Marathon Weekend 2024

[jrsharp21]

If we want to start tracking the weather prediction from now until the actual races, here is what Accuweather is predicting for race weekend weather. But we all know this will change many times over the next month. Will be interesting to see how close the actual weather comes to this.

1/4 - H: 65 L: 54
1/5 - H: 70 L: 58
1/6 - H: 73 L: 57
1/7 - H: 65 L: 57

 

[Disneyhanna]

If we want to start tracking the weather prediction from now until the actual races, here is what Accuweather is predicting for race weekend weather. But we all know this will change many times over the next month. Will be interesting to see how close the actual weather comes to this.

1/4 - H: 65 L: 54
1/5 - H: 70 L: 58
1/6 - H: 73 L: 57
1/7 - H: 65 L: 57

I too started looking at the weather forecast and took a screenshot, to see how the actual weather compares. If it stays like this it’ll be a dream come true! But I’m sure it won’t

 

[RunWI1265]

SAFD: For race days the colder the better as far as I'm concerned! After last year I'll better prepare for post-race with having warmer clothes so I'm not shivering when I'm done running. Leading up to MW I usually start running on the dreadmill and have a sweatfest to prepare for hot weather.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

SAFD: With the cold and intermittent rain, I was going to skip today and run tomorrow... but got restless and ran anyway.
Still running cautiously lest my leg tried to cramp or twinge, so I still took it slow at the beginning, but was closer to my normal pace by the end of the 4 miles. Precautionary ice afterwards.

As for weather, key is the layers and tossable clothes to keep warm pre-race and toss after a mile or two. I'll hope for around 50 degrees at race start, knowing that it'll warm as the sun comes up. I also find gloves to be good. The rest of me can be comfortable and my hands will feel like blocks of ice. Ditto my ears.
Costume-wise, the weather will determine whether I go with full length tights or shorter.
I drive to WDW, so I'm also in the camp of bringing a variety of clothing in order to be prepared.

Just over 7 weeks away....

 

[MissLiss279]

How do y'all usually pack? Am I looking at bringing my entire running wardrobe with me to be ready for any weather?

There was one year where a cold front came through in the middle of race weekend (the half ended up being canceled because of lightning). It was a lot colder than expected/predicted when I packed and traveled to Florida. I ended up buying a wind jacket and neck gator from Columbia (and a beanie from somewhere) and then wearing a couple of the race shirts. I must have brought tights. The marathon was cold and windy. Now, I pack for all weather conditions or at least able to layer.

SAFD: I prefer running in the 40s/50s, but I usually don’t run Disney for time (although I did run the Princess Half I ran for time, and it is my PR!!) I ran a marathon with some cold rain last weekend. Thankfully it didn’t rain for a lot of the race. I hope there isn’t cold rain for the races. I’ll pack for all weather conditions, so I’ll be prepared for whatever.

 

[PrincessV]

I live about 100 miles west of WDW, so here’s a real life example of how unpredictable our winter weather can be…

Forecast for yesterday as of 7am: high in the mid-70s, slight chance of some brief showers around 9am, otherwise mostly sunny.

Reality: it stayed around 70 all day and POURED rain all afternoon and well into the evening as a cold front came through.

Later this week, we’re expecting temps as low as freezing in some inland areas, and then up into potentially mid-80s immediately after.

BRING EVERYTHING!!!!!

 

[nekonekoneko]

BRING EVERYTHING!!!!!

 

[camaker]

BRING EVERYTHING!!!!!

This was my key learning from Marathon Weekend 2017 where we sat around at Hurricane Hannah's in shorts and t-shirts in 65+degree weather on Friday afternoon only to have the half cancelled 12 hours later due to severe storms followed by marathon temps in the mid-30s with wind chills down into the 20s.

 

[disneyrunnergrl]

BRING EVERYTHING!!!!!

I didn’t learn my lesson after Princess Weekend 2020 when the forecast changed after I arrived and I was not prepared for the cold. After being inadequately prepared again for Wine & Dine 2021, I now bring literally everything. I usually plan to run in shorts & a tank, but bring tights and long sleeve options just in case. And I pack donation layers + donation blankets (Walmart has great $3 options), mylars and hot hands. It’s a lot to pack, but worth it to not be sitting around in the corral freezing!

 

[pluto377]

SAFD: I'm hoping for temps in the 40s, but expecting warmer. My costumes (as planned right now) are all tank tops, so I'll definitely pack extra layers for that. It's time I start thinking about my throwaway layers too. I like to get zip up hoodies at the thrift store so that they go on/off easy and my head can be covered. So important to keep the head warm if it's chilly! I have no plan for rain and might cry if it does rain, lol

 

[RunWI1265]

Is anyone planning on attending DATW this year? I was hoping to join this year but I also want to do medal pictures at MK in the morning. Thoughts on a 2pm-ish start?

