Marathon Weekend 2025

[The Expert]

I think a lot of it was price but I thought it was funny that they finally revealed what the inside looked like and people were like "oh wow, this place is actually really fancy". That was the entire point! It's a fancy place for people to do celebratory meals, I thought the target audience was engagements, honeymoons, baby showers and stuff. And people who want to treat themselves.

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If this is the case, then Boardwalk seems like an odd choice to me for location. Why not replace the (still closed) tea room at GF?

 

[superchime]

SAFD: No Wine and Dine for me this year, but we did take a quick trip this past weekend for MNSSHP. I walked right past the new Cake Bake shop multiple times but saved my money for Food & Wine and Halloween treats.

And, yes, the first miles lie! Even though I know this, it's so hard to push through.

Also sign me up for the Disboards slow marathon pace group. I am actually slower than slow, but if it works out I'd love to have company. My plan otherwise is to grab a pace group when they pass me and hang on for dear life.

 

[fatmanatee]

If this is the case, then Boardwalk seems like an odd choice to me for location. Why not replace the (still closed) tea room at GF?

Not the target audience but I'd guess they think there's going to be more foot traffic where it is. It would have been completely out of sight for me if it was at GF (again, not target audience), but on the boardwalk it's a feasible Epcot break, particularly if you're grabbing a slice to go or something. Maybe someone will even get a mile 25 slice?

 

[The Expert]

Not the target audience but I'd guess they think there's going to be more foot traffic where it is. It would have been completely out of sight for me if it was at GF (again, not target audience), but on the boardwalk it's a feasible Epcot break, particularly if you're grabbing a slice to go or something. Maybe someone will even get a mile 25 slice?

I totally get that, and I suppose they are trying to be both a spontaneous drop-in AND a special occasion celebration place. It just seems to me that's a tough balance to strike.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

I totally get that, and I suppose they are trying to be both a spontaneous drop-in AND a special occasion celebration place. It just seems to me that's a tough balance to strike.

Not to mention third-party establishments don't have a great track record at the Boardwalk...

 

[camaker]

Hope everyone's training is going well. I have been struggling for months. Went out for a 14 mile run yesterday and sat for few minutes after 3 miles contemplating turning back as my head wasn't in it. I managed to push through and ended up running sub 9 minute miles for the last 10 miles and felt great. So glad I pushed through. Curious if others have issues in the first few miles? What do you do? I have come to like out-and-back runs for long runs because every mile out guarantees I have to do it again to get back.

I generally have a couple of inflection points in my runs. They generally feel a bit laborious for the first mile or so until my legs get warmed up and settled in. The second usually occurs right around the 10 mile mark. My legs feel heavier and heavier as runs go on, especially from 8-10, but for some reason as soon as I hit that 10 mile mark, I tend to relax a bit and things get easier. I suspect the first point is physical, needing muscles to get up to speed and loose, and the second to be mental, needing to get past that double digit marker to settle down. Regardless, the only way I've found to deal with them are to just put my head down and do it.

 

[Herding_Cats]

I'm in full planning mode today, and figured maybe others are getting there too since we are just over 10 weeks out from everything. If anyone is interested in sharing MM/Photopass for the races, I've done this the last 2 years and it's worked out pretty well. I'm also happy to add you to my MDE Friends/Family and grab all of your in-park and ride pics for you as well. $10/race is the most even way I've found to split it, and I have space for
--3 5ks
--2 10ks
--2 HMs
--4Ms
Just send me a message if you're interested.


ALSO. Where is a good spot to go do a pic setup with medals in Epcot? We are only doing 2 park days this year, and planning on Epcot for both, plus the AH in MK, and I don't want to "waste" AH time setting up pics when we are going to be IN epcot with plenty of time to do pics. Something with a railing with SE in the background?
These are my favorite setups in MK and I’d love to have something similar in Epcot:

 

[dobball23]

SAFD: Of all the RunDisney weekends, I've only done MW, and I've done it six times (four Dopeys, 1 marathon, 1 HM). The timing of the other weekends, budget or needing to travel from PA for shorter races hasn't worked out for me. I'd like to experience another weekend sometime, though. Maybe if I retire from attempting Dopey? But I already have it on my calendar for 2026.

 

[Naomeri]

I'm in full planning mode today, and figured maybe others are getting there too since we are just over 10 weeks out from everything. If anyone is interested in sharing MM/Photopass for the races, I've done this the last 2 years and it's worked out pretty well. I'm also happy to add you to my MDE Friends/Family and grab all of your in-park and ride pics for you as well. $10/race is the most even way I've found to split it, and I have space for
--3 5ks
--3 10ks
--3 HMs
--4 Ms
Just send me a message if you're interested.


ALSO. Where is a good spot to go do a pic setup with medals in Epcot? We are only doing 2 park days this year, and planning on Epcot for both, plus the AH in MK, and I don't want to "waste" AH time setting up pics when we are going to be IN epcot with plenty of time to do pics. Something with a railing with SE in the background?
These are my favorite setups in MK and I’d love to have something similar in Epcot:
View attachment 907604View attachment 907605

Maybe to one side of the Torii Gate at Japan? I did railing medal shots at Epcot after Springtime Surprise on the lowered areas between the UK and France, since they're basically deserted all the time, but I didn't have SE in the background

 

[Dopey 2020]

SAFD running W&D challenge (every year since 2017) Always fit it into the MW training schedule as well as make the half an ‘A’ race to try for a new PR/POT. This year will be five weeks out from a full so we shall see. Last time I went that route I got my current PR but the weather looks hot. No matter what it will be fun.

