Official 2016 Star Wars Half Marthon - The Dark Side Weekend

[cavepig]

So, I've watched the little video my mom got in the 5k & 10k and then we watched a couple youtube 10k videos yesterday, & good golly those character lines looked crazy long! Hearing Star Wars music in Epcot was cool as one guy's 10k video was really good of the whole race.
*** If anyone has good pictures or does a trip report or blog recap please share! Thanks!

 

[Cappy Wynne]

Hello! Was anyone 42541 at the 5k? A great pic of you showed up in our photopass and I just wanted to make sure you received it, too!

That was me! How crazy!!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

The ONLY instance where I have heard of people buying medals that sort of made sense to me is with those who get shut out of a challenge, but they sign up for the 10K and half anyway (or they misunderstood and signed up for the wrong thing) - so technically they still did the challenge but don't get the bonus medal. I could see that, even if it's still a little weird.

This makes sense to me -- I hadn't thought of that.

That CM assured us that the number of people entering the race just for medals, who don't even try to finish, is significant. She was really ticked off about it, and I don't think she would have been that animated over it if, when she saw it happening, the number didn't surprise.

Am I the only one who thinks that from a "silver lining" perspective, fewer people for me to weave around?!

So, I was interested to see how the runDisney corral placement worked, so I downloaded the dark side half marathon finishers list and did a little analysis.

LOVE this stuff as an Excel geek! I was so tempted to try to do something like this... now I don't have to!!

 

[opusone]

@Z-Knight: just make sure you are faster than the runner next to you...

Tiger found wandering streets of suburban Houston

 

[NileNellie]

Haha! I was in G (mid-to-back) and he came through on the narrow part between BW and DHS bellowing, "Runner on the right! Make a hole!" Over and over. Problem was there wasn't anywhere for anyone to go and he ended up slamming into a few people. What a jerk.

The guy in front of me yelled, "Look at this guy! He's so fast! I can't even keep up!" Which added some levity - the jerk was lucky no one shoved him in the water at that point.

Gah we were near this guy too. I didn't mind when some people would politely say "on your left" or "excuse me", because I get it, there were a lot of walkers and a narrow space. But this guy was shouting "on your left! make a hole!" which was seriously annoying. We're all trying to get through here, dude. Just settle down and be patient. Someone yelled out to him "proof of time is your friend!" which made me laugh.

 

[opusone]

Does this include DNF data? I wold count the DNF folks as slower, and I suspect that a lot of folks in the last corral did not finish.

I agree that DNFs should be included, but they do not list the DNFs, so there is no way to include them. All we know is, based on the corral and bib assignment tables, there were about 22,576 registered half marathon runners. We also know that there were 18,177 finishers (18,171 open + 6 wheelchair division). What we don't know is how many of that roughly 4,400 difference actually started the half marathon but didn't finish.

Did you get the roughly 22,576 from bib numbers?

Yes, I got the 22,576 by adding the total bib numbers from the half marathon corral assignment table and the dark side challenge corral assignment table. It's probably not perfect.

Now that @Keels enlightened us on the SAG link, plus going back to the XACT results link (which does include DNS & DNF folks), we have a little better idea on some numbers:

Star Wars Dark Side Half Marathon
Registered half marathon runners: ~20,849 (from XACT link)
DNS runners: ~2,287 (this is backed into based on the other three numbers; likely includes any deferrals)
DNF runners: ~391 (from SAG link)
Finishers: ~18,171 (from rD results page)

 

[NileNellie]

Thought I would add my two cents as well:

1. Really enjoyed the half overall. Couldn't have asked for better weather (who'd have thought I'd actually have goosebumps in April?) and the low humidity was awesome as well.
2. We were in the back of corral H. Crowding was an issue for the first half of the race, but wasn't awful. Did slow our pace a bit, though.
3. Really enjoyed the music while running through the parks. The large stretches outside of the parks were challenging, especially running through the AK parking lot.
4. No complaints with the busses. We stayed at Coronado, got on our bus around 3:30, and arrived with plenty of time to make it to our corrals. Same for the way back. The line looked really long but I think overall we waited less than 10 minutes for a bus back to the resort.
5. As far as staying at Coronado, not sure I'd do that again. Overall, the place needs a facelift. The rooms were dated and could have been cleaner, and I wasn't impressed with the Pepper Market. Stayed at CB in November 2015 and it was SO much better.

