Marathon traning while at WDW?

[wickey's friend]

My 19-year old will be training for a January marathon (not WDW I'm sorry to say) while we are there in mid-December. We're staying at AKL, but I'm trying to find where he can make his runs.

I've read where there are trails/track? around Coronado Springs, so I guess he could run from AKL to CS and then back. Of course, I worry about him running on Osceloa Pkwy to W Buena Vista to get to CS.

Can he run around DAK? From the map, there are roads all around, but I don't know if he would be able to have access to them.

Anyone have any suggestions? I know he could run on a treadmill at the AKL Zahanati Fitness Center, but he'd rather do road running.

Thanks!

 

[Pixiedust34]

My dh is an avid runner, and the trails at WDW are made more for casual joggers than serious runners. The roads are not runner friendly at all.

Dh did some running at Fort Wilderness, but that got old after a few days. He also did a few loops around POR and POFQ, but he didn't like running in circles. Your ds might want to give Fort Wilderness a try, as that was probably the place that my dh liked to use most often, though he did drive there to do his running. The roads on WDW property were not a good place to run.

We are wondering if Celebration would be a good place to run. Dh might give that a try the next time we go to WDW. Perhaps a local can point you to a park that has some good running areas.

 

[salmoneous]

I've done a ton of training runs on the WDW grounds - and while it isn't the friendliest place in the world to run, it possible. (note to PD34 - while I've never run in Celebration, I know a number of runners who recommend it.)

I'd be happy to recommend some runs, but a lot depends upon what he's looking for (long 20+ milers, or mid-distance), what he's willing to do, and if you have car access.

I'm more agressive than most about running on the "busy" roads in WDW. But even I would be a little careful about running Osceola Parkyway West of World Drive. My guess is he won't find it runnable and should plan on alternative.

Perhaps the best run in that "neighborhood" is around CSR, down the sidewalk to All-Star, around All-Stars and back. About 6-7 miles depending upon how you loop around All-Stars, and can easily be pumped up to 10-12 miles by running "inner" and "outer" loops of the resorts. You can find similar loop running around CBR, along the sidewalk to the Epcot Resort Loop, around and back. It's a little shorter, but again can be pumped up by running inner and outer loops of the resorts. Another good option is OWK -> DTD -> SSR and back.

Each of those loops will keep you mostly on sidewalk, and roads within a resort. Not too much traffic. Generally good running.

If you want to move beyond that, you tend to have to go out onto the Disney roads. There aren't sidewalks in most places. But if your son is a serious runner, I'm sure he's run along busier roads. And if he's out at the crack of dawn, he won't hit much traffic. However, some of the roads aren't runnable at all. World Drive is a limited access highway, and many of the smaller roards are cast-member only (such as Savanah - the road around DAK).

If he's willing to run golf courses, there are many great options. However, if Disney frowns on running roads, they really frown on running golf courses. Only recommended early in the morning during in the colder months.

 

[Simba's Mom]

My 19-year old will be training for a January marathon (not WDW I'm sorry to say) while we are there in mid-December. We're staying at AKL, but I'm trying to find where he can make his runs.

I've read where there are trails/track? around Coronado Springs, so I guess he could run from AKL to CS and then back. Of course, I worry about him running on Osceloa Pkwy to W Buena Vista to get to CS.

Can he run around DAK? From the map, there are roads all around, but I don't know if he would be able to have access to them.

Anyone have any suggestions? I know he could run on a treadmill at the AKL Zahanati Fitness Center, but he'd rather do road running.

Thanks!

Actually DH was in training for a marathon on our first trip, but that was long before AKL was even built. He ran on the trails at FW, and I remember there was one there with fitness stops also. Thinking about my last trip to AKL, I can't think of anywhere near there where he could run. If you have a car, FW doesn't have the most convenient parking, but OKW might. The resort has some roads that aren't main roads. That may be an option.

 

[wickey's friend]

Thanks, everbody! We won't have a car, so that sort of limits when/where he can run. He runs on roads I'd rather he didn't now, but then I'm a mom and would worry no matter what.

I appreciate all of your ideas. I'll print this out and let him see it. He's fairly new to marathon running, but his longest runs so far are about 16 miles.

Thanks again!