OFFICIAL 2014 WDW Marathon Countdown: WE DID IT! Congrats everyone!

[nemmie]

I know it's stupid but I'm so worked up about corrals. I was so disappointed to be off pace for the TOT 10, I ran a 2:07 and now I'm thinking about starting from the second to last corral. I know I can keep to a 12 min mile so I'm really annoyed with myself about TOT. Anyway I guess your corral is your corral and deal with it but Urgh

 

[cewait]

I know it's stupid but I'm so worked up about corrals. I was so disappointed to be off pace for the TOT 10, I ran a 2:07 and now I'm thinking about starting from the second to last corral. I know I can keep to a 12 min mile so I'm really annoyed with myself about TOT. Anyway I guess your corral is your corral and deal with it but Urgh

This seems more like an anxiety attack. With a 2:07 10 miler, you are firmly mid-pack. Regardless, as you say, it's really your race to love or hate.

 

[nemmie]

This seems more like an anxiety attack. With a 2:07 10 miler, you are firmly mid-pack. Regardless, as you say, it's really your race to love or hate.

Do you think so coach? So would you estimate me in corral J ish? I would be over the moon with that!

 

[cewait]

Do you think so coach? So would you estimate me in corral J ish? I would be over the moon with that!

J out of P plus or minus a couplpe corrals.

 

[nemmie]

J out of P plus or minus a couplpe corrals.

Oh that would just get rid of all my worries. Well not all but you know lol. Our waivers start with 8. I'm taking that as a good sign. Thank you!

 

[dragitoff]

Another Corral question for Coach. If I'm an estimated 1:45-1:50 half runner with a proof of time under 1:55, what corral do you expect me in?

My wife has submitted a proof of time from her first half of 2:19, so where would you expect her to be?

We are all running the half to be clear. I was in corral C last year for the full, but I was trying to gauge how much time I'd have between my finish, her finish, and the two friends of ours that are in the last corral since they did not submit a time (this is their first race over a 5k)

 

[cewait]

Another Corral question for Coach. If I'm an estimated 1:45-1:50 half runner with a proof of time under 1:55, what corral do you expect me in?

My wife has submitted a proof of time from her first half of 2:19, so where would you expect her to be?

We are all running the half to be clear. I was in corral C last year for the full, but I was trying to gauge how much time I'd have between my finish, her finish, and the two friends of ours that are in the last corral since they did not submit a time (this is their first race over a 5k)

You are in the B-C range and she in the F-H range. I understand that there are 16 corrals and the middle times really depend on the mix of runners entering in any given year. For timing purposes, assume 2 minutes in the first 3-5 corrals and 3 minutes thereafter. The last runner should still cross the line about 6:20.

 

[MRS AR]

I've been off the boards for a few days. Are the wavers available now?

 

[PlutoBaby]

I've been off the boards for a few days. Are the wavers available now?

There is a link but it's not working quite yet. You can enter your name and dob, but there's not submit button. I guess some people were able to get their Dopey bib numbers but just a few.

 

[pitterpint23]

Hey y'all! New to the thread. Wanted to know if someone had the link to the couch potato to a runner link.

Also, any tips for a disabled person wanting to do the marathon? It seems as if I need to start completing things on my bucket list.. and this is what I want to do

Thanks in advance!

 

[goofeygirl]

You are in the B-C range and she in the F-H range. I understand that there are 16 corrals and the middle times really depend on the mix of runners entering in any given year. For timing purposes, assume 2 minutes in the first 3-5 corrals and 3 minutes thereafter. The last runner should still cross the line about 6:20.

Good guess! That time is spot on! Myself and my brother were the dead LAST...I do mean LAST people to cross the start line for the half and full and it was about that exact time.

Just behind us at the half marathon I remember I heard 'you gotta get going!' and looked behind and it was the balloon ladies!!! So we booked it.

But the last last last person to cross the start line in either the half or full would cross about that time.

 

[John VN]

Good guess! That time is spot on! Myself and my brother were the dead LAST...I do mean LAST people to cross the start line for the half and full and it was about that exact time.

Just behind us at the half marathon I remember I heard 'you gotta get going!' and looked behind and it was the balloon ladies!!! So we booked it.

But the last last last person to cross the start line in either the half or full would cross about that time.

My starting time for this year's Marathon was 0626 in front of the Balloon Ladies and 0611 for the Half according to my Garmin 910XT.

McFlurry John

 

[DoctorK]

Just thinking out loud here... if they're spacing out runners more this year than in previous years, wouldn't that push back the estimated "last runner to cross the starting line?" Otherwise you'd have the same number of runners on the course in the same window of time and I'm not sure that would help relieve congestion.

 

[CaptHomer]

Just thinking out loud here... if they're spacing out runners more this year than in previous years, wouldn't that push back the estimated "last runner to cross the starting line?" Otherwise you'd have the same number of runners on the course in the same window of time and I'm not sure that would help relieve congestion.

I believe they are putting fewer people in the first few corrals and starting them closer apart (not waiting 5 minutes between corrals). In the later corrals I think they are not waiting as long between corrals.

You have the same number of people on the course but not as a congested start.

 

[DoctorK]

It's an interesting statistical question...

