306. How to Train for Disney Marathon Weekend: 5 Mistakes Runners Make with Coach Whitney LaCombe
Release Date: 08/20/2026
306. How to Train for Disney Marathon Weekend: 5 Mistakes Runners Make with Coach Whitney LaCombe
Healthy Runner Podcast
Are you training for Disney Marathon Weekend like you would for any other marathon? That could be one of the biggest mistakes you make. Disney Marathon Weekend isn't just about covering 26.2 miles. Between the early wake-ups, standing in corrals, walking through the parks, Florida weather, and for Goofy and Dopey runners… racing on back-to-back days, your body has to handle much more than the mileage on your training plan! In this episode of the Healthy Runner Podcast, I’m joined by Coach from the team to break down 5 of the biggest Disney Marathon Weekend training mistakes and...
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305. What Jon Levitt Learned from 850,000 Runners About Running After 40
Healthy Runner Podcast
Have you ever wondered if you can keep running (not just through this season) but for the rest of your life? If you're over 40 and you've started questioning whether your body can keep up, this episode is for you. Joining me today is Jon Levitt, host of the popular For The Long Run podcast, where he's spent years interviewing some of the world's best runners, coaches, sports scientists, and researchers to answer one big question: What does it actually take to achieve sustainable excellence? Through conversations reaching more than 850,000 runners every month, Jon has uncovered the common...
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304. Disney Marathon Training: The Strength Work Most Runners Skip
Healthy Runner Podcast
Disney Marathon Weekend isn't just a marathon… it's one of the most unique endurance events you'll ever train for. Between miles on unforgiving concrete, long days walking through the parks, early morning wake-ups, and for many runners, back-to-back races like Goofy and Dopey, your body needs more than just a running plan. It needs a strength plan. In this episode, Dr. Duane Scotti, running physical therapist, running coach, and two-time Dopey finisher, shares the exact 20-week strength training roadmap he uses to help runners prepare for Disney Marathon Weekend without breaking down. You'll...
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303. Stop Stretching Your IT Band! Do This Instead to Finally Beat IT Band Syndrome
Healthy Runner Podcast
Have you been stretching your IT band every day… yet the pain on the outside of your knee keeps coming back? Here's the truth that surprises most runners: you can't actually stretch your IT band. In this episode, Dr. Duane Scotti, running physical therapist, running coach, and 8x marathoner, explains why the traditional "IT band stretch" isn't solving your problem and why it may even be keeping you stuck in the injury cycle. You'll learn why IT band syndrome isn't caused by a "tight IT band," what's really driving that sharp pain on the outside of your knee, and the three evidence-based...
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302. Marathon Training Mistakes That Lead to Injury (With Jason Fitzgerald)
Healthy Runner Podcast
If you're training for a marathon, this episode could save you months of frustration and help you reach the starting line healthy and ready to perform your best. Joining me for his fourth appearance on the Healthy Runner Podcast is marathon coach Jason Fitzgerald, founder of Strength Running, USATF-certified coach, and 2:39 marathoner. Together, we answer some of the biggest questions marathon runners have, including: ✅ Why runners hit the wall around mile 20 ✅ The marathon workouts that actually matter (and the ones you can stop stressing about) ✅ How to structure your long runs for...
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301. My First Ever Marathon DNF: What Every Runner Can Learn From It
Healthy Runner Podcast
Grab your FREE Last week, I did something I never thought I would do. I stepped off the course at mile 13.1 of the Buffalo Marathon and recorded my first ever DNF. After completing seven marathons, I finally had a race that didn't go according to plan. But here's the crazy part... Just six days later, I found myself standing on another marathon starting line. And by the end of that race, I crossed the finish line of marathon number eight. In this episode, I share the full story behind my first DNF, why I made the difficult decision to stop, why I chose to run another marathon less than a week...
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300. Run Happy AND Get Faster: Why You Don’t Need to Suffer to PR with Carolyn Coffin
Healthy Runner Podcast
Do you feel like every run needs to be hard in order to get faster? If so… that might be exactly why you’re stuck. In this episode, I’m joined by run coach Carolyn Coffin to tackle one of the biggest myths in running: That you need to suffer through every workout to see results. We break down why “party pace” is that conversational, enjoyable effort isn’t just for beginners… it’s actually one of the most powerful tools to help you run faster, stay consistent, and avoid burnout. If your training has been feeling more like a grind than something you enjoy, this episode will shift...
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299. IT Band Syndrome: When to Run, When to Rest, and How to Fix It Faster
Healthy Runner Podcast
Struggling with IT band pain while running and wondering if you should stop… or push through? In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly what you should do if you’re dealing with IT band syndrome as a runner. Because here’s the truth most runners don’t hear: 👉🏼 You do NOT always need to stop running. But you DO need to know how to adjust your training the right way. As a running physical therapist and coach, I’ve helped hundreds of runners get out of that frustrating start stop cycle and back to consistent, pain free running. And the runners who recover the fastest are not...