 

[camaker]

Is anyone planning on attending DATW this year? I was hoping to join this year but I also want to do medal pictures at MK in the morning. Thoughts on a 2pm-ish start?

DATW is an annual 11am start in Mexico (no Canada-starting heathens in here!). We keep this board up to date on where we are, so feel free to hop on over and join us in progress!

 

[Baloo in MI]

This was my key learning from Marathon Weekend 2017 where we sat around at Hurricane Hannah's in shorts and t-shirts in 65+degree weather on Friday afternoon only to have the half cancelled 12 hours later due to severe storms followed by marathon temps in the mid-30s with wind chills down into the 20s.

Yeah, that was a tough weekend. Inspiring to see all the runners getting out on their own Saturday to run their half marathons, but it certainly changed the dynamic of that Dopey effort!

I now amend my choice for weather to simply add - no lightning!!

 

[BikeFan]

Inspiring to see all the runners getting out on their own Saturday to run their half marathons

That's one of my favorite MW memories, running one of the impromptu half marathons that morning in 2017. We were staying at the Boardwalk Villas and I saw a Facebook post on some rD group about meeting up to run around the lake since the 'official' half was cancelled. I hadn't actually planned to run more than a few miles that morning after I heard about the cancellation, but when I saw the weather was fine and all my fellow crazies were already out running around the resorts, I grabbed my stuff and jumped right in. Great, great fun AND I still got my medal and a gift card from Disney! As usual, the rD community never fails to inspire and support us all.

 

[AJruns]

I searched this thread and didn’t see any convo on this, but related to weather and cancelation policies: does anyone think the Twin Cities cancelation for heat could have repercussions for other races? Not trying to make a judgement on the decision either way, but weren’t those conditions not far off from a warm Disney run (or other southern climate race)? Has a precedent been set, or is the assumption that more runners are already acclimated in an area used to those temps… I know other races around the country have been canceled for heat (including the 2020 WDW course shortening) but this one seemed higher profile?

 

[Naomeri]

I searched this thread and didn’t see any convo on this, but related to weather and cancelation policies: does anyone think the Twin Cities cancelation for heat could have repercussions for other races? Not trying to make a judgement on the decision either way, but weren’t those conditions not far off from a warm Disney run (or other southern climate race)? Has a precedent been set, or is the assumption that more runners are already acclimated in an area used to those temps… I know other races around the country have been canceled for heat (including the 2020 WDW course shortening) but this one seemed higher profile?

I don’t know for sure, but I would think the decision has something to do with how far out of “normal” the weather is for race day. As many pointed out in the wake of the TC cancellation, that day’s weather was normal for other parts of the country. So (for example) a race in October in Florida where the temps top out in the mid 80s with high humidity might not get cancelled, but a race in Minnesota with the same conditions would, just because the highs should be in the mid 60s.

But like I said, I don’t actually know anything about the decision-making process.

 

[AJruns]

I don’t know for sure, but I would think the decision has something to do with how far out of “normal” the weather is for race day.

That makes sense!

 

[nekonekoneko]

I searched this thread and didn’t see any convo on this, but related to weather and cancelation policies: does anyone think the Twin Cities cancelation for heat could have repercussions for other races? Not trying to make a judgement on the decision either way, but weren’t those conditions not far off from a warm Disney run (or other southern climate race)? Has a precedent been set, or is the assumption that more runners are already acclimated in an area used to those temps… I know other races around the country have been canceled for heat (including the 2020 WDW course shortening) but this one seemed higher profile?

Every race is different, and it's usually up to the race coordinator to determine what they are going to do. The only WDW race I've seen cancelled in recent memory is the 2017 Half during MW. It wasn't for temperatures, but it was because of a thunderstorm crossing through, affecting setup. So it would take a lot for WDW to cancel a race.

Also, something I read last month: Orlando is hosting the US Olympic marathon trials. It will be in February, but gun time is supposed to be at noon. A good number of people in the field have raised objections to a 12:00 pm start, especially with Orlando weather being so unpredictable in winter.

 

[AJruns]

A good number of people in the field have raised objections to a 12:00 pm start, especially with Orlando weather being so unpredictable in winter.

I would have been one of those objecting They recently got it pushed back to a 10am start, which is better than nothing, but makes me appreciate our early start even more.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

SAFD: One of the advantages of driving down from the Atlanta area is that I can bring everything to be prepared temperature wise. Only thing I ever hope for is no rain, especially in the hours pre-start just hanging in the corrals. I've done everything from the iced-over water stops of 2010 (didn't run the half so I missed the flurries) to the heat of 2020. Since I don't usually worry about pace for these races, between the two extremes my preference would lean to the cooler side. Can always start warm and drop layers, but the heat/humidity just suck from the start and go downhill from there.