I just returned home from the 2011 Disney Marathon on January 9, 2011. As most Disney projecs are this was awesome. From my perspective, I had no issues with the organization, operations, transportation, volunteers, course directions, etc. I would recommend it to anyone. Read the participant manual and follow it. There is alot of good info in there from when to get to the buses, to post race recovery tips. All the material was worth reading. The giveaways in the bag where a little weak, but that was my only gripe.
Cathy and I arrived in Orlando on Friday around 10:30am. We had an hour delay leaving Philly because of the snow and ice on the plane. We had never been through the de-icing process before, so we can check that off the bucket list now. I am glad I purchased the upgraded seats in business class the day before the trip, it was worth every penny. Once we arrived and got the rental car, we went right to Universal Studio's. I told Cathy we could do anything on Friday she wanted, so she decided to go there. It was a long line to get in since we had to purchase tickets for just that day. We had a great day becasue it was just the two of us. She was patient with my requests for water breaks and when I said we need to leave. When we left the park, we stopped at Publix to get our supplies for the room--water, gatorade, snacks, celebratory beer, and soda. We also picked up our dinner, rather than stopping again on the way to our hotel room.
Saturday was a light and easy day. I went for an early 3.5 mile run before breakfast. Once completed, I showered and we had breakfast then we headed to the runners expo at the Wide World of Sports Complex. We picked up my bib and other info and stayed about an hour. All the usual stuff that you find at other sports expo's; cheap socks, compression gear, t-shirts, etc. This may have been the first expo that I did not purchase a single item for myself. After the expo, Cahty wanted to shop at Downtown Disney for some gifts for the kids. She is a fast shopper so I did not mind. We made it back to the room at Pop Century resort for lunch by 1pm. I had a light lunch then crashed for a nap that lasted until 3pm. After the light lunch and rest time, we headed for a meal off Disney property. We stopped at Bahama Breeze's because we had a gift cetificate from Christmas. I had a light meal as to not over eat the day before the race. It was scheduled to be a lights out early but we could not pull ourselves from the TV becasue of the shooting in AZ.
Sunday's wake up call came early, 3am to be exact. I got up right away and ate a Clif Bar and drank 20oz of gatorade, as I would normally do before a long run during training. I headed to the bus around 3:50am and was at EPCOT by 4:10am. I did not feel tired, but eager. I visited the port-o-potty before heading over towards the start area, so I was feeling light and ready. It is about a 20-30 minute walk from where you drop your gear bag to the start, so your legs and awake by now. Once at my corral I was ready and waiting. I made one last dash to the woods, as did everyone else, even lots of ladies. At 5:35am we got started. Check out the start video below.
I was feeling good until mile 5. I had to stop in the port-o-potty again. At the time I thought I was just anxious, since I was trying for a PR. Those first 5 miles you run around the outside of EPCOT mostly, with alittle bit inside the park and then back past the start line to a different road. The next 4 miles are straight out to the Majic Kingdom, so not much crowd support other than the occasional character or DJ at the mile markers. As you start to enter the park you can feel the crowd noise getting louder. As I turned onto "Main Street USA", I could feel my cadence quicken and my spirits were lifted. I even stopped to have a picture taken with some characters beacuase I wanted to expience the entire race, not just "run the course." Ten miles in and my GPS said I was at 1:11 so pretty close to my goal pace. I has happy at that point.
After the Majic Kingdom, you exit the park on a side road and head towards Animal Kingdom. It is again mostly side roads near some of the upscale hotels and the golf courses. Along here I was soaking it in from the families of runners I did not even know. I hit 13 miles and my GPS said 1:31 so I was slightly off a 3 hour pace but still close for a PR. Then disaster hit. Over the next 4-5 miles I had bad stomach pains and GI issues. I made at least 3 trips to the port-o-potty's along this isolated stretch of the course.
Once I enterd Animal Kingdom I knew 3 hours was out of reach, but a PR was still within my sights. I came out of that part of the course feeling pretty good knowing that there was only eight miles left to go. Again you hit mostly highway, so it gets lonely. I hit the 20 mile marker and started to take short walk breaks. I was at 2:24 so I knew I need to push to get a PR, but still not out of reach. By mile 22 I knew there would be no PR today. I needed longer walk breaks just to keep moving forward. I had 4 miles to go and most of it would at least have crowds to cheer you on.
By now I am in Disney Studios along part of the back lot, then down the main street. It's great because you see everybody waiting in line to get into the park, and here you come running out of it. When leaving that park you run down the little pathway over to the Boardwalk Resort area. This is great because the crowds are there with all the resort guests outside cheering you on. Once around the boardwalk, you start to head back to EPCOT. I had studied the map so I knew I only needed to hold on for just over another mile. By now I am taking longer walk breaks and drinking pleanty of water/Powerade. As I enter the back area of the park, I know its coming to an end. I stop for one more walk break at mile marker 25.5. Some guys runs up from behind me, gives a slap on the butt and says "come on your so close." Thats the motivation I needed at the end. I started running and made it around Spaceship Earth with a spring in my step. Once turing to the right I could hear the finish area. I crossed the line at 3:13 on my GPS, and officailly at 3:16:19. I finished 232 out of 13,522 finishers.
I followed my pre-race nutrition plan and did not eat or drink anything new to my body, so I am not sure why I had these GI issues. Maybe I had put too much pressure on a PR effort? I am not sure. My race nutrition plan was a GU every 4 miles (6 total) along with the Powerade along the course. This was similar to other marathons and I had no issues in them. Just one of those days I guess. I was disappointed. How did I get slower by 8 minutes from the Marine Corp Marathon. I trained just as hard, follwed almost the same exact program. I did triathlons, half marathons, olympic distance, etc. since the MCM. How did my fitness level go down. The only change I was aware I was heavier this time.
At the MCM I weighed 168-170; Boston I was 172-174, this time I was 180. A planned 10 pound weight addition (not gain) since the MCM. After the 70 mile triathlon in October 2010, I wanted to add about 10 pounds of muscle to my body for the upcoming Ironman Training Program I start on February 1, 2011. I fugured I could still turn in a 3:07 or faster marathon at Disney even at 180. I was obviously wrong .
On our flight home from Orlando I started to read Joe Friel's book Your Best Triathlon: Advanced Training for Serious Triathletes. This is his third book on triathlon training I have read. On page 28, Joe explains how every 1 pound of extra weight, you add 2 seconds per mile to your time when running. So did my extra 10 pounds of muscle cost me 20 seconds per mile at Disney?
Marine Corp Marathon Time 3:08:32 Pace 7:11
Boston Marathon Time 3:10:20 Pace 7:15
Disney Marathon Time 3:16:19 Pace 7:29
You bet your ass it did. Thanks Joe. I know it wasn't my fitness that was lacking, or my mental state, but simply the extra weight. Ten extra pounds per step cost me 20 seconds per mile overall. What could I have run at 165 pounds? Maybe a marathon PR at Ironman Lake Placid.
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