Is it time to sign up for #WDWMarathon already?

~Reminiscing about the 2015 Walt Disney World 10K~

Yes kids, it's that magical time of year again.  It may still be 266 days away, but registration time for the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend events is upon us.

Today just before noon, I hung up my "At Lunch" sign outside my office door and sat down with credit card ready.  Early registration for Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members and Disney Parks Annual Passholders (Walt Disney World only) became available today for the 2016 runDisney Walt Disney World Marathon weekend events.  I know, it seems like it was just yesterday that we were there running through the parks, earning our bling, seeing our friends, and eating like we had just run a long distance event.  But the calendar tells us it was over three months ago.  And so - nine months out, it is time to register.

The registration pages were predictably very slow to load and after 10 minutes of trying, I finally got in.  To DisneyGroom's delight, I was able to get him registered for Dopey Challenge #3.  Yes, he is going for a third, and fully intends to keep going... until when, I don't know.  The Dopey Challenge does not hold the appeal for me that it does for him, kind of like marathons and ultras.  Those are his thing. I have other ambitions, at least for now.

Sadly for me, once I got his registration complete, I was too late to register myself for the 10K or the 5K.   I don't have any info on how many race and challenge allotments are designated for early registration, but it can't be too large a number.  So now, I wait.  And like tens of thousands of other hopefuls, in two weeks my fingers will be poised over a keyboard, impatiently pressing refresh, and praying active.com doesn't crash.

If you are on facebook and would like a reminder for registration, feel free to join our event reminder here.  Just set your facebook settings set to alert you on your smartphone or via email, then you will have that reminder and can try to be ready by 12noon EDT.

If this will be your first WDW Marathon Weekend, then you are in for more fun than you can possibly know.  If you are returning, well - then you know what an awesome time it is.

You can check out some of our Walt Disney World Marathon recaps here:

DisneyGroom's 2015 Dopey Challenge

DisneyGroom's 2014 Dopey Challenge

DisneyBride's 2013 WDW Marathon Weekend

Run Happy!

~DisneyBride

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Trail Toes Review & Giveaway {CLOSED}

This Giveaway has closed.  Check our most recent posts to see if we are running any giveaways.

There are a few running issues that no one likes to talk about.  Today I will talk about one.  Chafing.  I have chafed and blistered before, and I can tell you one thing - I'll do anything to prevent this.

Mickey doesn't like to blister or chafe!

As I've gotten more involved in trail running in preparation for my ultra, we did some research on what 'those guys' use.  You know - the crazy guys that run 100 mile races.  If the typical runner can get bloody nipples during a well-supported half marathon road race, imagine what might happen on 50 plus miles in remote and often harsh conditions - where aid stations are very few and far between. This is how we heard about Trail Toes and Trail Tape.  This stuff is designed for ultra runners. It is made to withstand hours and hours of water, mud, dirt, sweat, and more.  I just had to give it a try!

I was lucky enough to test out both the Trail Toes and the Trail Tape.  I have to say that I put them both through their paces and I am a huge fan.  I have tried a couple of other products in the past and they just couldn't keep up with me.  

My first test for Trail Toes was my Swamp Forest Half Marathon.  I slathered trail toes on my feet to try and avoid blisters and angry toe nails.  I also used some on what I will refer to my "bathing suit area".  While on long training runs, both areas have experienced chafing.  The trail was very wet from the rain, and it continued raining through the race.  The Trail Toes worked like a champ.  My feet were blister free and "my bathing suit area" stayed free of any chafing or irritation as well.  I will spare you pictures of my gross runner feet.

Muddy, wet, and very humid.  No "bathing suit area" chafing or blistered feet!

Following my trail half, I continued to use the Trail Toes on my runs.  I also put some of the Trail Tape on my feet to see if it would hold.  The tape held steady on my feet even through wet trails and humid and hot runs.  I also tested the Trail Tape on my nipples.  Being a larger guy, nipple chafing has been an issue for me.  I have previously been using a product called 'nip guards'. They work well, but each package contains just ten pairs and retails for about $12.  The Trail Tape works just as well for a fraction of the cost and at 10.9 yards per package, I think one box ought to last me for years, if I only use them for my nipples. Suggestion: pre-cut the tape before leaving for a destination race.  Don't be like me, frantically hunting for scissors on race morning.

