AKASnowWhite
more drink less run since 2008
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2001
I've just returned from WDW marathon weekend where DH and I ran the 1/2 marathon. I would have never thought that running 13.1 miles could be so much fun! WISHcon 2005 is going to be amazing! 
Ask me any questions....I'd be more than happy to share my story!!!!
We arrived on Friday and made our way to the World of Sports complex to pick up our race packets. We got our numbers and *goodie bags* (t-shirt, product samples, etc.) and spent some time at the Health and Fitness Expo looking at the different vendor booths and of course purchasing some of the *official* marathon merchandise for ourselves!
The energy in that building was incredible! 
Saturday we went to the pre-race all-you-can-eat pasta dinner at the World of Sports complex....$8.99...the best deal in all of WDW There was salad, bread, pasta with a light pesto sauce, spaghetti, marinara sauce with or without meatballs, chocolate cake, and soda or water. It was great to be with so many wonderful people, all with a common goal - and loads of energy and excitement!
Sunday morning (or was it still Saturday???) we were up at 3:15 am
in order to catch our bus that would bring us to the starting area by 4:00 
The bus dropped us off at the Wonder parking lot of Epcot where the pre-race staging area was. It was COLD! About 35 degrees and breezy. I had on old sweatpants and 2 sweatshirts over my running clothes. We also had those mylar car emergency blankets to help keep us warm. After dropping off our bag with our warm clothes for AFTER the race, it was time to wait....and wait....and use the port-a-pottie. 
I have never seen so many port-a-potties in my LIFE! It was amazing.....with 24,000 participants there was never a line for the bathroom!!!! Around 5am they began to *herd* us toward the start line. We had about a 15 minute walk to get there. We headed out of the parking lot down a service road (?) kind of behind Mexico and China.....out to the highway where the start corrals were (and of course, more port-a-potties!) As race time approached, they shot off a few fireworks....(not big ones, more like over sized sparklers). Then some *famous* star of flim and Broadway sang the National Anthem.....so famous I have NO idea who she was....
...it was time to *shed* some of our extra clothing. (as an aside....the amount of discarded clothing was incredible! The good news though is that it is all picked up and donated to local shelters.....) Then at a few minutes past 6:00 Mickey and Minnie started the full marathon and Donald and Daisy started the 1/2. We were off and running, down the highway in the dark!
Now for the course.....I can't find my way out of a paper bag that early in the morning! so my description may be vague! We ran down the highway, somehow crossing in front of the Epcot entrance-(full split off a different way)- because we entered Epcot behind the Land pavillion....went behind the buildings, entering the WS near where the Millenium Village was. The buildings were lit up with the white lights, and the Illuminations Ball was on the lagoon, rotating with pictures of runners on it! We exited near Germany, and made our way back down the same road that we took to GET to the start line - (where the full and 1/2 merged again) past where we began (where volunteers had already picked up and bagged most of the discarded clothes!) Down the highway in the pre-dawn. The sun came up as we headed toward MK 
We went left of the toll plaza, actually on the wrong side of the highway....past the Exxon station, toward Richard Petty....across the parking lot at TTC turning left to go under the bridge to get to the Contemporary....past the hotel turning left again thru the security gate into MK behind ????? Buzz and Timekeeper area
coming out next to Tony's and turning right down Main Street. Loads of spectators and characters.....headed thru Tomorrowland to Fantasy Land, thru the Castle, turning right to Liberty Square, toward BTMRR, and out the back gate...turning left to head toward GF hotel, and finally to the finish line in the parking lot where we got our medals.
There were plenty of water stations where they had either water or powerade. Also several medical-aid stations....the full marathoners also had food, energy gel and sponges starting somewhere after the 1/2's had finished. Port-a-potties were abundant all along the course...
Amazing! We had soooo much fun! After returning to our hotel, showering, EATING, and *napping* by the pool, we went to PI for the post-race party Sunday night. I was v-e-r-y tired. It had been a long, wonderful day.
