Marathon Weekend 2020

[Barca33Runner]

This was the 10k in 2018. I don’t know if it changed for 2019, though.
View attachment 425671

That was essentially the 10k in 2019 as well. It has never materially changed since I’ve been running Dopey.

 

[JulieODC]

they will be fine, there's no minimum pace and they will get to meet characters along the way!

here in the UK we have weekly park runs and there is always kids around that age there and they're amazing

I’m excited to do my first Parkrun in september, when we visit for a wedding!! Such a great concept!

 

[rteetz]

This was the 10k in 2018. I don’t know if it changed for 2019, though.
View attachment 425671

I believe they added a little out and back in future world in 2019 but otherwise it wasn’t pretty much the same.

 

[lhermiston]

For the half? The half we entered Epcot behind imagination and then ran right out the front of the park. There was 0 world showcase time.

For the 10K. But it sounds like I was wrong about World Showcase time. I’ll happily retract my “sliver” remark!

 

[sullymom]

I had a lot of catching up to do, I hadn't been on in awhile due to being away with work. Finally caught up!
Little late but SAFD: Wall-E is my all time favourite and Who Framed Roger Rabbit was my favourite growing up and still holds a place in my heart.
Hoping to be able to join everyone for DATW, I'm not scheduled to fly out until the Tuesday.

 

[kilowan]

Looks like the 5k sold out again

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Has anyone run the 5K with a young kid, and if so, was it a good experience? We’ve started taking DS on the warmup portion of our runs and he’s really enjoying it. He also did a 3K kids race this summer.

I ran a local 5K with my 8 year old nephew a couple of months ago. My primary responsibility was to keep him from going too fast. His parents knew he could handle the distance, but didn't want him to try and sprint the entire thing, so I needed to make sure he maintained an appropriate pace. At this year's WDW 5K, I saw young kids who went too fast and were certainly feeling the effects of that early on in the course. A Disney CM went so far as to make sure the kids were okay, but the parent reassured the CM that the kids just needed to slow down.

My thoughts: He enjoyed it and I enjoyed spending one on one time with him. He wanted to stop a few times because he was tired, but I insisted that he keep going, although we slowed down more when he needed to. We wound up finishing in around 52 minutes, which placed him first in his age group, so he was smiling extra wide with his finishers medal and age group 1st place medal from that race. He still periodically brings his medals down to show me when I go over to visit.

Overall, it was most definitely a good experience.

Potential drawbacks:
-Course is pretty packed
-Character lines are long
-Wake up call is very early
-There is a lot of waiting around because of how early rD requests you be at the corrals
-Said waiting, weather, and running attire often don't mix well (it's been very cold multiple times in the last few years at Marathon Weekend and precipitation can be an issue as well)

I agree that anyone running a runDisney 5K with a child should take these factors into account before deciding. It can be a very enjoyable experience, but make sure you think about how your child will respond to these factors especially the ones that are not tied to the weather.

I guess I’m in the minority, but I loved the half marathon. The back half of the course was beautiful and peaceful.

Further cementing my dissenting status, I am less than enamored with the 10k route, but the boardwalk area in the dark is breathtaking as is even the sliver of World Showcase that we cover.

You raise a good point. I don't think the half course is bad. I just don't like it as much as the other half courses (2012 Wine & Dine, 2017-2018 Star Wars Dark Side) I have run. And while I had run through Disneyland many times before, I still really enjoyed getting to run through the Magic Kingdom for the first time during the 2019 half.

This is my recollection from 2014 and 2015 as well...it's probably my favorite RD course - something about running through World Showcase with the torches on and the illuminations music going is wonderful.

This to me is the single best reason to experience a runDisney 5K. I hope they keep the Illuminations music next year for the races because of the nostalgia.

 

[Andie16]

Thanks for all the feedback on kids running the 5K! My son is shaping up to be a pretty good distance runner, but I’m thinking that running in the dark surrounded by much taller people might be a bit too intimidating (I know they light the route, but I found the marathon pretty dark and remember one girl taking a spill tripping on the reflectors on the highway). The decision is out of my hands for now anyway as the 5K is sold out again. We are leaning toward waiting until 2021 when we can all register in our preferred races (and both my kids can do the kids mile run then, which is currently sold out).

I’m glad to hear that the half was a great experience for many of you! I’m sure if I do it, I’ll love it, but it would mean waiting even longer before I get to come back and run the full again, so it may not be worth it in this case.

 

[FFigawi]

Running into the Disney World toll booths is still a thrill for me...plus, now it's less crowded.