Trail Toes protected me all throughout the the runDisneyDopey Challenge.  Four races and 48.6 miles and I didn't get a single blister on my feet.  I also found out that Trail Toes can help when you fail to ensure your race gear is ready.  Marathon morning, I woke up and got dressed only to realize that my compression socks had a hole on the heel.  DisneyBride freaked out and tried to talk me into changing into a different pair.  Nope, I decided to put the Trail Toes to the test and just slathered it on my heel.  It could've turned out badly, but to my relief - no issues at all. 

Holey sock, no problem, just add some Trail Toes.

48.6 miles is no problem when your feet feel great!

Probably my biggest test for Trail Toes and Trail Tape came from my 1st ultra marathon.  I ran the Destin Beach Ultra Runs 50K in Destin.  The race is 100% on the beach, features countless water-crossings, wet sand, and the ever changing tide.  One can only imagine what this puts your feet thorough.  I slathered my feet and "bathing suit area" with Trail Toes and protected the nips with Trail Tape.  Further, I left more Trail Toes in my drop bag with fresh shoes and socks at mile 16.

Sand and water was the ultimate test for Trail Toes! It passed!

I reapplied the Trail Toes and Trail tape at mile 16.

After 30 miles of wet sandy feet, not a blister could be found.  My "bathing suit area" was free of issues as well.  You might be laughing about the last comment, but a runner dropped out of the 100 mile race because he had rubbed his "bathing suit area" raw. He used a different term, but this is a family-friendly blog. 

The combination of saltwater and sand really beat up the feet of far too many runners that weekend.  Once across the finish line, many runners were catering to horrific looking blisters on their feet. I can't help but think that could have been avoided with some Trail Toes.

Wiped out after 31 miles.  My feet may be wet and covered in sand, but I don't have any blisters.

The following week after my ultra, I had another destination race event:  Gasparilla Distance Classic in Tampa, FL.  4 races, 2 days = 30.4 miles in temps that started near freezing and ended in mid 70s plus wicked humidity.  I don't have my race recap up for that one yet. But you bet I was glad to have the Trail Toes and Trail Tape with me.

That's 126.2 miles of races, plus countless training miles that this stuff has come through for me.  


Some final thoughts

Keep some Trail Toes and some Trail Tape in your running bag and in your car.  You never know when you (or someone else) will need it.  Trail Toes cleaned up pretty easily with some soap and warm water.  Don't remove the Trail Tape from your nips until you are in the shower and can loosen the tape with some soap and warm water (learned this one the hard way).

Trail Tape retails for $6.50 on the Trail Toes page.  For $6.50 you almost have a lifetime supply of nipple protection.  This is far cheaper than the method I currently use.  DisneyBride used the Trail Tape on the bra strap area, where she is prone to irritation. She finished all her events (on the beach and on the road) with no issues.

Don't forget, the tape can be applied directly to any part of your skin, including your feet.

Trail Toes comes in a 2oz bottle ($11.99) or in 7 gram single use packet($.99) .  I find the packets to be great for drop bags and for packing for racecations.  

1st prize

2oz bottle of Trail Toes

One box of Trail Tape

Second prize

10-single use packets

Trail Tape sample

Terms of the Giveaway
1) No Purchase Necessary.
2) Giveaway begins Monday March 2, 2015 and ends Monday Mar. 9, 2015 at midnight. Winner will be announced on the Facebook page and this blog post. He or she will be notified Tuesday, March 10, 2015.
3) Must be 18 years or older to enter. Must be a U.S. resident.
4) Two (2) winners will be selected. The 1st winner will receive one (1) box of Trail Tape and one (1) container of Trail Toes.  Approximate retail value is $18.49. The second winner will receive 10 (10) single-use packets of Trail Toes and a Trail Tape sample. 
5) Sign in through Rafflecopter below to enter. With your first entry, the app will capture your e-mail or facebook name. This is so we can reach you if you win, in accordance with sweepstakes terms. Your contact info will ONLY be used to contact you if you win.
6) There are additional opportunities for multiple entries.
7) The winner will be chosen at random using the rafflecopter app below. Odds of winning are determined by the number of eligible entries received.
8) In the event winner does not respond to contact attempts via e-mail or facebook name provided within a one week period, another winner will be selected at random.
9) Void where prohibited.


a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure of Material Connection: No financial compensation was received. We received product from Trail Toes in exchange for this review. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will be good for our readers. All opinions stated on this blog are our own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

For more great giveaways:click the image below

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Day 5: 2015 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend #DopeyChallenge #WDWMarathon Recap

The big day has arrived.  Going to bed early the night before paid off.  The alarm went off at 1:45am (I wish that were a typo) so that we could get to the start area early.  Since I missed out on a Dopey Challenge race banner last year, we had decided to arrive very very early.  That meant driving. It worked.  Arriving at about 2:30am, we were about the 5th group in line at the merchandise tent.  The merchandise tent itself did not open until 3am.

