the Pasadena Duathlon next month and a 5k in April. I can't call myself a runner yet and like you I am doing the C25K Plan. Its been slow going, but now I have vinylmaniacs and runners to keep me going ! So Thank you in advance !

[Belle Ella]

It's nice to know I'm not the only non-runner looking to do either the 5K or the 1/2 (or working up to the 1/2 for next year). I was kind of petrified about signing up because I didn't want to feel like a slow poke. But I can do it, I can do it. I just need a little motivation and someone to hold me accountable. I've had a hard time with C25K, simply because I don't want to move on to the next week. I keep redoing Week #1 if I even remember to run at all.

[roto888]

It's nice to know I'm not the only non-runner looking to do either the 5K or the 1/2 (or working up to the 1/2 for next year). I was kind of petrified about signing up because I didn't want to feel like a slow poke. But I can do it, I can do it. I just need a little motivation and someone to hold me accountable. I've had a hard time with C25K, simply because I don't want to move on to the next week. I keep redoing Week #1 if I even remember to run at all.

I've been where you are. Don't quit. YOU CAN DO IT. You take little steps at a time and just keep going. It's not easy but it does get easier. Pretty soon you will be on week 4 and running more than you ever thought you would.

YOU CAN DO IT. You're not alone.

[Belle Ella]

That's the kind of motivation I need. This is what I love about the forums I'm on. My family friends don't really care. I get a small "great" before conversation moves on, lol.

I re-started Week 1 this week so I'm going to finish that up and start Week 2 on Monday. We'll see how running before my dance class goes over for tomorrow!

[roto888]

That's the kind of motivation I need. This is what I love about the forums I'm on. My family friends don't really care. I get a small "great" before conversation moves on, lol.

I re-started Week 1 this week so I'm going to finish that up and start Week 2 on Monday. We'll see how running before my dance class goes over for tomorrow!

Well I will tell you what, I will keep motivating you and you can do the same for me. We'll keep each other moving forward and one of these days , we'll be runners of the same class as the folks on this thread!

[Belle Ella]

Well I will tell you what, I will keep motivating you and you can do the same for me. We'll keep each other moving forward and one of these days , we'll be runners of the same class as the folks on this thread!

Roger that! Perfect plan. How often are you running/what days?

[Phylers]

From the runDisney Facebook page

That's great that they heard the many of us that had issues with the post-race situation. I'm not sure how more food locations would work, though - isn't the point to hit the country kiosks? To me, the easiest solution would be to not sell tickets to people who aren't there with racers. Of course, that might come later.

Anybody else a little bummed about the new finish line?


Hey...My goal this year is to run the Disneyland Half this September . I'm signed up for the Pasadena Duathlon next month and a 5k in April. I can't call myself a runner yet and like you I am doing the C25K Plan. Its been slow going, but now I have vinylmaniacs and runners to keep me going ! So Thank you in advance !


It's nice to know I'm not the only non-runner looking to do either the 5K or the 1/2 (or working up to the 1/2 for next year). I was kind of petrified about signing up because I didn't want to feel like a slow poke. But I can do it, I can do it. I just need a little motivation and someone to hold me accountable. I've had a hard time with C25K, simply because I don't want to move on to the next week. I keep redoing Week #1 if I even remember to run at all.

It looks to me like you're both on your way! :thumbsup: The training will definitely get easier once the running becomes a part of your routine.

Belle Ella - if the C25K isn't really working for you, you might consider adapting it - or another plan - to fit your needs. The run/walk plans are great, but personally, I've never been able to mentally cope with all the speed changes. I didn't like feeling reigned-in after I'd established a rhythm, and it felt more natural to take walk breaks as I felt I needed them rather than by design. Further, for me, training was much easier when I focused on weekly mileage goals. Either way, never feel bad about repeating a week. It's always better to get stronger and more comfortable before moving on!

Oh, and the biggest thing to remember - we're all slow! Unless you're in the top three, your time doesn't matter at all. All that matters is crossing the finish line. After that, we're all equal - we're all finishers! :thumbsup:

[mshalloween]

That's great that they heard the many of us that had issues with the post-race situation. I'm not sure how more food locations would work, though - isn't the point to hit the country kiosks? To me, the easiest solution would be to not sell tickets to people who aren't there with racers. Of course, that might come later.

Anybody else a little bummed about the new finish line?


I agree. Instead of adding more kiosks, I wish they had cut the party capacity down. Selling tickets to non-runners is something they really need to look into cutting out. I understand wanting to celebrate with your friends and family afterwards, but if it takes away from the experience of other runners, then it's not worth it to me. The easy solution to that is run with a buddy :lol:

I'm not bummed about the new finish line, but I also thought the old one wasn't all that great. It was crowded, the road was thin, and you were immediately funneled into baggage claim. My dad and I didn't check any bags before the race, yet we still had to maneuver through what seemed like THOUSANDS of people just to get to the Epcot party. If this solution prevents that, I'm for it.

[Phylers]

I agree. Instead of adding more kiosks, I wish they had cut the party capacity down. Selling tickets to non-runners is something they really need to look into cutting out. I understand wanting to celebrate with your friends and family afterwards, but if it takes away from the experience of other runners, then it's not worth it to me. The easy solution to that is run with a buddy :lol:

I'm not bummed about the new finish line, but I also thought the old one wasn't all that great. It was crowded, the road was thin, and you were immediately funneled into baggage claim. My dad and I didn't check any bags before the race, yet we still had to maneuver through what seemed like THOUSANDS of people just to get to the Epcot party. If this solution prevents that, I'm for it.

Oh, I don't have a problem with friends and family attending. So long as they're friends and family of runners. If you've got a dozen friends who want to come out and cheer, hey, go for it. But if you're just looking for a sneak peek at the Food and Wine Festival, go to the official sneak peek party.

I agree that there needed to be a way to bypass baggage claim, as I too got stuck navigating that crowd.

I liked the finish line, but then I like the International Gateway entrance to Epcot. You can't beat the run-up: the boardwalk sections were so great underfoot, and that last turn was so dramatic! The new line might be better for logistics, but ... I don't know. I guess it depends how it looks, but there's something un-magical about finishing in the parking lot. :shrug:

[Belle Ella]

It looks to me like you're both on your way! :thumbsup: The training will definitely get easier once the running becomes a part of your routine.

Belle Ella - if the C25K isn't really working for you, you might consider adapting it - or another plan - to fit your needs. The run/walk plans are great, but personally, I've never been able to mentally cope with all the speed changes. I didn't like feeling reigned-in after I'd established a rhythm, and it felt more natural to take walk breaks as I felt I needed them rather than by design. Further, for me, training was much easier when I focused on weekly mileage goals. Either way, never feel bad about repeating a week. It's always better to get stronger and more comfortable before moving on!

Oh, and the biggest thing to remember - we're all slow! Unless you're in the top three, your time doesn't matter at all. All that matters is crossing the finish line. After that, we're all equal - we're all finishers! :thumbsup:

I think part of my problem right now is just getting the motivation to go outside. If I remember to run on my days (Mon/Wed/Friday) then I'm better at getting out again, but if I miss a day I don't have the motivation to continue and it spirals down from there. And with all the homework I have had after starting school at the end of last month it's given me a 'reason' in my head to put it off. The biggest problem of all is my forum-addiction. I can't tear myself away between here (ugh, have I really posted almost 200 times since Saturday?) and the DIS (where my addiction is 10x worse on average). I get nothing done, let alone running.

I can do this. I can do this.

[Silvered]

Anybody else a little bummed about the new finish line?

I didn't get that far :look: :lol:

And to Belle Elle and roto888, we all have to start somewhere! I know it's hard but once you get there, it will be the best feeling in the world! Plus, Phylers is right, we're all slow so don't worry. I mean, I race walk instead of run and you can see my time for the WDW 1/2 above. It's not about what time you finish, it's the fact you start and finish at all!

[Belle Ella]

Thanks. It definitely helps to have the reminder that everyone started somewhere.

[Phylers]

I think part of my problem right now is just getting the motivation to go outside. If I remember to run on my days (Mon/Wed/Friday) then I'm better at getting out again, but if I miss a day I don't have the motivation to continue and it spirals down from there. And with all the homework I have had after starting school at the end of last month it's given me a 'reason' in my head to put it off. The biggest problem of all is my forum-addiction. I can't tear myself away between here (ugh, have I really posted almost 200 times since Saturday?) and the DIS (where my addiction is 10x worse on average). I get nothing done, let alone running.

I can do this. I can do this.

Motivation is tricky when you first start. Personally, I did almost all of my early training on a treadmill. Part of that was weather-related (way too hot and humid in FL, especially over the summer), and part of it was for the control - I'd always know exactly how far I'd gone (and my pace, but only as a curiosity). If you have access to one, it might be worth giving the treadmill a shot, as it's easier to say, "oh, I'll run while I watch such and such on tv," or, "oh, I can prop my computer up and read forums while I run."

The biggest thing to remember right now is that if you miss a day, DON'T PANIC. :D It's no big deal! We all miss days here and there. The important part is doing the next day. After enough next days, you'll find that the training doesn't feel like a chore any more, and you'll actually look forward to it (:yikes:)!

I do like your mantra, but could I make one addition? Along with "I can do this," add in, every now and again, an, "I'm going to do this. All that matters is how." :thumbsup:

[roto888]

I agree with all of you. It is hard to keep motivated and to not panic when I miss a day. But, the goal is to keep going. And with folks like you giving us both motivation to keep going, I think we will both be successful. Thanks for the encouragement.

[Belle Ella]

I wish I had access to a treadmill but that would cost me money. It's hard to judge the distance that I'm running so I'm using timing counts. Easy for the first couple of weeks. But I found some podcasts to help me get through. The music definitely helps once I actually get started.

And I like it. I'm going to do this, I am.

[mshalloween]

Oh, I don't have a problem with friends and family attending. So long as they're friends and family of runners. If you've got a dozen friends who want to come out and cheer, hey, go for it. But if you're just looking for a sneak peek at the Food and Wine Festival, go to the official sneak peek party.

I agree that there needed to be a way to bypass baggage claim, as I too got stuck navigating that crowd.

I liked the finish line, but then I like the International Gateway entrance to Epcot. You can't beat the run-up: the boardwalk sections were so great underfoot, and that last turn was so dramatic! The new line might be better for logistics, but ... I don't know. I guess it depends how it looks, but there's something un-magical about finishing in the parking lot. :shrug:

I did love the finish through the Yacht/Beach Club.. that is something I will miss.

So, sign-ups begin on Monday. Who is signing up for the Wine & Dine next week?? I will be!

[roto888]

I wish I had access to a treadmill but that would cost me money. It's hard to judge the distance that I'm running so I'm using timing counts. Easy for the first couple of weeks. But I found some podcasts to help me get through. The music definitely helps once I actually get started.

And I like it. I'm going to do this, I am.

Run day tomorrow Belle Ella...YOU CAN DO IT !

[Belle Ella]

Run day, run day! I will do it.

[Phylers]

I did love the finish through the Yacht/Beach Club.. that is something I will miss.

So, sign-ups begin on Monday. Who is signing up for the Wine & Dine next week?? I will be!

:yikes: Monday!? Actually, ... :doh: I guess this was about the time registration opened up last year, too.

I hate to register so far out, but I don't really want to risk having to get in off the stand-by list again. :bonk:

[mshalloween]

:yikes: Monday!? Actually, ... :doh: I guess this was about the time registration opened up last year, too.

I hate to register so far out, but I don't really want to risk having to get in off the stand-by list again. :bonk:

Yeah, registration is EARLY! But, like you said, it was this time last year, too. I'm registering the first day just to get it out of the way. Registration didn't fill up until July/August last year (at least I know someone who tried to register in that time frame and was put on a waiting list) so there's really no rush.. yet. However, do you get a lower number (not corral) for registering earlier? I registered in March last year and got a semi-low number. I'm not sure if that's how they do it or if it was just a fluke :) I like the low numbers for some reason!!

[Phylers]

Yeah, registration is EARLY! But, like you said, it was this time last year, too. I'm registering the first day just to get it out of the way. Registration didn't fill up until July/August last year (at least I know someone who tried to register in that time frame and was put on a waiting list) so there's really no rush.. yet. However, do you get a lower number (not corral) for registering earlier? I registered in March last year and got a semi-low number. I'm not sure if that's how they do it or if it was just a fluke :) I like the low numbers for some reason!!

Looks like they haven't posted prices yet, but I imagine they'll have the same policy where you save some money by registering early (I think they did that last year).

I imagine there's something to that low number theory. I got in with the first round of overflow, and my number was in the 8000s. I imagine the single digits will go to people who finished in the single digits last year and are returning, sort of like a perk, but beyond them, chronological order based on registration would make sense.

I also noticed that the Princess Half hasn't sold out yet. :eek: 98% full, with just two weeks until the race. I never thought Disney had race spots open this late!

[Silvered]

Looks like they haven't posted prices yet, but I imagine they'll have the same policy where you save some money by registering early (I think they did that last year).

I imagine there's something to that low number theory. I got in with the first round of overflow, and my number was in the 8000s. I imagine the single digits will go to people who finished in the single digits last year and are returning, sort of like a perk, but beyond them, chronological order based on registration would make sense.

I also noticed that the Princess Half hasn't sold out yet. :eek: 98% full, with just two weeks until the race. I never thought Disney had race spots open this late!

I think the problem with the Princess this year is it's so soon after the Marathon Weekend. People can't get back down here again so soon. And last year it coincided with a school holiday so people were able to come down for that. I know my cousin who is in college wanted to do it this year but because they moved it she couldn't.

[Phylers]

I think the problem with the Princess this year is it's so soon after the Marathon Weekend. People can't get back down here again so soon. And last year it coincided with a school holiday so people were able to come down for that. I know my cousin who is in college wanted to do it this year but because they moved it she couldn't.

I thought it was closer to Spring Break time last year. Good point about the proximity to Marathon Weekend, too. I guess it's good from a training standpoint, but it really stinks from a traveling standpoint. That stinks that your cousin will have to miss out. :( Maybe you could refocus her on the Wine and Dine. :thumbsup:

It's got to be hard for Disney to space all the races out within the running season. You want to see more runners, but nobody wants to risk having to go in conditions that are too hot or too volatile.

Of course, anyone looking to get in the Princess Half has got to be pretty happy with the extra space. Maybe there'll be a bunch of last-minute entries. :shrug:

[Belle Ella]

Yay! I did my run today. Week #2 here I come on Monday.

[roto888]

Yay! I did my run today. Week #2 here I come on Monday.

Good Job !!! Week 2 will be a piece of cake ! You CAN DO IT !

[Belle Ella]

Thanks roto!! :clap:

[mshalloween]

Looks like they haven't posted prices yet, but I imagine they'll have the same policy where you save some money by registering early (I think they did that last year).

