Marathon Weekend 2017!

[rteetz]

WDW Marathon vets, what is your favorite moment of the marathon? First-timers, what are you looking forward to the most about your first marathon?

Great idea!

I am a marathon first timer. I am looking forward to finishing my first marathon and celebrating in the most magical place on earth. I did love running through MK during the half last year just before the sun came up and the castle lights were still on. I look forward to that again as well and running through DHS and AK during the full.

 

[Ariel484]

WDW Marathon vets, what is your favorite moment of the marathon? First-timers, what are you looking forward to the most about your first marathon?

As a first-timer, I am most looking forward to running through the Magic Kingdom at dawn.

Current course: the last 6.2 miles. WWoS is done and all that's left is Hollywood Studios, Epcot resort area and Epcot. WWoS is the biggest challenge for me, so once I'm out of there I know I'm home free and that the rest of the course is fun, even if there's a giant bottleneck in between DHS and Epcot.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Favorite part is the character stops/photos. We don't do many characters in the parks any more, so this is my only chance to cheese it up with the characters.

 

[baxter24]

WDW Marathon vets, what is your favorite moment of the marathon? First-timers, what are you looking forward to the most about your first marathon?

First timer here! In no particular order, looking forward to running through the castle with the lights, the last mile through world showcase, and of course finishing (preferably in the upright position)!

 

[croach]

25 weeks everyone!

WDW Marathon vets, what is your favorite moment of the marathon? First-timers, what are you looking forward to the most about your first marathon?

Tough one to narrow down but I'll say running up Main Street because there's a large crowd cheering you and the castle is lit up. Always pretty cool. The gospel choir is a close second though because you know it's almost over that point.

 

[jhorstma]

25 weeks everyone!

...
WDW Marathon vets, what is your favorite moment of the marathon? First-timers, what are you looking forward to the most about your first marathon?

As a first-timer, I am most looking forward to running through the Magic Kingdom at dawn.

This is my 2nd marathon - last January (my first!) my favorite moment was stopping and enjoying the choir next to Spaceship Earth and the 26 mile marker before rounding the last curve and sprinting to my family at the finish. It got a little dusty...

MK at dawn is awesome, but if you want to arrive pre-dawn and see it lit up you'll need to enter a POT and not be in one of the last corrals - I didn't get a POT in time last fall and ended up in corral "O", and as a result didn't really get to see MK under the lights (see my profile pic). Main Street USA and Cinderella's Castle were still awesome though!

 

[Barca33Runner]

25 weeks everyone!

I honor of this little milestone (really, last week would've been better, but I just thought of this - so back off ) I figured I'd include you all in a little game I play with my kids called Sundays are for Disney. Each Sunday, I ask my girls a different question about the WDW - What is your favorite park/ride/restaurant? What would you do with one day and a park hopper? Etc. It's a nice way to just think about the parks and engage with my girls.

Anyway, anyone that is willing can now participate in Sundays are for Disney - Disboards Edition! I'll try to throw a question in with the weekly countdown, you all can answer and maybe we'll have a lively discussion. (Or maybe you'll all think it's lame and not participate. In that case, thank you for preparing me for teenagers!)

So, here goes:

WDW Marathon vets, what is your favorite moment of the marathon? First-timers, what are you looking forward to the most about your first marathon?

As a first-timer, I am most looking forward to running through the Magic Kingdom at dawn.

My favorite moment is entering the backlot of HS all the way to the finish. I'm sure there's an actual name for it, but running through the "costume tunnel" on the way into HS is the point where it starts to become a celebration for me. There is still a tough little highway stretch with a couple of exit ramps after exiting WWOS, so I can't totally concur with @Ariel484.

The whole thing is pretty awesome though. 2017 will be my fourth marathon and it still surprises me how many emotions I feel during the race and how quickly I get excited to run it again.

 

[lhermiston]

Current course: the last 6.2 miles. WWoS is done and all that's left is Hollywood Studios, Epcot resort area and Epcot. WWoS is the biggest challenge for me, so once I'm out of there I know I'm home free and that the rest of the course is fun, even if there's a giant bottleneck in between DHS and Epcot.

What do you like so much about the last 6.2 miles? Is it just knowing it's the end or is there something special for you about that stretch?

 

[lhermiston]

This is my 2nd marathon - last January (my first!) my favorite moment was stopping and enjoying the choir next to Spaceship Earth and the 26 mile marker before rounding the last curve and sprinting to my family at the finish. It got a little dusty...

MK at dawn is awesome, but if you want to arrive pre-dawn and see it lit up you'll need to enter a POT and not be in one of the last corrals - I didn't get a POT in time last fall and ended up in corral "O", and as a result didn't really get to see MK under the lights (see my profile pic). Main Street USA and Cinderella's Castle were still awesome though!

I just heard about the choir a few weeks ago for the first time. Sounds amazing, but I hope I don't get too emotional during that final stretch. Might be impossible, thinking about the hours put in, the rain, snow and sweat, my daughters at home...

 

[Ariel484]

What do you like so much about the last 6.2 miles? Is it just knowing it's the end or is there something special for you about that stretch?

Mostly that it's 2 parks after a long period with no parks. Crossing the 20-mile mark is a huge mental relief for me, too.

 

[jhorstma]

I just heard about the choir a few weeks ago for the first time. Sounds amazing, but I hope I don't get too emotional during that final stretch. Might be impossible, thinking about the hours put in, the rain, snow and sweat, my daughters at home...

