Aussies at disney marathon?

[demoduck]

I am thinking of doing the disneyworld marathon in 2013. Just wondering if anyone from Australia has done a disney marathon or half marathon? advice? feedback etc

 

[jessiegirl84]

I am definitely thinking about doing it ! I'd also love to hear from Aussies who have done it, to see what they think. I think mine may have to wait until 2014

 

[Chiefus]

Hi,

I was trawling around and searched "marathon" and hit this thread. I have run both the 2009 and 2012 WDW marathons - both of which I can safely say were two of the best experiences of my life thus far.

The first time in 2009 - I was by myself and stayed offsite (it was on the way home to Melbourne after 6 months studying in Edinburgh, so I was too broke for an Disney hotel), whilst the second time I went back with my girlfriend and we stayed at AKL (had wanted to target OKW, but was too late booking).

In 2012, my girlfriend ran the half marathon on the Saturday and I ran the full on the Sunday. The big upside of staying onsite is using the disney transportation (buses, monorail) to get to the start / finish line. If you stay at OKW, you can even be a bit cheeky and walk across the highway to the start line.

The course itself is very gentle (i.e. it is FLAT like the rest of Florida - the biggest hills are going over a couple of highway overpasses), and both years when I ran the weather was a very comfortable temperature (thinking maybe 14 degrees celsius at the start at 6am, rising to about 20 when i finished at 9.30ish - it does get a little warmer for those finishing later. Although, it is also worth noting that in 2010 (I was in Florida but didn't run), Orlando was hit with a cold snap and the temperature was around 5 degrees at the start time).

All events are extremely well catered (I have heard people complain that it is relative expensive for a marathon entry fee - but I think it is fine, and you certainly get a really well organised event for the cost). There are drink stations every mile, medical tents every couple, and 3-4 food stations (bananas, gels, then chocolates at the last one!) as well. The pre-race pick-up and expo is well-run, the event shirts are good quality, and best of all, the medals are pretty unique.

I signed up two weeks ago for the Goofy at WDW in 2013 - so may well see you there! Let me know if you have any other/specific questions and I'll try to help...

(As an aside, in 2009 I bumped into another Aussie whilst running (I identified him by his singlet which had a decal reading "26.2 miles... No worries mate") and an Aussie family who were cheering home their daughter with Australian / boxing kangaroo flags at the finish line. The daughter had convinced her mum to bring the family to Disneyworld to run her first marathon... nice.)

 

[BecBennett]

We did the Beauty & The Beast Family 5k just before our wedding last year. It was fun as it ran through World Showcase at Epcot before opening.

Yeah it is incredibly well organised, and you end up with a bit of loot afterwards bottles and bottles of free powerade, bananas and other fruit, protein bars, medals, t-shirts, and you can buy the photos after the event afterwards. I thought the pics were a bit expensive, but mum still bought one of all of us.

It's a lot of fun and well worth it, if you're not up to doing a marathon try the 5k option if they have one, and see exactly how well put together it all is.

 

[Chiefus]

FYI - the course has been changed as part of the 20th anniversary marathon celebrations!

Updated maps are available at the event website (I can't post the link yet as I haven't made enough posts!)

The upside of these changes for the marathon course in particular (and I suspect this was, in part, in response to a minor grudge of some runners) - is that is removes several dead zones (i.e. where things got a bit boring relative to running down Main Street USA) from the course:
1. The long trudge from Magic Kingdom to Animal Kingdom is now broken up by going through the Disney Speedway
2. The infamous "out-and-back" section which existed around mile 20-21 (a slightly depressing part of the course and part of the long distance between
Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios) has been removed and the course now goes through the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (which contains a "mile 20 surprise spectacular" as part of the celebrations). It probably also makes sense to take the marathon through Disney's main sports complex...

The one downside I can see is you only go through EPCOT once now (at the finish) whereas previously the course looped through the front entrance and out the side at mile 2 -3, then passed through EPCOT again with the final loop at the finish. Some may see this as upside as it removes the repeated initial section where you looped around same section of highway at the start. (and, of course, adding the new section at Wide World of Sports means some distance has to be removed somewhere else, and the double-up loop is as good as anywhere to do so).

All in all, seems like some great changes, I'm looking forward to it!