Marathon Weekend 2027

[DisneyParrothead]

SAFD: I’ll be another one to vote for the merch and post race snack box. Both very overrated, especially the plastic cheese. I’m a Texan by birth and that ain’t no queso.

Also, I may have to duck and cover, but I don’t get the hype with the alcoholic beverages in the last mile of the marathon. Whatever race distance I do, alcohol is the last thing on my mind.

 

[Psymonds]

Also, I may have to duck and cover, but I don’t get the hype with the alcoholic beverages in the last mile of the marathon. Whatever race distance I do, alcohol is the last thing on my mind.

I'm running SF marathon this weekend, and every other time I've run (usually 2nd half) there's someone handing out Beer in golden gate park as "mother nature's energy drink"... mind you this is about mile 14 of the full... and mile 1 of the 2nd half, so I've never partook...

 

[lhermiston]

Also, I may have to duck and cover, but I don’t get the hype with the alcoholic beverages in the last mile of the marathon. Whatever race distance I do, alcohol is the last thing on my mind.

It's not for everyone and sometimes your stomach does funny things during a race, so I get people who don't partake. But, I rarely run for time anymore and marathons are f'ing hard, so if I see alcohol on a course, I'm drinking alcohol on a course.

 

[accm]

SAFD: I agree with merch. I’ve never done MW but watching videos of last year gave me anxiety. Of course my friends want to make sure we don’t miss out on any Dopey merch so I’ll be there. I am glad that last year you had to prove you were running Dopey to be in that merch line but I wish that was the same for the RD merch in general.

As someone who experienced this, it was awful. We had to wait in another line inside, which was incredibly cramped, and things still sold out. It just added an unnecessary level of friction.

SAFD- Overrated- expo/merch. I would pay good money to have someone deliver my bib and race shirts to my hotel. Even more if it can be waiting in my hotel room when I arrive. Also, getting to the corrals early and standing for an hour or more. Why, just why? I'm much happier now getting there later and sitting way in the back until people start moving.

I would pay so much for this, I'm shocked Disney hasn't capitalized on it.

 

[smrt1]

As someone who experienced this, it was awful. We had to wait in another line inside, which was incredibly cramped, and things still sold out. It just added an unnecessary level of friction.


I would pay so much for this, I'm shocked Disney hasn't capitalized on it.

I personally probably wouldn’t pay for it, but I’m sure there are thousands of people that would. Just to save the amount of time you lose going to the expo on your expensive WDW vacation would make it worth it. Not to mention the hassle of dealing with the lines. Great idea. I won’t be surprised at all if rD starts doing this. The one issue would be making sure that the person that is actually registered for the race is the one receiving the bib and there’s no shenanigans going on. It also adds some liability to rD if there was a bib that didn’t show up, was stolen, etc.

 

[PrincessV]

do not enjoy the up clover leaf ramp. Any tips on that not hurting later?

I can't give you no hurting, but what can help it hurt less, based on personal experience:

1. Find something steeply cambered you can run or walk regularly in training to adapt and strengthen soft tissue. Do ankle and foot mobility and strengthening exercises.
2. Run or walk the far inside of the ramp’s shoulder, OR the far outside shoulder: both are less steeply cambered than the rest or the roadway.

I also used to love the longer route through MGM, where you ran through the nice air conditioned tunnel and saw all of the costume design.

RIP Disco Tunnel. LOVED that so much!

 

[Herding_Cats]

I can't give you no hurting, but what can help it hurt less, based on personal experience:

2. Run or walk the far inside of the ramp’s shoulder, OR the far outside shoulder: both are less steeply cambered than the rest or the roadway.

Run in the grass, or just off the pavement in the dirt/grass. My ankles cannot with the cambers and getting on the grass makes a big difference.

 

[jrsharp21]

SAFD- Overrated- expo/merch. I would pay good money to have someone deliver my bib and race shirts to my hotel. Even more if it can be waiting in my hotel room when I arrive. Also, getting to the corrals early and standing for an hour or more. Why, just why? I'm much happier now getting there later and sitting way in the back until people start moving.

Yes, standing in the corrals for hours. Not a fan. Especially if you need to use the bathroom while you are packed in. Trying to push your way out the crowd is not fun. Then lets include the people who show up to the corral after it's already packed and they push their way to the front. That is my biggest pet peeve.

Also, agree with everyone saying food on day 1 of the expo. You need to have more options for food if you are going to expect people to be there for hours. I was literally there for almost five hours this past MW. It would have been more if I didn't see Dopey2020's post that if you had pre-ordered merch, you could skip the wait for VQ and go in. It was nice they did have the snack bars at the baseball stadium open this year. But it was basic water, soda, snacks (pretzels, ice cream). I do like the food truck with the quesadillas, but it's usually hit or miss on quality. On day 1, the chicken quesadilla I ordered still had cold chicken in the middle because they were trying to pump them out so fast. We went back later on in the weekend and I took another chance at one, and it was good.

