Marathon Weekend 2016

[stitchnj]

First timer here... Planning on doing the half with my sister in law in 2016!

 

[pamster]

I thought I was ahead of the curve when I started planning for the 2016 Half Marathon in August 2014. Glad to be with good company here!

 

[IamTrike]

I'm talking with the group of friends that I run with about 2016 already. Our Disney TA already has their group rates for 2015 Wine and Dine and 2016 Marathon weekend. I'm trying to figure out which of the 2 people in our group want to do. I'm personally a huge fan of Marathon weekend because I love the full and like the 10k as an option.

Hope to see you all there.

 

[dburg30]

I did the Dopey in 2014, last year. Was no way I could have afforded it this year. I've let myself go over the last year, and need to get back in the game health wise. AND watching the start and finish line of the marathon yesterday AM / PM got me thinking again. I have a feeling I may be heading back down around a year from now. Just not sure if I want to do the dopey again.. I guess now I KNOW what's involved.. I KNOW where I could improve... I also now KNOW how HUGE a time commitment it is. So have to see if this feeling is still around when they open it for registration..

 

[Kathymford]

I just booked my DVC room for the marathon days. Yay. I'm super excited. I still haven't decided which races to run, but at least it's getting more real that we're going!

 

[PrincessV]

It's a safe bet I'll be doing at least one of the races No idea which yet, though...

 

[jlovesee]

Just booked our room at Poly DVC for Marathon weekend next year, super excited! Husband and I are planning on coming back for Dopey III. Hoping I can talk SIL into doing the half marathon (did the 5K and 10K this year).


Jennifer

 

[Keels]

I'm definitely in for the full (will be my 2016 Resolution Challenge - get it outta the way early!) and am debating the 5K. It's either that or an extra day in the parks.

 

[derekleigh]

We've booked our villa outside of Disney for over the course of marathon weekend. Various family members and I hope to get through sign-ups for all the various races we're doing. Longing to return to the Half after doing my first Full this year. Just about everyone else is doing the 10K and maybe a few for the 5K, plus two for the kids races. SO yeah registration day I'll be waiting by my computer. But seeing as how nothing sold out until 2 hours after opening I feel I should have good grasp on registration.

Speaking of the Marathon, I wonder how the course will be altered now that the Richard Petty Track is rumored (or confirmed?) to be demolished. Not that it's a major change.

 

[IamTrike]

Speaking of the Marathon, I wonder how the course will be altered now that the Richard Petty Track is rumored (or confirmed?) to be demolished. Not that it's a major change.

When I saw that was being shut down, that was my first thought too.

 

[Keels]

I wonder if, since it will (likely) just be parking lot, they'll be able to have more M&Gs in that spot.

 

[derekleigh]

After looking at the map, I believe the Speedway section is about a mile (maybe a little less). If it ends up being converted to parking spaces, I couldn't imagine looping around the parking lot for about a mile to be all that fun.

Should just extend a portion or two during the actual in-park areas. But probably the course will remain un-changed and runners will just circle the random section of parking.

 

[ANIM8R]

The speedway was an interesting part of the course but I will NOT miss that ultra-steep decline and incline to get into the speedway!

 

[derekleigh]

The speedway was an interesting part of the course but I will NOT miss that ultra-steep decline and incline to get into the speedway!

Neither will I. 2015 Disney Marathon was my first and I thought the speedway portion was my least favorite part. I was surprised how steep of a entry it was and I was very happy to exit that portion of the course.

 

[nintz]

Actually I agree that the incline was a pain during this past marathon, but I did like how they had cars lined around the track. I only regret not taking a picture inside the track.

 

[IamTrike]

2013 was I think the first year that they looped the speedway. This was the course back in 2012 http://motivatemyself.org/running/2012/GoofyChallenge/2012-WDWMarathonMap.pdf You started out looping Epcot meaning you got to MK much later and Everest too. It also didn't have ESPN. At some point Disney will have to get the new course certified and someone will probably post the route changes.