I imagine there's something to that low number theory. I got in with the first round of overflow, and my number was in the 8000s. I imagine the single digits will go to people who finished in the single digits last year and are returning, sort of like a perk, but beyond them, chronological order based on registration would make sense.

I also noticed that the Princess Half hasn't sold out yet. :eek: 98% full, with just two weeks until the race. I never thought Disney had race spots open this late!

I think they also tend to give lower numbers to faster runners, too. I'm a slow runner (Corral D represent!) but my number was one of the lower numbers I saw in that corral.

I hope they post prices. I think it was what, around $130 last year?? Maybe that was the price I paid with the pin? I can't remember exactly. Oh well. I'm expecting something like that again this year.

[Anders Limpar]

I don't remember the last time I ran on a track that wasn't covered with snow and ice.

[Phylers]

I think they also tend to give lower numbers to faster runners, too. I'm a slow runner (Corral D represent!) but my number was one of the lower numbers I saw in that corral.

I hope they post prices. I think it was what, around $130 last year?? Maybe that was the price I paid with the pin? I can't remember exactly. Oh well. I'm expecting something like that again this year.

What, what? Corral D for Destination: Finish Line! :rofl: Yep, I was back there, too! :wave:

I kind of figured that the faster runners had lower numbers because they'd have signed up first. I guess it could be based on past results, but it could just be that they knew from experience that they were going to run the race and that it's beneficial to register early. Probably a little bit of both. :shrug:

$130, with pin, sounds about right for early registration. I think the registration went up to $135, without the pin, after the cutoff dates. The half marathons all seem to be running about there - $115 for first registrants, then it ups to $125 and $135 over time.


I don't remember the last time I ran on a track that wasn't covered with snow and ice.

That's dedication, though! :look: Probably more than I'd have if I still lived up there. :lol:

[mshalloween]

What, what? Corral D for Destination: Finish Line! :rofl: Yep, I was back there, too! :wave:

I kind of figured that the faster runners had lower numbers because they'd have signed up first. I guess it could be based on past results, but it could just be that they knew from experience that they were going to run the race and that it's beneficial to register early. Probably a little bit of both. :shrug:

$130, with pin, sounds about right for early registration. I think the registration went up to $135, without the pin, after the cutoff dates. The half marathons all seem to be running about there - $115 for first registrants, then it ups to $125 and $135 over time.



That's dedication, though! :look: Probably more than I'd have if I still lived up there. :lol:

Well, we'll find out pricing tomorrow for sure! I'm pretty excited to sign up. I haven't been training and now this will give me a solid goal. It's easy to say "oh, I want to run that in the fall" but when it's paid for, it's a bit more motivating, especially at ~$130 a pop! Haha!

See you in Corral D in the fall! ;-)

[Silvered]

Well, we'll find out pricing tomorrow for sure! I'm pretty excited to sign up. I haven't been training and now this will give me a solid goal. It's easy to say "oh, I want to run that in the fall" but when it's paid for, it's a bit more motivating, especially at ~$130 a pop! Haha!

See you in Corral D in the fall! ;-)

I'll be there with you guys :wave: Corral D represent!

[mshalloween]

I'll be there with you guys :wave: Corral D represent!

Woot woot! :happy: :happy:

[Anders Limpar]

What, what? Corral D for Destination: Finish Line! :rofl: Yep, I was back there, too! :wave:

I kind of figured that the faster runners had lower numbers because they'd have signed up first. I guess it could be based on past results, but it could just be that they knew from experience that they were going to run the race and that it's beneficial to register early. Probably a little bit of both. :shrug:

$130, with pin, sounds about right for early registration. I think the registration went up to $135, without the pin, after the cutoff dates. The half marathons all seem to be running about there - $115 for first registrants, then it ups to $125 and $135 over time.



That's dedication, though! :look: Probably more than I'd have if I still lived up there. :lol:

I've done it for the past number of winters so its not as bad as it sounds, you just have to be careful and watch where you are stepping. And you get used to the cold after a little while. It was 46 today, it felt downright tropical, track was still half covered with snow though.

[Phylers]

I've done it for the past number of winters so its not as bad as it sounds, you just have to be careful and watch where you are stepping. And you get used to the cold after a little while. It was 46 today, it felt downright tropical, track was still half covered with snow though.

Oh, don't get me wrong - I don't have a problem with the temperature. I absolutely love running in the cold (my favorite line in a running article remains, "It is a proven fact that little black gloves make everyone faster" :lol:). Ice probably wouldn't be my thing, though. I used to play broomball, so it's not like I've never run on ice, but I wouldn't feel too confident doing any sort of training on it. Do you find that it slows down your times?

[mshalloween]

I'm patiently waiting for registration to open... aghhh! (okay, that's not so patient)

[mshalloween]

Registration is still not open, but while browsing the website, I got to thinking.... would it be crazy to run Mickey's Halloween 5K that morning, assuming they are doing it again? I want the medal so badly.... (if it wasn't obvious before, I'm super in love with all things Halloween!) I wish it wasn't the same day!!

[Silvered]

Registration is still not open, but while browsing the website, I got to thinking.... would it be crazy to run Mickey's Halloween 5K that morning, assuming they are doing it again? I want the medal so badly.... (if it wasn't obvious before, I'm super in love with all things Halloween!) I wish it wasn't the same day!!

I'd do it! I LOVED the Halloween 5k, so many great characters were out and I have a group of people I did it with and we all dressed as characters from Alice in Wonderland so the pictures were so fun! That and hopefully we get a free ticket to the Not So ScarY Halloween Party again this year!

[mshalloween]

I'd do it! I LOVED the Halloween 5k, so many great characters were out and I have a group of people I did it with and we all dressed as characters from Alice in Wonderland so the pictures were so fun! That and hopefully we get a free ticket to the Not So ScarY Halloween Party again this year!

My dad said he would do it if I would, so we're in! I definitely want to dress up. That sounds great :)

[Anders Limpar]

Oh, don't get me wrong - I don't have a problem with the temperature. I absolutely love running in the cold (my favorite line in a running article remains, "It is a proven fact that little black gloves make everyone faster" :lol:). Ice probably wouldn't be my thing, though. I used to play broomball, so it's not like I've never run on ice, but I wouldn't feel too confident doing any sort of training on it. Do you find that it slows down your times?

It definitely does, my strides aren't as long and I slow up whenever there are any really bad spots. If it is completely covered by ice then I'll run on the street or something. After running in a few inches of snow, you wouldn't believe how much faster I run the first time I run on a clean track. I don't know if its extra weight b/c my shoes get wet or what.

[Silvered]

My dad said he would do it if I would, so we're in! I definitely want to dress up. That sounds great :)

Let us know what you dress up as so maybe we'll see you! I need to talk to my group abut our plans for this year :lol: Right now, we have plushies and Belle crowns for the Princess 5k.

[mshalloween]

Let us know what you dress up as so maybe we'll see you! I need to talk to my group abut our plans for this year :lol: Right now, we have plushies and Belle crowns for the Princess 5k.

Definitely!!! We'll keep each other posted. That would be so fun to find people from our little running group here!!

[mshalloween]

Wine & Dine Half Marathon registration is now open!!
http://www.active.com/framed/event_detail.cfm?CHECKSSO=0&EVENT_ID=1937848

Fees:
$145.00 on or before March 27, 2011
$155.00 between March 28 - May 8, 2011
$165.00 on or after May 9, 2011

Entry Fees Include:
Champion® Race Tech Shirt
Half Marathon Finisher Medal
Official Race Program Guide
Goody bag
Personalized Bib (Register before August 1, 2011)
On-Course and Post-Race refreshments
ChronoTrack D-tag timed race
Personalized results website
Access to the exclusive after hours party at the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival
One (1) Complimentary "Taste" and One (1) Complimentary "Sip" at the Finish Line Party


Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Features:

Nighttime half marathon
13.1-mile course through Walt Disney World® Theme Parks
Disney Entertainment on-course
Exclusive After-Hours Party at the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival for participants and their families
Event Weekend Transportation from the Event Host Resorts only


Commemorative Pins:
2011 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend Commemorative Pin can be purchased during registration.
$12.79 per pin (price includes tax), Limit 2 pins per registration.

Disney Entertainment on-course:
Exclusive After-Hours Party at the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival for participants and their families
Event Weekend Transportation from the Event Host Resorts only

[Phylers]

... would it be crazy to run Mickey's Halloween 5K that morning, assuming they are doing it again? I want the medal so badly.... (if it wasn't obvious before, I'm super in love with all things Halloween!) I wish it wasn't the same day!!

I did it last year. Actually, I'll edit this post to put up a shot of the medal (don't think we had that one posted earlier).

Edit: Boom.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5099/5446182736_cbfdaf1db7.jpg
The little orange "Disney" badge on the clasp lights up.

The 5k is pretty easy going, so you can really just use it as a stay-warm run for the half, which is how I treated it. At the time, I wouldn't have recommended doing them both, but personally, I'd probably consider it again, although I think I'd downshift even further for the 5k, as I don't think anybody got pulled regardless of times (I don't know how they could with the character picture lines being so long). I think it'd also be worth training for doing the combined distance (in other words, upping long runs into the 15-mile and up range) just to get used to the wear and tear.

Oh! And don't skimp on the hill work! The opening section of the Halloween 5k is one big climb, and it ends descending the same path. If my calves could talk, there would have been a distinct, "son of a ...," heard when I rounded that corner before the hill. :lol:


Wine & Dine Half Marathon registration is now open!!

BOO! Price increase! :nono:

I'm still going to register, but I wanted to get that out of my system. :D

[kgar2121]

when do you think the 5k registration will open? thats what i was waiting on, and it just says coming soon...

[mshalloween]

OMG I love that medal. AGHHHHH!!!!!! Must. Get. One. This. Year. I REALLY hope the 5K is Halloween-themed again this year. It doesn't say anything about it being a Halloween race on the website yet, but they also don't have ANY details listed for the 5K. I assume registration for that will be open any day now. It just looks like they still have a lot of updating to do on the Wine & Dine page but wanted to get registration for the half open ASAP.

Thank you for the tips, Phylers!! I plan on going pretty slow for the 5K, and it's good to know that they didn't seem to pull anyone because of time. My dad and I convinced my mom to do it with us and I know that she probably won't make the 16-minute cut off (she could if she tried, but I don't want to have to pressure her into it - she has never ran in any race before!) The slower, the better. I mean come on.. if you average a 20-minute mile, that's only slightly over an hour on the course. I don't plan on 20-minute miles, but I imagine it will be fine even if it ends up being that way (especially with the photo ops, like you mentioned, Phylers).

[Phylers]

when do you think the 5k registration will open? thats what i was waiting on, and it just says coming soon...


OMG I love that medal. AGHHHHH!!!!!! Must. Get. One. This. Year. I REALLY hope the 5K is Halloween-themed again this year. It doesn't say anything about it being a Halloween race on the website yet, but they also don't have ANY details listed for the 5K. I assume registration for that will be open any day now. It just looks like they still have a lot of updating to do on the Wine & Dine page but wanted to get registration for the half open ASAP.

I think they might be waiting on the MNSSHP dates before they post the 5k details. Had it not been for the free entrance into MNSSHP that comes with registration, I don't know that so many people would have done the 5k. Disney must know that, too, so they're probably just waiting until the dates have been more firmly nailed down before opening the registration (or posting info on it, for that matter).

That run will almost certainly take place and be Halloween-themed, though. It actually predates the Wine and Dine Half, after all. ;-)


Thank you for the tips, Phylers!! I plan on going pretty slow for the 5K, and it's good to know that they didn't seem to pull anyone because of time. My dad and I convinced my mom to do it with us and I know that she probably won't make the 16-minute cut off (she could if she tried, but I don't want to have to pressure her into it - she has never ran in any race before!) The slower, the better. I mean come on.. if you average a 20-minute mile, that's only slightly over an hour on the course. I don't plan on 20-minute miles, but I imagine it will be fine even if it ends up being that way (especially with the photo ops, like you mentioned, Phylers).

I think Silvered might be able to elaborate, as I recall a mention about her group being encouraged to pick up the pace due to pictures, but, overall, it seemed like Disney was pretty lenient. Considering that the time isn't official and so many kids - some pretty young - participate, the 16-min/mi seemed more like a guideline than a rule.

[Phylers]

Well, we're a week out for all the Princess Half competitors, which means it's officially taper week!

How's everybody feeling? Did your training finish strong? Have you finished your race day prep plans?

And let's also congratulate the runDisney folks - both the Princess Half and the Royal Family 5k sold out! :clap:

[mshalloween]

Anyone else signed up for the Wine & Dine yet??

Also, anyone in the western/central FL area know of any good races coming up around late spring/early summer? I know Expedition Everest is coming but I'm not sure I can talk my husband into doing that with me. I'm thinking more of a solo race, maybe up to 10K or so, although I REALLY want to do Everest (just not on my own.. if that makes sense, LOL).

[Phylers]

Anyone else signed up for the Wine & Dine yet??

Also, anyone in the western/central FL area know of any good races coming up around late spring/early summer? I know Expedition Everest is coming but I'm not sure I can talk my husband into doing that with me. I'm thinking more of a solo race, maybe up to 10K or so, although I REALLY want to do Everest (just not on my own.. if that makes sense, LOL).

I'm interested in Everest, too, but it felt a little pricey to me. The obstacle part definitely sounds cool, though.

Maybe you could go the reverse psychology route with your husband? "I was thinking of this race we could do together, but ... no, nevermind. You'd probably just hold me back." :lol:

The only non-Disney event I know of coming up is the Muddy Buddy season opener (which actually takes place at Disney, but they don't run it). It's primarily a teams thing, but they do have solo registrations just for the running part of the course. The only downside is the mud pit before the finish line.

[mshalloween]

I'm interested in Everest, too, but it felt a little pricey to me. The obstacle part definitely sounds cool, though.

Maybe you could go the reverse psychology route with your husband? "I was thinking of this race we could do together, but ... no, nevermind. You'd probably just hold me back." :lol:

The only non-Disney event I know of coming up is the Muddy Buddy season opener (which actually takes place at Disney, but they don't run it). It's primarily a teams thing, but they do have solo registrations just for the running part of the course. The only downside is the mud pit before the finish line.

I actually think my sister is going to run it with me! She goes to school in Philly but has always wanted to run a Disney race so she might fly down for the weekend. She makes her school schedule on Friday and then she will know whether she can come or not! I hope she can. We already picked out our team shirts :lol:

[Phylers]

I actually think my sister is going to run it with me! She goes to school in Philly but has always wanted to run a Disney race so she might fly down for the weekend. She makes her school schedule on Friday and then she will know whether she can come or not! I hope she can. We already picked out our team shirts :lol:

Awesome! Sounds like you two will have a blast! :thumbsup:

This is going to sound out of left field, but does your sister go to Drexel?