 

[FFigawi]

It's not for everyone and sometimes your stomach does funny things during a race, so I get people who don't partake. But, I rarely run for time anymore and marathons are f'ing hard, so if I see alcohol on a course, I'm drinking alcohol on a course.

Same! From friends with shot stops to Thirsty River after riding Everest to cocktails and drinks in DHS and Epcot, there's plenty to drink along the way.

 

[The Expert]

I would pay so much for this, I'm shocked Disney hasn't capitalized on it.

They're making more on the vendor spots at the expo building where they require everyone to go to get their shirts. Unless and until those vendors dry up, rD isn't going to give up that captive expo crowd.

 

[PrincessV]

Run in the grass, or just off the pavement in the dirt/grass. My ankles cannot with the cambers and getting on the grass makes a big difference.

I do this, too, but won’t recommend it across the board because that grass is all sorts of sketchy: sections of high mounds, deep holes, roadkill, fire ant mounds, soggy mush if there's been rain - I’ve seen a whole lot of turned ankles and a few falls rom folks who aren’t used to navigating off-road surfaces. But for confident and experienced trail/cross-country runners, absolutely - the grass is MUCH better!

 

[lhermiston]

Same! From friends with shot stops to Thirsty River after riding Everest to cocktails and drinks in DHS and Epcot, there's plenty to drink along the way.

Hydrate so you don’t die-drate. It’s just good race strategy.

 

[accm]

They're making more on the vendor spots at the expo building where they require everyone to go to get their shirts. Unless and until those vendors dry up, rD isn't going to give up that captive expo crowd.

True. But for me personally, buy the time I get to the shirt pick up I'm so over everything I just need to get the hell out of there. Clearly other people aren't like me though, since it's always so crowded there.

 

[garneska]

Whisky update. Unfortunately she is underweight and that is causing muscle loss in her back end. She was 68.5 pounds and normally she is 72 and the vet is like should be 75. So now we keep saying she needs to eat a cheeseburger and i am sure that dog is thinking absolutely give me a cheeseburger i will eat 4. The meds are probably affecting her appetite. she is not eating enough. We are going to try adding some different higher calorie kibble and see if she likes that. If that does not work i will go to mixing some wet food. I hate wet food it smells awful, so trying that second. Finally if we have to we will have to cook her chicken, but i am hoping it does not come to that. Once you start that no way she will eat kibble again.

Good thing is the vet could not find any other reason she is not eating, so we think its the meds. Hopefully we can make food smell interesting so she will eat.

 

[Herding_Cats]

@garneska big hugs to you as I know exactly what it feels like when they just stop eating and you can't figure out why.

 

[The Expert]

@garneska I'm glad to hear they don't think it's related to anything serious. Sadly for you, the stinkier the better when it comes to whetting their appetite, and heating the food up a bit can help with that. I use baby food (meat flavors) put in the microwave for a few seconds when one of my cats won't eat, but obviously that's a pretty small serving for your pup.

 

[MissLiss279]

As someone who experienced this, it was awful. We had to wait in another line inside, which was incredibly cramped, and things still sold out. It just added an unnecessary level of friction.


I would pay so much for this, I'm shocked Disney hasn't capitalized on it.

I’m pretty sure for one Star Wars race weekend they offered something like this - where you could pay to get your bib at your resort front desk.
But generally (like @The Expert said), I have heard they don’t want to do this because the vendors pay for us to walk through there.

 

[Psymonds]

I’m pretty sure for one Star Wars race weekend they offered something like this - where you could pay to get your bib at your resort front desk.
But generally (like @The Expert said), I have heard they don’t want to do this because the vendors pay for us to walk through there.

I've had a few non disney races offer it as an option. I did get mailed my bib and shirt for a half this year, but had to go to the expo anyway because they sent the wrong shirt.

 

[jrsharp21]

True. But for me personally, buy the time I get to the shirt pick up I'm so over everything I just need to get the hell out of there. Clearly other people aren't like me though, since it's always so crowded there.

For vendor expo, give me my shirt and I am out of there. It is so overwhelming. I understand if you forgot to pack something it is convenient, but I am no way shopping for shoes, sunglasses, glitter skirts, etc. Down the left side of stairs, get my shirt, and back up the opposite side of stairs. I always laugh at the people taking pictures of the course maps with their phones. You can literally look them up on your phone and have a better image of it.

 

[Disney at Heart]

Bless your poor Whisky! Hope she feels better, gains her appetite, and builds strength in her back legs very soon.