Marathon Weekend 2025

[Psymonds]

Has anyone stayed at the Poly or thereabouts and used the Monorail to the race starting pints? If so, how does that work in the morning, especially with the 430 start time?

they started the monorail at 2:30 and I was not on the first monorail, but I was on a later one. it was running every few minutes and they had timed transfers to EPCOT. also Bananas and handwarmers out on a table at the station.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Has anyone stayed at the Poly or thereabouts and used the Monorail to the race starting pints? If so, how does that work in the morning, especially with the 430 start time?

I've stayed at CR my two marathon weekends (2023 and 2025) and I've been impressed both times with the speed/frequency of the monorails on both lines. I recall worrying in 2023 that Disney would cheap out and run a skeleton setup at that hour, but it's been the opposite - they seem to have max capacity running.

This year we did have to wait at the TTC while a monorail did a "reset" which takes a few minutes - but it eventually did its thing and moved on and the next train was right behind it.

Knock on wood, great experiences to date.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I'm assuming security is open at the TTC so you can walk from Poly and avoid having to take the Resort monorail around, which takes one variable of the journey out the equation.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I assume many/most of us got the survey this week? I left mostly good marks as big picture I thought that was a great race weekend. But did leave some 'comments' on the chip debacle/poor communication and the Marathon course not including World Showcase at the end, which were my only true 'gripes' about the weekend. How we finished through Epcot was fine enough I guess, but for me it lacked the energy of the "victory lap" and I wish runD/Epcot park ops could find a way to make it work.

 

[rick1zoo2]

Has anyone stayed at the Poly or thereabouts and used the Monorail to the race starting pints? If so, how does that work in the morning, especially with the 430 start time?

We stayed at the new Island Tower at Polynesian and just walked all the way to the TTC to catch the monorail, where there was security screening. It helped that we knew the way there through the resort, it can be a bit confusing which way to go in the dark - we helped a few people get back on track when they took the wrong path. Using the monorail was great, super easy.

 

[runwithperseverence7]

Question for experienced runners / marathoners… is it normal to feel a little blue in the weeks following a marathon?
I spent so much of my free time training and preparing for my first marathon over the past few months, and last weekend was such a high (great race! Great atmosphere! All the runners energy!), that I am finding it hard to adjust…

I have now completed my objective and now I don’t know what’s next… - it’s like I’m feeling: ok, I completed a marathon - now what ?

Am I the only one? How do you deal with it?

My very first one I felt this. I was sad and felt like I didn’t have anything to do. I signed up for the race for the next year and made it my goal to beat my time. My last one where I ran my best time, I was so exhausted and sore that I didn’t feel sad. I was just proud of myself for beating my goal time.

I thought I would feel down after Dopey but so far that hasn’t hit me. I’m actually planning to go out and run 3 miles today which is not something I normally do after completing a marathon. But I feel like I’ve recovered fairly quickly and ready to tackle my new goals. Was planning on waiting til November for a marathon but I may try to do my local one in March.

Enjoy the recovery and maybe try to do strength training. Hard to be consistent when having to build up for long races. I always end up pushing it aside.

Set new goals for yourself and start working to complete them. Helps to keep moving forward.

 

[The Expert]

Has anyone stayed at the Poly or thereabouts and used the Monorail to the race starting pints? If so, how does that work in the morning, especially with the 430 start time?

I have stayed at Bay Lake for my last 3 MWs and can confirm the monorail is great! Until this weekend, I also took it back to Bay Lake, but for the marathon this time I took the shorter route and took the bus back. By the time I finish the marathon, the monorails are full of park guests and it just feels like it takes FOREVER, so just know the bus is an option for your return trip.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I'm assuming security is open at the TTC so you can walk from Poly and avoid having to take the Resort monorail around, which takes one variable of the journey out the equation.

Yep, though opening time can vary so if you're a super early arriver you may have to wait for them to open.

I assume many/most of us got the survey this week? I left mostly good marks as big picture I thought that was a great race weekend. But did leave some 'comments' on the chip debacle/poor communication and the Marathon course not including World Showcase at the end, which were my only true 'gripes' about the weekend. How we finished through Epcot was fine enough I guess, but for me it lacked the energy of the "victory lap" and I wish runD/Epcot park ops could find a way to make it work.

I never get the damn survey!

 

[The Expert]

Question for experienced runners / marathoners… is it normal to feel a little blue in the weeks following a marathon?
I spent so much of my free time training and preparing for my first marathon over the past few months, and last weekend was such a high (great race! Great atmosphere! All the runners energy!), that I am finding it hard to adjust…

I have now completed my objective and now I don’t know what’s next… - it’s like I’m feeling: ok, I completed a marathon - now what ?

Am I the only one? How do you deal with it?

Definitely normal, as others have said. I think for me it's also combined with just missing seeing my rD friends every day and having that common experience. I'm so glad we have this forum to keep the connections going.

 

[jmasgat]

I assume many/most of us got the survey this week?

I didn't, and don't think I ever have.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

After sleeping on it, a slightly more complete answer on the post-marathon blues and what to do next.
My first ever race longer than a 10K was the '09 Half. I hadn't yet learned how to properly enjoy a rD race, so very few photo stops and a decent time. I get back to Atlanta, wondering if that was a one-off and if I'd ever do another race of that distance. I saw the Atlanta Half/Full advertised for March (I think) and signed up. Since I was already trained up for the MW race, being ready for the Atl race was mostly maintenance runs; I don't recall doing any exceptional training effort for the Atlanta race. For the Atl race, I wound up finishing appx 20 minutes faster! And, after seeing that the longer distance effort was repeatable, it began my adult version of running addiction.