Now I'm debating doing the full in January. Still have a few days to decide...anyone else?

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

Just curious how many they allow to defer? They still get issued a bib number right since I think deferrals came up after waivers were posted.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

Now I'm debating doing the full in January. Still have a few days to decide...anyone else?

I signed up for Goofy during early registration

 

[opusone]

Just curious how many they allow to defer? They still get issued a bib number right since I think deferrals came up after waivers were posted.

Yes, I believe the ~2,287 of DNS folks include any deferrals. The only person I know who didn't start is on the deferral wait list, so I cannot personally verify. If someone knows of somebody that received a deferral and can check on the XACT link to see if their name is still listed, that would help.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Just curious how many they allow to defer? They still get issued a bib number right since I think deferrals came up after waivers were posted.

I never got a bib number for the January races - I deferred the Dopey. That said, I deferred on the first day that it was possible. I am not sure if later deferrals were assigned bib numbers.

ETA - I just checked the results pages for those races and the Dopey - my name is not listed at all, so my deferral would not be captured in the numbers for those races.

 

[Anisum]

I never got a bib number for the January races - I deferred the Dopey. That said, I deferred on the first day that it was possible. I am not sure if later deferrals were assigned bib numbers.

For Tink we got our bib numbers before the deferral link went up I believe so it's probably dependent on the race.

 

[Mimsy Borogove]

On the RIGHT? Ugh.

Yes, on the RIGHT! What a jerk - he was seriously lucky that no one pushed him over the handrails into the drink.

Gah we were near this guy too. I didn't mind when some people would politely say "on your left" or "excuse me", because I get it, there were a lot of walkers and a narrow space. But this guy was shouting "on your left! make a hole!" which was seriously annoying. We're all trying to get through here, dude. Just settle down and be patient. Someone yelled out to him "proof of time is your friend!" which made me laugh.

At least he was on the left for you all! He was definitely on the right for our portion because he roughly jostled the poor lady on my right and she almost dropped her phone. And it wasn't an oops jostle (that happens and most of us are cool with it), it was intentional - her husband almost went after the guy. And then about a minute later, we were going under the overpass and the field spread out, so he maybe bought himself a minute or two after all that.

 

[FFigawi]

Yes, I believe the ~2,287 of DNS folks include any deferrals. The only person I know who didn't start is on the deferral wait list, so I cannot personally verify. If someone knows of somebody that received a deferral and can check on the XACT link to see if their name is still listed, that would help.

I deferred and am not listed.

 

[maw]

That was me! How crazy!!

I'll send you a message

 

[Warm Hugs]

Yes, on the RIGHT! What a jerk - he was seriously lucky that no one pushed him over the handrails into the drink.



At least he was on the left for you all! He was definitely on the right for our portion because he roughly jostled the poor lady on my right and she almost dropped her phone. And it wasn't an oops jostle (that happens and most of us are cool with it), it was intentional - her husband almost went after the guy. And then about a minute later, we were going under the overpass and the field spread out, so he maybe bought himself a minute or two after all that.

Looks like this guy was doing this through the entire race. Maybe if you saw a bib number you can bring it to rundisney's attention especially if he was creating an unsafe environment

 

[Anisum]

Now that @Keels enlightened us on the SAG link, plus going back to the XACT results link (which does include DNS & DNF folks), we have a little better idea on some numbers:

Star Wars Dark Side Half Marathon
Registered half marathon runners: ~20,849 (from XACT link)
DNS runners: ~2,287 (this is backed into based on the other three numbers; likely includes any deferrals)
DNF runners: ~391 (from SAG link)
Finishers: ~18,171 (from rD results page)

So at first I thought the DNS number was weird but after plugging through many of the entries there do appear to be several people who just never started.

 

[officer tigger]

I started in the last corral and saw a ton of cars still trying to pull in after the first few waves started. Not surprised by the high number of DNS.
Also, the people talking about the guy yelling ON YOUR LEFT during the race, if he was the bald guy with glasses and a gray shirt I saw him too. He started behind me and I could hear him coming. I made up my mind that if yelled at me I was pushing him into the bushes along the path towards the studios. Especially after I heard him scream at some lady "that means you sweetheart"

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Especially after I heard him at some lady "that means you sweetheart"

 

[Ariel484]

For Tink we got our bib numbers before the deferral link went up I believe so it's probably dependent on the race.

Yep. I had bib numbers for GSC and PDC - I deferred both of those.