Has ANYONE gotten a corral change for marathon?

[goofeygirl]

Wow, you are 100% right! That section exists 2/3 of the way down on my confirmation email, after advertisements for pasta in the park and a few other items! So it IS 100% my fault.

In other news, I have gotten 79 emails from Disney since that registration email, including 7 from RunDisney (yes, I counted). I can't find the same text in any of them. Good on you, RunDisney, for burying the notice in the email far enough down for me to miss. Regardless, it cost me a few extra bucks, but I'll get what I want (and worked for).

Cruz,

One of the things you can do now is to email them...or after the races and tell them what you don't like. Disney like most businesses change things according to complaints about what to do to make it better.

When I started these marathon weekends a few years ago I read everything because I was green...my brother did not. I remember telling him about white vans and he had no clue what I was talking about...he told me he never read anything about white vans...but because I was so new, I wanted to know what I was getting myself into.
I think when you are an avid racer you don't read through pages of pages of what is basically the same thing you have seen before...so in your case , its a case of yeah yeah yeah...bla bla bla because the important part was stuck in the middle.

So you need to contact rundisney and let them know why its important to put this info up front and not in the middle...not just for a pleasant experience but for safey as a fast runner should not be BEHIND slower ones...Perhaps in that email you can suggest that the recipient initials the box to state they understand that if they DO NOT submit a proof of time for the race they may end up in the last coral and no changes will be allowed once they are assigned.

I know this is long but this is what happened to me...I was staying an Epcot resort - it was my first race...EVER...(not including high school which was about 25 years earlier) and the hotel had NO info on the bus schedule...why? because they assumed the runners already knew this...I did not. So I emailed them when I got home about what I felt they did wrong and what they should do to correct it and they did the following year!

 

[cewait]

All good points and if you recall, I even suggested that they may give you the weekend. We had several discussions on this forum about it, I even posted a new post on the subject. The fact is the date was there. From the website... For most folks the word New caught their eye along with the new questions on the entry form and the new estimated times requiring proof

Proof of Time

New 2014 runDisney proof of time guidelines:

If you believe you will finish the Half Marathon in less than 3:15 hours or the Marathon in less than 6:30 hours, proof of time is required for start corral placement. Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge and Dopey Challenge participants should adhere to Full Marathon proof of time requirements. Please reference the Race Pacing Chart below for finish times and associated pacing per mile.

AProof of time must be provided from a certified race reflecting results after January 1, 2012.
"Half Marathon - 10K or longer
"Full Marathon - 10 Miles or longer


A valid proof of time provided at the time of registration must include the following*:
"Name of Race
"Distance
"City
"State
"Date
"Finish time


*For example, Walt Disney World Marathon, 26.2, Orlando, FL, 1/13/13, - 3:35


If you do not have a proof of time to submit, list "N/A" at the point of registration. If proof of time is not provided by November 1, 2013 you will be placed in the last start corral. If your proof of time data is incomplete or cannot be verified, you will be placed in the last start corral. To provide or update your proof of time, you must email all proof of time data requested above to disneysports@trackshack.com. No corral changes will be made after November 1, 2013.


As a reminder, you will no longer be able to bring proof of your estimated finish time to the Runner Relations booth during the Expo and have your start corral placement changed.


Dates, times and prices subject to change. All races are subject to capacity limits and may close at any time.

Hopefully you will get past this and have a good race.

 

[longhorns2]

I have seen people reporting changes in corrals- but these were cases where rD made the mistake, not the runner. In the OP case, they were mistaken in not submitting in enough time. I agree the information should be sent in a clearer manner closer to the cut off (how hard is it to send an extra email?) but there's nothing they are going to do in this particular case.

 

[thebwit]

I'm sorry Cruz, but you choosing to NOT read everything is on YOU, not Disney. I've run several races and I am well aware of all the proof of time requirements. Since I have been getting faster and faster, I always make sure I know when/where to submit proof of time. I personally ran an extra race this year to submit as proof of time and my mom ran 4 races prior to Nov 1 all to giver her the best shot possible. To claim like this was some huge issue that wasn't there for you to read is false.

Also just because they are lax on some of their IN PARK rules, doesn't mean that they always will be. Remember before when you could get a FP and come back any time? I do. Then that changed due to abuse. Remember the guests with disabilities card? Oh yeah that changed due to abuse. Remember when strollers were allowed in the ride lines? Yeah that also changed and now they are parked outside of rides.

