cewait
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2000
- Messages
- 5,695
Obviously the RD makes best efforts to create a safe and fun course for us in January. In many areas the audiotronic (I love using Disneyesque terms) devices warn you of the areas, and if extreme, there are volunteers and coning. Here are my known areas where you should look out.
1- In the first mile of the race, the course is very narrow. You can run the edge of the grass safely, but as you crest the first overpass, you will run out of room and be forced to merge in.
2- The flattest spots on the WDW roads are the lane lines. Paving machines pave one lane at a time and there is a resulting flat spot if you run the lines. BUT if wet, reflective painted surfaces are worse than ice. Also, in the south, we have glued on reflectors (no snow plows to knock them off) and they can be a tripping hazard.
3- For the first of the true areas Mile 2.8 approaching the MK parking Lot. We run through the tool plaza. The far right lanes are bus lanes and really greasy. The toll booths are on islands and narrow down as you pass. Finally, there are speed bumps just after the toll booths and these are a tripping hazard.
4- As we leave the TTC and Topiary Lane area and get onto World Drive again (Mile 4.3) the road necks down to one lane and is hard coned to the right. (hard coned meaning canes are placed next to one another with no gap - no way to run on the wrong side without knocking cones over). DO NOT run on the wrong side of the cones as this lane of traffic is live.
5- Same stretch, the road heads under a water bridge for Seven Seas Lagoon. Because of the slope coming out of the viaduct, the course backs up. A sidewalk starts on course left about 100 yards before the bottom. It is a normal curb at this point. About half the time Disney Security will place Barney on the far end of the sidewalk waving people off the sidewalk. The issue is a couple sets of steel grating you must run over. I am not preaching disobedience, but in the area that they are trying to shoo you off the sidewalk the drop off is 15-18 inches. I have chosen to disobey for safety reasons.
6- Just after entering MK, we turn right onto Main. The trolley rails are protected with a rubber insert, but run course right to avoid the track all together. There are also a few let me stop to hug my spouse folks here, also.
7- Coming out of Cinderella Castle you will find fellow runners who want to fly like a kid flies. You know, leaning forward, arms out and palms down and weaving from side to side. They are looking for photo ops and end up being rude at best and a hazard at worst. Trip them! Oops, just understand there may be one in your crowd.
8- Exiting MK onto Floridian Way contains a slight hazard. The cast member road crosses a canal and the bridge is steel grating. Usually, the grating is carpeted, but just be aware.
9- Floridian Way is coned off from the MK gate through most of the way past Poly. The opposite side of the road is live traffic, just not as much. We are on the left side of the road until passing GF then move over to the right lane at the Poly.
10- Half Course Mile 10 is the cloverleaf exit from World Dr up onto Epcot Drive. The natural tendency is to run this 270 degree right hand turn along the inner radius. Though if you are having lower leg issues this can be a pain. It is a fairly cambered segment that is also climbing up to an overpass. There are no flat areas along the inner radius. Try running along the outer radius if you are hurting. The slope of the climb is less and there is a flat area to run on. Though it is slightly longer.
Also, at mile 11.9 ish there is a 170 degree sharp right coming off the last hill on Epcot Drive and just before the final hill heading up the bus exit.
11- A new possible spot on the marathon course is leaving the Indy Race Track. The course will cross the grassy median in as we run towards Bear Island Road. I am sure that the course will have something approaching a wooden path to cover the grass for the wheelies and in case of rain. Just something to look for.
12- Marathon Course mile 11 ish is officially called the recycling stretch it is the property sewage plant. Expect to clear the sinuses. if the wind is out of the north this one may escape you but the Pachyderm house is the first building backstage DAK. Cannot say which is better, but a slight breeze is always better than calm.
13- Once in AK (it takes forever once you get back stage) the pavement looks like it is rough. Its the AK design to look like a mud path. The surface is flat up to the very edge where the gunite is rolled up to look like the edge of a muddy path.
14- Mile 21 and change as we turn right from Osceola to World Dr. This is a ramp that is designed with a slope to the left and climbs over the DHS southern parking lot entrance. There are no flat areas to run on, so it is kind of a tough it out stretch.
15- Mile 23.9 through 24.4 along the Boardwalk Villas is a pinch point. Last year, the RD addressed a long term issue with the aid station in this stretch and the pinch was not as bad.
Crowds are not really an issue with the very few exceptions of a park guest or two who may be miffed about the need to be inconvenienced by this crazy marathon the no one ad Disney told him about. The TTC is well patrolled and very few non runners get by the crowd lines. Likewise, MK is pre-opening so the crowds are limited to Main Street and not an issue. With the new course design, most runners will clear DAK prior to rope drop. If you are running a pace slower than a 14 mm, just be aware of the early guests who are scrambling for a first ride on Everest. Additionally, the tram drop off requires all guests to cross the course. A few do not understand wait for the gap. I have never really had an issue in DHS with crowds. I see a crossing near the Fantasia Hat but folks are scrambling to get off course. I think it is the surprise of having a runner appear off of Commissary Lane from a blind spot to the guests. The BWV, YC, BC stretch is not well patrolled but the crowd is mostly spectators so they get it. Finally, the point where most issues seem to occur is where we leave the back stage area near Great Britain and turn to the right towards England. We interfere with the normal guest traffic from the I Gate. For some reason folks get the most antsy at this crossing.
One other issue that will affect many runners. We add an additional half mile onto Osceola Drive . Now from DAK parking lot exit through the right hand turn on Victory Way. It will be earlier in the morning, but this is looking directly into the sun and most runners tend to hug course left along the Jersey barrier. Apply sunscreen to the face and wear something for the eyes in that stretch.
I am not familiar with issues in the WWoS area. Will add those to my list for next year.