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298. She Started Marathon Running at 50… Now Coach Colleen Masse Has Run 22 (And 6 World Majors)
Healthy Runner Podcast
Most runners think once you hit 50… your best running years are behind you. It’s time to slow down. Run less. Lower expectations. But what if that’s completely wrong? In this episode, I sit down with RRCA Certified Running Coach and Spark Healthy Runner coach, , who started marathon training at 50… and has since completed 22 marathons, including all six World Marathon Majors (Berlin, London, Tokyo, Chicago, New York, and Boston). But this isn’t just a story about big races. It’s about what’s actually possible when you train smart, stay consistent, and build a strong, durable...
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297. Stronger Strides: 6 Recovery Tips That Actually Work for Half Marathon Runners with Dr. Duane Scotti, PT, PhD, DPT
Healthy Runner Podcast
Still feeling sore, tired, and beat up after your runs? It’s probably not your training… It’s your recovery. Most runners think recovery means stretching or foam rolling… But real recovery is what allows your body to adapt, get stronger, and stay injury free. 👉🏼 Training is the stimulus 👉🏼 Recovery is where adaptation happens Miss this… and you don’t get fitter — you just get more fatigued. 🎯 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why you’re still sore after long runs ✔️ How many rest days you actually need ✔️ The most powerful recovery tool...
info_outlineAre you training for Disney Marathon Weekend like you would for any other marathon?
That could be one of the biggest mistakes you make.
Disney Marathon Weekend isn't just about covering 26.2 miles. Between the early wake-ups, standing in corrals, walking through the parks, Florida weather, and for Goofy and Dopey runners… racing on back-to-back days, your body has to handle much more than the mileage on your training plan!
In this episode of the Healthy Runner Podcast, I’m joined by Coach Whitney LaCombe from the Spark Healthy Runner team to break down 5 of the biggest Disney Marathon Weekend training mistakes and show you how to prepare for the entire experience, not just the marathon.
We cover:
🔋 Why Disney is really an energy-management event and how to protect your “Disney Battery”
🏃🏻 Why time on your feet may matter more than chasing a specific long-run mileage
🔁 How to use back-to-back long runs to prepare for Goofy and Dopey
🚦 How to tell the difference between normal cumulative fatigue and an injury warning sign
⏰ Why you should practice early wake-ups, fueling, costumes, crowds, and your race-day routine
💪🏻 Why strength training is essential for building the durability you need for Disney
😴 How to recover between races so you can keep your body feeling strong
🏰 How to finish healthy enough to actually enjoy the parks and celebrate afterward
We also share the story of Jess, who came to us with knee pain during Dopey training. After working on a personalized running and strength plan, she went on to complete all four races of the Dopey Challenge (including her first marathon) and felt great during her recovery.
Whether you're training for the Disney Marathon, Goofy Challenge, or all 48.6 miles of the Dopey Challenge, this episode will help you train smarter so you can enjoy every magical mile.
Because Disney isn't about surviving race weekend.
Train for the experience, not just the marathon. 🏰✨
Grab your FREE RunDisney Marathon Training Guide Here!
If you’re ready for structured strength plans, recovery routines, nutrition, and coaching support so you’re not guessing week to week during your rundisney training, join the Healthy Runner Academy!
Episodes and Resources mentioned in this episode:
Listen to my previous episode on the 20-week strength plan to finish Disney Strong
Listen to my previous episode on 6 Steps to Mastering runDisney Training
Listen to my previous episode on How to Prepare for RunDisney Marathon Weekend: 7 Race Week Essentials for Dopey Challenge Runners
Listen to my previous episode on How I Conquered the 2026 Dopey Challenge Feeling Strong, Durable, and Healthy
Watch how Sonya overcame her fears to finish her first marathon in Disney by getting stronger not only physically but mentally here!
Watch how Dipti went from chronic shin splints for over a year to running the Disney Dopey Challenge in 6 months here!
Watch how Stephanie went from IT band pain with every long run to conquering the 48.6 mile Dopey Challenge here!
Want to work individually with our team using a structured strength, nutrition, and a run plan with full support and accountability to crush your Disney Marathon Weekend experience? Book a call and learn more about Healthy Runner coaching here
A big thanks to Kila for your support for this episode!
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Connect with coach Whitney:
- Instagram: @runwhitspark
- Email: whitney@sparkhealthyrunner.com
- Healthy Runner Facebook Community
Connect with Dr. Duane:
- Instagram - @sparkhealthyrunner
- Sign up for the Healthy Runner Newsletter
- Join our Healthy Runner Facebook Community
- Subscribe to our YouTube Channel