What you are asking for is like trying to run the Boston Marathon but not having a qualifying time. The rules are clearly stated on the website, the registration page and more. You need to take accountability for YOUR own actions and not blame someone else.

There are roughly 40k people running the half or the full or both this year with 5,501 of those being place in corral P. I am curious as to what percentage of those in P did not submit proof of time due to it being their first race versus not reading instructions. Let's just say that EVERY person in P failed to read directions, that means that 14% of the people running failed to read everything and that 86% read it just fine.

Could Disney have done a better job near the deadline to communicate that the deadline was approaching? Yes. But to claim you had no idea when it is on the webpage, on the registration page, on the confirmation email, and on nearly every Disney running blog on the internet is just silly.

 

[wdwjoe13]

When you registered, it laid it out pretty clearly. Now, If it were me, I would have liked a reminder, but I didn't get it submitted in time, it would be my fault since it is clearly stated multiple places, including when you signed up:


"If you believe you will finish the Half Marathon in less than 3 hours and 15 minutes and/or the Marathon in 6 hours and 30 minutes or less, proof of time is required for start corral placement.

Please reference the Race Pacing Chart at www.rundisney.com.

Proof of time must be provided from a certified race reflecting results after January 1, 2012.

Half Marathon – 10K or longer
Full Marathon – 10 Miles or longer
Anticipated Full Marathon finish time?
*
(If your time is under 6 hours and 30 minutes, proof of time is required to determine your start corral placement.)
(Time must be no more than 07:00:00.)
: :
A valid proof of time provided at the time of registration must include the following*:
Name of Race
Distance
City, State
Date
Finish time

*For example, Walt Disney World Marathon, 26.2, Orlando, FL, 1/13/13, - 3:35
If you do not have a proof of time to submit, list "N/A" at the point of registration. If proof of time is not provided by November 1, 2013 you will be placed in the last start corral. If your proof of time data is incomplete or cannot be verified, you will be placed in the last start corral. To provide or update your proof of time, you must email all proof of time data requested above to disneysports@trackshack.com. No corral changes will be made after November 1, 2013.

You will no longer be able to bring proof of time to the Runner Relations booth during the Expo and have your start corral placement changed.
Race result since January 1, 2012 that supports your finish time.
*
(i.e.Walt Disney World Marathon, 26.2, Orlando, FL, 1/13/13, 3:35 or N/A)

 

[John VN]

After a 13:31:48 IMFL 2013 finish for this 63yo first timer, I don't care where I start for any little marathon or less. Seems like it should be a non issue, especially since the POT requirements were in print. JMO

McFlurry John and 2013 IMFL finisher

 

[geaux_half]

I haven't run at WDW since the 2010 marathon on ice but unless they've changed their corral setup what's to stop anyone from going up a corral or 2 when returning from a pre race "nature break" in the nearby trees? I've always been in corral A so its never been an issue for me but just looking at the setup I've always wondered if there is any policing of this?

 

[Dug720]

Actually, you cost you an extra $140. I for one applaud Disney for setting rules then actually following them.

Again, sorry you were caught up in a 12 hour mistake but the date was out there for all to see for the better part of 6 months.

 

[eyor44]

I haven't run at WDW since the 2010 marathon on ice but unless they've changed their corral setup what's to stop anyone from going up a corral or 2 when returning from a pre race "nature break" in the nearby trees? I've always been in corral A so its never been an issue for me but just looking at the setup I've always wondered if there is any policing of this?

They now have people posted at the entrance to each corral and you have to show your bib before you are allowed to enter.

 

[Diskidatheart]

Apparently, a minimum of 21,000 people saw the notice and obeyed the rules. Those that are in the last corral either never ran a race before to get a qualifying time, got a qualifying time and ended up in the last 2 corrals anyway, or just neglected to read the instructions and missed the cutoff. Sorry, but if over 21,000 got it right, I would point the finger at the person in the mirror....not Disney!

 

[Dug720]

Apparently, a minimum of 21,000 people saw the notice and obeyed the rules. Those that are in the last corral either never ran a race before to get a qualifying time, got a qualifying time and ended up in the last 2 corrals anyway, or just neglected to read the instructions and missed the cutoff. Sorry, but if over 21,000 got it right, I would not point the finger at the person in the mirror....not Disney!

