Marathon Weekend 2022

[StarGirl11]

Are the sweepers at the end of the pack or are they spaced to grab runners from different corrals?

End of the pack. Haivng them in the middle defeats the purpose of having the 16 min/mile start from the last runner.

You can also put distance in front of them if you get caught by them. Unless your at like a designated point your not getting put right on the Parade Bus.

Also just in general reminder they can't and won't enforce the 16 min/mile as a berometer for whether you get challenge medals. If you finish your getting the medals. There are disabled challenge racers who if they enforced the rule would not be able to complete the challenges.

And having dealt with rD this week. They are extremely friendly towards their disabled athletes. And want to give them every chance to finish as possible. So yeah not a thing.

 

[StarGirl11]

Since we are talking pace requirements and sweepers (and thanks for the reality check on photo stops for a 13mm pace. Ugh!)

so as long as you *start* the race you get your medal? If the sweep busses grab you, they take You to the finish and you get your medal?

but challenge medals (goofy/dopey) you have to finish, AND be under the time requirement? Like...will they check your bib number to make sure you ran it fast enough?
Or will they just be like “yep, you finished/didn’t get swept here’s your medal?”

See my other post.

Disabled athletes are a thing. I have a friend who did an 8 hr marathon for Dopey. I've done it it in 8 myself one year. (thanks disability).

As long as you stay ahead of the balloons and sweep points cut off. You'll get all the medals.

OP this isn't really directed at you. But I really emplore the board to remeber that disabled athletes are a thing. And we don't just exist as inspiration for other runners. And we have an early start for a reason.

 

[camaker]

Since we are talking pace requirements and sweepers (and thanks for the reality check on photo stops for a 13mm pace. Ugh!)

so as long as you *start* the race you get your medal? If the sweep busses grab you, they take You to the finish and you get your medal?

but challenge medals (goofy/dopey) you have to finish, AND be under the time requirement? Like...will they check your bib number to make sure you ran it fast enough?
Or will they just be like “yep, you finished/didn’t get swept here’s your medal?”

Cross the finish line for all races and you get your challenge medal(s). They don’t care about the time as long as you don’t get swept.

 

[GreatLakes]

Well, we have had a change of MW plans. My wife tested positive for COVID-19 which means basically my son is home for all of December. We decided that the family trip for MW is off. As of now as long as I don't end up catching it I will be doing a solo long weekend trip down. I was hoping the Swan, Dolphin, or Swan Reserve would be open but no luck so a rental car and off property it is.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

Glad your toe is better. It definitely feels like kids and pets are always out to get us! My cats love to walk and then suddenly stop right in front of your feet so you trip over them while they howl like you just tried to murder them.

My cat stops in front of me on the stairs. I’ve learned to let her go ahead of my by a distance so I have reaction time built in!

 

[matt and beth]

End of the pack. Haivng them in the middle defeats the purpose of having the 16 min/mile start from the last runner.

You can also put distance in front of them if you get caught by them. Unless your at like a designated point your not getting put right on the Parade Bus.

Also just in general reminder they can't and won't enforce the 16 min/mile as a berometer for whether you get challenge medals. If you finish your getting the medals. There are disabled challenge racers who if they enforced the rule would not be able to complete the challenges.

And having dealt with rD this week. They are extremely friendly towards their disabled athletes. And want to give them every chance to finish as possible. So yeah not a thing.

Thank you. Daughter wants lots of photo stops this upcoming Dopey run. Based on a couple prior comments I was a little nervous about middle of the pack sweepers based on corrals. We were hoping for a fun race

 

[StarGirl11]

Thank you. Daughter wants lots of photo stops this upcoming Dopey run. Based on a couple prior comments I was a little nervous about middle of the pack sweepers based on corrals. We were hoping for a fun race

Yeah that's never has and will be a thing. As long as your aware of where you are in relation to the ballooons your fine. And if you get within a 'mile' of where they are they've had people calling out how far ahead of the balloons you are.

Like I said disabled athletes are a thing. And a lot of the abled bodied running community likes to remember that we're here and we have an impact on how Disney does things including sweeps. Until its absolutely the most convenient to remeber we're around.

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

Cross the finish line for all races and you get your challenge medal(s). They don’t care about the time as long as you don’t get swept.

