Marathon Weekend 2016

[Z-Knight]

So, sometimes when I need a distraction I decide to hunt for random information.

Wow, you are cool!!! How do you find this stuff! Thank you.

 

[SarahDisney]

I'm hoping something is posted soon because I'm very interested in seeing what changes will be made for the full.

Yeah, I really hope they do it soon. Not that I'm running the marathon, but I'm super curious what course changes you guys will see.

Wow, you are cool!!! How do you find this stuff! Thank you.

http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/search/
That's the official USATF certified course search. I usually search for either "Disney" or use Lake Buena Vista, FL as city & state (or Anaheim, CA for DL races)
They also have some expired courses and old races that are fun to look at if you're bored (and/or weird like me)

 

[rteetz]

Yeah, I really hope they do it soon. Not that I'm running the marathon, but I'm super curious what course changes you guys will see.



http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/search/
That's the official USATF certified course search. I usually search for either "Disney" or use Lake Buena Vista, FL as city & state (or Anaheim, CA for DL races)
They also have some expired courses and old races that are fun to look at if you're bored (and/or weird like me)

So were there any changes to the 5k or 10k? Just by looking at them without comparing them to last year it doesn't look much different.

 

[SarahDisney]

So were there any changes to the 5k or 10k? Just by looking at them without comparing them to last year it doesn't look much different.

I didn't see any changes, but I wasn't looking that closely. I'm guessing there have to be some changes if the course had to be re-certified.
If someone has time, they could probably pull up last year's certified courses and compare them. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow night and I'll report back if I see any differences.

 

[Barca33Runner]

So were there any changes to the 5k or 10k? Just by looking at them without comparing them to last year it doesn't look much different.

5K looks identical to last year. 10K is a little more difficult to judge because of the intermittent arrows rather than solid line tracing the course, but looks to be essentially the same course. Can't say I'm disappointed in them being the same either, it is very difficult in those two distances to hit much more of the parks than they do. 10K being an out an back to DHS would be cool, but I'm sure it's logistically much tougher and would feature some very narrow passages for that many runners. It works during the marathon because the runners aren't packed as densely after 23 miles, not sure it would work well for the 10K.

 

[SarahDisney]

I need to get a life. I found the difference.
Both races start in a slightly different place (like a few feet to the right of the old start line), and rather than going straight when you start, you go a little on a diagonal to the left.
That seems to be the only difference. I superimposed this year's courses over last year's and there were no other differences (although the 10K was a little harder to tell because of how it was drawn).

With this being the only difference ... I'm guessing we won't see marathon for a bit because the changes will be bigger. I'm thinking maybe early November, but that's just a guess.

 

[ANIM8R]

Anyone getting to sign up Boston this year? Registration opened yesterday and is still open for those with a BQ -20. I would like to say its a great accomplishment to BQ, but to do so by 20+ minutes below your required time is very impressive. If you have BQ'd

My best time last year qualifies for Boston....if I was 27 years older....and female.

Missed it by --->| |<---- that much.

I guess my goal for my next marathon will be running a qualifying for the 80 year old male group...and then work my way from there!

 

[SunDial]

For those that want to know about this year's marathon course

 

[sammykster]

Hello all! Like I have noticed with a lot of RunDisney fanatics I recently started as a non runner and got out of control really quickly. I have only done 15K and 10Ks so far but I'm currently signed up for the W&D, full and the new Star Wars Dark Side Challenge. (I'm crazy, don't bother asking.) This weekend is my first ever 1/2 marathon to use for the POT for the full! I'm really nervous but also excited. Any first timer tips to share? I'm not on par with most in this thread since my ultimate half goal at this time is under 3 hours but hoping to improve before the full! Fingers crossed

 

[Alicatt]

Hi, I just found out that I will need to bring my kids with me to cheer my husband on for the half. I know buses start running again at 7 and I'm trying to figure out where we should go to spectate. He runs about a 9 minute mile. I don't know what corral that would put that in or his start time but I think that he couldn't be done before 8. Can we spectate from Epcot without a park ticket? Thanks for the help. I'm really stressing all of this...

 

[Z-Knight]

He definitely could be done by 8:00...might be done even by 7:30. The reason is that he might be in the early corrals - I don't know how it works for the Disney Full weekend, but for the half marathon weekends his pace would have put him in A corral and hence he would start immediately at 5:30 am and finish 2 hours later at 7:30. With the bigger weekend he might be later, but 30 minutes later I doubt....so I'd say shoot for 7:30 as to when he'd be finishing.

 

[Alicatt]

Really? I'm surprised he'd be in A corral with a 9 minute mile. That's not slow but it's not really fast.

 

[Z-Knight]

well, I'm probably predicting wrong. In the past under 2 hours for the half marathons it seems the corral was A - and 9min pace is a 1:58 hr finish...but for the Marathon weekend those have more people so it could likely be shifted to a later corral, but I doubt 30 minutes later - I think the corrals go off every couple of minutes, someone will have to confirm this.