[mshalloween]

Awesome! Sounds like you two will have a blast! :thumbsup:

This is going to sound out of left field, but does your sister go to Drexel?

I think we will. :)

And it doesn't sound out of left field, after all, I did say she goes to school in Philly! And yes, she goes to Drexel!

[Phylers]

I think we will. :)

And it doesn't sound out of left field, after all, I did say she goes to school in Philly! And yes, she goes to Drexel!

Well, there are probably more than a dozen colleges within city limits. I think Drexel is the only one on Quarters, though, so they'd be picking classes about now. :thumbsup: You might remind her when it's race time that authentic soft pretzels make great pre- and in-race fuel and recovery food. :lol:

They're also usually available in the airport on your way out of town.

And some people :look: will pay a premium to get some. ;-)

:lol:

So what happened to all our new trainers? Belle Ella, roto888, how's your training going?

[HT_NSU]

Ok, so I know this is a "2011" thread and I apologize if this already has been answered; but I know that the registration fills up pretty quickly for the races so I was wondering how long before the January 2012 races someone should register. I want to make sure I'm in shape in enough time before registration so I don't flake out.

[Phylers]

Ok, so I know this is a "2011" thread and I apologize if this already has been answered; but I know that the registration fills up pretty quickly for the races so I was wondering how long before the January 2012 races someone should register. I want to make sure I'm in shape in enough time before registration so I don't flake out.

Registration opens on March 15th, but there were spots available last year through October, and I think they sold out in early November. It's cheaper the earlier you register, but they haven't revealed the cut-off dates for the reduced prices yet (if the Princess and Wine and Dine halves are any indicator, there will be a $20 difference between the earliest registration time and the latest).

I think the same way, that I'd like to know I can run a race before doling out the registration fee, but there's something to be said for registering early as a motivator. Most people are far less likely to skimp on training or quit when it gets tough when there's already money on the line.

The good news about the WDW Marathon Weekend is the size of the field. There is plenty of space available. Of course, the size of the field can also be bad news, as there is decidedly more traffic. :D

[mshalloween]

Registration opens on March 15th, but there were spots available last year through October, and I think they sold out in early November. It's cheaper the earlier you register, but they haven't revealed the cut-off dates for the reduced prices yet (if the Princess and Wine and Dine halves are any indicator, there will be a $20 difference between the earliest registration time and the latest).

I think the same way, that I'd like to know I can run a race before doling out the registration fee, but there's something to be said for registering early as a motivator. Most people are far less likely to skimp on training or quit when it gets tough when there's already money on the line.

The good news about the WDW Marathon Weekend is the size of the field. There is plenty of space available. Of course, the size of the field can also be bad news, as there is decidedly more traffic. :D


I use early registration as a motivator :lol:

[mshalloween]

Well, my sister and I are officially all registered for the Expedition Everest Challenge and I am so stoked!!!!! Is anyone else here running that race??

[HT_NSU]

Registration opens on March 15th, but there were spots available last year through October, and I think they sold out in early November. It's cheaper the earlier you register, but they haven't revealed the cut-off dates for the reduced prices yet (if the Princess and Wine and Dine halves are any indicator, there will be a $20 difference between the earliest registration time and the latest).

I think the same way, that I'd like to know I can run a race before doling out the registration fee, but there's something to be said for registering early as a motivator. Most people are far less likely to skimp on training or quit when it gets tough when there's already money on the line.

The good news about the WDW Marathon Weekend is the size of the field. There is plenty of space available. Of course, the size of the field can also be bad news, as there is decidedly more traffic. :D


I use early registration as a motivator :lol:

Thanks, peeps! :wave: Am I right to assume that there's no refund if you sign up and then decide you can't do it? :shrug:

[Phylers]

Thanks, peeps! :wave: Am I right to assume that there's no refund if you sign up and then decide you can't do it? :shrug:

Unfortunately, the registration fee is nonrefundable. Officially it's not allowed, but I know of instances in which people have given spots to friends due to injury. The original person still has to pick up the packet, though.

[Anders Limpar]

Well, my sister and I are officially all registered for the Expedition Everest Challenge and I am so stoked!!!!! Is anyone else here running that race??

Congragulations, one of these years I will be able to get down to WDW to run a race.

[Phylers]

Well, Princess Weekend has come and gone. How'd everybody do? Do we have any new finishers in our midst? :D

Also, the Champion 5k at ESPN The Weekend (which needs a better name :lol:) is this upcoming weekend. Anyone partaking?

[Cosmos]

I finished but it was only the 5K... still really fun though! We had beautiful weather!

[andycool]

I wanna get in on this.

[aspen_snow04]

My wife and I registered for the 5K @ DL in Sept. It will be our second year. Considering the 1/2 the same weekend but not sure yet!

It was such a blast last year we HAD to do it again!!

[Phylers]

I wanna get in on this.

Well, jump on in! Have you run before, or will you be starting fresh?


My wife and I registered for the 5K @ DL in Sept. It will be our second year. Considering the 1/2 the same weekend but not sure yet!

It was such a blast last year we HAD to do it again!!

Right on, Aspens! You guys did a WDW race earlier this season, too, right? Are you going for the Coast-to-Coast medal?

[aspen_snow04]

Right on, Aspens! You guys did a WDW race earlier this season, too, right? Are you going for the Coast-to-Coast medal?

That WAS the plan... unfortunately since we got married Jan 22nd, 2011 the 1/2 in WDW came up far too quick and we couldn't make it down. =( Our registration was on point, hotel reservations, the whole nine... but the chaos of post wedding and then honeymoon prep (we leave in a week for a month in Europe) was too much. I think we'll the WDW one next year and do the Coast-to-Coast Medal then. For now, DL races will do!

[mshalloween]

So, my mom, dad, and I signed up for the Family 5K before the Wine & Dine... I'm really annoyed that it isn't Halloween-themed (or at least it hasn't been announced as such, yet). I hope they give it a better theme than a "Family Fun Run" !!!!

[Phylers]

So, my mom, dad, and I signed up for the Family 5K before the Wine & Dine... I'm really annoyed that it isn't Halloween-themed (or at least it hasn't been announced as such, yet). I hope they give it a better theme than a "Family Fun Run" !!!!

:yikes: They moved it! I hated - hated - the AK section of the Wine and Dine, as while AK does have a ton of paths, they're all choppy and vary greatly in terms in terms of elevation and pitch. It's like bad trail running, as the paths are as tricky to traverse as trails but don't offer the forgiveness of running on dirt. It boggles my mind that they'd stage a family run there. Plus, it was really cool to run through the iconic MK (and while they weren't scenic, the roads leading up to it were at least wide and even). AK just doesn't stand up in terms of excitement.

I agree they need to announce a Halloween theme, though. If the ticket to MNSSHP isn't included, I personally won't be registering. Although they almost have to add the ticket - $50 just for a 5k? That's nuts without the add-on. Granted, I think it's cheaper than last year, but not drastically.

And why oh why did they add a stroller division? Is it too much to ask that people bring someone to watch their kids during races? I'm disappointed in you, Disney. :pout:

[mshalloween]

I actually liked running through AK! I thought it kept things interesting... much more interesting than running on dark Osceola Parkway :lol: My only real problem with running through AK is that the paths are a bit narrow, so if you want to run around people, it can be difficult at times. During the 5K, we'll be walking (my mom doesn't run and I honestly don't want to do too much the morning of the half!) so I guess I'm not too worried about the terrain.

That would be nice if a ticket to MNSSHP was included in the price - I didn't hear anything about that yet. I don't know if we'll find time to go to that anyway. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for an actual theme to be announced :cross:

[Phylers]

That would be nice if a ticket to MNSSHP was included in the price - I didn't hear anything about that yet. I don't know if we'll find time to go to that anyway. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for an actual theme to be announced :cross:

It's kind of weird that there hasn't been a theme announced yet, right? I wonder why it's still listed as just "Family Fun Run." If memory serves, the Princess Half was accompanied by the Royal Family 5k, and the WDW Marathon was the Best Friends 5k (or something along those lines). Maybe they're still experimenting? :shrug:

[mshalloween]

It's kind of weird that there hasn't been a theme announced yet, right? I wonder why it's still listed as just "Family Fun Run." If memory serves, the Princess Half was accompanied by the Royal Family 5k, and the WDW Marathon was the Best Friends 5k (or something along those lines). Maybe they're still experimenting? :shrug:

I definitely think it's weird. It took them long enough to update their website so that you could actually register... I'm surprised they didn't come up with an actual theme in that time. Maybe it's not themed this year. Maybe they put all of their focus on improving the 1/2. Who knows what they are doing... :shrug:

[Silvered]

Post updated with information about the Disneyland Half and Wine and Dine Weekends.

Princess was a bust for me, again :P But I did the ESPN 5K and had tons of fun! Did anyone else do this race?

The best part was, I went into Hollywood Studios after wards and got to see Darrell Green, one of my favorite Redskin players ever! And my 5K time was only 5 minutes slower then his!

[Phylers]

Post updated with information about the Disneyland Half and Wine and Dine Weekends.

Princess was a bust for me, again :P But I did the ESPN 5K and had tons of fun! Did anyone else do this race?

The best part was, I went into Hollywood Studios after wards and got to see Darrell Green, one of my favorite Redskin players ever! And my 5K time was only 5 minutes slower then his!

Congrats on the 5k! :clap:

I was set to run it, but I had to drop out due to a timing issue. Fortunately, I realized the conflict before actually registering!

Interestingly, I also saw Darrell Green, albeit on Sunday during "Stump the Schwab" (went to see Mia Hamm, lest my loyalty to the Eagles be questioned ;-)). He confirmed that he still runs a 4.3 40. He's 51! :yikes: He also managed to get all the questions correct in the "Darrell Green" category. :lol:

[Silvered]

Congrats on the 5k! :clap:

I was set to run it, but I had to drop out due to a timing issue. Fortunately, I realized the conflict before actually registering!

Interestingly, I also saw Darrell Green, albeit on Sunday during "Stump the Schwab" (went to see Mia Hamm, lest my loyalty to the Eagles be questioned ;-)). He confirmed that he still runs a 4.3 40. He's 51! :yikes: He also managed to get all the questions correct in the "Darrell Green" category. :lol:

There's always next year! (<--Can you tell I'm a Redskin's fan :look:)

I didn't know you were an Eagles fan! Somehow, I will still try to be friends with you ;) I'm glad he did better on Sunday because when I saw him on Saturday during "Stumb the Schwab" he didn't do so well :lol: But I have a video of him answering a question about Daniel Snyder and he was so eloquent. I was beyond impressed.

[Phylers]

There's always next year! (<--Can you tell I'm a Redskin's fan :look:)

I didn't know you were an Eagles fan! Somehow, I will still try to be friends with you ;) I'm glad he did better on Sunday because when I saw him on Saturday during "Stumb the Schwab" he didn't do so well :lol: But I have a video of him answering a question about Daniel Snyder and he was so eloquent. I was beyond impressed.

:lol: I am an Eagles fan, but I've never really felt much ill will towards the Redskins, even all those years they owned the rivalry. When Donovan went there, I even rooted for them on occasion (and shook my fist at Shanahan and his idiot son). Plus, we can always bond over a mutual hatred of the Cowboys and Giants. :thumbsup:

[Silvered]

:lol: I am an Eagles fan, but I've never really felt much ill will towards the Redskins, even all those years they owned the rivalry. When Donovan went there, I even rooted for them on occasion (and shook my fist at Shanahan and his idiot son). Plus, we can always bond over a mutual hatred of the Cowboys and Giants. :thumbsup:

Granted, I hate Micheal Vick more then I really hate the Eagles so there is that. That man should not have been allowed back into the league, I don't care how good he is. Virginia Tech all but disowned him. And Oh Donovan. I love him but the Redskin high ups are screwing him over. As they always do. *sighs* I feel bad for him right now, dealing with all this crap. But yes, you are right! Down with the Cowboys and Giants! :thumbsup:

Back on topic, next race up is the Everest Challenge! I'm doing it with my mom the day before we go on a Disney Cruise :clap: Anybody else going to join us? It looks like tons of fun!

[Phylers]

Granted, I hate Micheal Vick more then I really hate the Eagles so there is that. That man should not have been allowed back into the league, I don't care how good he is. Virginia Tech all but disowned him. And Oh Donovan. I love him but the Redskin high ups are screwing him over. As they always do. *sighs* I feel bad for him right now, dealing with all this crap. But yes, you are right! Down with the Cowboys and Giants! :thumbsup:

Back on topic, next race up is the Everest Challenge! I'm doing it with my mom the day before we go on a Disney Cruise :clap: Anybody else going to join us? It looks like tons of fun!

Oh I feel the same way about Vick. Even if he does one day lead the team to its first Super Bowl victory, I'll still feel a bit squicky about it. And I'm glad they pulled him out of ESPN the Weekend. You want to be all high-minded and forgiving, but I just don't see how that works in his scenario. :shrug:

But back to the topic, I won't be doing Everest. :( I look forward to the post-race reviews, though! It sounds like a really fun time. :thumbsup:

There is a non-Disney trail race coming up that I'm looking into, though. Race season down here is quickly coming to an end, so I want to fit in another event, but I've never really run trails before. I'm hoping it'll be similar to running in hard-pack sand.

Anyone have experience with trail races?

[mshalloween]

Silvered, my sister and I are running Everest this year! Really looking forward to it. Maybe we'll see you there!

Also, thanks for the updated info on the 1st post!!! I fixed a date (you had September 31st as the W&D 5K date :lol:) so if you see that I edited it, that's all I fixed. :)

[Silvered]

Oh I feel the same way about Vick. Even if he does one day lead the team to its first Super Bowl victory, I'll still feel a bit squicky about it. And I'm glad they pulled him out of ESPN the Weekend. You want to be all high-minded and forgiving, but I just don't see how that works in his scenario. :shrug:

But back to the topic, I won't be doing Everest. :( I look forward to the post-race reviews, though! It sounds like a really fun time. :thumbsup:

There is a non-Disney trail race coming up that I'm looking into, though. Race season down here is quickly coming to an end, so I want to fit in another event, but I've never really run trails before. I'm hoping it'll be similar to running in hard-pack sand.

Anyone have experience with trail races?

He was supposed to be at ESPN the Weekend? THANK GOD he pulled out or I wouldn't have gone. He's not exactly the kind of guy Disney needs promoting it's sports brands.

Sadly the only trails I've ever done was on horse-back. I'd be interested to hear how it goes to maybe try next year. I'm also of thinking of doing the Windermere 5K in two weeks but I haven't decided yet.