I can personally attest to this! With long waits in character lines, we've finished races with paces over 20 min/mi. Still got our challenge medals. We usually start in the 2nd or 3rd corral which helps make multiple long stops possible.

 

[Bree]

I was poking around this morning and a few onsite rooms are starting to pop up. It was mostly DVC at rack rate, but I saw all star movies with rack, FLR & AP rates.

 

[Herding_Cats]

I was poking around this morning and a few onsite rooms are starting to pop up. It was mostly DVC at rack rate, but I saw all star movies with rack, FLR & AP rates.

That 30-day package payment window is starting to hit. That's good news for people who were still trying to adjust their reservations!

 

[SheHulk]

That 30-day package payment window is starting to hit. That's good news for people who were still trying to adjust their reservations!

oh yeah thanks for that reminder!

 

[ZellyB]

One other thing that can be helpful if you are concerned about getting swept is to set up to track one of the balloon ladies during the race. That way you'll get notifications throughout the race to your phone that lets you know when they pass the designated markers and you'll know how much time you have ahead of them. I don't recall any of their names off hand, but you can typically find them through some online searches/groups.

 

[ZellyB]

So another question from someone who is new to being a spectator... We are staying at Shades of Green. Half-marathon day we are just going to say on the Shades of Green side of Floridian Way and cheer our runners when they pass us there and then go back to the hotel to relax until they finish and get back. On Marathon day, I'm thinking we get up early enough to get across Floridian Way before the first runners appear there upon leaving MK (paging @DopeyBadger - what time will that be approximately assuming no major changes to the route?). Then we walk on over to T&T and catch the monorail to Epcot to watch the rest of the race from the finish line bleachers until our runners finish. So, my question is, do the monorails stay running the entire morning from the time they start up (3 AMish?) to transport runners or do they shut back down for awhile? I feel like they keep running because I remember seeing them go past us as we were running toward MK in the early morning hours, but thought I should confirm that.

Also, is there food handy that we can buy to munch on while we are watching at the finish line? If not, we can just bring snacks with us? I can't really remember the layout from the finishers bleachers to the finish staging area where there is some food (and beer!) to buy.

 

[DopeyBadger]

So, my question is, do the monorails stay running the entire morning from the time they start up (3 AMish?) to transport runners or do they shut back down for awhile? I feel like they keep running because I remember seeing them go past us as we were running toward MK in the early morning hours, but thought I should confirm that.

Yes, in the past, the monorails continue to run. It is the primary transportation method for those spectators that go from EPCOT to MK Main Street viewing (and back). With that being said, we do not know whether MK Main Street viewing is happening (not applicable to you but someone else might be reading this) so I guess there's a chance it would stop.

I'm thinking we get up early enough to get across Floridian Way before the first runners appear there upon leaving MK (paging @DopeyBadger - what time will that be approximately assuming no major changes to the route?).

Using the 2020 marathon route, the Poly was at mile 12.7. With a 5am start time, the first runner would get there at about 6:10am.

Using a more traditional marathon route (2018), the Poly was at mile 7.6. With a 5am start time, the first runner would get there at about 5:42am.

Also, is there food handy that we can buy to munch on while we are watching at the finish line? If not, we can just bring snacks with us? I can't really remember the layout from the finishers bleachers to the finish staging area where there is some food (and beer!) to buy.

This is the 2020 finish staging area for the marathon. There are two places you could find food that year. Just past the entrance to the finish line viewing area, and second was just as you enter the reunion area to your left. I never got food from the spectator one, but I remember it having coffee and such. The one in the reunion area had several choice (like hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken sandwiches) to my recollection. And of course, beer.

 

[ZellyB]

Thanks, @DopeyBadger

 

[MissLiss279]

So another question from someone who is new to being a spectator... We are staying at Shades of Green. Half-marathon day we are just going to say on the Shades of Green side of Floridian Way and cheer our runners when they pass us there and then go back to the hotel to relax until they finish and get back. On Marathon day, I'm thinking we get up early enough to get across Floridian Way before the first runners appear there upon leaving MK (paging @DopeyBadger - what time will that be approximately assuming no major changes to the route?). Then we walk on over to T&T and catch the monorail to Epcot to watch the rest of the race from the finish line bleachers until our runners finish. So, my question is, do the monorails stay running the entire morning from the time they start up (3 AMish?) to transport runners or do they shut back down for awhile? I feel like they keep running because I remember seeing them go past us as we were running toward MK in the early morning hours, but thought I should confirm that.