 

[Neoflynn]

My best time last year qualifies for Boston....if I was 27 years older....and female.

Missed it by --->| |<---- that much.

This is my new favorite post ever LOL

Any first timer tips to share? I'm not on par with most in this thread since my ultimate half goal at this time is under 3 hours but hoping to improve before the full! Fingers crossed

#1 Don't be nervous just do your best and enjoy every moment
#2 You are going to be hopped up on adrenaline at the start line try to run slower than you think you need to (if your race has pace groups use them to your advantage) so that you still have energy at the finish
#3 don't get caught up with what others are doing...run your own race
#4 When you finish show that bling off to everyone...be proud of your accomplishment and get ready for the next one

 

[Alicatt]

He's not exactly a 9 min mile, he's slightly more but I see your point. I guess I should just aim for the finish line and hope we make it...

 

[PrincessV]

A couple marathon questions - how does everyone carry their phone so that it's easily accessible for character photos on the course?

I use an armband, too, and find it works fine - for character stops, I always have time in line to pull it out of the armband and it's easy enough to stuff fit back in when I'm done. I pull it out before entering parks and just hold it in my hand to snap a few pics, then put it back when I exit.

Both races start in a slightly different place (like a few feet to the right of the old start line), and rather than going straight when you start, you go a little on a diagonal to the left..

I saw that, too - seems like an odd change, no?

Hi, I just found out that I will need to bring my kids with me to cheer my husband on for the half. I know buses start running again at 7 and I'm trying to figure out where we should go to spectate. He runs about a 9 minute mile. I don't know what corral that would put that in or his start time but I think that he couldn't be done before 8. Can we spectate from Epcot without a park ticket? Thanks for the help. I'm really stressing all of this...

That's going to be tough if you wait until 7 to head out. I think it's safe to assume he'll start between 5:30-5:45, so at a 9:00/mi pace he'll hit the MK about 6:15-6:30 and finish about 7:30-7:45. Traffic slows down by a lot during the race, so I wouldn't count on getting a 7am bus and making it in time. You can't spectate within EP as the park won't be open (and if it was, you'd need a ticket to enter.) But you can spectate in the parking lot, where runners enter EP for a quick loop before the finish back in another section of the lot.

 

[ANIM8R]

Hi, I just found out that I will need to bring my kids with me to cheer my husband on for the half. I know buses start running again at 7 and I'm trying to figure out where we should go to spectate. He runs about a 9 minute mile. I don't know what corral that would put that in or his start time but I think that he couldn't be done before 8. Can we spectate from Epcot without a park ticket? Thanks for the help. I'm really stressing all of this...

Has he run in that event (at WDW) before? I'm guessing not but that's the first question that comes to my mind.

Based on his pace, one possibility is the Epcot bus depot (no ticket needed). That's where the runners come in to Epcot.

Yes, you'll need a park pass if you want to spectate in Epcot. Which will be no prob if you have ParkHopper. If you don't have ParkHopper, then you're stuck at Epcot as your park for that day. I honestly can't remember if there were park visitors at that hour. I'm slower than your husband and I want to think that even at my speed, it was still before the park gates opened.

I've run it the past four years and my wife and I plan out meeting points (but with no children in the equation). Based on that...especially factoring in children...I'd highly recommend the finish line area (Epcot parking lot - no ticket needed). One, it's pretty high-energy. Two, you can sit and relax. Three, there's music entertainment and characters. Four, it's where the buses drop off and pick up...easier to manage with multiple people!

 

[Kathymford]

Is MK the only park that you don't need a ticket to spectate the marathoners? I do need to plan this out, but figured I would wait until the new course comes out.

#3 don't get caught up with what others are doing...run your own race

This totally happened to me and the DLH and I was prepared for it too. About a week after the race I was having such regrets, "I didn't leave it all out on the field." to use my favorite sports cliche ever. Good thing I'm already registered for two more!

 

[Neoflynn]

This totally happened to me and the DLH and I was prepared for it too. About a week after the race I was having such regrets, "I didn't leave it all out on the field." to use my favorite sports cliche ever. Good thing I'm already registered for two more!

running distance races is a very hard thing because its really easy to push yourself too hard and crash before the finish, Its a very fine line to find just the right amount of effort to allow you to feel like you did your best but not die before the finish and it takes a lot of practice to dial it in, I have ran 6 halfs already and I still feel like I don't quite have a handle on it yet my first 3 where awesome (new prs everytime) my last 3 have been just the opposite but I almost learn more about myself when I struggle than I do when it seems so easy

 

[Ariel484]

Is MK the only park that you don't need a ticket to spectate the marathoners? I do need to plan this out, but figured I would wait until the new course comes out.

I think so, because you'd be there before opening. The other parks would be open as usual, but like you said...could change with the new course.