Dopey 2015 Official Thread

[Barca33Runner]

Wasn't trying to start a debate.

Understood, no worries. Went back and read my post and the tone didn't come across as intended (dang the written word), which was slightly apologetic/lightheartedly wondering.

Hopefully whatever process is in place will work quickly and achieve it's desired goal. More importantly, hopefully all the runners achieve their goals and have a great time at the most magical place on earth.

 

[Slogger]

Barca....did you have any issues with the missing 5k split from the Disney folks? Can you provide more details about your strategy for backing off of the half.....how much slower did you go than normal and how much did it effect your marathon the next day compared to a stand alone marathon?

 

[Barca33Runner]

Barca....did you have any issues with the missing 5k split from the Disney folks? Can you provide more details about your strategy for backing off of the half.....how much slower did you go than normal and how much did it effect your marathon the next day compared to a stand alone marathon?

Didn't have any issues with the missing split. Not sure if I would have if my 10K was missing or if there were big discrepancies between 10k and finishing time. Getting the wristbands happened shortly after finishing, so I'm not sure it was realistic for them to able to flag people with missing info.

We liked our strategy and plan on doing it again. We aren't competitive runners, but we ran comfortably fast for our ability in the 5k and 10k. The half we ran slightly slower than what my PR targets would have likely been (neither of us keeps close track of intervals/pacing during our runs), it was an easier run for her than it was for me, but it seemed to achieve the goal of keeping us fresh for the marathon. We slowed if we were feeling a bit tired and stopped for a couple more characters than we normally would have. My best possible half last year probably would have been in the 2:15 range and hers right around 2:00 and we finished in 2:37, so it didn't feel like we completely backed off; we just didn't push our limits and took breaks when we needed them.

I think it helped with the full marathon the next day, but I race so infrequently it is hard to say. Started running in September 2011 at 260+ pounds training for the 2012 WDW Half, graduated to the full in 2013, then went to the Dopey last year. The full in 2013 and the final leg of the Dopey last year are the only two full marathons I have ever run (I may possibly run other marathons in the future, but currently limiting it to one special event a year feels right). In 2013 I was down to 225 pounds, but struggled with the heat and finished at 7:11, probably barely avoiding the sweep. Last year I was down to 195 and really didn't have much of a framework for what I was expecting in the marathon. I finished in 5:22 and was very happy. I guess that is probably worse than time comparison charts would have predicted, but it felt like it was a good result for me.

I don't think there is one right or wrong way to approach the challenge, but I do think running my best half marathon and expecting to run well the next day in the full would be the wrong choice for me.

 

[Slogger]

Barca....thanks for the informative response and congrats on your running success. I started running about the same time as you and it sounds like our pacing is similar. I do tend to start out fast and fade at miles 18-20 or have issues with cramps which slows me down.

I am running with my wife for the half , she does not like to be pushed on pace, so that's good for me, and anticipate a 2:30 or 2:45ish time with no worries and plenty of time to enjoy the Disney magic. Sunday will be a different story, after 3 mornings of runs and 3 days of Disney parks, not sure how much left in the tank. Slow and steady will be my mantra.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Barca....thanks for the informative response and congrats on your running success. I started running about the same time as you and it sounds like our pacing is similar. I do tend to start out fast and fade at miles 18-20 or have issues with cramps which slows me down.

I am running with my wife for the half , she does not like to be pushed on pace, so that's good for me, and anticipate a 2:30 or 2:45ish time with no worries and plenty of time to enjoy the Disney magic. Sunday will be a different story, after 3 mornings of runs and 3 days of Disney parks, not sure how much left in the tank. Slow and steady will be my mantra.

Thanks. My pacing is still pretty poor when I run races as well. My competitive inclination is to always want the next run to be faster than the last, so my adrenaline sometimes gets the better of me.

Waking up early for the four days is the hardest part...other than the running 48.6+ miles (pretty hard to run the tangent in these events). I think the Dopey is eminently achievable for anyone who has put in the work to prepare for a marathon. Good luck with all of your runs.