Also, is there food handy that we can buy to munch on while we are watching at the finish line? If not, we can just bring snacks with us? I can't really remember the layout from the finishers bleachers to the finish staging area where there is some food (and beer!) to buy.

If for some reason there isn’t food near the finish line, there is that Joffrey’s right outside of Epcot by the monorail station that should have something. Right now it says they are open 8a-11p.

 

[DrFandom]

16 minutes per mile limit doesn’t start until the last person crosses the start line, so if you start an hour ahead of the last person, you can go much slower than 16 minutes per mile.

Ah gotcha. That's pretty much what I was thinking. Thanks so much for the reply!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

As a slower runner, I've had experience with how the sweep works at runDisney and finishing a challenge race after the balloon ladies.

At mile 1 of my first half marathon and having started in the last corral, I was told that I was 1 minute ahead of the balloon ladies. I never heard again the rest of the race where I was in relation to them. I finished in 3:05.

For the 2017 Star Wars The Dark Side 10K as part of the Dark Side Challenge, I was placed in the last corral. I knew that I was faster than that, so didn't worry. I stopped for a photo and when I was 3rd or 4th from my turn, runDisney officials came up and told us that we were 5 minutes ahead of the balloon ladies and that when they arrived, we would either need to join them or stay in line for the photo and be swept. I knew I could maintain pace with if necessary, so I stayed in line for my photo. A few minutes later, I saw the buses pull up into a V shape and runners behind the buses were swept.

At the end of the race, I saw one of the balloon ladies cross the finish line shortly before me. They did nothing. The next day during the Half Marathon, I was in line for a photo around mile 7 or 8 and they warned us that we were 8 minutes ahead of the balloon ladies and the line was 5 minutes long. Having already finished multiple runDisney races, I knew I could maintain pace with them if absolutely necessary so I stayed in line. I never heard again how far ahead of them I was, so I must have picked up some ground. I received my Challenge medal that day. So even if you finish behind the balloon ladies, but are not swept, you will receive any medal(s) that you are eligible for.

During the 2020 Marathon, my sister was told multiple times where she was in relation to the balloon ladies and her range was anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute.

If you're anywhere near the balloon ladies at a "danger" point, they will warn you so you know where you stand or what you need to do to avoid getting swept. You're highly unlikely to randomly be removed from the course in the middle of a race.

 

[StarGirl11]

Adding on to what @Sleepless Knight said. Pretty much race has a set point where they don’t usually pick up even if your behind the balloons. Usually it’s in Epcot.

So even if your behind the balloons if you get through the sweeps you’ll be allowed to finish. And that’s because the balloons mark the sweep but they don’t make the sweep call.

That’s on the bike escorts you’ll see around in bright yellow jackets.

Though it’s a fine line. I barely made the 2019 final sweep for the Marathon by minutes and only did because I heard them say something about ready the SAG wagon. Which for those who don’t know is basically another word for the parade/sweep bus.

But if your that far back you need to be more alert of your surroundings. No headphones. You could miss vital queues otherwise.

Also if you end up that far back. Just because of character stops or rides etc. You’ll here the final runner coming before you see them. Mainly because of the crowd reaction. If you hear them then you need to get moving or else you will have the bikes on your case. They won’t pick you up but they will get on you to get moving now.

 

[jmasgat]

You know race weekend is getting closer when the race dreams start to arrive. Last night I had two! Both involve not being ready and not anywhere near the race start (and it was very non-Disney). In the first, I didn't have my race gear on, and for some lovely weird dream reason, I was pushing an office chair towards the start. At some point, the race went by, and I started to use the chair to roll towards the start area. Woke up I before I made it.

Second dream, I am in a room with a whole lot of random people getting dressed to race. It was late--race was starting any minute--and I remember thinking that I didn't care who saw me in any stage of undress because I needed to get that damn sports bra on! Then race bib, shoes.... Woke up before I finished.

I wonder if this is some reflection of the fact that I have missed some training due to leg issue--my mind is telling me I'm not ready to race (yet).