Disneyland Half?

[Destination:Athlete]

Anyone going for the CTC (Coast to Coast) medal and doing the DL half in September this year?

Anyone have comparisons to the DW Marathon/half-marathon this past weekend?

 

[FireDancer]

I did both in 2006 but they didn't have the C2C medal yet. The DL half is more like a standard half than the WDW half is because it is run mostly in the streets of Anaheim. It is a smaller event because the January weekend is the crown jewel of the Disney endurance calendar plus there is only the half and 5K in California, no marathon.

It was a fun race which I plan on doing again. If the only race you've done is the WDW race this will give you a little more of a feeling for what standard half marathons are like.

 

[John VN]

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, It's Off to DL we Go!!!!

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

I got it last year, and will this year. It is so different than WDW. Not nearly as organized, and not quite as scenic of a course. Most of the course is through industrial areas and it was neat to run through Angel Stadium but that apparently doesn't happen each year. I think the DL Half is more a test of will than the WDW races. You just don't have the distractions. They have characters every once in a while but not even close to the amount at WDW. But, they have more people cheering you on the entire course which is a nice feature. I agree with Frank that it has more of the feel of most of the races out there. We get spoiled at WDW!

It is still nice, but you definitely earn that Coast to Coast medal running it!

 

[verticalchaos]

I got it last year, and will this year. It is so different than WDW. Not nearly as organized, and not quite as scenic of a course. Most of the course is through industrial areas and it was neat to run through Angel Stadium but that apparently doesn't happen each year. I think the DL Half is more a test of will than the WDW races. You just don't have the distractions. They have characters every once in a while but not even close to the amount at WDW. But, they have more people cheering you on the entire course which is a nice feature. I agree with Frank that it has more of the feel of most of the races out there. We get spoiled at WDW!

It is still nice, but you definitely earn that Coast to Coast medal running it!

So noted! Music shall come with me!

 

[FireDancer]

Most of the course is through industrial areas and it was neat to run through Angel Stadium but that apparently doesn't happen each year.

I believe whether or not you run through the stadium depends on if the Angels are at home or on the road.

 

[johde]

I've never run the Disneyland half (I'm planning on going this year). But I've heard the same thing every has been saying about the race. The first part (4 miles or so) is like a Disney World race, most of the rest is like any big city race. Both halves I've done were mostly through downtown and residential areas.

Frank, how would you compare the Disneyland course to Cleveland? Looking at the course map they look fairly comperable excepts that Cleveland has the "hill" going up the shoreway in Miles 11-12.

 

[cewait]

I kind of like the DL course. Comparing with the 2011 WDW half I agree that the entertainment is much less on the DL course than the WDW. But remember that the WDW half has not always had this much entertainment and that prior to 2010 I would say it had less than the DL course due to the long stretches of highway in WDW. You may see DL step it up.

I find DL a little too crowded at the start. Hitting the parks through the first 3 miles does not give runners a lot of time to stretch out and de-clump prior to hitting narrow pathways. Also, since DL is narrower, the crowding feels greater. While running through warehouse parks is not my idea of fun, it is an easy course to run once out of DL and onto the streets. The course is flat with a couple of surprize inclines. After you hit the river area the course starts to become exciting again. You have the stadium and then a short jog back to the parks.

The largest issue I have with teh DL race is it can be hot. Just keep that in mind and run to the weather conditions of the race weekend.

 

[FireDancer]

Frank, how would you compare the Disneyland course to Cleveland? Looking at the course map they look fairly comperable excepts that Cleveland has the "hill" going up the shoreway in Miles 11-12.

I did both Cleveland and the DL half in 2006 so this is from memory and those courses but I remember the DL half being very flat and having better support than Cleveland. The caveat is that when I ran the Cleveland half it rained for most of it which I'm sure cut down on the crowd support.

My brother just moved to Orange County so doing this race has all of a sudden become much cheaper but I don't think it will fit into my plans this year.

