Vacation before or after marathon?

[beckyb29]

Hi everyone!

My husband and I are very excited to be running our first Full in January '15! We were originally only going to spend a few days there for the race, but now may attach a vacation to it. Even though I've been to Disney 20 times, this is an area I'm very uncertain about, and am not sure when we should actually vacation.

For the week before, I don't want us to wear out and be too tired for the race. Although I've been a lot, my husband was only there once before, and barely remembers it.

The week following the race sounds better, but I know that MLK weekend has a history of being VERY crowded, and am not sure when those crowds start to come in?

I know that either way, we need to be careful to take it easy(the week before), or that we will be VERY sore (the week after).

Any thoughts? What has worked for you in the past?

Thanks for any advice, and happy training to everyone!

 

[Drusilla99]

My hubby has run many marathons before & while he has gone to dlr the same day after one, I know there is no way he would go before hand. Not only would he not want to be walking as much as would be needed at wdw, but his food intake changes dramatically in the days before a race, & I'm not sure resort food for a number of days is going to be your best options. Yes you'll be sore after but go get massages & relax the first day after the race.

 

[PCFriar80]

Hi everyone!

My husband and I are very excited to be running our first Full in January '15! We were originally only going to spend a few days there for the race, but now may attach a vacation to it. Even though I've been to Disney 20 times, this is an area I'm very uncertain about, and am not sure when we should actually vacation.

For the week before, I don't want us to wear out and be too tired for the race. Although I've been a lot, my husband was only there once before, and barely remembers it.

The week following the race sounds better, but I know that MLK weekend has a history of being VERY crowded, and am not sure when those crowds start to come in?

I know that either way, we need to be careful to take it easy(the week before), or that we will be VERY sore (the week after).

Any thoughts? What has worked for you in the past?

Thanks for any advice, and happy training to everyone!

We've been running the January races, primarily the half and one full for my bucket list for the last 10 years. We tack on the extra days at the end, usually leaving on Thursday and crowds have never been an issue. The weather can be hit or miss but the last 2 years it has been warmer in January than when we were there in October. I'll call that the exception.
IMO Disney is the best place to work out the soreness with leisurely walks around the parks or resort grounds. Yes, getting off busses will hurt for a couple of days, but runners figure it out. Have fun planning and any questions, fire away!

 

[ell13]

I can't think of a single reason to go to WDW early if you have the option to stay later. The parks are much less crowded. You don't have to worry about getting worn out. You can eat like you want without worrying about eating too much, too little, or too "odd". It's a good opportunity to keep your legs moving (bring some really comfortable shoes; you should anyway).

We've done it both ways. Our first WDW marathon was in '09 and we stayed the week before, ran Sunday, drove home Monday. In '13, we ran it again, but stayed the week after. Never again will we stay the week before.

 

[tehvalerie]

After, for sure. The day or two after the race may be a little slow moving, but better than risking being worn out when race day comes!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

In an ideal situation, I'd do the race at the very beginning of vacation. Because of work education seminars, I had to do the 2012 Wine & Dine 1/2 near the end of my vacation at WDW. I ran the race on Saturday night and flew home Tuesday. While normal touring before the race didn't impact my race all that much if at all, I would have taken those 2 days easier than I did if they weren't my last 2 days at WDW.

 

[bumbershoot]

The only reason I go out early is because of a misguided attempt to get onto eastern time. This is silly and never works and I shouldn't do it. In 2015 DS is doing his Mile the same day I do my Half, and I didn't manage to get DS or DH signed up for the 5K, so we can get there closer to Saturday.

The only outlying issue for me is that I like hitting the Expo early.


OP you say it'll be your first Full. Have you done other, shorter, races? If not, will you be before then? I highly recommend it. And of course you'll be putting in the miles of training beforehand. While I haven't done a Full and don't plan on it, and therefore cannot possibly speak to the exhaustion after a Full, I will say that I always expect to be much more sore after a Half than I actually am. During training you get used to it and you learn how to deal with it and/or prevent it. So you might not be anywhere near as sore as you think you might. And the walking around in the days after the run will surely help stretch you out!

 

[WDWFan06]

Definitely stay the week after the race! It's over with and you don't have to worry as much about what you are eating, ect.

 

[goofeygirl]

I would say afterwards. It will make it so much more exciting knowing that after you accomplish your marathon you have a holiday there to relax and enjoy and discuss your medal!
Before hand...esp the first time would just rack up nerves. All week long you would be thinking, worrying and anticipating the long road ahead. While afterward you can relax...not stress.

