Checked Bag at the Marathon

[Jen117]

OK, this is my first big race and I need to know more about the checked bag.

Do a lot of people do this?
What kinds of things do you check?
Also, when do you check your bag, right before you are pushed to the corrals or earlier?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Honeibee]

I want to know too, Jen so I'm bumping this.

 

[keenercam]

Jen -- based on what I remember from last year, here is how the bag thing works.
When you go to the expo, your goodie bag is a plastic drawstring bag. On race morning, there is a tag part of your bib, IIRC, that you attach to the bag. You tie the bag and then put that tag on it. We checked ours pretty much right when we arrived at the start area, long before we moved to the corrals.

I don't remember much of what I put in it last year, but this year I intend to put a dry shirt, some baby powder and some wet wipes (as a courtesy to anyone who has to be near me after I've done 26.2 miles), a bottle of water (I can't drink DASANI) and my crocs. I am sure I will think of other things to put in it, but right now, those are the most important to me.

It was extremely well organized last year and it seemed many, many people used this service. There were a bunch of tents with separate entrances and marked with a sequence of race numbers -- 0000 to 100, etc. and you went into the tent where your number was posted and you turned in your bag and then walked through the tent to get to the start area.

After the race, you went to the tent with your race number and there were long tables set up with the bags laid out on them, and the volunteers handed you your bag -- by the time I got done, there weren't that many bags left.

 

[keenercam]

Based on weather forecasts, you may also want to put a poncho or umbrella in your bag. If it is cold, you'll want a sweatshirt in there. If it is warm, the dry shirt and a sun visor (if you didn't use it for the race) will be welcome.

 

[kareneast]

a bottle of water (I can't drink DASANI)/QUOTE]

Cam - I had emailed Disney a bit back about what flavor powerade they would have on the course. I received a reply that there would be Lemon-Lime Powerade and Dasani Water on the course. I don't know if it will be the same post-race but wanted to give you a heads up. Since Dasani water will be on the course, will you be carrying your own water for the whole 26.2? I will be cheering from in front of the Beach Club on Sunday so if you (or actually anyone else) would like me to have water or anything for them just let me know. Since we are driving to WDW I am bring Poland Springs water down with me. I can drink the Dasani (& I will during the half) but I prefer the Poland Springs.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

In my bag:

flip flops (I wanted those sneakers OFF!!!!)

A dry shirt (event t-shirt will work)

bio-freeze


other things I cannot remember.

The bag isn't that big and honestly a sweatshirt (unless you are a pixie) won't really fit and leave much room for much else. You are obligated to only the clear bag given to you when you pick up your race number--so plan carefully.

The shiny astronaut thin "blankets" they give you at race finish actually do a pretty good job of warming you sufficiently until you can make it back to the hotel room.

 

[lilouisianagal]

Just curious Cam, but why can't you drink Dasani?

 

[keenercam]

Cam - I had emailed Disney a bit back about what flavor powerade they would have on the course. I received a reply that there would be Lemon-Lime Powerade and Dasani Water on the course. I don't know if it will be the same post-race but wanted to give you a heads up. Since Dasani water will be on the course, will you be carrying your own water for the whole 26.2? I will be cheering from in front of the Beach Club on Sunday so if you (or actually anyone else) would like me to have water or anything for them just let me know. Since we are driving to WDW I am bring Poland Springs water down with me. I can drink the Dasani (& I will during the half) but I prefer the Poland Springs.

Karen -- THanks for the heads' up. I am so grateful to all our WISHers who are offering to hand off back up nutrition and hydration. That will be a huge help. My race partner, Rhonda's husband, Michael is going to be somewhere on the course and I hope to give him an extra bottle of orange powerade for me with whatever else he is holding for Rhonda. If you don't mind handing me a bottle of water when I see you at the Beach Club, I'd be so grateful. I really wish I'd planned ahead of time last year to do this for the WISHers we were cheering on. All I had to give were hugs, and when I remembered, I took pix! If you will be at the WISH meet on Friday, I can give you a bottle of water for me with my name on it. THanks again, so much!

Oh, and I am glad you told me it is lemon lime powerade. I can't drink that kind -- for some reason, it gives me indigestion. Isn't that strange? And I never could drink anything red since I was little when I got sick from red colored kool-aid. Since then, anytime I drink any red-dyed drink, it makes my mouth sick.

Just curious Cam, but why can't you drink Dasani?

I am not sure what the issue is, but it makes me sick to my stomache and I keep tasting it in my throat. A friend told me it has higher sodium levels than the brands I can tolerate, even though that stuff isn't required to be shown on the label. I have occasionally, successfully taken small sips, but nothing more than that.

Frankly, I'll be grateful if there is any kind of water whatsoever on the course-- I plan to hydrate my skin as much as my body. Knowing I can pour some water over my head without using my hydration supply is a blessing.

 

[kareneast]

Cam – I don’t mind at all. I am very happy to be able to help out. I will be at the meet Friday night so I will see you there. It is funny that you mentioned getting sick from red-dye. That was the reason I emailed WDW Sports to find out what flavor powerade would be on the course. Sean (DS) has always gotten sick from orange stuff. We never figured out if it was the orange-dye or the artificial orange flavoring. As he has become an adult he seems to be able to tolerate it better, but didn’t think it was worth the risk during the half.