This! Even though I was 99% sure I wasn't going to improve on my pace I used to register, I had a big note on my calendar a couple of days before the deadline just in case. There comes a point where you have to take responsibility for yourself - and if you're doing a runDisney marathon, I think you should definitely be at that point and well beyond the hand-holding stage.

 

[Cruz91]

Yes, 7 from RD. Not all about marathon, but several mentioned marathon. It's clear they have my email address. The point is - this is SUCH a different policy from other races and SUCH a difference in the way they've handled things in the past, they should communicate better. It's fine. I know others disagree, but I'll be fine with the bib I bought.

 

[FireDancer]

I had to start in the last corral when I ran the half in 2006. The first few miles were rough and it is still my slowest half but I was able to try and claw back some time on the back half after I got through the crowd.

Being my first half it is hard to tell how much it cost me but I ran a 1:42 and then managed a 1:35 a few months later so I can guess it cost me about 5 minutes.

 

[bumbershoot]

Yes, 7 from RD. Not all about marathon, but several mentioned marathon. It's clear they have my email address. The point is - this is SUCH a different policy from other races and SUCH a difference in the way they've handled things in the past, they should communicate better. It's fine. I know others disagree, but I'll be fine with the bib I bought.

Oh sure, they have our email addresses; doesn't mean they are consistent. Did you get the recent one send on Nov 25th with "more info about" as a partial title? Several people mentioned on either the marathon or half thread that they hadn't gotten that. If they don't know they have a problem with emails then they are just being silly.

Apart from registrations (and the response after I submitted TOT as POT for the Half), I got 3 about TOT before TOT (and one more about photos), and I'm on my 2nd of what I assume will be 3 for the Marathon weekend. Jealous of all the others you're getting.

Ha, just realized that one of those 2 emails is actually addressed to my son. So I, personally, have gotten just the ONE email apart from the registration emails. I check and clear my Spam folder quite often and it wasn't in there. Both of the emails were sent after POT was past-due... Guess they really wanted us to read through those plain text registration emails.



Doesn't buying a bib mean that you're running "as" someone else? Curiosity drives this question. I am quite obviously new to running these races, and am learning the ins and outs and intrigues!

 

[weatherboy80]

I had to start in the last corral when I ran the half in 2006. The first few miles were rough and it is still my slowest half but I was able to try and claw back some time on the back half after I got through the crowd.

Being my first half it is hard to tell how much it cost me but I ran a 1:42 and then managed a 1:35 a few months later so I can guess it cost me about 5 minutes.

Thanks, glad to know that it can be done from the back as I am in a similar situation this year for the half. I can do a half in about 1:45 in "normal" conditions but a degradation of ~10 minutes is perfectly acceptable, especially considering its a Disney race where a PR is not as important to me anyways.

 

[cewait]

Thanks, glad to know that it can be done from the back as I am in a similar situation this year for the half. I can do a half in about 1:45 in "normal" conditions but a degradation of ~10 minutes is perfectly acceptable, especially considering its a Disney race where a PR is not as important to me anyways.

I would estimate the time loss in the 2006 half a little higher than today. The course was different and had no waves in the start. I ran the 2006 half from the last corral also. I was attempting to run a slow half as part of the first Goofy. I was on schedule for a slow half until I felt a twinge at mile 4 and turned up the heat. I did run along the grassy area for the first mile and change in that configuration and then again upon leaving MK. I found the grassy area to be a lot smoother than I expected. Even today, the bad areas carry a cone during regular days. The exception to the smooth is the inner radius of the bend from Epcot to World Drive. There are deep rumble strips along the inner radius just to the outside of the stripe.

 

[CaptHomer]

Someone did a good breakdown on the corrals here:

http://runknittravel.com/2013/12/13/walt-disney-marathon-weekend-breaking-the-corral-changes-down/

 

[ironz]

Someone did a good breakdown on the corrals here:

http://runknittravel.com/2013/12/13/walt-disney-marathon-weekend-breaking-the-corral-changes-down/

Very interesting. And good to see that my "K" correlates decently with my last year corral of "D."

 

[MightyDuck001]

If it makes you feel better, you probably could've submitted a time to Disney and STILL been at the back given how corral placements have been looking. There's your silver lining.

 

[erinna]

Last Jan, I was changing my carrel. The person in front of me at Runners' Relations was trying to show the person his Garmin to get a carrel change. Seriously. And was doing the "If I am nasty enough, you will give me what I want" tactic that I remember from my retail days. Held up the line and had the poor women he was yelling at shaking

No wonder they won't make changes at the expo any more.