Silvered, my sister and I are running Everest this year! Really looking forward to it. Maybe we'll see you there!

Also, thanks for the updated info on the 1st post!!! I fixed a date (you had September 31st as the W&D 5K date :lol:) so if you see that I edited it, that's all I fixed. :)

oh yay! Maybe we will see! We'll be the ones with Dumbo shirts :lol:

And thank you. I knew that wasn't right but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Duh.

[mshalloween]

oh yay! Maybe we will see! We'll be the ones with Dumbo shirts :lol:

And thank you. I knew that wasn't right but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Duh.

We'll be in black shirts with pink skulls on them!

[Anders Limpar]

Granted, I hate Micheal Vick more then I really hate the Eagles so there is that. That man should not have been allowed back into the league, I don't care how good he is. Virginia Tech all but disowned him. And Oh Donovan. I love him but the Redskin high ups are screwing him over. As they always do. *sighs* I feel bad for him right now, dealing with all this crap. But yes, you are right! Down with the Cowboys and Giants! :thumbsup:

Back on topic, next race up is the Everest Challenge! I'm doing it with my mom the day before we go on a Disney Cruise :clap: Anybody else going to join us? It looks like tons of fun!

I haven't been a fan of Vick ever since he said he was coming back to VT when I was a freshman and then not even a month later he had declared for the draft. Although if he ever played for the Steelers I'd make an exception.

On a scale from 1-10 how high would any of you rate doing a Disney running event? Is it truly a life-changing experience like I have heard so much about? I've always really wanted to do the half-marathon but you basically have to plan about a year in advance for it and its not like its a couple hour drive down the road from where I live.

[mshalloween]

On a scale from 1-10 how high would any of you rate doing a Disney running event? Is it truly a life-changing experience like I have heard so much about? I've always really wanted to do the half-marathon but you basically have to plan about a year in advance for it and its not like its a couple hour drive down the road from where I live.

I don't think it's "life-changing" but it's certainly an experience!! I adore Disney races.. it is incredibly fun running through the parks (how can you beat some of that scenery?!), and the races with after parties at the parks are awesome, too. There are a ton of other amazing races out there, but if you're a Disney nut, you have to do at least one Disney race in your lifetime!!

[Phylers]

On a scale from 1-10 how high would any of you rate doing a Disney running event? Is it truly a life-changing experience like I have heard so much about? I've always really wanted to do the half-marathon but you basically have to plan about a year in advance for it and its not like its a couple hour drive down the road from where I live.

I'll always link the two since I did my first real half at Disney, but I think the training and the race itself add up to the life-changing bit. The Disney part is just icing on the cake, so to speak. The training is just so gratifying - to set little goals and hit them, and it all builds up to the ultimate goal of the half. That's where I found the life-changing. That's where I found the end of Scrooged. :D

One to ten, I'd give Disney a 9. I have no major complaints, and they always have nicer t-shirts and medals than you'll find at most races. I'll dock one point because I'm not a fan of lemon lime sports drinks (the only flavor available at drink stations), and I'm not a big fan of Powerade.

[mshalloween]

I'll always link the two since I did my first real half at Disney, but I think the training and the race itself add up to the life-changing bit. The Disney part is just icing on the cake, so to speak. The training is just so gratifying - to set little goals and hit them, and it all builds up to the ultimate goal of the half. That's where I found the life-changing. That's where I found the end of Scrooged. :D

One to ten, I'd give Disney a 9. I have no major complaints, and they always have nicer t-shirts and medals than you'll find at most races. I'll dock one point because I'm not a fan of lemon lime sports drinks (the only flavor available at drink stations), and I'm not a big fan of Powerade.

I have to agree; I think finishing ANY half marathon is life-changing, especially your first. My first race was in Tampa (not Disney) and it really was life-changing since it was my first. I was hooked. Now I have to run a half every year - there's something just so satisfying about completing a long race like that. And like Phylers said, the training is really rewarding too. Every time you hit the next goal you feel a sense of accomplishment.

I have no desire to ever run a full marathon, so these half marathons will probably be the longest races I ever run. 13.1 miles is enough for me :lol:

Oh, and Disney does seem to have some of the nicest medals I have gotten. Their shirts are pretty good too!

[mshalloween]

According to rundisney.com, the Expedition Everest Challenge is 90% full! Anyone else considering running it? I'm getting really pumped for the race!!

[mshalloween]

Have any of you guys used/heard anything about FuelBelt? I was looking for a running pack without any water bottles for the Everest Challenge and came across their packs. They have attachments for race numbers and I thought those were really cool, but was also wondering how well they work.

www.fuelbelt.com

Here's the race gear I'm talking about:
http://www.fuelbelt.com/s.nl/sc.13/.f

[Phylers]

FuelBelt isn't bad. I don't have one of their belts, but I do have one of their little water bottle holders that straps onto your hand. Good build quality overall, but the pocket is downright diminutive; it won't fit a license or a cellphone, but I usually stash some lip balm and a good-luck charm in there (it would also fit a smushed-down Clif Bar or maybe a couple gels). Great for short distances in warm weather, but around the ten-mile point, I start debating as to whether I'd be too upset to just chuck it. :lol:

Actually, if you still have the swag inserts from the Wine and Dine packet, there's a coupon code for SPIbelt's website (http://spibelt.com/). It's a slightly different design, but they do have belts with race number attachments. I'll have to check later this afternoon, but I think I've got the coupon laying around somewhere if you need one for price comparison.

[mshalloween]

Thank you for the info, Phylers! I'm going to look into SPIbelt. I liked FuelBelt because I could order them from Zappos and I love that site and their return policy :lol: but wasn't sure of how functional/good quality their stuff is. I really just want a pouch to hold my phone and car key (small, single remote/key), and a Chapstick. I might order a couple from Zappos and see how they are in person since Zappos' return policy is so generous. Although, those SPIbelts look nice, too. Hmmmm.... and no, I don't think I still have the coupon insert from the W&D. If you have it handy, I'd be interested in a price comparison. Please don't go out of your way to search through things for it, though!

So many choices! Ahhhhh!

[Phylers]

Thank you for the info, Phylers! I'm going to look into SPIbelt. I liked FuelBelt because I could order them from Zappos and I love that site and their return policy :lol: but wasn't sure of how functional/good quality their stuff is. I really just want a pouch to hold my phone and car key (small, single remote/key), and a Chapstick. I might order a couple from Zappos and see how they are in person since Zappos' return policy is so generous. Although, those SPIbelts look nice, too. Hmmmm.... and no, I don't think I still have the coupon insert from the W&D. If you have it handy, I'd be interested in a price comparison. Please don't go out of your way to search through things for it, though!

So many choices! Ahhhhh!

No worries - I recently did some Spring cleaning, so for the time being, I'm almost completely organized. :lol: The offer is 15% off online purchases with coupon code: disney10. Free USPS shipping with coupon code: ship10. More info at: http://www.spibelt.com/disney

I didn't know you could get FuelBelt stuff from Zappos. I've only ever seen it at expos and in specialty stores; I'll have to check it out!

[Belle Ella]

Has anyone been following Run Disney's new race clues on Facebook? I'm having the darnest time deciphering any of them, lol. Makes me excited for whatever the new race that they are going to announce could be.

[mshalloween]

1 month until Everest!!!

[Silvered]

LOL My cousin is coming down the day before Everest to go on the Disney cruise with us and she just posted ONE MONTH on my Facebook XD

[Phylers]

Has anyone been following Run Disney's new race clues on Facebook? I'm having the darnest time deciphering any of them, lol. Makes me excited for whatever the new race that they are going to announce could be.

:look: I actually haven't used my Facebook page since ... hmm. Around Christmas, maybe? Had to be more recently than that. :shrug: Might have to check it out, now! :thumbsup:

A new race wouldn't be a bad thing. It's brutal to run in the Summer down here, but a night race might work.

[Silvered]

:look: I actually haven't used my Facebook page since ... hmm. Around Christmas, maybe? Had to be more recently than that. :shrug: Might have to check it out, now! :thumbsup:

A new race wouldn't be a bad thing. It's brutal to run in the Summer down here, but a night race might work.

The advertising at the Princess Expo had Sleeping Beauty Castle and talks about obstacles so my guess is an Everest type race for Disneyland.

Of course, the one hint I looked at was pictures of the new Hawaii resort and I totally wouldn't protest a race in Hawaii :look:

[Belle Ella]

:look: I actually haven't used my Facebook page since ... hmm. Around Christmas, maybe? Had to be more recently than that. :shrug: Might have to check it out, now! :thumbsup:

A new race wouldn't be a bad thing. It's brutal to run in the Summer down here, but a night race might work.

I can post them here, below.


The advertising at the Princess Expo had Sleeping Beauty Castle and talks about obstacles so my guess is an Everest type race for Disneyland.

Of course, the one hint I looked at was pictures of the new Hawaii resort and I totally wouldn't protest a race in Hawaii :look:

I've been keeping my fingers crossed that it is another race for Disneyland. I have no idea what to think though. A couple of the clues have been pretty easy but the others leave me stumped. What clue had photos of the Aulani?

So far the clues are:

#1
https://www.facebook.com/app_full_proxy.php?app=129834940423071&v=1&size=o&cksum=da851336618e20222549daabdb297892&src=http%3A%2F%2Fd3hok70xjqsuiy.cloudfront.net%2F4 d8797f055471%2FClue1Sized_1300830956.jpg

#2
https://www.facebook.com/app_full_proxy.php?app=129834940423071&v=1&size=o&cksum=d166430110f98399b27232726c30468c&src=http%3A%2F%2Fd3hok70xjqsuiy.cloudfront.net%2F4 d8797f055471%2FClue2Sized_1301078669.jpg

#3
https://www.facebook.com/app_full_proxy.php?app=129834940423071&v=1&size=o&cksum=de36b36b96f6c6b776bf0f565d59e7c1&src=http%3A%2F%2Fd3hok70xjqsuiy.cloudfront.net%2F4 d8797f055471%2FClue3_1301347183.jpg

#4
https://www.facebook.com/app_full_proxy.php?app=129834940423071&v=1&size=o&cksum=c216ca2273b2042267fdbb92ccf93770&src=http%3A%2F%2Fd3hok70xjqsuiy.cloudfront.net%2F4 d8797f055471%2FClue4Sized_1301506171.jpg

#5
https://www.facebook.com/app_full_proxy.php?app=129834940423071&v=1&size=o&cksum=b40fdd0d2237d2560f624748bbc7ca89&src=http%3A%2F%2Fd3hok70xjqsuiy.cloudfront.net%2F4 d8797f055471%2FBingo_1301752691.jpg

#6
https://www.facebook.com/app_full_proxy.php?app=129834940423071&v=1&size=o&cksum=88aac6cd8d5f7c1255d49655d82cf60a&src=http%3A%2F%2Fd3hok70xjqsuiy.cloudfront.net%2F4 d8797f055471%2FClue6Sized_1302041526.jpg

The only clue that makes half a lick of sense to me is the first one which sounds like a date and time (March 4, 2012 @ 4:50).

As for clue #6 ... It's (a) a Scottish flag which could tie in with the new movie "Brave" which is set in Scotland but (b) it's also a maritime flag for "M" which could tie in with the character Merida from that movie who's supposed to join the Princess line. Maybe it's a Princess Half in Disneyland?

[Silvered]

I've been keeping my fingers crossed that it is another race for Disneyland. I have no idea what to think though. A couple of the clues have been pretty easy but the others leave me stumped. What clue had photos of the Aulani?

The only clue that makes half a lick of sense to me is the first one which sounds like a date and time (March 4, 2012 @ 4:50).

As for clue #6 ... It's (a) a Scottish flag which could tie in with the new movie "Brave" which is set in Scotland but (b) it's also a maritime flag for "M" which could tie in with the character Merida from that movie who's supposed to join the Princess line. Maybe it's a Princess Half in Disneyland?

Maybe I clicked on the wrong link :look: It's very possible.

The advertising I saw had a riddle about Fairy Godmothers so a Princess Half for Disneyland could be possible! Maybe a Princess them obstacle course like Everest, since I doubt Anaheim will want them shutting down the highway twice in one year :lol: When I get home from class, I'll see if I can find the flyer.

[mshalloween]

I'm so not good at clues. I have no idea what they are trying to get at :lol: I wish they'd just announce it already! This has been going for a while now!

[Belle Ella]

Here's the latest clue:

https://www.facebook.com/app_full_proxy.php?app=129834940423071&v=1&size=o&cksum=a01fdbba6bebe9052e7e1827c196ef10&src=http%3A%2F%2Fd3hok70xjqsuiy.cloudfront.net%2F4 d8797f055471%2FClue7Sized_1302205086.jpg

Another clue that makes me personally think it's at Disneyland. Looks like the facade of the buildings in the SF area of DCA across from the where the new Little Mermaid ride will be. The non-solid lines of the facade have to mean something though. But I'm clueless.

[mshalloween]

The Wine & Dine page on rundisney.com has finally been updated a bit! This is my favorite bit of new info:


The finish line will be located in the Epcot® parking lot and only steps away runners (21 years old or older) will have the opportunity to enjoy their first beer in the finish line beer garden. The new finish line location will include an expanded bag claim and changing area so you can get ready for the runner’s night out.

FINISH LINE BEER GARDEN!!!!!!!!!!!

It also says the race is from 10:30PM - 3:00AM. I think those hours are different from last year, aren't they? I thought last year it was 10:00PM - 2:00AM. Does anyone remember? I'm pretty stoked about the extra time, even if it's only a little.

[Phylers]

The Wine & Dine page on rundisney.com has finally been updated a bit! This is my favorite bit of new info:



FINISH LINE BEER GARDEN!!!!!!!!!!!

It also says the race is from 10:30PM - 3:00AM. I think those hours are different from last year, aren't they? I thought last year it was 10:00PM - 2:00AM. Does anyone remember? I'm pretty stoked about the extra time, even if it's only a little.

:yikes: Woo! :cheers:

I guess they hope it'll break up the lines inside a bit, and people will be blowing the free drink coupon right away. Might help the mood in bag check, too. :lol:

Last year's party was listed until 3am, but everything started shutting down with the announced last call at 2am. The last call policy sucked. Yeah, 2am is Orlando's last call, but all of the downtown bars had gotten extensions when the Magic were in the playoffs, so why couldn't Disney get one for the post-race party? :shrug:

[mshalloween]

:yikes: Woo! :cheers:

I guess they hope it'll break up the lines inside a bit, and people will be blowing the free drink coupon right away. Might help the mood in bag check, too. :lol:

Last year's party was listed until 3am, but everything started shutting down with the announced last call at 2am. The last call policy sucked. Yeah, 2am is Orlando's last call, but all of the downtown bars had gotten extensions when the Magic were in the playoffs, so why couldn't Disney get one for the post-race party? :shrug:

Haha, I'd be blowing my free drink coupon right away anyway :lol: That's half the reason to run the race - the booze at the end!