I say all that to say: I don't run a ton of races during the year due to a project that occupies my Sat mornings, but I do one every now and then just to have a target to train for in between rD races.

So IMHO, find a new race, keep training, and at the least, do maintenance runs in order to maintain the level of race trim that you have achieved. My 2-cents worth. And kudos on the marathon!
YMMV

 

[Naomeri]

I never get the damn survey!

Me either!

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

DH got the survey, but I didn’t. I got surveys about HS and Beach Club.

 

[rick1zoo2]

I assume many/most of us got the survey this week? I left mostly good marks as big picture I thought that was a great race weekend. But did leave some 'comments' on the chip debacle/poor communication and the Marathon course not including World Showcase at the end, which were my only true 'gripes' about the weekend. How we finished through Epcot was fine enough I guess, but for me it lacked the energy of the "victory lap" and I wish runD/Epcot park ops could find a way to make it work.

I got the survey, one thing that I would like, is to give the people starting at the end (in G) as much time to complete the marathon as the people in A/B. We started at the back of G with the last group, and built up a decent lead on the balloon ladies, but because of a few issues, that lead evaporated until they were only 3 minutes behind us at the medical tent/porta potties just past the Grand Floridian. We did manage to build up another decent lead until we needed to abandon the race at between 19-20 miles. It just seems like there is not enough time forgiveness and if you might have an issue or two you could be swept.

 

[camaker]

I got the survey, one thing that I would like, is to give the people starting at the end (in G) as much time to complete the marathon as the people in A/B. We started at the back of G with the last group, and built up a decent lead on the balloon ladies, but because of a few issues, that lead evaporated until they were only 3 minutes behind us at the medical tent/porta potties just past the Grand Floridian. We did manage to build up another decent lead until we needed to abandon the race at between 19-20 miles. It just seems like there is not enough time forgiveness and if you might have an issue or two you could be swept.

So what you're really asking is for RunDisney to increase the 16:00 min/mile minimum pace to complete the races? That would be a very difficult sell due to the need to clear the roads and parks and would probably require even earlier start times.

 

[jrsharp21]

Question for experienced runners / marathoners… is it normal to feel a little blue in the weeks following a marathon?
I spent so much of my free time training and preparing for my first marathon over the past few months, and last weekend was such a high (great race! Great atmosphere! All the runners energy!), that I am finding it hard to adjust…

I have now completed my objective and now I don’t know what’s next… - it’s like I’m feeling: ok, I completed a marathon - now what ?

Am I the only one? How do you deal with it?

Yup. That is how I feel. I feel like I need something else now on my calendar. There is a nearby half marathon coming up in two weeks. Thinking about signing up for that. But since MW is over, I am getting my butt back in the pool and on my bike and pick up training for a short triathlon. But yes, definitely feel like a void is there right now.

 

[Psymonds]

I have stayed at Bay Lake for my last 3 MWs and can confirm the monorail is great! Until this weekend, I also took it back to Bay Lake, but for the marathon this time I took the shorter route and took the bus back. By the time I finish the marathon, the monorails are full of park guests and it just feels like it takes FOREVER, so just know the bus is an option for your return trip.


Yep, though opening time can vary so if you're a super early arriver you may have to wait for them to open.


I never get the damn survey!

I also took the bus back but only because I was looking at the bus loading while deciding whether to eat my tub o cheese and it saved a mile of walking back.

 

[Psymonds]

Yup. That is how I feel. I feel like I need something else now on my calendar. There is a nearby half marathon coming up in two weeks. Thinking about signing up for that. But since MW is over, I am getting my butt back in the pool and on my bike and pick up training for a short triathlon. But yes, definitely feel like a void is there right now.

I signed up for a local marathon at the end of the year and have the Halloween half to train for.

Edit: and my son and I got up and went for a run today.

 

[PrincessV]

I got the survey - I strongly voiced my discontent with the crowded conditions in the half. But given that the survey question asking which corral you started in didn’t even include E or F, I assume it’ll fall on deaf ears, as usual.

 

[Z-Knight]

Hi.. how do you collect all your medals?

I’m trying to find a way to have them visible but avoiding doing a hole in the wall for a holder… so far I have them hanged from the clothing rack in the closet lol..

Thanks

these are just the Disney ones. My other medals are still in a box. (Note, the first 2 Dopey medals in the pic are NOT mine. I missed the first 2 Dopeys - currently only have done 10 of 12, but I bought those to make a Dopey medal display of all medals).

 

[sandam1]

the Marathon course not including World Showcase at the end, which were my only true 'gripes' about the weekend. How we finished through Epcot was fine enough I guess, but for me it lacked the energy of the "victory lap" and I wish runD/Epcot park ops could find a way to make it work.

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I loved the fact that, by the time we re-entered Epcot, there was only a little bit more than a mile left to go. Mentally, it was so much easier for me. Plus, I thought that the dash through the center of the park had more of a celebratory feel with more concentrated cheer areas.

 

[nancipants]

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I loved the fact that, by the time we re-entered Epcot, there was only a little bit more than a mile left to go. Mentally, it was so much easier for me. Plus, I thought that the dash through the center of the park had more of a celebratory feel with more concentrated cheer areas.

I was really upset about not running around World Showcase as a victory lap when the course was revealed. But on the day, I was SO GLAD I didn’t have to run all the way around. I was DONE.