 

[pluto377]

SAFD- No W&D for me. I would have loved to make that Swedish Chef 5K work, but Halloween is too important to my kids at this stage. Maybe W&D next year if the dates are a little further from Halloween.

@Herding_Cats I'll definitely take a HM MM spot! I'll send you a pm too. I was in planning mode today too and switched resorts again. I think it's like the 5th time I've changed this trip. For the moment I'm at Pop. We'll see where I actually end up! Also, if you are an AARP member (you do not have to be a certain age to join!) they have a pretty good discount on tickets.

 

[emilyann704]

I suggest going on Wednesday after you arrive so that you don't have to interrupt your park day or stay out too late.

Staying out late may be of less concern for a 10K, but for the marathon I aim to be at the resort by 5, dinner by 6, and in bed by 8 at the latest. This way I can at least pretend to get 6 hours of sleep.

Late Wednesday afternoon will not be overly busy at the expo. There's definitely a surge crowd for the first few hours, but once the merch folks get in and buy their treasures things calm down considerably. It's pretty much just walk in and grab your things. You could get in and out in 15 min if you really wanted.

That's a great idea. We land around 1pm and I'd love to just take a Lyft over from the airport. It'll save us going airport >> resort >> ESPN >> resort, especially since our room likely won't be ready by then. Does anyone know if ESPN allows luggage in the area to pick up race bib and shirt? Again, not interested in doing the big merch expo.

 

[The Expert]

Does anyone know if ESPN allows luggage in the area to pick up race bib and shirt?

Definitely. I have gone directly to the expo from the airport in an Uber and dragged my luggage around all over the expo, rD merch building and bib pick-up without anyone saying a word. Depending on the size/weight of your bag(s) you may want to follow the HC signs to use elevators, though!

 

[Psymonds]

This happens to me quite a bit, and is one of the reasons I do out-and-back runs. Generally speaking, I can convince myself to get to a specific turnaround spot, and by the time I'm on my way back things have improved. I blame it on age, although being undertrained is probably the more likely issue for me currently.

both running and biking I take a long time to fully warm up, and starting out I can feel crappy and not feel "in it" I have a set of warmups for races (basically jogs with progressively higher heart rates with a rest returning to 90 bpm in between each circuit) but I rarely do that for training runs. Usually I spend the first few miles trying to beat my times to reference points and just get to an out an back turnaround spot, or focus on form for a while to distract form the fact that (it's dark/I didn't sleep as much as I wanted/I feel like crap) until I feel better. I do have a bailout point on all my long runs at 8 miles (just a shortcut home), but I've only taken it once because I was out of water and it was 80+ degrees.

 

[AaronB]

Not the target audience but I'd guess they think there's going to be more foot traffic where it is. It would have been completely out of sight for me if it was at GF (again, not target audience), but on the boardwalk it's a feasible Epcot break, particularly if you're grabbing a slice to go or something. Maybe someone will even get a mile 25 slice?

Also see it doing well with business/conferences. Just got back from a stay at Boardwalk last week, and was reminded of this as their was a large conference taking place at Swan/Dolphin/Boardwalk. I was on a personal vacation, not attending that conference, but The Cake Bake Shop is exactly the type of place I end up in when on business trips with managers using corporate expense accounts. I'm not the audience on my own time, and honestly, not totally interested even while on a business trip, but people I am with and managers love those types of places. If they can keep a good flow of business/conferences happening going through those resorts, that should provide a pretty decent group of people going to it.

 

[AaronB]

SAFD: No W&D for me this year, but did it a few times in the past. Mileage wise it is in a decent spot when it actually comes to a training schedule for the Marathon Weekend, but for the last few years I really have tried to focus in specifically on Marathon Weekend. Once September hits, I am basically just in full training mode, and not doing any races during the training.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

SAFD: No W&D for me but I am seriously considering retiring from MW to do W&D. I did the Food and Wine festival once (I was at the Swan and Dolphin for a conference) and loved it. I also think I can talk my wife into dong the challenge there (she was a one and done marathoner unfortunately).

Hope everyone's training is going well. I have been struggling for months. Went out for a 14 mile run yesterday and sat for few minutes after 3 miles contemplating turning back as my head wasn't in it. I managed to push through and ended up running sub 9 minute miles for the last 10 miles and felt great. So glad I pushed through. Curious if others have issues in the first few miles? What do you do? I have come to like out-and-back runs for long runs because every mile out guarantees I have to do it again to get back.

All. The. Time.
Plenty of times the first mile or two are not good, but I push through and all is good by the time I’m done. On rare occasions I’ll decide that today just isn’t the day, and to regroup and try again the next day. It happens.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

SAFD: no wine & dine for me— I have been at every race weekend from MW 2023-Disneyland Halloween 2024 so it feels weird to not be going! but alas: the training continues so I have a 2 hr long run on Sat and 5 miles on Sun. I will prob wear the themes for my training runs!

 

[Boiler37]

Hey all sorry to de-rail the thread flow but does anyone have experience flying home the same day (evening flight)? Trying to decide whether it's reasonable or not from anyone's past experience.

 

[Novatrix]

Hey all sorry to de-rail the thread flow but does anyone have experience flying home the same day (evening flight)? Trying to decide whether it's reasonable or not from anyone's past experience.

No experience with Disney, but it would depend on the race distance, your pace and your experience at that distance.

Personally, if I needed to, I'd be comfortable with flying out the evening after completing a Disney 5k, 10k or half because I'd have enough time to get back to the room, shower and pack. I would not attempt it with the Disney marathon because of the time on course and the road closures. YMMV.