 

[Slogger]

Hard to believe it's almost here. This time tomorrow night I will be trying to get ready for bed for a few hours of restless sleep. And then it starts.

Anybody else have friends or family that think you are nuts to be trying this challenge? What do you say to them? I just smile and tell them it will be fun and that they are missing out.

I won't be back on the forum until we return home on Monday. Thanks everyone for the great suggestions and very best of luck to all runners, volunteers, spectators, characters, and our friends and family. May this be the best "racecation" ever.

 

[Benisa]

Anybody else have friends or family that think you are nuts to be trying this challenge? What do you say to them? I just smile and tell them it will be fun and that they are missing out.

I don't know anyone who doesn't think I'm totally insane for doing this, not least because I hardly trained at all due to injury (knee issues, plantar fasciitis). I always happily agree with them, but tell them that the medals are just awsome!

At least the early morning wakeup call won't be too bad for me. Thanks to the jetlag, I woke up at 4 this morning, so setting the alarm for tomorrow won't be too painful.

 

[mbwhitti]

For those that ran Dopey last year, were there different "I Did It" shirts available for online order that were tech material? The ones at the expo are cotton. I know I ordered a tech "I did it" after Princess half last year and have seen people wearing a tech dopey version from last year.

 

[IamTrike]

For those that ran Dopey last year, were there different "I Did It" shirts available for online order that were tech material? The ones at the expo are cotton. I know I ordered a tech "I did it" after Princess half last year and have seen people wearing a tech dopey version from last year.

I think there were tech options at the expo but I can't remember. I do remember wanting to buy something to commemorate my first dopey and not finding anything that I really liked.

I have short sleeve goofy tech t-s from 2012 and 2013, but they don't have I did it on them.

 

[elcid3]

How many times today will we here someone say "the cold never bothered me anyway"???

*written while sitting in my car with the heater on!

 

[RnbwSktles]

Ok survived the frozen 5k. I asked a bunch of people and they all said there was no verification for Dopey. That makes me nervous! I hope it was true because I'm on the bus back to the hotel now.

 

[FFigawi]

Ok survived the frozen 5k. I asked a bunch of people and they all said there was no verification for Dopey. That makes me nervous! I hope it was true because I'm on the bus back to the hotel now.

Nope, no post-race verification today.

 

[stesha]

Is the verification based on the photo from the expo? If so, is it necessary to get the post race photo? I just went through the no photo lane!

 

[FFigawi]

Is the verification based on the photo from the expo? If so, is it necessary to get the post race photo? I just went through the no photo lane!

That's what they told us. Only the expo photo was needed for today.

 

[Ariel484]

Nervous about the verification too. I asked two volunteers and they said they'll use the photos tomorrow. Since I'm paranoid about it now I would have liked confirmation that the timing mats read my chip, but whatever.

 

[bumbershoot]

Eep, us water/powerade volunteers were saying wrong info then. Sorry. The elders that I was listening to (they've been volunteering since the late 90s) said there would be Dopey stuff beyond the picture area. Sorry guys.

 

[FFigawi]

Eep, us water/powerade volunteers were saying wrong info then. Sorry. The elders that I was listening to (they've been volunteering since the late 90s) said there would be Dopey stuff beyond the picture area. Sorry guys.

There was supposed to be something, but there wasn't. Tent is all set up for it, they just didn't have anything there.

 

[elcid3]

Same thing today. No wristbands or anything for Dopey

 

[John VN]

Same thing today. No wristbands or anything for Dopey

RD has our chipped 5K and 10K results posted. Proof enough for completion. Half for us and Goofy should be banded.

McFlurry John

 

[flatlandcycle]

RD has our chipped 5K and 10K results posted. Proof enough for completion. Half for us and Goofy should be banded.

McFlurry John

Good call, do a search for your name:
http://trackshack.com/disneysports/results/wdw/wdw15/Dopey Full Results.pdf