 

[IamTrike]

Neither will I. 2015 Disney Marathon was my first and I thought the speedway portion was my least favorite part. I was surprised how steep of a entry it was and I was very happy to exit that portion of the course.

You liked the speedway less than the part going by the water treatment plant?

 

[Neoflynn]

We too are planning our trip for 2016 already and since some of you are veterans at this thought I would ask a few questions here. So here goes our story we were originally going to plan a trip around the Tower of Terror 10 mile in 2015 (our plan was to knock out me running a Disney race and the not so scary Halloween party for our 3 year old in one shot) but then the RunDisney Calendar was released and of course no 2015 ToT race so then I got the brilliant idea of "hey why don't I run the Marathon" so alas planning begun for the occasion. Let me say that my wife and I are pretty knowledge in most things Disney but have never done a RunDisney event before so that part of it is where I have questions, our plan has now become: The Wife and I running the 5k together, Her running the 10k (a first at that distance for her), having the kiddo participate in the Kids Race then Me tackling the Full Marathon. My question is how to tackle registration should we attempt the 5k first (since it is most likely to sell out fastest in my estimation) then hit the 10K and kids race and finally the marathon for me (since I don't think it sold out for a few months last year) or should we go for the two races we know we want (10K and Marathon) and if we don't get into the 5k then oh well? or will we have plenty of time (at least a couple hours anyway) and im over thinking this for nothing....(I know the Disneyland 1/2 races sold out very quickly but ive heard Disneyland always sells faster than Dinseyworld) any advice is appreciated.......

 

[derekleigh]

You liked the speedway less than the part going by the water treatment plant?

Yes, but not by much. I thought the speedway was cool and seeing all those cars was great, but I'm more of a Charger kind of guy not corvettes.

 

[Barca33Runner]

We too are planning our trip for 2016 already and since some of you are veterans at this thought I would ask a few questions here. So here goes our story we were originally going to plan a trip around the Tower of Terror 10 mile in 2015 (our plan was to knock out me running a Disney race and the not so scary Halloween party for our 3 year old in one shot) but then the RunDisney Calendar was released and of course no 2015 ToT race so then I got the brilliant idea of "hey why don't I run the Marathon" so alas planning begun for the occasion. Let me say that my wife and I are pretty knowledge in most things Disney but have never done a RunDisney event before so that part of it is where I have questions, our plan has now become: The Wife and I running the 5k together, Her running the 10k (a first at that distance for her), having the kiddo participate in the Kids Race then Me tackling the Full Marathon. My question is how to tackle registration should we attempt the 5k first (since it is most likely to sell out fastest in my estimation) then hit the 10K and kids race and finally the marathon for me (since I don't think it sold out for a few months last year) or should we go for the two races we know we want (10K and Marathon) and if we don't get into the 5k then oh well? or will we have plenty of time (at least a couple hours anyway) and im over thinking this for nothing....(I know the Disneyland 1/2 races sold out very quickly but ive heard Disneyland always sells faster than Dinseyworld) any advice is appreciated.......

All registering from different computers, as we don't live in the same area, my sister and I signed up for the Dopey Challenge and my mom was able to sign up for the 5K and the 10K last year (2015). My mom, a sometimes exasperating computer user, was able to sign up for both the 5K and 10K last year while calling me to basically verify every step she was taking in the process. So it is not necessarily a lightning quick race to get registered. The key for the 5K, 10K, Half, and Dopey is to be there basically right when registration opens, usually 12 PM EST on the designated day. The server will likely crash, there will be widespread confusion and panic, and everyone will be angry with runDisney and whatever third-party vendor they are using for payment (likely active.com). That said, if you are there when registration opens you will probably not have much difficulty signing up for the two 5K's, 10K, and Marathon. Since you are registering two separate runners (I have no insight on the kids races), I would probably recommend having two devices, if that is a possibility, and attempting to sign up simultaneously. The Marathon and Goofy have taken longer to fill in the past, so it may not be crucial to sign up that day and I would definitely prioritize either one of those registrations last.

It is likely that you (and I) are over thinking this, but it's never a bad thing to be prepared.