Well, I hope they don't close down early this year. I'm all for hanging out until 3AM. We had a blast at the finish line party last year, even if it was a bit crowded.

[Phylers]

Haha, I'd be blowing my free drink coupon right away anyway :lol: That's half the reason to run the race - the booze at the end!

Well, I hope they don't close down early this year. I'm all for hanging out until 3AM. We had a blast at the finish line party last year, even if it was a bit crowded.

You could get food until 3am; well, what was left of the food. A bunch of the popular dishes had sold out. I think we got the last waffle from the Belgium stand; if anyone who was behind us is reading this, sorry! :lol:

[Anders Limpar]

Last week on Tuesday we had snow, then on the Sunday it was 83. We have had some 45 degree days sprinkled in there and the past two days its been 60. For the past ten days we have had a ton of rain and wind. Just part of the fun of running in the spring in Pittsburgh although it beats the heck out of running in the winter in Pittsburgh.

[mshalloween]

You could get food until 3am; well, what was left of the food. A bunch of the popular dishes had sold out. I think we got the last waffle from the Belgium stand; if anyone who was behind us is reading this, sorry! :lol:

Ah, I think we made our way out of the park when the beer stopped flowing :lol:

[mshalloween]

So, I had my dad look at our Family Fun Run 5K (Wine & Dine weekend) registration this morning to see if he had ordered us pins with our registration (he hadn't, like I suspected :lol:). When he was checking, he noticed that he signed me up for shirt size YOUTH medium instead of ADULT medium. :rolleyes: Yeah, so that's not going to fit! So I called to change my shirt size, and when I did, I asked the man about a theme for the 5K, because I was a little worried that it was only named "Family Fun Run" and nothing Halloween-related like it was last year. Well, turns out, they are just waiting for legal to approve the theme and then they will announce it, and according to the guy I spoke with, it WILL be Halloween-themed. Naturally, I'm a bit excited by this :)

[Silvered]

New race for Disneyland is finally announced Check out the runDisney facebook for more details! (http://www.facebook.com/RunDisney?v=app_129834940423071)!

[mshalloween]

For anyone interested, Disney just posted a training plan by Jeff Galloway on the rundisney.com site. Here is the link to the Wine & Dine training:

http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/run-disney-training-consultant/index?page=disney-wine-and-dine-half-marathon-training-schedules

There is also a link to the Disneyland half marathon training schedule, along with other schedules that will be posted at a later date.
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/run-disney-training-consultant/#pip-2

[HappyGrumpy]

I have signed up to do the half marathon in Jan. I am training for my first half marathon here in Sept and then will see how I do in Jan. On a running team and we are raising $$ to fight breast cancer! excited and nervous as I am stepping out of my comfort zone in many ways but for me.

[Phylers]

For anyone interested, Disney just posted a training plan by Jeff Galloway on the rundisney.com site. Here is the link to the Wine & Dine training:

http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/run-disney-training-consultant/index?page=disney-wine-and-dine-half-marathon-training-schedules

There is also a link to the Disneyland half marathon training schedule, along with other schedules that will be posted at a later date.
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/run-disney-training-consultant/#pip-2


GOAL: To Finish In The Upright Position. :rofl:

Good to know Galloway and runDisney have a sense of humor!


I have signed up to do the half marathon in Jan. I am training for my first half marathon here in Sept and then will see how I do in Jan. On a running team and we are raising $$ to fight breast cancer! excited and nervous as I am stepping out of my comfort zone in many ways but for me.

Congrats! :clap:

So your first will be the Disneyland Half in September?

[mshalloween]

:rofl:

Good to know Galloway and runDisney have a sense of humor!


I thought that was pretty hilarious too :lol: That is the training plan I will be using.. well, somewhat. I branch off on my own.. I can't just go running only 3 days a week.. I feel like a slacker!

[mshalloween]

Have any of you guys bought any running books before? Going over the Wine & Dine training plan makes me interested in reading more about Galloway's method. I did the run/walk training method he suggested last night and felt pretty good about it (aside from the 85-degree heat - THAT was awful) and now I am thinking about getting one of his running books.

[gamecocksc17]

So is the wdw marathon just packed to the brim or does it open up with people spread out fairly nicely?

[mshalloween]

So is the wdw marathon just packed to the brim or does it open up with people spread out fairly nicely?

Disney race-wise I've only run the Wine & Dine half, but I can tell you that at times, it's packed, and at other times, it's spread out. It really depends on where you are (location-wise, not time-wise as there are hundreds of runners at every pace). For example, when running through Animal Kingdom, it was pretty packed, just because the pathways weren't very wide. When we were running on Osceola Parkway, though, it was a lot more spread out and less crowded.

[gamecocksc17]

Would you say that the random congestion affects your pace?

Such as when you are running in the parks do people start looking around and not pay attention or is everybody able to enjoy the scenery and still move pretty steadily?

[mshalloween]

Would you say that the random congestion affects your pace?

Such as when you are running in the parks do people start looking around and not pay attention or is everybody able to enjoy the scenery and still move pretty steadily?

I think it's different for everyone. For me, personally, the random congestion did get a little frustrating at points (Animal Kingdom stands out especially.. the lanes are just really narrow there! I had to run from side to side dodging people at certain points!), but for the most part, everyone is out just having a good time. I'm not a competitive runner, so I'm not trying to run all out.. just there to enjoy the race, really. You do get to looking at the scenery a bit, but just as you're running by. I don't notice people stopping to stare or getting distracted. The only thing I ever get distracted by/stop running for are the characters. I only took a photo with Woody at the Wine & Dine because some of the lines were long, but I probably would have stopped for more photo ops if I wouldn't have had to wait that much.

[Phylers]

Have any of you guys bought any running books before? Going over the Wine & Dine training plan makes me interested in reading more about Galloway's method. I did the run/walk training method he suggested last night and felt pretty good about it (aside from the 85-degree heat - THAT was awful) and now I am thinking about getting one of his running books.

I haven't bought any, but I've read some from the local library. I checked out Higdon's book (but didn't really read it so much as skimmed over the sections that were applicable to me), and I blazed through Christopher McDougall's Born to Run. I literally couldn't put it down. It's not a guide, though, so much as it's a mix of narrative accounts and evidence for the benefits of the barefoot movement.

Yes, I'm one of those people. :thumbsup:


Would you say that the random congestion affects your pace?

Such as when you are running in the parks do people start looking around and not pay attention or is everybody able to enjoy the scenery and still move pretty steadily?

Like mshalloween said, you will find congestion in places, but I really didn't feel like it had any limiting effect - it's easy to move to an outside lane and pass people or just weave through the crowd. The looky-loos are pretty good about moving off to the sides, too.

Did it change my pace? Yes and no. Yes, definitely, at the beginning. I was frustrated with the slow march to the start, and I took off way too fast in an effort to find some space. In-race, however, I didn't find it to be a problem. There was enough room to move that you could pass or move over to down shift without too much trouble.

[mshalloween]

I've always wanted to check out the barefoot running technique, but when I was getting fitted for running sneakers a couple of months ago, I was told I have kind of high arches, and that barefoot running would probably stress my arches out (sometimes if I walk barefoot on hard floors too much they ache). So, that kind of went on the back burner for me.

[gamecocksc17]

Hmm thanks all for the info

[mshalloween]

It's Everest week! I'm pumped!!! Is anyone else here running it?

[Phylers]

I've always wanted to check out the barefoot running technique, but when I was getting fitted for running sneakers a couple of months ago, I was told I have kind of high arches, and that barefoot running would probably stress my arches out (sometimes if I walk barefoot on hard floors too much they ache). So, that kind of went on the back burner for me.

It's a decision I don't regret, and while I'm certainly a devotee to the practice, I'm mellow enough that I don't try to force it on people. Well, anymore. :lol:

Anyone can do it, though - it just takes time to learn the form and build up the strength and flexibility in your feet. :thumbsup:


It's Everest week! I'm pumped!!! Is anyone else here running it?

Good luck! Can't wait to hear the race recap!

[Silvered]

It's Everest week! I'm pumped!!! Is anyone else here running it?

I'm so excited omg! It's going to be so much fun! Watch out for Dumbo's Revenge :lol:

[Phylers]

I'm so excited omg! It's going to be so much fun! Watch out for Dumbo's Revenge :lol:

Team name? Are there team shirts to go along? Because that could be one heck of a cool logo!

[mshalloween]

It's a decision I don't regret, and while I'm certainly a devotee to the practice, I'm mellow enough that I don't try to force it on people. Well, anymore. :lol:

Anyone can do it, though - it just takes time to learn the form and build up the strength and flexibility in your feet. :thumbsup:



Good luck! Can't wait to hear the race recap!

I'm just really not interested in learning it because of the pain associated with my feet. The people fitting me for shoes didn't say I *couldn't* do it, but they certainly said it wouldn't be a good idea because of my arches. :shrug: I'll stick to my Nikes for now!

And thanks! I'll report back on Monday how everything went!!

[mshalloween]

I'm so excited omg! It's going to be so much fun! Watch out for Dumbo's Revenge :lol:

Ahhhh I'll be looking out for you! Haha! If some crazy girl wearing a black shirt with a pink skull on it says hi, it will be me :-P

[flyosu]

This sounds like so much fun! My wife and I are registered for this years Wine and Dine Half Marathon. It's going to be our first half marathon and first run Disney event. WAAAAY EXCITED!

[mshalloween]

This sounds like so much fun! My wife and I are registered for this years Wine and Dine Half Marathon. It's going to be our first half marathon and first run Disney event. WAAAAY EXCITED!

Awesome!! The W&D was really fun last year. I'm SO excited for this year's race as I know they have been working hard to fix a lot of the flaws from last year!!

[Phylers]

So, the dates for MNSSHP have been announced, and there is one on that Sunday, October 2nd, following the Wine and Dine and the 5k on Saturday, the 1st.

A little bird may or may not have sent an e-mail to runDisney to find out if we'll get free tix for running the 5k this year. http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/Dragonwiz/clipart/whistle.gif


This sounds like so much fun! My wife and I are registered for this years Wine and Dine Half Marathon. It's going to be our first half marathon and first run Disney event. WAAAAY EXCITED!

Welcome to the thread! :wave: :lol:

Congrats on the registration! I think we all had some complaints with the after party, but overall, people loved the Wine and Dine! It's great for a first event!

[mshalloween]

So, the dates for MNSSHP have been announced, and there is one on that Sunday, October 2nd, following the Wine and Dine and the 5k on Saturday, the 1st.

A little bird may or may not have sent an e-mail to runDisney to find out if we'll get free tix for running the 5k this year. http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/Dragonwiz/clipart/whistle.gif


Awesome! Keep us posted (I know you will :lol:)

I'm still anxious to hear the theme of the 5K that morning. I am pretty positive they will be giving it a Halloween theme, but I still want it to be "official"!!!

Everest is TOMORROW!!!! I am SO excited!!! Ahhhhhhhh!!

[Phylers]

Awesome! Keep us posted (I know you will :lol:)

I'm still anxious to hear the theme of the 5K that morning. I am pretty positive they will be giving it a Halloween theme, but I still want it to be "official"!!!

Everest is TOMORROW!!!! I am SO excited!!! Ahhhhhhhh!!

I'm so predictable. :pout: :lol:

They did get back to me, but, in the words of Indiana Jones, "no ticket." :cry: Needless to reiterate, I'm pretty bummed.

I did mention in my e-mail that I'd heard the race would be Halloween themed, and they didn't deny that part. So either they're letting me have that delusion to avoid two pieces of negatory news, or it's being confirmed by being un-refuted. That makes sense in my head, but for some reason, it seems jumbled in print. :lol:

Can't wait to see those Everest medals! Good luck everybody!

[aspen_snow04]

Anyone registered for Tinkerbell's DL 1/2 marathon and 5K weekend events for Jan 2012? I'm considering registering but haven't pulled the trigger yet. It's filling up pretty steady though so time to make my decision!

[Phylers]

Anyone registered for Tinkerbell's DL 1/2 marathon and 5K weekend events for Jan 2012? I'm considering registering but haven't pulled the trigger yet. It's filling up pretty steady though so time to make my decision!

Dooooo it! :lol:

Considering it's the inaugural running, it'll definitely fill up quickly. You can't go wrong being a part of the first-ever event; when it becomes a tradition, you can always say, "oh this is the eighth Tinkerbell Half? I've run them all, you know!" :lol:

And how did our Everest runners do? Everyone kick that mountain's butt back to Nepal? :flex:

Heard through an acquaintance that the after-party featured night rides on Everest; so jealous! :-P

[mshalloween]

Everest was awesome. I was a little disappointed because it wasn't actually a 5K - at least not according to my Garmin watch! I had around 2.8 miles clocked when we came up on the end of the 5K portion :shrug: Not sure why that is. Oh well - not a huge deal. The obstacles were fun, the scavenger hunt was definitely interesting (we needed help on a clue or two, some of them were hard!), and the after-party was great. My sister and I had never been on any of the AK rides before, so we made sure to hit up all of the open ones (Everest, Dinosaur, and Kali River Rapids). We went on Everest 3 times :lol: - what an awesome ride. Dinosaur was pretty amazing, too, and the rapids were pretty fun!!

I'm pretty happy with how my sister and I did! I will try to remember to take a photo of the medal when I get home - it was pretty awesome (compass medal like the other years' medals). We're definitely going to be doing this race again next year!

[Phylers]

Everest was awesome. I was a little disappointed because it wasn't actually a 5K - at least not according to my Garmin watch! I had around 2.8 miles clocked when we came up on the end of the 5K portion :shrug: Not sure why that is. Oh well - not a huge deal. The obstacles were fun, the scavenger hunt was definitely interesting (we needed help on a clue or two, some of them were hard!), and the after-party was great. My sister and I had never been on any of the AK rides before, so we made sure to hit up all of the open ones (Everest, Dinosaur, and Kali River Rapids). We went on Everest 3 times :lol: - what an awesome ride. Dinosaur was pretty amazing, too, and the rapids were pretty fun!!

I'm pretty happy with how my sister and I did! I will try to remember to take a photo of the medal when I get home - it was pretty awesome (compass medal like the other years' medals). We're definitely going to be doing this race again next year!

Congrats! :clap:

Night Everest is the best! You can get such a great view of all the other parks lit up against the dim background.