Now we're signing up to do the WHOLE marathon in 2005
Ask me any questions....I'd be more than happy to share my story!!!! We arrived on Friday and made our way to the World of Sports complex to pick up our race packets. We got our numbers and *goodie bags* (t-shirt, product samples, etc.) and spent some time at the Health and Fitness Expo looking at the different vendor booths and of course purchasing some of the *official* marathon merchandise for ourselves!
The energy in that building was incredible! Saturday we went to the pre-race all-you-can-eat pasta dinner at the World of Sports complex....$8.99...the best deal in all of WDW
There was salad, bread, pasta with a light pesto sauce, spaghetti, marinara sauce with or without meatballs, chocolate cake, and soda or water. It was great to be with so many wonderful people, all with a common goal - and loads of energy and excitement! Sunday morning (or was it still Saturday???) we were up at 3:15 am
in order to catch our bus that would bring us to the starting area by 4:00 The bus dropped us off at the Wonder parking lot of Epcot where the pre-race staging area was. It was COLD! About 35 degrees and breezy. I had on old sweatpants and 2 sweatshirts over my running clothes. We also had those mylar car emergency blankets to help keep us warm. After dropping off our bag with our warm clothes for AFTER the race, it was time to wait....and wait....and use the port-a-pottie. I have never seen so many port-a-potties in my LIFE! It was amazing.....with 24,000 participants there was never a line for the bathroom!!!! Around 5am they began to *herd* us toward the start line. We had about a 15 minute walk to get there. We headed out of the parking lot down a service road (?) kind of behind Mexico and China.....out to the highway where the start corrals were (and of course, more port-a-potties!) As race time approached, they shot off a few fireworks....(not big ones, more like over sized sparklers). Then some *famous* star of flim and Broadway sang the National Anthem.....so famous I have NO idea who she was.... ...it was time to *shed* some of our extra clothing. (as an aside....the amount of discarded clothing was incredible! The good news though is that it is all picked up and donated to local shelters.....) Then at a few minutes past 6:00 Mickey and Minnie started the full marathon and Donald and Daisy started the 1/2. We were off and running, down the highway in the dark!Now for the course.....I can't find my way out of a paper bag that early in the morning!
so my description may be vague! We ran down the highway, somehow crossing in front of the Epcot entrance-(full split off a different way)- because we entered Epcot behind the Land pavillion....went behind the buildings, entering the WS near where the Millenium Village was. The buildings were lit up with the white lights, and the Illuminations Ball was on the lagoon, rotating with pictures of runners on it! We exited near Germany, and made our way back down the same road that we took to GET to the start line - (where the full and 1/2 merged again) past where we began (where volunteers had already picked up and bagged most of the discarded clothes!) Down the highway in the pre-dawn. The sun came up as we headed toward MK We went left of the toll plaza, actually on the wrong side of the highway....past the Exxon station, toward Richard Petty....across the parking lot at TTC turning left to go under the bridge to get to the Contemporary....past the hotel turning left again thru the security gate into MK behind ????? Buzz and Timekeeper area coming out next to Tony's and turning right down Main Street. Loads of spectators and characters.....headed thru Tomorrowland to Fantasy Land, thru the Castle, turning right to Liberty Square, toward BTMRR, and out the back gate...turning left to head toward GF hotel, and finally to the finish line in the parking lot where we got our medals. There were plenty of water stations where they had either water or powerade. Also several medical-aid stations....the full marathoners also had food, energy gel and sponges starting somewhere after the 1/2's had finished. Port-a-potties were abundant all along the course...
Amazing! We had soooo much fun! After returning to our hotel, showering, EATING, and *napping* by the pool, we went to PI for the post-race party Sunday night. I was v-e-r-y tired. It had been a long, wonderful day.
Now we're signing up to do the WHOLE marathon in 2005
I have been pretty excited about next year ever since I got my confirmation number on Sun night. And right now, I am more excited than ever. As I read your post, I was picturing the course and me trying to tackle it. You've given me more inspiration than you'll ever know 
Are you able to post a picture of your medal? I would love to see what one looks like! 
