2024 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 5k Race Report - Dopey Challenge

There's no doubt that I was really excited to get a spot to do the Dopey Challenge. The year prior to me getting a spot I tried but underestimated how difficult it would be and I was at work and didn't make it to the website in time to get registered before it sold out. 

No need here to get into details but once I did get a spot for the 2024 Dopey Challenge I found a new enjoyment out of running and began running more consistently - more miles per week, more structure to runs (like intervals and tempo runs). So ever since I got signed up I've been able to get consistent runs in and a few good races along the way, like Speedgoat 50k and the St George Marathon. 

And of course I followed as many facebook groups as I thought I needed to and got caught up in the excitement of finding out my bib number and trying to figure out which corral I was going to be in. Seeing what other people were doing and questions that people had. The bottom line about the facebook groups is that they are about equal parts blessing and curse, at least for me they were. 

Short rant about the facebook groups: just about every single question you can think of is asked. Some are asked multiple times. Some questions people ask are answered on the website and some answers are just common sense. Some subjects I thought weren't necessary to bring up and some people were rude and crazy. And the posts about the weather? There were like a million. So my warning is that if you are a seasoned runner and know how to sign up for a race and read the runner's guide then mostly steer clear of these groups. If you know how to book a hotel and figure out transportation sans a facebook post then there's no real need. If you like to interact and need that in your life then go right ahead. I probably got some use from them so I don't want to seem too negative. 

Race day came and I was staying about 15 minutes away from EPCOT; where every race starts. I was unsure that I really needed to be parked by 3:30 am for a race that started at 5:00 am but I took what I had read and trusted it. So I was parked and walking up to the race and standing in the corral very early and just waited. I would find out later why this is a good thing. 

The thing that I didn't realize is that within each corral there are waves. I was lucky enough to get in corral "A" but not lucky enough to be in the first wave. So you are standing and waiting while waves of about 200 runners (wild guess there) start and then you wait for another 2-3 minutes (wild guess) and then the next wave starts and they do this for the entire field of 5,000 runners or something like that. So if you're in the last corral and last wave you are waiting for an hour or more. 

In order to score a spot in the first corral you have to submit a proof of time to the race that is faster than 4 hours (I guess), or you have a runDisney platinum membership or something. Are there benefits to running in the first corral? Yes and no. I'll just share it here and now. This doesn't apply to the 5k or the 10k but for the half or the full if you are fast runner then you aren't going to be able to stop to ride any rides (yes, that's a thing) and if you drink (yes, it's a thing, too) and you're too fast then no where in the park is going be open to buy a refreshment. So starting early and finishing early isn't going to get you a spot on Expedition Everest or a drink from the Mexico Pavilion. But if you are fast and you aren't going to care about rides and drinks then being out front is less crowded. There's plenty of space to enjoy the course you don't really have to worry about running in to anyone or having issues passing someone. The aid stations are fully stocked and there are about 5 volunteers for every runner when you're out front waiting to give you a water or powerade or chocolate or energy beans. If you're in the back and faster than most others around you you're going to spend a long time passing people and risk not getting chocolate at Hollywood Studios. Oh, and if you wan't pictures with characters the being in front is ideal or you might be in lines that are too long and you could get swept from the course if you don't keep up. And if you're out front you get pictures with only you in them if the pictures are taken while you are running the course. I ran the half with my spouse and were were so crowded that there wasn't a single picture that had both of us in it that looked any good. (get the photopass, especially if you are also going to the parks while doing Marathon Weekend)

At any rate. I was only in the 4th or 5th wave and the race started. It was only a 5k and I tried to tell myself  not to go too fast and it was no big deal. I didn't need to go fast and just wanted to enjoy it. So the announcers and the starting area and the music and the people and the fireworks and the national anthem all add up to being very excited. We ran on the road for about the first mile and we eventually made it to the world showcase where we popped out by Mexico. And I think that's when the excitment really hit me. It was dark the lights were on the music of the world showcase was playing there were the fires from the torches and it was certainly magical. 

Running around the world was cool. There weren't many people and it was actually kinda dark but I didn't care. It was awesome. Then we got closer to Spaceship Earth and it was all lit up and the music was playing and I was out there running with a lot of cool people and I really enjoyed it. 

Then the race was over. I got my medal and went home. And then I went back to EPCOT. 

Striders Winter Race Circuit 5k Race Report

2019 is going to be filled with a lot of races. I need to save and record some of my experiences. I expect 2019 to be a great year of running.

