Marathon Weekend 2019

[amym2]

Since I’m new here I have lots of questions. If you have school aged kids, are they going?
Was your family there to chear you on during your first marathon?
Am I going to regret not taking my family?
At this point it’s just my friend and I going.
Last question, anyone fly home the day of the marathon?

We'll be there for our first half-marathon ("our" meaning our two high schoolers, my husband, and my daughter's friend; I will be spectating). It's our Christmas present as a family. I'm a teacher, so it's hard to miss school, but we're taking off Fri and Mon. Our kids wouldn't normally be willing to miss school, but they're both cross country and track runners for our high school and aren't allowed to do other races during the season... and it's Disney! Fortunately my principal is a DVC member with two kids, so he gets it!

 

[lhermiston]

Since I’m new here I have lots of questions. If you have school aged kids, are they going?
Was your family there to chear you on during your first marathon?
Am I going to regret not taking my family?
At this point it’s just my friend and I going.
Last question, anyone fly home the day of the marathon?

1. Yes
2. Sort of. The marathon (and all of the races) start very early in the morning, as in, 5:30. I didn’t want to spoil the day by having my then-2-year-old get up just to see me for a minute of a 4-plus hour race. My wife and daughter were at the finish area, though.
3. Maybe? It’s nice to have someone to share that experience with, but you said your friend was going, so I think you’ll be fine.
4. No, but I drove 4 hours the day after a marathon and it was not ideal.

Your mileage may vary on all of these. Personally, my family has missed most of my races and it doesn’t really bother me. Disney races are huge events with great spectators. I ran the marathon solo and had a great time.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Since I’m new here I have lots of questions. If you have school aged kids, are they going?
Was your family there to chear you on during your first marathon?
Am I going to regret not taking my family?
At this point it’s just my friend and I going.
Last question, anyone fly home the day of the marathon?

1. That depends on you. Finishing a race can be very emotional. You may want to have a family member there to share that with. I recently experienced a very special moment tied to a mission I served for my Church over 20 years ago. Since I'm single, I would normally be alone during the time that I found this news out, but as divine providence would have it, I with my sister and her family when I learned of it. I'm very glad that I had someone to hug when this news was announced even if my little nephew was a bit startled by an unexpected hug from his uncle. Obviously, my sister and her husband knew what this news meant to me, so it was great to be able to "share" that with them.

Finishing a race can be a very special moment especially your first of a particular distance. Your family will make sacrifices in order for this to happen.

2. Whatever you decide on taking family, make sure you clearly define reality and expectations. This means that they understand that you may want/need to go to bed early the night before any and all races. This also means that they understand that you may choose to spend less time in the parks before/after any and all races in order to recover. I know some people who strongly recommend that a runner get a separate room the night before a runDisney event in order to not impede family members from choosing to stay out beyond 7:00pm.

3. There are potentially very serious health consequences, including death, if one flies the same day as running a marathon. Flying out next day would be better.

 

[beltwaybarry]

Looking at videos of the new Toy Story Land, with the green army guys and everything else, I'm wondering if that could/will be part of a slightly re-routed marathon course.

 

[LSUlakes]

Looking at videos of the new Toy Story Land, with the green army guys and everything else, I'm wondering if that could/will be part of a slightly re-routed marathon course.

Not that runDisney wont put people on a narrow path, but the secondary entrance/exit does not seem to appear very wide at all. Maybe it is and it could work, and since this would be towards the end of the race the crowds should be a little more thinned out it, so maybe it could work. I also doubt though, that Disney wants to crowd its new land up with runners since it is towards the end of the race it would be a lot of traffic well into the morning. just my .02.

 

[Keels]

Since I’m new here I have lots of questions. If you have school aged kids, are they going?
Was your family there to chear you on during your first marathon?
Am I going to regret not taking my family?
At this point it’s just my friend and I going.
Last question, anyone fly home the day of the marathon?

1. Yes, my parents and Joe were there for my first marathon - along with friends from out-of-town that came to spectate and my BFF and another friend who ran with me.
2. Only you can really answer that. Joe wasn't out for this year's marathon (or any races, honestly), but I had so many friends spectating and running from here that it didn't really matter. It was my third Dopey, though, so the novelty had definitely worn off.
3. Is your friend going to be running as well? That definitely makes a difference.
4. I don't, but plenty of people do!

 

[overstreetprncss]

Can't wait for Marathon weekend 2019! DH will be taking on the Dopey Challenge and I'll be running the Half. Then we're hopping on the Dream to complete the Castaway Cay Challenge!

