Marathon Weekend 2017!

[Keels]

I generally like chocolate (as most people do) and I'm glad they were cold (I didn't have any and made a poor assumption after seeing melted miniatures on the ground in past years), chocolate just holds no appeal to me at that point in time. I'm sure for most people they were a nice change of pace from bananas, gels and gummies.

I hate bananas, but that Mile 19 banana was deee-lish-us. I was really holding out for the chocolate and it satisfied all of my hopes and dreams at that moment.

 

[Aimros]

The gummies were either in 2014 or 2015,the other years they had the Hersheys miniatures and this year I think they had Dove chocolates.For whatever reason I usually prefer gummy candy to chocolates but at that point in the marathon I was all over the chocolates and the year they had the gummy fruit snacks they barely had any appeal,probably from over consumption of Gu chews I brought with me on the race.One thing where I have changed in the last year or two is I am totally off gels,its getting rare to see races that give out chews instead of gels on the course.

The best peppermint patty I ever ate was at mile 21 of a marathon. I don't know if anything will ever taste as good (and I can probably count on one hand the total number of peppermint pattys I've eaten in my whole life!).

But I agree with PPs - melted chocolates at DHS are not appealing after running 20+ miles.

 

[camaker]

I hate bananas, but that Mile 19 banana was deee-lish-us. I was really holding out for the chocolate and it satisfied all of my hopes and dreams at that moment.

Not a huge banana fan myself, but I got one from each station they were available. I am well versed in the mantra "nothing new on race day", but at the WDW Marathon, my first, that totally went out the window. I was grabbing gels (I use chews), drinking Powerade (only water normally) and anything else that was being handed out to keep going. As far as the bananas go, is there anything more dangerously cliched than handing out bananas by the case, with their resultant peels on a course with thousands of runners!

 

[Disneyland_emily]

I think now that the 'crazy sell out' hours seem to be over- i could see TAs finding it less lucritive to play the run- dis game.. I think the insane # of charities n travel agents was just to get a slice of the sold out action but when things arnt selling out ..

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I think now that the 'crazy sell out' hours seem to be over- i could see TAs finding it less lucritive to play the run- dis game.. I think the insane # of charities n travel agents was just to get a slice of the sold out action but when things arnt selling out ..

I heard that a bunch of TAs were stuck with marathon bibs for the 2015 race.

 

[Dis5150]

At my last half someone was passing out Tootsie Rolls and handed me a bunch. I put them in my pocket and ate one - WORST decision ever!! I don't carry water and the next water stop was 2 miles and I thought I was going to choke on the dumb thing. They kinda suck all the moisture out of your mouth. Now the mini Twix at mile 12 was awesome!

 

[Dis5150]

My DD26 and I talked and due to her finances we decided to change our plans from AKV to Pop. Except that I found out I am getting my yearly bonus in June so I am going to book (and pay for the points) for our AKV stay and surprise her when we get there. What is the chance I can keep it a secret until January when our MDE accounts are linked lol? She may just get the surprise in June when she sees it!

 

[PrincessV]

I generally like chocolate (as most people do) and I'm glad they were cold (I didn't have any and made a poor assumption after seeing melted miniatures on the ground in past years), chocolate just holds no appeal to me at that point in time. I'm sure for most people they were a nice change of pace from bananas, gels and gummies.

I had NO interest in chocolates, either. Which is odd, really, since at least 2 of the Clif Shots I brought and used were chocolate flavor, lol!

 

[jkramer]

What's the best place to stay for a runner and a spectator as far as transportation options? Poly? An Epcot resort?

 

[jAcKs_x0]

What's the best place to stay for a runner and a spectator as far as transportation options? Poly? An Epcot resort?

For the 2016 marathon weekend we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside. I felt it was the best location because we were so incredibly close to the starting line. I was on either the first or second bus out and it took us only 10 minutes to get there. Maybe less to get back after the race was over! Plus the huge food court is nice, something the deluxe resorts don't have!

 

[UNCBear24]

With the construction at Hollywood Studios, will the marathon course be changing for 2017?

 

[goingthedistance]

With the construction at Hollywood Studios, will the marathon course be changing for 2017?

It will have to change. The Streets of America are no more. I doubt we see the new course until mid-December at the earliest.

 

[croach]

What's the best place to stay for a runner and a spectator as far as transportation options? Poly? An Epcot resort?

You'll probably get a lot of different answers to this bc everyone had different preferences and each resort has pro and cons. I like staying at the Poly bc I can walk to the TTC and go straight to Epcot but obviously it's more expensive. But since I'm doing Dopey this year I might try driving some since from what I hear the monorail doesn't run for the 5k/10k.

 

[rteetz]

What's the best place to stay for a runner and a spectator as far as transportation options? Poly? An Epcot resort?

I stayed at POR in 2015 and that was great. This year I stayed at Beach Club and loved that. For pretty much every race except the 5k you can walk back to your resort through Epcot as long as have a park ticket. I didn't actually do it but I saw a lot of people doing it. All resorts have race weekend transportation and for the most part it works well.

 

[rteetz]

With the construction at Hollywood Studios, will the marathon course be changing for 2017?

Yes it has to. The backlot area is gone.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

It will have to change. The Streets of America are no more. I doubt we see the new course until mid-December at the earliest.

It will be interesting, they could do the reverse of the Star Wars route but that will be tough with all the guests in the park at the time. Or would have to loop around the exterior service road and come in the park over by Star Tours.

 

[dburg30]

Wow.. didnt even think about the construction. Maybe they will have a path cut out for us.. Like we are going thru the rubble of a crashed star destroyer or something hahaha.. One can dream

 

[suppinfalls]

What's the best place to stay for a runner and a spectator as far as transportation options? Poly? An Epcot resort?

My wife wished we would have stayed at one of the monorail resorts for the marathon. This would have made it easy for her to get to the Magic Kingdom to see me run through there, return to the hotel to sleep, then catch the monorail back to Epcot for the finish. We stayed at Saratoga Springs, which made it too time-consuming for her to go back to the room before I got to the finish line.

 

[alexksmith]

My wife wished we would have stayed at one of the monorail resorts for the marathon. This would have made it easy for her to get to the Magic Kingdom to see me run through there, return to the hotel to sleep, then catch the monorail back to Epcot for the finish. We stayed at Saratoga Springs, which made it too time-consuming for her to go back to the room before I got to the finish line.

Uh oh, I'll be staying at saratoga springs this time. Other than that issue was it ok for the marathon weekend? In regards to transportation for the runners that is.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

My wife wished we would have stayed at one of the monorail resorts for the marathon. This would have made it easy for her to get to the Magic Kingdom to see me run through there, return to the hotel to sleep, then catch the monorail back to Epcot for the finish. We stayed at Saratoga Springs, which made it too time-consuming for her to go back to the room before I got to the finish line.

Stayed at monorail resorts (Contemporary and GF) in earlier years when the marathon passed those further in the race. Was convenient for family to come out and watch but was quite a trip to and from start especially with the change at TTC. With passing there earlier now we moved to BW hotels where they can sleep in to a decent hour, see me at mile 25, and a short bus ride to/from hotel to start/finish.