I got my Dopey banner and also picked up a Goofy one as well.  They look great hanging in my office. (We get them signed by characters.) 

After picking up the banners, I headed back to the car to relax. Since we arrived before everyone else, we had a pretty sweet parking spot. Having the car there meant I was able to spend some time in a nice warm comfortable seat.  Very convenient since I was feeling a little twinge in my ankle. DisneyBride kept trying to get me to take a nap, but I was too excited to sleep.  So at about 4:45am we got out of the car to go catch up with a friend. 

With Michelle from  https://middleofmainstreet.wordpress.com/

No, that is not my costume. Yes, I really did wear a trash bag at the start line. It was cold. #DontJudge

Speaking of costumes - this might just be my first runDisney event where I did not wear a costume or at least something costume-like. Instead I had on my Marathon Maniacs gear (because the 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon qualified me to be a Maniac). I also wore InknBurn shorts, my custom Run Alice Run arm sleeves, and my Orange Mud Vest Pack 2. 

After catching up with friends for a few minutes, I gave DisneyBride a goodbye kiss and headed for my corral.  The weather for the marathon was far better than it had been for any of the other races.  Even so, I kept my trash bag on to keep me warm.

Let me take a second to point out something I thought was a little off all weekend.  The poor Goofy runners almost received no love. Even before the marathon, they seemed to only get a quick mention.  It was the 10th anniversary for the Goofy Challenge and the Dopey Challenge still seemed to cast a huge shadow over Goofy.  Congrats to all the Goofy Challenge participants and and even bigger congrats to those that have completed all 10 years!

The fireworks to send off the runners were amazing.  Better than I've ever seen at a runDisney race start, and I've seen a few. I need to learn how to get better photos of the display.  Thankfully, most of you read the blog for my humorous take on running, not for my photography skills.

Miles 0-13.1

The course starts off the same as the half.  For the Dopeys, the 2 mile marker is an important one.  It is just past the halfway point of the Dopey Challenge's 48.6 miles.  Pretty amazing to think that 2 miles into the marathon, you are only half way though the challenge.

Outside the Speedway, a few new cars were out on the course.  

Just outside the Ticket and Transportation Center, I ran into DisneyBride.  It's always great to see smiling faces.

DisneyBride looking good with her Mickey hand and Buzz Lightyear hat.  

Speaking of smiling faces, the High School bands really knocked it out of the park again.  Here is the Timber Creek High School band, my vote for the best band of the weekend.

The run from the Ticket and Transportation Center to the Magic Kingdom is pretty uneventful.  The DJ with the huge Mickey hands always does a great job of pumping up runners to make it up the hill in front of the Contemporary.

Arriving in the Magic Kingdom the first picture should come as no surprise.  The one, the only, the Buzz Lightyear.

Second stop was the Mine Train.  Thanks again runDisney for giving us the false impression months ago that the Mine Train would be operating during the Marathon,  Apparently, running past the Mine Train was enough to make it "part of the race course". Yes, I did 'air quotes'.

I said it before and I'll say it again, it never gets old running through the castle.  I even managed to get a spectator to take another great castle photo for me.

Leaving the Magic Kingdom you make your way past the monorail resorts. My first stop after Magic Kingdom was Genie and Abu. Apparently, my luck ran out right before it was my turn for a photo. The Genie had some sort of genie emergency and had to take a few minutes.  

Next up was the Speedway, running on the track is always a really awesome experience.  Several local car clubs bring out some cars to show off.  My favorite was a 1966 Ford Fairlane.  I probably liked it because it is very similar to my 1st car, a 1967 Ford Galaxie.

After leaving the Speedway, we started heading to Animal Kingdom.  The first stop was the couple partying with their RV. Last year they had pickled herring to help fuel the runners.  Unfortunately, they didn't have any fish to fuel us, but they were enthusiastic cheerleaders.  It was nice since the next several miles are pretty boring/gross. 