 

[rteetz]

Looking at videos of the new Toy Story Land, with the green army guys and everything else, I'm wondering if that could/will be part of a slightly re-routed marathon course.

With Star Wars construction still ongoing I am not sure how they would do that. There is currently only one way in and out of Toy Story Land. The other way in and out they could open up but again you're running into a construction area for Star Wars.

 

[Keels]

With Star Wars construction still ongoing I am not sure how they would do that. There is currently only one way in and out of Toy Story Land. The other way in and out they could open up but again you're running into a construction area for Star Wars.

Yeah, there's no way especially because the park will be open. Star Wars/Wine & Dine have a shot, though.

 

[rteetz]

Yeah, there's no way especially because the park will be open. Star Wars/Wine & Dine have a shot, though.

Yeah exactly, just like Pandora is only for those two races since you are through there before the park opens.

 

[jhoannam]

1. That depends on you. Finishing a race can be very emotional. You may want to have a family member there to share that with. I recently experienced a very special moment tied to a mission I served for my Church over 20 years ago. Since I'm single, I would normally be alone during the time that I found this news out, but as divine providence would have it, I with my sister and her family when I learned of it. I'm very glad that I had someone to hug when this news was announced even if my little nephew was a bit startled by an unexpected hug from his uncle. Obviously, my sister and her husband knew what this news meant to me, so it was great to be able to "share" that with them.

Finishing a race can be a very special moment especially your first of a particular distance. Your family will make sacrifices in order for this to happen.

2. Whatever you decide on taking family, make sure you clearly define reality and expectations. This means that they understand that you may want/need to go to bed early the night before any and all races. This also means that they understand that you may choose to spend less time in the parks before/after any and all races in order to recover. I know some people who strongly recommend that a runner get a separate room the night before a runDisney event in order to not impede family members from choosing to stay out beyond 7:00pm.

3. There are potentially very serious health consequences, including death, if one flies the same day as running a marathon. Flying out next day would be better.

I would love to have them at the finish line, but not being able to enjoy the park with them would be a bummer.

And I think I will fly out the next day, being able to nap after the race would be awesome.

Thanks

 

[FFigawi]

I would love to have them at the finish line, but not being able to enjoy the park with them would be a bummer.

And I think I will fly out the next day, being able to drink after the race would be awesome.

Thanks

Fixed it for you

 

[jhoannam]

Fixed it for you

Yes, that too!

 

[Simba's Girl]

Since I’m new here I have lots of questions. If you have school aged kids, are they going?
Was your family there to chear you on during your first marathon?
Am I going to regret not taking my family?
At this point it’s just my friend and I going.
Last question, anyone fly home the day of the marathon?

1. This will be my 1st marathon but DH's first was this year. Me and 2/3 DDs spectated at AK and outside BC(where we were staying I even beer'd him!). I did the 10K this year with DD3 and DH spectated outside of BC. This year DH will be running the M with me as part of Dopey and I doubt the children we're bringing will be awake when we run by the Contemporary/MK-though it's possible we'll see them at the finish/Epcot.
2. IDK...sometimes family can be overbearing.
3. Yes we take our kids out of school. DD3 runs the 10K (she's not old enough for the 1/2...yet) and DD2 loves Disney and keeps her grades up. They'll be in 6th and 10th grades this coming school year. DD1 is starting college and staying home with the dogs/chickens. We DID take her out of school her senior year and it went fine. Although I'd love to take her with us, she's getting plenty of help with college financing and needs to work if she can. Because DD1 will be home, we can/will keep any DD home that isn't performing well enough in school.
4. Wouldn't even consider flying home same day of a M

 

[Princess_Nikki]

Since I’m new here I have lots of questions. If you have school aged kids, are they going?
Was your family there to chear you on during your first marathon?
Am I going to regret not taking my family?
At this point it’s just my friend and I going.
Last question, anyone fly home the day of the marathon?

Well, I do have school aged kids but this year I’m home schooling them. It’s literally just me and my two boys who live in Orlando so I’m trying to figure this one out. May see if I can recruit my baby sitter to meet me at the end of the race with the boys if I do the 10K. OR have us all 3 do the 5K together.

Mmmm...maybe. But it’s not a bad time to do a solo trip. You have to get up sooo early for the races and they can be long days. Last race I did (Princess), my boys were with their Dad and it was nice to just do me and not worry about anyone else!

 

[Princess_Nikki]

Is anyone just doing the 10K?

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Is anyone just doing the 10K?

Possibly me depending On how much my fence costs me

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I would love to have them at the finish line, but not being able to enjoy the park with them would be a bummer.

And I think I will fly out the next day, being able to nap after the race would be awesome.