For me, while listening to the choir (I was in no rush - I was comfortably ahead of the balloon ladies, even after riding Everest at the halfway point, and by definition was setting a PR so the final time was irrelevant at that point) I made the mistake of reflecting back a few hours to me standing apprehensively a half mile from the start in the eerie pre-dawn darkness, wondering what in blazes I was doing there - the enormity of it all hit me right in the feels...

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

This will be my first marathon and I'm mostly looking forward to seeing DH and the kids at the finish line. I can't wait to show my kids if you put your mind to something and work hard you can do anything, even if others tell you you can't.

 

[lhermiston]

For me, while listening to the choir (I was in no rush - I was comfortably ahead of the balloon ladies, even after riding Everest at the halfway point, and by definition was setting a PR so the final time was irrelevant at that point) I made the mistake of reflecting back a few hours to me standing apprehensively a half mile from the start in the eerie pre-dawn darkness, wondering what in blazes I was doing there - the enormity of it all hit me right in the feels...

It's a huge personal accomplishment. I can only imagine how I'll feel when I see that finish line.

 

[JClimacus]

Tough one to narrow down but I'll say running up Main Street because there's a large crowd cheering you and the castle is lit up. Always pretty cool. The gospel choir is a close second though because you know it's almost over that point.

Yes, the run up Main St. USA is the highlight. Never gets old... but that doesn't mean the rest of the course is a letdown!

 

[camaker]

25 weeks everyone!

I honor of this little milestone (really, last week would've been better, but I just thought of this - so back off ) I figured I'd include you all in a little game I play with my kids called Sundays are for Disney. Each Sunday, I ask my girls a different question about the WDW - What is your favorite park/ride/restaurant? What would you do with one day and a park hopper? Etc. It's a nice way to just think about the parks and engage with my girls.

Anyway, anyone that is willing can now participate in Sundays are for Disney - Disboards Edition! I'll try to throw a question in with the weekly countdown, you all can answer and maybe we'll have a lively discussion. (Or maybe you'll all think it's lame and not participate. In that case, thank you for preparing me for teenagers!)

So, here goes:

WDW Marathon vets, what is your favorite moment of the marathon? First-timers, what are you looking forward to the most about your first marathon?

As a first-timer, I am most looking forward to running through the Magic Kingdom at dawn.

I'd have to go with the stretch from the HS exit to the finish. The crowd support is huge through that portion of the race and the weight of the distance seems to be lifted off your shoulders as you know you've made it at that point. I love running through the castle, but since I ran Goofy I'd done that the day before and my legs were still unhappy with me at that point of the marathon. Kind of took a bit of good off the experience the 2nd time around.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Great idea @lhermiston!

My favorite moments are those spent running down Main Street under the lights of the castle and of course the finish. The first time I finished the race I openly wept. It was my first marathon and a goal a year in the making so was a hugely significant moment for me.

 

[sammykster]

25 weeks everyone!

I honor of this little milestone (really, last week would've been better, but I just thought of this - so back off ) I figured I'd include you all in a little game I play with my kids called Sundays are for Disney. Each Sunday, I ask my girls a different question about the WDW - What is your favorite park/ride/restaurant? What would you do with one day and a park hopper? Etc. It's a nice way to just think about the parks and engage with my girls.

Anyway, anyone that is willing can now participate in Sundays are for Disney - Disboards Edition! I'll try to throw a question in with the weekly countdown, you all can answer and maybe we'll have a lively discussion. (Or maybe you'll all think it's lame and not participate. In that case, thank you for preparing me for teenagers!)

So, here goes:

WDW Marathon vets, what is your favorite moment of the marathon? First-timers, what are you looking forward to the most about your first marathon?

As a first-timer, I am most looking forward to running through the Magic Kingdom at dawn.

Fun idea! I'm a 1 year vet and my favorite part was running down Main Street towards the castle. The tree was still up this year which was pretty and there is just so much excitement there. I also love everything after 20 miles. I had my not so quiet emotional meltdown at 20 and then quickly realized I just had a short way to go to actually finish a marathon so I just really enjoyed the last push!

 

[Barca33Runner]

Great idea @lhermiston!

My favorite moments are those spent running down Main Street under the lights of the castle and of course the finish. The first time I finished the race I openly wept. It was my first marathon and a goal a year in the making so was a hugely significant moment for me.

It's hard to imagine someone not getting a little misty while finishing a first marathon. It's a tremendous achievement and it's doubly tough when you see so many people around you getting emotional as well. My first marathon I was crying after passing the Choir partially because the enormity of the moment caught me and partially because I knew I was going to be able to sit down in a few minutes. I spent almost the entire second half of the race thinking about how awesome it was going to be to sit down. Unfortunately, I never considered the standing back up part of that equation; but I was able to make it through. I don't think I really savored the moment as much as I should have because I was so determined to get back to my resort so I could rest. I now know all of the flaws in that thinking, but it certainly felt like the thing to do at the time

 

[lhermiston]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who will be getting emotional. It's a big flipping deal! All that hard work over the course of weeks and months, all for that moment when you cross the finish line.

 

[ZellyB]

Man, that's hard to pick a favorite. Like others, I'd say that run down Main Street toward the castle is pretty incredible. I do love the Boardwalk too though. The crowd support there is amazing and you know how close you are getting.