I got up and it was cold. This race is the coldest race I've ever done. Standing at the start waiting for a timing glitch to be worked out did get feel pretty cold. But then once I got running and there was a head wind, it felt much colder.

Going in to the race I didn't really do a lot of research on the course and I didn't know what to expect as far as uphill or downhill. I was really expecting it to be more or less flat. But I was wrong. With my expectation that it was going to be pretty flat I was hoping for any time less than 20mins would be a good time for me. 18 minutes and something would be great.

Once the race finally started I got going. And from that point I rarely looked at my watch. I just went as fast as I though I could.

I was right near the front when we started and after the first quarter mile or so there were about 15 people ahead of me. Maybe? Anyway, I just went as fast as I felt I should go knowing that it was a short race. I wasn't really concerned about the people ahead or behind. I was just trying to do my thing.

Once we got about a mile in there was a hill. And I did pass one or two going up the hill and I just kept going.

At some point, maybe about 2 miles, I tried to count the people ahead of me. Unless there were some really fast people a head of those that I could see I figured I was about 7th place or so. Finally the last mile I found some folks who had gone out too fast and they just bonked. I passed them while trying to encourage them to keep going. I didn't chase anyone else down and I was fairly confident that no one was behind me that was going to catch me.

I couldn't stick around at the end of the race but once I got the results I was happy with how things went.

Overall I was 6th.

I was the 4th place male.

I was first in my age group.

The official time was 19:42 - And with the hills and the wind and the fact that I was just on the tail end of running a 50 mile week. I am very happy with this result.

Revel Mt Charelston Marathon 29 April 2017

First off is that I didn't expect much going in. My training was deficient enough that I couldn't reasonably expect a PR. I wasn't really mentally focused going in either. It was only a few days before the race that I actually did some math to figure out what I should expect. After some back of the envelope calculations, I decided that I could probably pull off a 3:20 but I would hope and try for 3:10 to get another Boston Qualifying time (even though I have no intentions on using my time to run Boston).

Picking up my bib at the expo went fine. I was able to get in and out without waiting which is the way I like it. The bag was still mostly filled with stuff that went straight in to the trash. Sorry, adverts in my bag don't get read by me. So I got everything ready (food, clothes, watch) and went to bed.

Got up and made it to the buses and up to the start. The buses were actually really nice and I managed to fall asleep for a few minutes. I guess I wasn't feeling chatty. Once at the start I had some time to kill. I ate some food and walked around. Having never been a to this area before I was stunned by how pretty it was in the canyon. After the normal waiting and quick stop at the lovely porta-johns, the race started. Thank goodness, because my hands and feet were freezing.

Of course I started out way too fast. I figured since there was so much downhill that I couldn't not take advantage of it. I was feeling fine and just kept going. I was on track for besting my goal.

The first few miles went by just fine while I tried to find my rhythm. Eventually my stomach had some issues, but since I didn't have a say in the matter about 75 seconds at a porta-john took care of that. I was still feeling good and was on track. I was also feeling sticky on my face and hands from the powerade and gels, but hey, that's what I race is all about for me. I'm not about to worry about spilled drink on my shirt.

Once at the halfway mark came I decided my brain needed a strategy to survive what I was sure was going to be a grueling second half. Because I was feeling good and running too fast I needed a way to help me get through the rest of the race. I was pretty certain I was going to bonk before the end. I decided that I was going to just get through each mile and run one mile fast and then one mile slightly slower and go back and forth for the rest of the race or until I couldn't do it any more.

It worked from mile 14 to about 23. At 23 there was a turn around and then a good headwind that, while was certainly strong, I was able to push through alright. I passed a few people too. It's always nice passing people in the final miles of the race because you're feeling good and still have some strength left.

One thing I though was funny was that there was an aid station at about 23.5 that was on the outside edge of a corner on the course. Even if it was only a few extra yards, no way was I going to run the extra distance to get anything from there. I stuck to the inside/shorter edge of the course and just kept truckin'.

There was a small hill now that wasn't too steep or long and the wind wasn't really a factor. I decided that I had to change up my plan from the slower mile/faster mile from before. I started doing shorter segments of faster and slower paces. Instead of a mile, it was more like 1/5th of a mile fast and 1/5th of a mile slow. It worked for me and that's all that really matters.

I was still feeling good, surprisingly (VERY surprisingly). The course from mile 24 to about 25.5 seemed like forever long but I was passing people, which felt good, and knew that I could hold on till the end because I was nearly there. Easy!

I passed the finish in 3:07.26, or something like that. I am very happy to have another Boston qualifying time in the books. It was a fun race and I wouldn't mind coming back.