Thanks

It is possible to both have your family spectate during the race and greet you in the family reunion area afterwards and enjoy the parks with them before and/or after the race. Just remember to clearly define expectations before the trip and make sure that everyone understands that. You may have to take it easier in the parks than them. Maybe this involves sitting on a bench and resting while they stand in line for a ride. Perhaps it involves doing more shows than normal in order to minimize time on your feet before the race. It may well involve you going to bed early the night before the race while they stay out and play. My mom came down to watch me run a couple of races in Disneyland. She understood that I would be going to bed very early the night before the races and needed a quiet dark room in order to get the rest I wanted before a race. Having run many races by myself and thus relying on either self motivation or the kindness of spectators cheering for everyone, it is really nice to have family there to celebrate with. My mom spectated during the 2015 Star Wars 10K and Half at Disneyland. My little sister spectated during the 2017 Star Wars 10K at Disneyland. It is really fun to see family members there knowing they're cheering especially for you. If this is a special race for you going in, do not be afraid to miss out on the experience of sharing that with your family. Just set reasonable expectations beforehand.

I would also recommend clearly defining expectations with your friend. I have run 5 races now with my little sister. Or more accurately, we have ran in the same race 5 times. We have never run together because we run at different speeds and do not want to impact the experience the other runner wants to have. If we had run together, both of us probably would have had very different experiences. I stopped for a whole lot of pictures during the all 3 races. My sister stopped for 2. In the end, we both enjoyed the races equally, but on our own terms. While it would have been fun to have a picture with me and her with the Ewoks since I gave her the first plush Ewok that became her very favorite plush toy in the entire history of toys, we both had better experiences doing our own race as it were. And we did get a photo together after the race with Darth Vader.

If you and your friend are on the same page, then great. Enjoy it. Just make sure going in that you both know what each other wants out of the race. You don't want one person to have dreams of setting a personal record and the other one hoping to stop for as many character photos as possible running together if those 2 goals are very incompatible.

 

[JulieODC]

Is anyone just doing the 10K?

Me!!

I’m recovering from Lyme disease and don’t want to commit to the half yet. If I really start to feel better and there’s still half bibs, I miiiight consider it. But, I’d also be doing it as a long weekend trip with the fam, to “just” the 10k would leave us more park time.

 

[JBinORL]

It is possible to both have your family spectate during the race and greet you in the family reunion area afterwards and enjoy the parks with them before and/or after the race. Just remember to clearly define expectations before the trip and make sure that everyone understands that. You may have to take it easier in the parks than them. Maybe this involves sitting on a bench and resting while they stand in line for a ride. Perhaps it involves doing more shows than normal in order to minimize time on your feet before the race. It may well involve you going to bed early the night before the race while they stay out and play. My mom came down to watch me run a couple of races in Disneyland. She understood that I would be going to bed very early the night before the races and needed a quiet dark room in order to get the rest I wanted before a race. Having run many races by myself and thus relying on either self motivation or the kindness of spectators cheering for everyone, it is really nice to have family there to celebrate with. My mom spectated during the 2015 Star Wars 10K and Half at Disneyland. My little sister spectated during the 2017 Star Wars 10K at Disneyland. It is really fun to see family members there knowing they're cheering especially for you. If this is a special race for you going in, do not be afraid to miss out on the experience of sharing that with your family. Just set reasonable expectations beforehand.

I would also recommend clearly defining expectations with your friend. I have run 5 races now with my little sister. Or more accurately, we have ran in the same race 5 times. We have never run together because we run at different speeds and do not want to impact the experience the other runner wants to have. If we had run together, both of us probably would have had very different experiences. I stopped for a whole lot of pictures during the all 3 races. My sister stopped for 2. In the end, we both enjoyed the races equally, but on our own terms. While it would have been fun to have a picture with me and her with the Ewoks since I gave her the first plush Ewok that became her very favorite plush toy in the entire history of toys, we both had better experiences doing our own race as it were. And we did get a photo together after the race with Darth Vader.

If you and your friend are on the same page, then great. Enjoy it. Just make sure going in that you both know what each other wants out of the race. You don't want one person to have dreams of setting a personal record and the other one hoping to stop for as many character photos as possible running together if those 2 goals are very incompatible.

Yup, we are going through this with W&D this year. My wife and I are runners, my mom and sister are not. They're coming to do the 5k with us and then watch the half. We've had to set the expectation that on Saturday, we likely will head back very early to go to bed, and that they don't need to wake up when we do and can just catch a bus to the finish area. Additionally, my wife and I start races together, but don't actually run together. We did for Dopey, as we knew we would need each other's support to finish.