Surprisingly, you can actually shave quite a bit of distance off most races depending on the route you take. The official measurements are taken from the center of the lane, so if you cut corners well and stick to an inside line, you actually end up running less distance. Likewise, if you stay outside and corner poorly, you'll end up adding distance. Shaving off three tenths, it sounds like you were in the former group! :D

So... any tips as to what sort of scavenger hunt clues the VN scavenger hunt teams can look forward to? http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-ashamed005.gif

[aspen_snow04]

Dooooo it! :lol:

Considering it's the inaugural running, it'll definitely fill up quickly. You can't go wrong being a part of the first-ever event; when it becomes a tradition, you can always say, "oh this is the eighth Tinkerbell Half? I've run them all, you know!" :lol:

Signed up for the 5K. As soon as I read the fine print and saw that it was at night there was no way to turn it down. Inaugural and night time?? Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!! Still considering registering for the 1/2.

[mshalloween]

Congrats! :clap:

Night Everest is the best! You can get such a great view of all the other parks lit up against the dim background.

Surprisingly, you can actually shave quite a bit of distance off most races depending on the route you take. The official measurements are taken from the center of the lane, so if you cut corners well and stick to an inside line, you actually end up running less distance. Likewise, if you stay outside and corner poorly, you'll end up adding distance. Shaving off three tenths, it sounds like you were in the former group! :D

So... any tips as to what sort of scavenger hunt clues the VN scavenger hunt teams can look forward to? http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-ashamed005.gif

I actually don't know about that regarding this race. I found myself running from side to side across the lanes half the time just to get around people. If anything, I would have thought I ran further!!

[flyosu]

Hi everybody... I'm new to this thread & have never participated in a sanctioned race at all. My wife and I are doing the Wine & Dine Half this year & I just started training. I ran 2.5 miles yesterday for my first run & it felt pretty good...aside from being 20 lbs over what I would like to weigh at race day LOL. I think it has been about 8 months since I last ran & I was wondering if anyone had any tips or websites you llike regarding getting back into running & training for this event. Any help would be much appreciated!

[mshalloween]

Hi everybody... I'm new to this thread & have never participated in a sanctioned race at all. My wife and I are doing the Wine & Dine Half this year & I just started training. I ran 2.5 miles yesterday for my first run & it felt pretty good...aside from being 20 lbs over what I would like to weigh at race day LOL. I think it has been about 8 months since I last ran & I was wondering if anyone had any tips or websites you llike regarding getting back into running & training for this event. Any help would be much appreciated!

How exciting! You're going to love the W&D. I had such a good time at the event last year and I can't wait for it this year as I know it will be much improved upon!!

I don't really have any tips as far as training goes except to check out Jeff Galloway and Hal Higdon's methods and see if their plans work for you. I've been doing my own thing using Jeff Galloway's method as a basis for it and it seems to be working for me. I run on Tuesday, Wednesday (sometimes), and Thursday about 4ish miles, and on Saturday I do my long run (I'm up to 7.5 miles thus far). Sunday I go out running, too, but take it really easy. Oh, and by running, I mean run/walk. I'm not in good enough shape to run very far just yet, but as long as I keep getting out there and pushing myself, I'm not worried about it. I don't really plan on running the entire half marathon, although that would be awesome. I just want to beat last year's time is all!

Also, what's really kept me motivated is signing up for other races in the meantime. I did the Everest Challenge about 3.5 weeks ago, and this past weekend I ran a 5K on Clearwater Beach (it was gorgeous!) I'm also running another 5K in a couple of weeks. I haven't been able to really find many races between the middle of June and the W&D, but the W&D should be enough motivation to keep me going throughout June, July, August, and September. This is just a personal thing, though. I find if I don't have a "light at the end of the tunnel", per se, it's sometimes hard to not get lazy about things :lol:

If you've never participated in a sanctioned race before and the W&D will be your first, you've picked a great one to start with. Although, running a Disney race for your first race might actually ruin you on other races as Disney does it up awesomely! :lol:

[gfd_firefighter]

I wish I lived closer so I could do more of these races. I ran the WDW marathon back in 2008 and it was a nightmare. I crossed the 20 mile mark around 2:14:00 and it took me an hour and a half to finish the last 6.2. Training here in Boston does not prepare you for a humid day down in Orlando thats for sure. I will be running the WDW marathon again in 2013. I can't wait...W&D looks like a cool race but I would have loved to do the everest challenge. So many cool races down there

[Phylers]

Hi everybody... I'm new to this thread & have never participated in a sanctioned race at all. My wife and I are doing the Wine & Dine Half this year & I just started training. I ran 2.5 miles yesterday for my first run & it felt pretty good...aside from being 20 lbs over what I would like to weigh at race day LOL. I think it has been about 8 months since I last ran & I was wondering if anyone had any tips or websites you llike regarding getting back into running & training for this event. Any help would be much appreciated!

Right on! Like mshalloween pointed out, you guys will love the Wine and Dine!

Along with the suggested Galloway and Higdon plans, you might check out the listed plans over at Marathon Rookie (http://www.marathonrookie.com/half-marathon-training.html). I'm not one for following a set plan, but I've tailored one that fits me from those sources. :thumbsup:

The most important tip, though, is to take it slow and listen to your body! You're better off cutting a run a short than having to take a week or more of rest (I speak from experience :lol:).


I wish I lived closer so I could do more of these races. I ran the WDW marathon back in 2008 and it was a nightmare. I crossed the 20 mile mark around 2:14:00 and it took me an hour and a half to finish the last 6.2. Training here in Boston does not prepare you for a humid day down in Orlando thats for sure. I will be running the WDW marathon again in 2013. I can't wait...W&D looks like a cool race but I would have loved to do the everest challenge. So many cool races down there

Training in Orlando doesn't always prepare you for a humid day in Orlando! :lol:

These days, the near-record heat has driven me to running almost exclusively indoors, but I'll move back outside to get acclimated about two weeks before a given race.

We are spoiled with great events, but then you've got, y'know, that whole Boston Marathon deal. ;-)

[gfd_firefighter]

The Boston Marathon is a big deal but I don't think it is any more special than any other big marathon.

[mshalloween]

Phylers, I can't follow a set plan either.. it drives me nuts! I definitely made my own schedule using a couple different sources (mostly the Galloway method, though). I definitely agree with tailoring it to fit your ability and schedule!

And oh god. Training down here in FL definitely doesn't prepare you. It's unbelievably hot down here already - I went running at 7:30 at night yesterday and literally came back drenched. I had to walk almost the entire last mile because it was so hot and humid.. it was miserable. I can't even run as far as I want to sometimes simply because it's too hot, even if I go running late in the day. I can't run indoors, though, because I get too bored. Ughhhh I really wish I could because training outside is a nightmare - and it's only going to get hotter!!!

[mshalloween]

I just signed up for the Women's Half Marathon in St. Pete in November! It will give me something to work towards after the W&D is over :) :happy:

[Phylers]

And oh god. Training down here in FL definitely doesn't prepare you. It's unbelievably hot down here already - I went running at 7:30 at night yesterday and literally came back drenched. I had to walk almost the entire last mile because it was so hot and humid.. it was miserable. I can't even run as far as I want to sometimes simply because it's too hot, even if I go running late in the day. I can't run indoors, though, because I get too bored. Ughhhh I really wish I could because training outside is a nightmare - and it's only going to get hotter!!!

Yeah, it's hard to stay engaged on a treadmill or an indoor track, but the window for running outdoors in semi-acceptable conditions is too small. Plus, it's still crazy humid between say 5am and 7am when the temperature is agreeable.


I just signed up for the Women's Half Marathon in St. Pete in November! It will give me something to work towards after the W&D is over :) :happy:

Quick turnaround! :eek:

I'm thinking - *thinking* - of trying to step up to the WDW Marathon after the Wine and Dine. I know I'd like to do the marathon eventually, so it's kind of an, "eh, might as well just pick a year" thing. :shrug: :lol:

[mshalloween]

Yeah, it's hard to stay engaged on a treadmill or an indoor track, but the window for running outdoors in semi-acceptable conditions is too small. Plus, it's still crazy humid between say 5am and 7am when the temperature is agreeable.



Quick turnaround! :eek:

I'm thinking - *thinking* - of trying to step up to the WDW Marathon after the Wine and Dine. I know I'd like to do the marathon eventually, so it's kind of an, "eh, might as well just pick a year" thing. :shrug: :lol:

I'm actually thinking of switching to going running before work instead of after, which means I'd be out running around 4:30AM. Good grief. I don't know if I can handle it, lol.

The turn-around time is 7 weeks. Do you think that's too soon? I thought it would be okay. I'm probably going to be doing another half in February too, although that's a little longer turn-around.

[Phylers]

The turn-around time is 7 weeks. Do you think that's too soon? I thought it would be okay. I'm probably going to be doing another half in February too, although that's a little longer turn-around.

Oh, I'm sure it'll be fine. I should have figured it would probably be nearer to Thanksgiving than the beginning of the month (:bonk:). If anything, you'll probably benefit - you'll already be at the right training level, so the down time will let you fine tune everything.

Personally, I'm a little wary of anything within say two weeks, but then people are out there every year doing the Goofy, so maybe the post-race rest is overrated. :lol:

[mshalloween]

Oh, I'm sure it'll be fine. I should have figured it would probably be nearer to Thanksgiving than the beginning of the month (:bonk:). If anything, you'll probably benefit - you'll already be at the right training level, so the down time will let you fine tune everything.

Personally, I'm a little wary of anything within say two weeks, but then people are out there every year doing the Goofy, so maybe the post-race rest is overrated. :lol:

Haha, good point about the Goofy! That makes me feel better - I didn't even think about that. Phew! :)

[flyosu]

Thanks for sharing your wisdom mshalloween & Phylers! I will definitely check out those methods & the website to get some ideas on training....

My big problem... and I have done this for years w/ cycling, is that i kill myself with miles. Day in day out. What I need to learn to do is mix up routines & workouts. Intermingal running / cycling / other exercise and most importantly GIVE MYSELF REST DAYS!
(why is it when you are wanting to start all you want is another rest day... but once you have started and get hooked it's hard to give yourself one??)

After seeing all the different medals for the Disney races I want to sign up for them all! Too bad airfare is what it is nowadays. The Wife and I would make quite a few weekend trips 5-6 years ago when we could snag a $60 -$70 one way on Southwest but those days are long gone unfortunately!

[Phylers]

Thanks for sharing your wisdom mshalloween & Phylers! I will definitely check out those methods & the website to get some ideas on training....

My big problem... and I have done this for years w/ cycling, is that i kill myself with miles. Day in day out. What I need to learn to do is mix up routines & workouts. Intermingal running / cycling / other exercise and most importantly GIVE MYSELF REST DAYS!
(why is it when you are wanting to start all you want is another rest day... but once you have started and get hooked it's hard to give yourself one??)

After seeing all the different medals for the Disney races I want to sign up for them all! Too bad airfare is what it is nowadays. The Wife and I would make quite a few weekend trips 5-6 years ago when we could snag a $60 -$70 one way on Southwest but those days are long gone unfortunately!

The Disney races themselves are pretty pricey. I'd do them all, too - if I were a Rockefeller. :lol:

I suck at rest days, too. Once I get into to full training mode, it'll be one day a week (day before the long run) to rest and six days to run. I'll mix in calisthenics on an as-desired basis, but I otherwise don't do too much cross training. Been meaning to look into pool running, though, and when I had access to them, I kind of liked doing stadium stairs. :shrug:

[flyosu]

I'll have to admit I gasped when I saw the price to enter the W&D run... but we have been wanting to do a Disney Run for awhile now, so we planned this trip around it.
Right now my only cross training is hopping in and out of a semi cab about 40 times a night... somewhat similar to doing stair workouts LOL

[mshalloween]

Thanks for sharing your wisdom mshalloween & Phylers! I will definitely check out those methods & the website to get some ideas on training....

My big problem... and I have done this for years w/ cycling, is that i kill myself with miles. Day in day out. What I need to learn to do is mix up routines & workouts. Intermingal running / cycling / other exercise and most importantly GIVE MYSELF REST DAYS!
(why is it when you are wanting to start all you want is another rest day... but once you have started and get hooked it's hard to give yourself one??)

After seeing all the different medals for the Disney races I want to sign up for them all! Too bad airfare is what it is nowadays. The Wife and I would make quite a few weekend trips 5-6 years ago when we could snag a $60 -$70 one way on Southwest but those days are long gone unfortunately!

I used to kill myself with miles, too, and it ended up backfiring on me SO badly! I would get so sick of being out running 1-2 hours a day, 4-5 days a week, and I'd get totally burnt out. What I do now is run 3-5 miles Tues, Weds, Thurs, do my long run on Sat (I'm up to about 7.5 miles right now), do a slow run/walk on Sunday, and then Monday and Fridays I rest. I haven't gotten burnt out yet because I think it's a lot easier for me to say to myself "hey, you just have to go out and run for 30-45 minutes, then you're done" as opposed to "oh my god, you have to go out and run 7 miles". It's all about the mindset for me!

[mshalloween]

Excellent news..... the Wine & Dine 5K has officially been named!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


DISNEY HALLOWEEN 5K

I AM SO EXCITED!

Saturday, October 1, 2011
7:00 a.m.
Start/Finish: Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Park
Run a fun-filled 5K that the whole family can enjoy. There's something for everyone at the Disney Halloween 5K, where adults, teens and tweens can be a part of this official Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend event. Experience a 5K course that winds through Disney’s Animal Kingdom® with an unforgettable finish!

The Disney Halloween 5K features:

5K course through Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Park
Stroller division for the 5K race
Disney Entertainment on-course
Event Weekend Transportation from the Event Host Resorts only


Each participant's registration in the Disney Halloween 5K will include:
5K Unisex T-shirt
5K Finisher medallion
Official Race Program Guide
Goody bag
Personalized bib (Must register by August 1, 2011 for name to appear on bib)
On-course and post-race refreshments

http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/wine-and-dine-half-marathon/?page=disney-halloween-5K

[flyosu]

Oh I wish the Half marathon was named the "Halloween Half Marathon!"
I suppose we could wake up and run the 5 k as a half marathon warmup LOL... not

[mshalloween]

Oh I wish the Half marathon was named the "Halloween Half Marathon!"
I suppose we could wake up and run the 5 k as a half marathon warmup LOL... not

That would be fun! Wine & Dine is still a pretty good theme though.

I'm running the 5K the morning of the half :) Well, I'll be walking it. My dad and I convinced my mom to sign up and she doesn't run, so we're walking with her.

[MsDisneyFan]

I am super new to the world of running and started the couch to 5k program in March. I got sidelined in April due to plantar fasciitis and it's still not gone :( I roll my foot over a frozen water bottle for at least 20 minutes a day, stretch my foot, sleep with a brace on and do the toe exercises my doctor suggested. Any other suggestions?! He said I could start running on it again, but since it's been almost three months I have started with walking first and want to start the program again in a week or so.

My first goal is a 5k and after that- any Disney race!

[flyosu]

That would be fun! Wine & Dine is still a pretty good theme though.