Caution runners, speed bumps ahead

 

[UNCBear24]

Hate to be 'that guy' but 5K is timed for Dopey. Having said that, I just looked at 2019 Dopey results and it looks like a bunch of people walked the 5K (presumably with somebody) then ran the rest of the races and had no problems getting the Dopey challenge medal.
There is one entry where the runner finished the 5K in over an hour (19:37 per mile pace). They then ran the 10K in 50 minutes, ran a 1:44 half and a 3:33 full!

So, I think you're safe, @Ponoche , walking the 5K with the others. Have a great time!!!

I walked the 5k (took over 60 minutes) with son during my first Dopey and ran the other 3. I received all 6 medals!!!

 

[UNCBear24]

Both courses have their proponents and both are still Disney races, but my feelings on the two can be summed up as:

• Marathon - My favorite course at Disney. Excited to be running it for my 5th consecutive year next Marathon Weekend!
• 1/2 Marathon - Least favorite Disney course, by far. Wouldn’t bother running it if it weren’t an integral part of the Goofy and Dopey Challenges.

This will be 5th consecutive Marathon Weekend full as well and 7th overall. I completely agree with your course assessments.

 

[StarGirl11]

Dropping in my two cents for the half. Honestly I'm middle of the road about it. Don't hate it but its not my favorite of the races either. The only part I really openly dislike is the section starting from around mile 10 to mile 11.5ish? The part where we start turning away from the long out and back to MK towards Epcot. I just dont like the 'rolling hill' thing its got going on. Botox shots for my migraines has me cranky and hurting at the moment so I'm not in a googling mood to find street names at the moment.

Honestly the turn down Main Street never gets old no matter what race you're doing. And this last year I finally got to hit it before sunrise thanks to the medical bump. A goal I spent years chasing. And yeah I think even though I've run down Main Street god knows how many times now this is still an accurate description on that feeling when turning down it:



(okay so technically this is from full morning, I don't have a similar photo from the half sadly because I can only imagine how my face looked Saturday morning because I know I was a wreck when I made the turn but you get the idea)

 

[WelshMorgan92]

I’m excited to do my first Parkrun in september, when we visit for a wedding!! Such a great concept!

you will love it, great atmosphere and even better because it's free! don't forget to register and print your barcode..

 

[WelshMorgan92]

you're all making me regret coming over from the UK for the half in January now haha

 

[MissLiss279]

you're all making me regret coming over from the UK for the half in January now haha

No regrets!! It’s still a fun race! Running through MK is awesome, and there are still lots of characters/entertainment on the course outside the parks.

 

[WelshMorgan92]

No regrets!! It’s still a fun race! Running through MK is awesome, and there are still lots of characters/entertainment on the course outside the parks.

thank you! is it a flat course? or should I not expect any PBs

 

[MissLiss279]

thank you! is it a flat course? or should I not expect any PBs

It’s pretty flat. There are one or two overpass bridges/ramps that you have to run up and back down, but that’s about it.
From my Garmin, there’s about a total of 25 ft gained and lost:

Notice that those spikes/dips are only about 5 or so feet, and that could all be Garmin error. The bridges/ramps do seem steep at the time. I do think you can shoot for a PB, if it’s not too crowded/bottlenecked and you run the tangents.

 

[garneska]

thank you! is it a flat course? or should I not expect any PBs

PB depends on tangents (i can't run them) and what coral you are in. Granted on coral if you are up near the front of your coral it will help but definitely being in A, B or C will help too. I have run PBs at Disney so it is possible, but if you are not feeling it that day I am not sure I would bother. It is crowded, you wake up extremely early, and you stand around a lot. That being said, I am going to try for a PB in the half, if I wake up and am feeling it that day.

 

[WelshMorgan92]

It’s pretty flat. There are one or two overpass bridges/ramps that you have to run up and back down, but that’s about it.
From my Garmin, there’s about a total of 25 ft gained and lost:
View attachment 425769
Notice that those spikes/dips are only about 5 or so feet, and that could all be Garmin error. The bridges/ramps do seem steep at the time. I do think you can shoot for a PB, if it’s not too crowded/bottlenecked and you run the tangents.

thank you, that looks doable great time btw!

 

[WelshMorgan92]

PB depends on tangents (i can't run them) and what coral you are in. Granted on coral if you are up near the front of your coral it will help but definitely being in A, B or C will help too. I have run PBs at Disney so it is possible, but if you are not feeling it that day I am not sure I would bother. It is crowded, you wake up extremely early, and you stand around a lot. That being said, I am going to try for a PB in the half, if I wake up and am feeling it that day.

the time and the weather could be my downfall