 

[FFigawi]

I ran the DL half last year and thought it was a much more interesting race than the WDW half in 2010 and 2011. You spend a lot more time in the parks than you do at WDW. The drawback, as has been noted, is having to run a majority of the race on the city streets which aren't nearly as pretty as the property within the Disney bubble in Orlando. That said, there were many more bands, cheerleaders, and other entertainers in Anaheim than there were at WDW in 2001, which had much more than WDW 2010. Not as many characters, of course, but still a lot more to see and watch than at WDW.

 

[kim3339]

I believe whether or not you run through the stadium or not depends on if the Angels are at home or on the road.

Just checked the Angels schedule for this year. Unless it changes, no inside the park this year. Day game at 12:35, so we'll probably be just running around the outisde of the helmets and front of the stadium again. There were a lot of people inside the park this past year, more than in the past. Hopefully they'll be outside this year!

 

[mrsxsparrow]

I ran the DL half last year and thought it was a much more interesting race than the WDW half in 2010 and 2011. You spend a lot more time in the parks than you do at WDW. The drawback, as has been noted, is having to run a majority of the race on the city streets which aren't nearly as pretty as the property within the Disney bubble in Orlando. That said, there were many more bands, cheerleaders, and other entertainers in Anaheim than there were at WDW in 2001, which had much more than WDW 2010. Not as many characters, of course, but still a lot more to see and watch than at WDW.

I agree with all of this! I did the WDW half for the first time this year and I think I prefer the DL half. The "scenic streets of Anaheim" are a joke but I felt like there was more going on (bands and such) then at WDW. More park time too -- though with all the construction going on at DCA this year it'll be interesting to see if and how it affects the course.

Looks like the Angels are playing at home that weekend, which means no going through the stadium -- normally one of the best parts

Getting to/from the race is much easier if you're staying on property -- no buses! And it isn't nearly as far a walk from the bag check area to the start.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

Just checked the Angels schedule for this year. Unless it changes, no inside the park this year. Day game at 12:35, so we'll probably be just running around the outisde of the helmets and front of the stadium again. There were a lot of people inside the park this past year, more than in the past. Hopefully they'll be outside this year!

Bummer...maybe they will move up the start time for the race to be similar to that of the WDW races this year so that people could realistically go through Angel Stadium? It will be interesting to hear what the plans are. Because that really made the race a lot more special and unique.

 

[kirkson]

Bummer...maybe they will move up the start time for the race to be similar to that of the WDW races this year so that people could realistically go through Angel Stadium? It will be interesting to hear what the plans are. Because that really made the race a lot more special and unique.

that would be nice, but there's no way they could have the place cleared and the field ready for the game after we all tromp through there just a few hours earlier.

what a bummer, agree with others that this was a highlight the last 2 years.

 

[Disfan11]

I'm doing the Coast to Coast this year.
Currently training for the Princess 1/2 Marathon.
And I'm signed up for the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon.
Can't wait!

 

[johde]

Thanks Frank for the information. Being back of the pack in Cleveland, crowd support was pretty thin. Most of the bands had packed up, but there were still pretty good pockets of people in some of the residential neighborhoods.

It's a shame we probably won't be able to run through Angles stadium. It will also be interesting to see what they do with the California Adventure section of the race. What parts of the construction will still need to be finished? I know Cars land won't be done. but what else?

 

[kim3339]

When I was down there last month, they had pictures of the different projects and dates.

If I remember correctly, The Little Mermaid Ride and old Mulholland Ride will be done by the time we run through. Also the updates to the restaurants along the boardwalk area should be completed. The trolley changes to Hollywood Backlot, should be done ~ maybe we can go back to running by the Tower of Terror again.

I read in the paper the other day that they are taking down, maybe already the CALIFORNIA letters out in front of the park. They're also changing the front entrance which is supposed to start in August sometime. Although I don't think that will affect us, b/c I can't remember ever going through the entrance of DCA, only DL. I think we've exited the park by Soarin to get into DL.

If I read about anymore updates or see anything, I'll post.