I'm running the 5K the morning of the half :) Well, I'll be walking it. My dad and I convinced my mom to sign up and she doesn't run, so we're walking with her.

Uh oh... now ya got the gears a go'in in my head! Gonna ahve to talk to the wifey about this!!! LOL


I am super new to the world of running and started the couch to 5k program in March. I got sidelined in April due to plantar fasciitis and it's still not gone :( I roll my foot over a frozen water bottle for at least 20 minutes a day, stretch my foot, sleep with a brace on and do the toe exercises my doctor suggested. Any other suggestions?! He said I could start running on it again, but since it's been almost three months I have started with walking first and want to start the program again in a week or so.

My first goal is a 5k and after that- any Disney race!

Thats does NOT sound like fun. I don't have too much running experience but the starting off with walking sounds like a good plan to me. Just take it slow and don't over do it seems to be the theme with running!

[Phylers]

Oh I wish the Half marathon was named the "Halloween Half Marathon!"
I suppose we could wake up and run the 5 k as a half marathon warmup LOL... not

I did that last year. It's not terrible, but it's also not something I felt compelled to really do again. Plus, since it's through the Animal Kingdom this year instead of the Magic Kingdom (and there's no free MNSSHP ticket included with registration), they can keep it. Animal Kingdom's paths are a nightmare. :-P


I am super new to the world of running and started the couch to 5k program in March. I got sidelined in April due to plantar fasciitis and it's still not gone :( I roll my foot over a frozen water bottle for at least 20 minutes a day, stretch my foot, sleep with a brace on and do the toe exercises my doctor suggested. Any other suggestions?! He said I could start running on it again, but since it's been almost three months I have started with walking first and want to start the program again in a week or so.

My first goal is a 5k and after that- any Disney race!

Well, there's always a Disney 5k. ;-)

I've had plantar fasciitis in the past, but I've lucked out in it subsiding in a couple of days. For me, I'd get it after trying to do too much on soft sand beaches; you start to dig for traction, and before you know it, you're in trouble. :(

As for tips, I've liked a golf ball or a baseball for rolling under my foot - it gives the option to apply a little more pressure to the tendon than the flat surface of a bottle or roller. It's also worth investing in (or digging out) a pair of Birkenstocks - they're wonderful for relieving the pain. They won't solve your issues in the long run, but they were the only shoes I could comfortably wear during my recovery phase.

As for prevention, I'm a bit biased in any suggestions I could make, as I'm one of the barefoot/minimalist proponents. :D In general though, it's worth taking a look at your form - a shorter stride will help prevent overloading upon landing, and a more mid- to forefoot landing will prevent overstretching the plantar tendon. That's about all I can say without going into a full-on barefoot/minimalist essay, so ... yeah. Okay, wait, just give me one tiny diatribe: arch support is the devil! Phew. I feel better. :lol:

[MsDisneyFan]

Well, there's always a Disney 5k. ;-)

I've had plantar fasciitis in the past, but I've lucked out in it subsiding in a couple of days. For me, I'd get it after trying to do too much on soft sand beaches; you start to dig for traction, and before you know it, you're in trouble. :(

As for tips, I've liked a golf ball or a baseball for rolling under my foot - it gives the option to apply a little more pressure to the tendon than the flat surface of a bottle or roller. It's also worth investing in (or digging out) a pair of Birkenstocks - they're wonderful for relieving the pain. They won't solve your issues in the long run, but they were the only shoes I could comfortably wear during my recovery phase.

As for prevention, I'm a bit biased in any suggestions I could make, as I'm one of the barefoot/minimalist proponents. :D In general though, it's worth taking a look at your form - a shorter stride will help prevent overloading upon landing, and a more mid- to forefoot landing will prevent overstretching the plantar tendon. That's about all I can say without going into a full-on barefoot/minimalist essay, so ... yeah. Okay, wait, just give me one tiny diatribe: arch support is the devil! Phew. I feel better. :lol:

Thank you so much! I'm definitely going to try a baseball/golfball/tennis ball to roll my foot over. I need this to go away!

[Belle Ella]

Haven't dropped by to post here in a while. Oopsies! One day I hope to get out to WDW for an event, but for now I'm just sticking with the 5K at Disneyland over Labor Day Weekend. I was planning on building up to the Half for next September, but with the new Tinkerbell Half at Disneyland in January ... I officially registered today! Kind of excited. Cannot believe I'm doing this.

[Phylers]

Haven't dropped by to post here in a while. Oopsies! One day I hope to get out to WDW for an event, but for now I'm just sticking with the 5K at Disneyland over Labor Day Weekend. I was planning on building up to the Half for next September, but with the new Tinkerbell Half at Disneyland in January ... I officially registered today! Kind of excited. Cannot believe I'm doing this.

Congrats! :clap: And for the inaugural running, no less!

[Silvered]

Haven't dropped by to post here in a while. Oopsies! One day I hope to get out to WDW for an event, but for now I'm just sticking with the 5K at Disneyland over Labor Day Weekend. I was planning on building up to the Half for next September, but with the new Tinkerbell Half at Disneyland in January ... I officially registered today! Kind of excited. Cannot believe I'm doing this.

Signing up is half the battle! You'll do great! And if you have any questions, you know who to ask! I want to see that new medal :lol:

[Belle Ella]

Congrats! :clap: And for the inaugural running, no less!

I think that may have been one of the selling points for me. I'm so excited about it. A few family members are now planning to register for it as well. I'm also a member at a Disney site and have made a lot of friends there and many of us are planning to do it. We're even having a big meet up in Disneyland the following month and it will be fun to see everyone in a short span of time.


Signing up is half the battle! You'll do great! And if you have any questions, you know who to ask! I want to see that new medal :lol:

Thanks! I know I can do this, I know I can! I'll definitely drop by with questions I have.

My first goal is to not walk the 5K in September. Shouldn't be too hard. The route I take when I'm jogging at home right now is just shy of 3 miles I think. I just wish I could get a more consistent schedule in. I've only been out of school for a week or so, so I'm hoping that helps. Now the rain just needs to stop. I'm not so sure I'm ready to run in the rain, lol.

[aspen_snow04]

Haven't dropped by to post here in a while. Oopsies! One day I hope to get out to WDW for an event, but for now I'm just sticking with the 5K at Disneyland over Labor Day Weekend. I was planning on building up to the Half for next September, but with the new Tinkerbell Half at Disneyland in January ... I officially registered today! Kind of excited. Cannot believe I'm doing this.

I'll see ya there!! You'll love the whole experience. We did our first Marathon Weekend last Sept at Disneyland and it was a blast. We're hooked so much we're signed up for the Family Fun Weekend in Sept again and the Tink in Jan. Congrats!!

[Phylers]

Thanks! I know I can do this, I know I can! I'll definitely drop by with questions I have.

My first goal is to not walk the 5K in September. Shouldn't be too hard. The route I take when I'm jogging at home right now is just shy of 3 miles I think. I just wish I could get a more consistent schedule in. I've only been out of school for a week or so, so I'm hoping that helps. Now the rain just needs to stop. I'm not so sure I'm ready to run in the rain, lol.

Running in the rain can be a lot of fun! You have to dress accordingly: lighter, quick-drying material won't hold as much moisture as cotton, so you won't feel so weighed down. You also want to be careful with your footing to avoid any slips.

Once you're out there though, the cooling sensation from the rain is great! http://board.heartagram.com/public/style_emoticons/default/playing-in-the-rain-smiley.gif

[mshalloween]

Haven't dropped by to post here in a while. Oopsies! One day I hope to get out to WDW for an event, but for now I'm just sticking with the 5K at Disneyland over Labor Day Weekend. I was planning on building up to the Half for next September, but with the new Tinkerbell Half at Disneyland in January ... I officially registered today! Kind of excited. Cannot believe I'm doing this.

Awesome!! :clap: I would love to do the Tinkerbell half but it's the wrong coast for me!! :( Congrats!!!!

You just made me want to sign up for the WDW half in January... I've already signed up for halfs (halves? :lol:) on 10/1/11, 11/20/11, and 2/12/12.. I wonder if a 4th would be too much?? Although 1/7/11 WOULD slide in there quite nicely date-wise...

[Silvered]

Awesome!! :clap: I would love to do the Tinkerbell half but it's the wrong coast for me!! :( Congrats!!!!

You just made me want to sign up for the WDW half in January... I've already signed up for halfs (halves? :lol:) on 10/1/11, 11/20/11, and 2/12/12.. I wonder if a 4th would be too much?? Although 1/7/11 WOULD slide in there quite nicely date-wise...

And just think, you can get that pretty Coast to Coast medal....

[Belle Ella]

Running in the rain can be a lot of fun! You have to dress accordingly: lighter, quick-drying material won't hold as much moisture as cotton, so you won't feel so weighed down. You also want to be careful with your footing to avoid any slips.

Once you're out there though, the cooling sensation from the rain is great! http://board.heartagram.com/public/style_emoticons/default/playing-in-the-rain-smiley.gif

Thanks for the tips on the rain. I'm hoping that it will be a non issue coming up pretty soon. At least until the end of the year. But it's stinking June!! Why is it raining anyway? I need my summer weather already.


Awesome!! :clap: I would love to do the Tinkerbell half but it's the wrong coast for me!! :( Congrats!!!!

You just made me want to sign up for the WDW half in January... I've already signed up for halfs (halves? :lol:) on 10/1/11, 11/20/11, and 2/12/12.. I wonder if a 4th would be too much?? Although 1/7/11 WOULD slide in there quite nicely date-wise...

Well someday you'll have to come out to wrong coast so you can get that Coast to Coast medal. At least now Disneyland has 2 options instead of just the one over Labor Day Weekend. It'll be easier for me to find a time to get out to WDW. My problem there is money for airfare (and a severe fear of flying) and getting enough time off from work.


I'll see ya there!! You'll love the whole experience. We did our first Marathon Weekend last Sept at Disneyland and it was a blast. We're hooked so much we're signed up for the Family Fun Weekend in Sept again and the Tink in Jan. Congrats!!

Yay! I love seeing who's going to be there.

[mshalloween]

Have any of you attempted to run a race with a head cold? I am pretty stuffy, sneeze a lot, have itchy eyes, and I'm starting to develop a cough. Yay me. I have a 5K tonight, so it's not that far, but I'm wondering if it will be really hard to run. I haven't ran since Sunday because of this cold so I'm not sure if I can handle it. :cry: This sucks!

[Phylers]

Have any of you attempted to run a race with a head cold? I am pretty stuffy, sneeze a lot, have itchy eyes, and I'm starting to develop a cough. Yay me. I have a 5K tonight, so it's not that far, but I'm wondering if it will be really hard to run. I haven't ran since Sunday because of this cold so I'm not sure if I can handle it. :cry: This sucks!

I'm sorry I didn't see this earlier! For posterity, though:

First off, feel better soon! There's nothing worse than the late-season cold. :(

Second, I've run training while under the weather, but I've never raced. It really depends on how you feel more than anything. If you feel so-so but strong, a 5k is probably short enough that you won't hinder your recovery or have trouble finishing.

The cough would give me pause, but again from experience, it depends on the degree and how you feel.

It's also a good idea to up your fluid intake a little more than usual - especially post-race.

There are basically two schools of thought: one, that if you're sick, you're better off resting until you're well again than pushing too hard and opening yourself up to getting more sick; two, that the running will get your circulation and all your systems going, thus leaving you feeling better and helping your body get rid of the bug faster. Neither one is always correct, but the one thing they agree on is to always listen to your body. For the most part, it's pretty good at knowing what it can do. :thumbsup:

If you decide to run, here's hoping it goes well! :cross:

[mshalloween]

Thank you for the input (even if it was a little late :lol:), Phylers! It's really good information for the future for me and I appreciate it :)

I ended up running the race and doing fine. I walked a little more than I wanted, but I'm not sure if that was due to the cold or the oppressive heat (7PM race - it was about 90* out) :lol: I think I actually felt BETTER after the race than I did before cold-wise. I still have some remnants of a cold but have been pushing through that and I think training is going fine for me. I think it really helped that I took 4-5 days off from running when I was sick so I could let my body rest. Well, that and the Sudafed :rofl:

Anyway, thank you for the words of encouragement, and the race went just fine. I'm happy to report that I'm almost back to normal again. :) ... well except for the fact that I burned my hand at work yesterday and now I have to wrap it up before I go running otherwise the heat makes the burn sting intensely! It's always something, isn't it?

[flyosu]

I did that last year. It's not terrible, but it's also not something I felt compelled to really do again. Plus, since it's through the Animal Kingdom this year instead of the Magic Kingdom (and there's no free MNSSHP ticket included with registration), they can keep it. Animal Kingdom's paths are a nightmare. :-P

Thanks for that info on the Halloween 5K. We were considering doing this in addition to the Half Marathon, but I think we have decided against it... mostly because of the transportaion issues. We are staying at Wilderness Lodge (apparently NOT one of the official resorts for the event) so we have to find our own transportation to the races, which in my opinion is dumb dumb dumb. For what it costs to enter these races you would think they could send a bus around to the other Disney resorts for a pick up! Anyways.. with the Half Marathon also going thru Animal Kingdom I thought it would be a little redundant anyways. Sure would like the Medal & goodies though :(

[mshalloween]

Thanks for that info on the Halloween 5K. We were considering doing this in addition to the Half Marathon, but I think we have decided against it... mostly because of the transportaion issues. We are staying at Wilderness Lodge (apparently NOT one of the official resorts for the event) so we have to find our own transportation to the races, which in my opinion is dumb dumb dumb. For what it costs to enter these races you would think they could send a bus around to the other Disney resorts for a pick up! Anyways.. with the Half Marathon also going thru Animal Kingdom I thought it would be a little redundant anyways. Sure would like the Medal & goodies though :(

FYI you can park at one of the host resorts and catch the bus there. Just tell the guard at the gate that you're coming in for breakfast/lunch/dinner/food for whatever time of day it's near :lol: You probably even could be honest and tell them you're coming to catch the race bus and show them your Wilderness Lodge key. I guarantee they won't have a problem with you parking there. Even if you've decided against the 5K, you certainly can do this for the W&D!

Oh, and most of the reason I'm doing the 5K is for the pumpkin medal (at least, that's what I assume it will be). I saw people walking around with them last year and I almost died out of jealousy. I do have an obsession with Halloween, though :)

Edit: I found a photo of last year's online. Yup. Need it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/5058013205/

[mshalloween]

Oh! With some googling, I just found this layout for the 5K medal this year! I can't get to the post as it's password protected, but the image showed up in my google results....