Hope this helps
1- In the first mile of the race, the course is very narrow. You can run the edge of the grass safely, but as you crest the first overpass, you will run out of room and be forced to merge in.
2- The flattest spots on the WDW roads are the lane lines. Paving machines pave one lane at a time and there is a resulting flat spot if you run the lines. BUT if wet, reflective painted surfaces are worse than ice. Also, in the south, we have glued on reflectors (no snow plows to knock them off) and they can be a tripping hazard.
3- For the first of the true areas Mile 2.8 approaching the MK parking Lot. We run through the tool plaza. The far right lanes are bus lanes and really greasy. The toll booths are on islands and narrow down as you pass. Finally, there are speed bumps just after the toll booths and these are a tripping hazard.
4- As we leave the TTC and Topiary Lane area and get onto World Drive again (Mile 4.3) the road necks down to one lane and is hard coned to the right. (hard coned meaning canes are placed next to one another with no gap - no way to run on the wrong side without knocking cones over). DO NOT run on the wrong side of the cones as this lane of traffic is live.
5- Same stretch, the road heads under a water bridge for Seven Seas Lagoon. Because of the slope coming out of the viaduct, the course backs up. A sidewalk starts on course left about 100 yards before the bottom. It is a normal curb at this point. About half the time Disney Security will place Barney on the far end of the sidewalk waving people off the sidewalk. The issue is a couple sets of steel grating you must run over. I am not preaching disobedience, but in the area that they are trying to shoo you off the sidewalk the drop off is 15-18 inches. I have chosen to disobey for safety reasons.
6- Just after entering MK, we turn right onto Main. The trolley rails are protected with a rubber insert, but run course right to avoid the track all together. There are also a few let me stop to hug my spouse folks here, also.
7- Coming out of Cinderella Castle you will find fellow runners who want to fly like a kid flies. You know, leaning forward, arms out and palms down and weaving from side to side. They are looking for photo ops and end up being rude at best and a hazard at worst. Trip them! Oops, just understand there may be one in your crowd.
8- Exiting MK onto Floridian Way contains a slight hazard. The cast member road crosses a canal and the bridge is steel grating. Usually, the grating is carpeted, but just be aware.
9- Floridian Way is coned off from the MK gate through most of the way past Poly. The opposite side of the road is live traffic, just not as much. We are on the left side of the road until passing GF then move over to the right lane at the Poly.
10- Half Course Mile 10 is the cloverleaf exit from World Dr up onto Epcot Drive. The natural tendency is to run this 270 degree right hand turn along the inner radius. Though if you are having lower leg issues this can be a pain. It is a fairly cambered segment that is also climbing up to an overpass. There are no flat areas along the inner radius. Try running along the outer radius if you are hurting. The slope of the climb is less and there is a flat area to run on. Though it is slightly longer.
Also, at mile 11.9 ish there is a 170 degree sharp right coming off the last hill on Epcot Drive and just before the final hill heading up the bus exit.
11- A new possible spot on the marathon course is leaving the Indy Race Track. The course will cross the grassy median in as we run towards Bear Island Road. I am sure that the course will have something approaching a wooden path to cover the grass for the wheelies and in case of rain. Just something to look for.
12- Marathon Course mile 11 ish is officially called the recycling stretch it is the property sewage plant. Expect to clear the sinuses. if the wind is out of the north this one may escape you but the Pachyderm house is the first building backstage DAK. Cannot say which is better, but a slight breeze is always better than calm.
13- Once in AK (it takes forever once you get back stage) the pavement looks like it is rough. Its the AK design to look like a mud path. The surface is flat up to the very edge where the gunite is rolled up to look like the edge of a muddy path.
14- Mile 21 and change as we turn right from Osceola to World Dr. This is a ramp that is designed with a slope to the left and climbs over the DHS southern parking lot entrance. There are no flat areas to run on, so it is kind of a tough it out stretch.
15- Mile 23.9 through 24.4 along the Boardwalk Villas is a pinch point. Last year, the RD addressed a long term issue with the aid station in this stretch and the pinch was not as bad.
Crowds are not really an issue with the very few exceptions of a park guest or two who may be miffed about the need to be inconvenienced by this crazy marathon the no one ad Disney told him about. The TTC is well patrolled and very few non runners get by the crowd lines. Likewise, MK is pre-opening so the crowds are limited to Main Street and not an issue. With the new course design, most runners will clear DAK prior to rope drop. If you are running a pace slower than a 14 mm, just be aware of the early guests who are scrambling for a first ride on Everest. Additionally, the tram drop off requires all guests to cross the course. A few do not understand wait for the gap. I have never really had an issue in DHS with crowds. I see a crossing near the Fantasia Hat but folks are scrambling to get off course. I think it is the surprise of having a runner appear off of Commissary Lane from a blind spot to the guests. The BWV, YC, BC stretch is not well patrolled but the crowd is mostly spectators so they get it. Finally, the point where most issues seem to occur is where we leave the back stage area near Great Britain and turn to the right towards England. We interfere with the normal guest traffic from the I Gate. For some reason folks get the most antsy at this crossing.
One other issue that will affect many runners. We add an additional half mile onto Osceola Drive . Now from DAK parking lot exit through the right hand turn on Victory Way. It will be earlier in the morning, but this is looking directly into the sun and most runners tend to hug course left along the Jersey barrier. Apply sunscreen to the face and wear something for the eyes in that stretch.
I am not familiar with issues in the WWoS area. Will add those to my list for next year.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the great info. Also thanks for the comment about staying near the edge of the course, but not off the course for the runners that like to run off the course. I would have thought it would be best for me to be in the grass when I was walking, but now I won't be one of the "bad runners" and will leave 1 - 1.5 width for the runners.