First up, the compost facility and the solid waste transfer station.  Super pleasant to see and smell.  It's a little too 'behind the scenes' for me. 

Then the Country Bears were jamming out. I guess runDisney really wanted us distracted.  Because the next sight is probably the favorite of all the marathoners.  The waste water treatment facility truly sprinkles 'Disney Magic' upon our noses.  Even being a pretty cool day and the plant spraying to keep the smell down, it was still there.  Oh the joy!

The cast members had several animals out again.  I managed to stop for the sheep and pig.  The animals also had custom bibs, a really nice touch.  Perhaps, I should have gotten better pictures of their bibs.  You know... just to check the results and see if they beat me. 

I had hoped to ride Expedition Everest upon my arrival in Animal Kingdom.  Since I arrived just minutes before the park opened, the ride already had about 30 minutes worth of runners waiting to get on.  I decided to pass, waiting that long just wasn't an option. 

Leaving the park I finally hit the halfway point.

13.1-26.2

It really seemed like the second half of the course flew by.  If your are still reading, I promise the second half of this recap isn't as long as the first half.

The parking lot to the Animal Kingdom had quite a few spectators with really great signs.  Also, Mickey was on hand to ensure that everyone was having a great time.

I'm a big fan of the GraveDiggers.  They are always rock solid in their performance and really get into the spirit.  Even better, the line was super short and moving very quickly.  Even with runners taking time to 'get buried' they were up and back to running in just a few seconds.

I always enjoy the run through Wide World of Sports.  The cool towel on the way into the complex was really refreshing.  Nothing like having something cool to wipe the sweat from my face and neck.  The constant scenery changes, the varied surfaces, and the twists and turns keep you distracted from the run.  The run through the baseball stadium is one of the highlights for me.

After leaving the complex, I finally arrived at mile 20 marker.

Its just about 2 miles until you arrive at Hollywood Studios.  Hollywood Studios has probably my favorite aid station.  Yep, cool delicious chocolate.

The run through Hollywood Studios is short, but very scenic.  It was also my opportunity to make up for not being able to run Expedition Everest.  While in Hollywood Studios I decided to go off the course and ride Toy Story Midway Mania!  

If was funny watching people yell at me "You're Going the Wrong way!  Then they laughed when I told them I was heading to a ride.  It might have been even better than riding Expedition Everest.  I think I have a new tradition. 

In line for Toy Story Midway Mania!

Who rides the rides in the middle of a marathon?  This guy!

Approaching EPCOT, I began to get thirsty.  Luckily, Germany was nearby.  Just like last year's marathon, an adult beverage was in order.  Yep, had to stop for an ice cold beer.  Having the opportunity to choose the country where it comes from is just a bonus.  Perhaps next year I'll change it up: England, Canada, Japan, who knows?

I cannot believe how AMAZING this grapefruit beer is! I gotta bust out some dance moves!

Crossing the finish line, I felt really good.  I immediately received my Marathon medal and headed for the Dopey tent.  Anxious to see what they were going to confirm, I peeked at the computer as they typed in my bib number.  All they checked was that I was the one who had picked up the bib at the expo.  I don't believe they actually checked to ensure that I ran the other races, just that I picked up the bib.  I hope that they eventually get to the point where they verify times for the Challenge participants. 

Marathon medal Volunteer!

Goofy Challenge Medal Volunteer

Dopey Challenge medal volunteer

With all my medals around my neck, I headed for the reunion lot.  I wanted to get my final Dopey photo with all the medals gloriously around my neck.  DisneyBride was already in line with my 5K, 10K, and 1/2 marathon medals and she greeted me with a big kiss. 

Finally, DisneyBride understands my love of Tonga Toast and came through again this year.  Waiting for me was an order of Tonga Toast and some bacon.  

I was only back home a few days before a few friends agreed to sign on for 2016 with me.  Yep, I'll be heading back for another Dopey next year!


-DisneyGroom

Thanks for reading!

For my other 2015 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend recaps see the links below.

Expo Recap

http://www.runninghappilyeverafter.com/2015/01/day-1-disneygrooms-2015-dopeychallenge.html

5k Recap

http://www.runninghappilyeverafter.com/2015/01/day-2-disneygrooms-2015-dopey-challenge.html

10k Recap

http://www.runninghappilyeverafter.com/2015/01/2015WDW10K.html

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