The bottom medal is the kid's race medal.

http://tblyth.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/polymedals.jpg?w=720&h=576

[flyosu]

FYI you can park at one of the host resorts and catch the bus there. Just tell the guard at the gate that you're coming in for breakfast/lunch/dinner/food for whatever time of day it's near :lol: You probably even could be honest and tell them you're coming to catch the race bus and show them your Wilderness Lodge key. I guarantee they won't have a problem with you parking there. Even if you've decided against the 5K, you certainly can do this for the W&D!

Oh, and most of the reason I'm doing the 5K is for the pumpkin medal (at least, that's what I assume it will be). I saw people walking around with them last year and I almost died out of jealousy. I do have an obsession with Halloween, though :)

Edit: I found a photo of last year's online. Yup. Need it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/5058013205/

Thanks for the info, but we will be carless! We do Magical Express from the airport & use Disney Transportaion for everything while there. We can hop a bus to DTD and grab another bus to a host resort to get a bus to ESPN for the Half Marathon (2 hours of travel time LOL) but with transportation leaving at 5am for the Halloween run it isn't possible impossible to do that.

I am hooked on Halloween too (if you can't tell by my avatar) and would really LOVE a pumpkin medal!!! Actually I like the Kids Race Medal even better, wonder if I could partcipate in that instead?!?

[mshalloween]

Thanks for the info, but we will be carless! We do Magical Express from the airport & use Disney Transportaion for everything while there. We can hop a bus to DTD and grab another bus to a host resort to get a bus to ESPN for the Half Marathon (2 hours of travel time LOL) but with transportation leaving at 5am for the Halloween run it isn't possible impossible to do that.

I am hooked on Halloween too (if you can't tell by my avatar) and would really LOVE a pumpkin medal!!! Actually I like the Kids Race Medal even better, wonder if I could partcipate in that instead?!?

Oh, well then nevermind that suggestion, haha!

I'm a big fan of the kid's races medal too. You definitely can't do that, though (although I don't know if you were serious about that suggestion :lol:). I watched the kid's races at Everest this year and it is literally a bunch of children, 8 and under, doing short races (like 100 yard dash)!

Well, maybe you can plan ahead for 2012 to finally get yourself one of the pumpkin medals :)

[flyosu]

Yeah, I was just teasing about the kids race.. i wouldn't want to get beaten by a 5 year old anyways! LOL

[mshalloween]

Yeah, I was just teasing about the kids race.. i wouldn't want to get beaten by a 5 year old anyways! LOL

Haha, I figured :-P And yeah, those kids are FAST!!!! They'd totally school me.

[Phylers]

Thanks for that info on the Halloween 5K. We were considering doing this in addition to the Half Marathon, but I think we have decided against it... mostly because of the transportaion issues. We are staying at Wilderness Lodge (apparently NOT one of the official resorts for the event) so we have to find our own transportation to the races, which in my opinion is dumb dumb dumb. For what it costs to enter these races you would think they could send a bus around to the other Disney resorts for a pick up! Anyways.. with the Half Marathon also going thru Animal Kingdom I thought it would be a little redundant anyways. Sure would like the Medal & goodies though :(

I wouldn't get your hopes too high on the goodies. The t-shirts are always cool, but the swag bags don't hold a lot of value. It was mainly coupons and some shaving oil last year. Might have been a fun-size granola bar, too.

In terms of free samples, you make out better at the Expo. They'll have tasting booths set up by Clif and the other race food companies, and Nestle usually has a booth with free chocolate milk. If you go same-day, you could actually do some pretty good pre-race fueling. :lol:


Oh! With some googling, I just found this layout for the 5K medal this year! I can't get to the post as it's password protected, but the image showed up in my google results....

The bottom medal is the kid's race medal.

Pretty neat! It's very similar to last year's, but I like the new color scheme of the ribbon. I wonder if it will light up this year. :idea:

[mshalloween]

I like the color scheme of the ribbon too (much more Halloween-ish than last year's), and was also wondering if it would light up like last year's! Guess we'll have to wait and see!!

I do wish they would put a date on it somewhere, which I don't see. I also wish the ribbon said something other than "Run Disney". Oh well. The medal is still pretty cool looking in my book. :)

[flyosu]

I wouldn't get your hopes too high on the goodies. The t-shirts are always cool, but the swag bags don't hold a lot of value. It was mainly coupons and some shaving oil last year. Might have been a fun-size granola bar, too.

In terms of free samples, you make out better at the Expo. They'll have tasting booths set up by Clif and the other race food companies, and Nestle usually has a booth with free chocolate milk. If you go same-day, you could actually do some pretty good pre-race fueling. :lol:

...you had me at free chocolate milk!

[Belle Ella]

OK, so anyone have any tips on getting a water hater to remember to stay hydrated? It's my biggest obstacle right now because I just hate the taste of water. Boy did I feel the effects yesterday now that NorCal is finally getting some heat. I don't do it on purpose, lol.

[mshalloween]

OK, so anyone have any tips on getting a water hater to remember to stay hydrated? It's my biggest obstacle right now because I just hate the taste of water. Boy did I feel the effects yesterday now that NorCal is finally getting some heat. I don't do it on purpose, lol.

What about flavored water? Or even Gatorade?

[Belle Ella]

What about flavored water? Or even Gatorade?

Thanks. I hadn't thought about Gatorade to be honest. I did use to get those flavor packs to put in your water but the forgetful factor has never helped there. I never remember (a) to use them or (b) where I put them in the first place. But they do make it a little easier to drink water. I think I have too much of a sweet tooth.

[mshalloween]

Thanks. I hadn't thought about Gatorade to be honest. I did use to get those flavor packs to put in your water but the forgetful factor has never helped there. I never remember (a) to use them or (b) where I put them in the first place. But they do make it a little easier to drink water. I think I have too much of a sweet tooth.

That's so funny/weird to me that you don't like water! The only thing I crave after a heated run is a giant glass of ice water! I hope you figure out something that works for you as (I know you know) hydration is super important.

[Belle Ella]

What most people I know find funny is the fact that the 'taste' is what bothers me about it. I can't tell you how many times they tell me, "but water has no taste!" and all I want to do is roll my eyes. I can't explain it though other than to say I've just never been a big water drinker. I think a big part of it is that I was always drinking something else and so when did I have the chance to drink water (although I could have substituted the water in but when you're an individual with a huge Coca-Cola addiction that doesn't go over so well). Actualy, that right there is my downfall, I'm sure of it. I gave up all soda for about the 100th time last year and it stuck out longer than it had before (I think I made 6 months before I caved) and I did a lot better about drinking water during that time period. But now I'm back to my same bad habits.

I do force myself to drink water, but not often enough I'm sure. Step in the right direction though: I'm having a glass right now.

[mshalloween]

What most people I know find funny is the fact that the 'taste' is what bothers me about it. I can't tell you how many times they tell me, "but water has no taste!" and all I want to do is roll my eyes. I can't explain it though other than to say I've just never been a big water drinker. I think a big part of it is that I was always drinking something else and so when did I have the chance to drink water (although I could have substituted the water in but when you're an individual with a huge Coca-Cola addiction that doesn't go over so well). Actualy, that right there is my downfall, I'm sure of it. I gave up all soda for about the 100th time last year and it stuck out longer than it had before (I think I made 6 months before I caved) and I did a lot better about drinking water during that time period. But now I'm back to my same bad habits.

I do force myself to drink water, but not often enough I'm sure. Step in the right direction though: I'm having a glass right now.

I totally understand that. I think it's impossible for something to not have taste; IMO, everything that you eat has taste. Water is just a super plain, bland liquid. I liken it to people saying vodka has no smell. Give me a break.. it smells like rubbing alcohol. :lol:

I recently gave up drinking Diet Coke and all other brown sodas. I stick to Sprite/Sierra Mist (and the diet versions) and Ginger Ale, mostly. I actually have noticed a HUGE difference in my hunger and overall well-being. I seriously had an addiction to Diet Coke - I would have at least one large glass a day (32oz), and sometimes refill that (my work has a soda fountain). I would sit at my desk and just crave Diet Coke. I totally feel your pain on that one. It's only been about 2 months for me so far, but I'm hoping I can make it a permanent thing. I think allowing myself other sodas (just not brown ones) is helping me stick it out, as I do love carbonation :) I've also been trying to substitute drinking iced tea instead. I think that's been helping a lot too, as that has some flavor to it.

What's really been helping with the Diet Coke addiction is running. I don't even crave DC anymore as it does nothing for hydration and actually makes my whole body feel worse (how did I not realize that before when I was downing it?!) Sometimes after a race I will drink Sprite, but brown sodas have seem to worked their way out of my cravings.

Props to you for having your glass of water right now! Do you like iced tea? It has caffeine in it so it's not the greatest for hydration, but it's very watery and could help you get used to a watery flavor. By iced tea I mean unsweetened (I know you're in Cali and I don't know how iced tea works there, lol, but down in the southern states you have to specify sweet or unsweet :)) I use some Splenda to sweeten my tea up.

[Belle Ella]

Finally, someone who can agree with me!! My usual response (since it would be rude to roll my eyes while standing in front of them, of course) is to point out that they could recognize a cup of water by taking a sip if they had no idea beforehand that was what was in it. A lot of people definitely seem to equate bland with being tasteless but I don't think that's even possible (for something to have no taste).

Awesome job so far with kicking the brown sodas. I think you can do it! For me, the hardest part of giving anything up was always the first 3 weeks which is usually the point I don't make it past. It was somewhat smooth sailing from there. When I tried to give up soda once I got past those first weeks and could say 1, 2 and then 3 months and so on I just didn't need it like I used to. Heck, I still firmly believe the only reason I fell off the bandwagon this time was me breaking up with me ex, lol. He didn't drink soda at all and was a huge part of me making it as far as I did that time and I think my silly brain saw it as a "screw you!" or a comfort food of sorts. Now I try to cut down rather than give it up entirely but that's not working right now. I might try to take a page from your book and try to cut out the brown sodas. See how that works. Or use it as a stepping stone to giving it up again.

Heck I would just love to stop spending money on soda (except when I'm at Disneyland - I can't pass up a Cherry Coke from Refreshment Corner).

A big part in my decision to start running and sign up for these events has been to just work on my health as a whole. The way I eat, the soda problem, the me-and-water problem, etc. It seems to work when I run consistently but I'm still having trouble in that department right now thanks to my allergies. They start clearing up as summer really kicks in though.

I think unsweetened tea is hard to come by in California, lol, but we definitely have it if you don't grab the first thing you see. I don't hate it, but don't prefer it - again going back to the "sweet" problem I have. I can give that a try to get me used to the watery taste. At this point, any and all stepping stones can't hurt!

[mshalloween]

I am running for a lot of the same reasons you are - to mainly work on my health. After my wedding in '09, I kind of just let myself go. I think I had been SO stressed out about the wedding and planning that I kind of stopped caring about taking care of myself. I put on at least 15 lbs, if not more. Finally, about a year ago, I had enough of looking the way I did and told myself that I was going to get back into running and eating better. It started off really slow.. I wasn't training ALL that much, but I was eating a little better. I got to the Wine & Dine, ran it, and then kind of stopped training after that, until I decided to run Everest. Since early March, I've been back on the running bandwagon and it's drastically changed my life. I'm no less than 30 lbs lighter than I was a year ago when I decided I needed to change my ways and I've dropped 3-4 pant sizes. I owe this 95% to running. I'm still working on my eating habits, but running does make me want to eat healthier. Like I said, I don't crave Diet Coke anymore.. I also think a lot more about what I am eating because I usually go running an hour or two after I eat dinner (unfortunately that's really the only time I can go during the week), so now I tend to eat healthier meals and less of them, just because I don't want to feel gross while running.

I've also found that it REALLY helps to sign up for races to keep myself motivated. The reason I didn't keep running after the Wine & Dine last year was because I had nothing on the horizon to keep striving towards. I was using running as a way to lose weight, not to train for races or work on my overall health. That has been a HUGE difference as to why it's working for me this time - I have a whole different mindset on why I'm out running. I'm not worrying about how many calories I'm burning anymore, I'm worrying about how fast I'm going to be able to run that upcoming race. The weight loss is just a bonus (but that certainly is coming along!) I'm now signed up for a 4-mile road race in September, a 5K and half marathon in October, a half marathon in November, and a half marathon in February. I'm also considering a half in January (Disney) and in March, too, but that might be overkill :lol: Regardless, even thinking about it all just keeps me motivated to get out there and run!

I hope you can start running more consistently because I know you will see a change in yourself health-wise and 'bad' habit-wise! Kick those allergies to the curb and get out there! :thumbsup:

[Phylers]

On the water issue, for post-run hydration purposes, you actually want to lean more towards something with electrolytes. Especially if you've expended yourself or have sweat a lot, it's just as important to get your sodium and potassium levels up along with your overall hydration, so any sort of sports drink or fruit juice will be good. Personally, I used to reach for Gatorade (red or purple for me; I refuse to call them by the listed flavors, because they all basically taste like Gatorade :D), but I switched over to cranberry juice for the health benefits (Ocean Spray 100% Juice). Grape juice and blueberry juice are also great, as they both have a good sodium/potassium ratio. You'll also get a boost from the sugar content of any of the choices that will help avoid the post-run, dehydration-induced doldrums. :thumbsup: Oh, and while it doesn't have the nutritional profile, regular old Kool Aid can be a good refueling or recovery drink. The running world is also currently high on chocolate milk and coconut water - I haven't tried the latter, but chocolate milk isn't so bad (and that's big coming from me, as I'm not a milk fan).

After a glass of juice though, I do switch to water. :)

I do take one issue though: what's so bad about brown soda? I love Coke Zero, and it doesn't seem to have any ill effect on me. Is it the caramel color? :shrug:

[Belle Ella]

Alrighty - I picked up some Gatorade before I left work yesterday and I'll try saving that for after my runs. We'll see how well I can do with water other times of the day though. I've been hit or miss in that area the past couple of days. I'll do good with maybe one 'average' sized glass of water but after that I can't bring myself to drink any more. Makes me wonder how I've gone all these years without really drinking that much water sometimes.

Thanks for the other suggestions, all sound pretty good except chocolate milk, lol. I'm lactose intollerant so that wouldn't hold over so well.

And my take on the "brown soda" is that it's all I drink, and I drink way too much of it, lol.

[mshalloween]

Sorry, Phylers! I just saw your question about brown soda now. The reason I am trying to do away with drinking dark soda is because it increases the risk of having kidney problems (because of the addition phosphoric acid, which clear sodas do not have). My husband went through a kidney stone ordeal not too long ago and they told him to cut out brown soda. I figured I should do the same, just for health's sake. I have to admit, I feel a LOT better after ridding myself of the stuff. I used to down at least a can of Diet Coke every day, and I just feel a lot 'cleaner', per se, now. Obviously having a can of brown soda a day really won't hurt you, but I just feel better not having it in my system day in and day out.