When comparing 2013 and 2014, if we assume
- the same (or comparable) number of runners
- running at the same (or comparable) speed
- and the final runner in the final corral crossing the starting line at the same (approx) time (6:25ish)

...and we took a snapshot of the race course at exactly the moment the final runner in the final corral crossed the starting line (6:25ish), we would expect to see the same number of runners distributed across the exact same portion of the race course (because the elite runner in front in 2014 would have gone exactly as far as the elite runner in front in 2013). How does this reduce or eliminate the congestion?

ETA: In comparing 2012 W&D to 2013 W&D (with approx the same number of runners) the final corral in 2012 started at 10:25pm and the final corral in 2013 started at 10:40pm, suggesting that the start time for the final corral for the 2014 WDW Marathon Weekend races could be similarly delayed.

 

[cewait]

It's an interesting statistical question...

When comparing 2013 and 2014, if we assume
- the same (or comparable) number of runners
- running at the same (or comparable) speed
- and the final runner in the final corral crossing the starting line at the same (approx) time (6:25ish)

...and we took a snapshot of the race course at exactly the moment the final runner in the final corral crossed the starting line (6:25ish), we would expect to see the same number of runners distributed across the exact same portion of the race course (because the elite runner in front in 2014 would have gone exactly as far as the elite runner in front in 2013). How does this reduce or eliminate the congestion?

ETA: In comparing 2012 W&D to 2013 W&D (with approx the same number of runners) the final corral in 2012 started at 10:25pm and the final corral in 2013 started at 10:40pm, suggesting that the start time for the final corral for the 2014 WDW Marathon Weekend races could be similarly delayed.

I can visualize the smaller and more frequent waves being less congested and from a few RnR races that dispatch 1000 person corrals on 2 minute intervals have experienced how well they can work (assuming you do not have a train cross the race course at mile 1.3) but I have a hard time trying to explain why they work. The best I can do is say that the metering effect of smaller and more frequent blocks of folks passing through the start gate choke point allows for a more laminar flow. In gas or liquid flow it is Bernoulli's principle.

I think the the proof will occur in the half on race weekend. The course is a poor design from a congestion perspective. Two lanes plus shoulders and grassy areas choking down to a one lane bridge in less than a mile leads to a crowded feeling. The other difficult areas have been difficult even on the old course configuration; the water bridge on World Drive just before the Contemporary and then Floridian Way just after we leave MK. Both are necking down to one lane with hard cones on the center line of the road. These have been choke points even when they were mile 9 and 11 and at paces ranging from 9:10 up through 15.

 

[John VN]

Ideal merge onto a highway. If everybody scissors in at the same speed traffic will move comfortably along. If one car slows to a crawl then everybody behind jams up. Hopefully there won't be a jam if the more stringent timing for corals this year has runners closer in abilities within.

People improperly staged and those who run/walk yet stay in the center of the road help to cause jams.

Had it happen again at Space Coast this past Sunday. Seems clueless starting up front when one has 7 hours to complete a half marathon.

McFlurry John

 

[DEA]

It's an interesting statistical question...

When comparing 2013 and 2014, if we assume
- the same (or comparable) number of runners
- running at the same (or comparable) speed
- and the final runner in the final corral crossing the starting line at the same (approx) time (6:25ish)

...and we took a snapshot of the race course at exactly the moment the final runner in the final corral crossed the starting line (6:25ish), we would expect to see the same number of runners distributed across the exact same portion of the race course (because the elite runner in front in 2014 would have gone exactly as far as the elite runner in front in 2013). How does this reduce or eliminate the congestion?

ETA: In comparing 2012 W&D to 2013 W&D (with approx the same number of runners) the final corral in 2012 started at 10:25pm and the final corral in 2013 started at 10:40pm, suggesting that the start time for the final corral for the 2014 WDW Marathon Weekend races could be similarly delayed.

I think it all comes down to speed disparity causing the hangups. So, if you have 3000 people in a corral with an expected finish (for a half) of 1:45-2:15, you're going to have people in that pack running a pace 2 minutes/mile or more different from others in the same pack. If the 2:15 people are up in the front, then things are going to get... dicey. Now, you take the same group and split it up into 3 corrals: 1:45-1:55, 1:55-2:05, and 2:05-2:15, you have far less in the way of pace disparity, even if the number of runners is higher in one corral vs. another, just because the paces are going to be within a minute or so of each other.

I thought Tower of Terror last year was really bad for congestion at the star (Corral B)t, and a friend of mine witnessed a runner pushing another runner off the road into the grass. This year at Wine and Dine, with the new system of more corrals and smaller delays between starts, that initial push at the start line allowed more breathing room. Now, you could still get speedsters in the last corral, and they would have to fight through some congestion, but overall the rollout should be smoother, and the faster folks should stay out in front and gain on the corrals starting later.

 

[annmarieda]

I just checked to see if waivers were up... yep!

I am a bit confused though... my bib number seems to put me at the tail end of things. My POT was from a 10k with a sub 9minute mile.

Also... my dh who is new to running his bib number isn't too farther from me...and had over a 12 minute pace for the 10k

 

[MightyDuck001]

Dumb question but why the concern? We pay a lot of money for this event. Wouldn't you want to be on the course as long as you can.

ahahaha... In theory, yes, in reality by mile 20 I'd pay them even more to make it shorter.