Plus you can eat what you want afterwards!

 

[derekleigh]

2015 will mark the 3rd Disney vacation that involves the WDW Marathon weekend! The first year we arrived Friday and I ran the half on Saturday and my boys ran the kids races the same day.

2nd year, we arrived Thursday and my wife ran the 10K, boys ran the kids races, and myself the half again.

Both times we've had the races towards the beginning of vacation and it worked out incredibly well!

2015 will be a little more spread out. We arrive Tuesday, SIL, SMIL and I will run the 5K Thursday, my wife the 10K and boys the kids races on Friday and the full for me on Sunday. We leave FL the following Wednesday. So this year's will have the races towards the front half. We are only arriving earlier in case of bad weather (January + New England = Interesting scenarios).

 

[RunDisney Crazy]

I'd have to agree with everyone and say afterwards. I ran the Dopey this January and we arrived on the first day of the Expo, Wednesday so we actually did hit the parks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but also stayed on Monday and Tuesday afterwards.

I will say it's nice to walk around after the races to help stretch out. But it was also difficult being so sore but that was because of 4 races too. But we decided that it would not only be a running trip but a vacation as well.

I don't really see a problem arriving early either. I don't think there is any chance of wearing yourself out. No one really runs for a PR and it's a Disney race so there is tons of motivation.

 

[bumbershoot]

The other bonus of spending time after is that you can wear your medal in the parks! For TOT I wore my medal for 4 days. If I ran a Full? I'm thinking 7 days.

I didn't get to wear my WDW Half medal (or the 5K) at all last January because I was so so so so sick that we didn't go to the parks. Just sat in the room being ill.

 

[wilkeliza]

Really hard to say since it is your first full marathon. Your taper week could be h-e-l-l and then you would be miserable. I have a friend that becomes a total b after she runs anything over a half. It is so bad she has to take the week off from work after.

If you don't think your taper will be that bad after is great but know you might have to battle really bad blisters and fatigue the first few days.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't really see a problem arriving early either. I don't think there is any chance of wearing yourself out. No one really runs for a PR and it's a Disney race so there is tons of motivation.

My diet really suffers by going out early. I'm slow anyway, not shooting for a PR, just shooting to finish. So I need all the good fuel I can get, and the heat plus food that's not made by me at home (haven't yet stayed at a villa with a kitchen pre-race so obviously that's a place to change).

 

[RnbwSktles]

I arrived about 2.5 days early before the 2014 marathon and tried to relax as much as possible. Lounged around the pool, rented a boat, went to Downtown Disney. No parks. My feet were STILL killing me by race day! I was wearing the same brand of shoes that I run in with no problems, but apparently they bother my feet while walking for a long time

I plan to try to find something better for my feet in 2015 since I will be doing some parks before/during race days. Since I am doing Dopey, I plan on being there Wed-Wed. I can't afford to take enough time off work to stay the whole week after so I will do what I can during race weekend! Since I will be by myself, there's no pressure to do everything. I will probably just lounge around the MK and Epcot on those days. Maybe try a water park if the weather is nice enough. Monday after the race is reserved for DATW and Tuesday is Universal day!

 

[Ariel484]

Another vote for vacation after the race. That's what I would do if it worked with my schedule.

Happy running, all!

 

[blabbermouth]

I'm only doing a half, but we decided to put it in the middle of our trip! A few days buffer to make sure there are no travel delays and to adjust to sleeping/eating in a different place (I think rushing down would make me more nervous!) and tour a couple parks (I'm thinking MK and then AK the day before the race since it closes early), and then a few days after to see the rest of the parks and relax before getting back on the plane!

 

[beckyb29]

Thanks so much for the input, everyone! I love having such a supportive community (Disney+running!!!) that can help in any situation!

Looks like we will be arriving the Friday before the race (early in the day) and stay the following week!

As for my previous experience, I have run several half-marathons, and done a few Sprint Triathlons, but never a full. We are running another 1/2 the first weekend in October, which I hope to use as an expected finish time for a better corral (not that I'm fast, just really want to have a buffer so that we can take lots of photos along the way!)

I expect that walking around the parks will be the perfect way to "keep moving" and stretch out that week.

Thanks again, everyone!

 

[bumbershoot]

We are running another 1/2 the first weekend in October, which I hope to use as an expected finish time for a better corral (not that I'm fast, just really want to have a buffer so that we can take lots of photos along the way!)

Looks like you totally know this, but just in case!

To provide or update your proof of time, you must email all proof of time data requested above to disneysports@trackshack.com. No corral changes will be made after October 10, 2014.