Official Avengers Half Marathon Weekend 2015 Thread

[bcarey2k]

As for why it's not selling out as fast as Wine and Dine. Well that's a simple question to answer. Wine and Dine is the only standing night time race of the runDisney races currently. And it's one of the smaller races that runDisney puts it on. Put the two together and the fact the weekend only has two races you had a guaranteed record pace sell out for the weekend.

What's going to be curious is to see how fast Star Wars goes in June.

As for why it didn't sell out .... it's because the lack of repeaters.

Last year was brutal wind.

We did it and I can't say we'd do it again on this course....

 

[Angel Ariel]

Does anyone have a map of the course from last year?

 

[Neoflynn]

 

[Angel Ariel]

thanks!

 

[StarGirl11]

As for why it didn't sell out .... it's because the lack of repeaters.

Last year was brutal wind.

We did it and I can't say we'd do it again on this course....

Yeah that too. I'm still hoping the weather will be better this year and that they may change up the course like they did with Tink post innagural. Avengers did kind of show at times that it was a last minute idea.

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

Maybe Inaugural pulls more runners. I think Star Wars will sell well. It has a big audience. Marketing, of course, to have SWW on one coast and a race on the other.

 

[eandesmom]

I wonder if the reason is that they made the entire event bigger? Avengers last year had about 12,800 bibs for the half. Star Wars about 12,400 combined including rebel challenge folks. In comparison, Tink had 15,400 and the DL half, if you include DDD folks is about 18,100. I do think many folks are choosing one or the other between Star Wars and Avengers and that could be part of it.

 

[Figment1990]

The Gauntlet sell out pace is really odd. I suspect the last slots will go once we hit evening and most people get off work. At most it will last a day or two.

I highly doubt its a problem with the theme. I think it (like Tink in May) might just not have a good weekend timing. This is really close to some really popular fall marathons (NYC, Marine Corps, Las Vegas (same weekend, literally), you could argue Chicago also, heck Wine and Dine is the week before, etc.). Some people maybe making the decision to bypass this for another race. I'm making the turn around off of the Marine Corps Marathon but I do wish this race wasn't so close to so many major fall races. Actually with Tower of Terror done for now it would benefit from a move to maybe Tower's old weekend.

I sure hope they don't move it. Having it around Veterans Day means we might be able to make it a whole family event next year! We're really looking forward to it. I chose wine and dine this year and am planning on avengers next year and Star Wars in 2017.

I think it may not have sold out as quickly because of the winds last year and they may have increased the cap. Plus the 10k may be drawing some people away from the half. After all "Cap" is pretty awesome. In fact in WDW last trip we saw more captain America shirts than princesses!

I not surprised about the kids races at all. This theme is SO kid friendly.

 

[EDS19]

I agree with you all. This registration has been surprising!
A few thoughts:
- First I don't think we need to worry about this theme or race not being "popular" enough. I have no doubt that every race will sell out, maybe not as fast as others have, but it will still sell out.
- Keep in mind this will be the 4th runDisney race at Disneyland in 2015, and the Disneyland Half Marathon is having its 10th anniversary this year... So there have been plenty of additional options and special event this year.
- I think the registration process itself can make people hesitant. For example when I saw runDisney twitter say the challenge was "95%" sold out I automatically thought "that last 5% will go to people already in the waiting room". Yet it still stands at 97%. I think people could have a similar reaction when they are trying to register and seeing the web page say they will be waiting 30 minutes as the twitter is saying "We are 75% sold out".
- Can't wait for this weekend! It should be great!

 

[SnowMonkey]

Oh wow, all that effort to register at 2am and it's still not quite sold out?

Crazy.

I guess people really really didn't like the winds last year huh? Oh well, as long as the people who come back do so in costume again, it was a fantastically costumed run last year.

 

[Castle2Castle]

I sure hope they don't move it. Having it around Veterans Day means we might be able to make it a whole family event next year!

I don't think they'll move it. It's still likely going to sell out -- the Challenge is officially sold out this morning -- and the schedule of these events is (I believe) dictated more by Disney Parks looking to use them for boosting attendance during lower attendance weekends.

 

[Chiomaca]

I highly doubt its a problem with the theme. I think it (like Tink in May) might just not have a good weekend timing. This is really close to some really popular fall marathons (NYC, Marine Corps, Las Vegas (same weekend, literally), you could argue Chicago also, heck Wine and Dine is the week before, etc.). Some people maybe making the decision to bypass this for another race. I'm making the turn around off of the Marine Corps Marathon but I do wish this race wasn't so close to so many major fall races. Actually with Tower of Terror done for now it would benefit from a move to maybe Tower's old weekend.

I think the theme is quite popular, but agree that the timing is rough race-wise. I'm doing the Marine Corps turn around for the second year in a row. Last year was a bit of a challenge, but do-able. This year I'm doing all three races, so it might be harder.

Does anyone have a map of the course from last year?

I didn't hate the course, though I much prefer the one they use for Tink. The only part that was really hard was along the riverbed, because the trail is narrow and that's where the wind really did a number on people. The Santa Anas are no fun, but as far as running, I don't think there's much difference between running in the wind or in the rain like Wine and Dine last year. At least at the end, I wasn't drenched and freezing. (I admit that my tights, arm warmers, and sunglasses protected me from some of the worst of the wind, though.)

 

[spideymike]

Glad to see the Infinity Gauntlet challenge is sold out. I have to say I was originally NOT going to come back and run the Avengers race just because I did it last year and had my sights on doing the Star Wars 1/2 in 2016. However, that went out the window when the Infinity Gauntlet challenge was announced. I admit it totally.

Now I get to run the 1/2 at W&D with my wife and the next week run both a 10K and 1/2 in DL so I can get my C2C medal this year and potentially for next year too.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Now I get to run the 1/2 at W&D with my wife and the next week run both a 10K and 1/2 in DL so I can get my C2C medal this year and potentially for next year too.

I thought C2C races had to be in the same calendar year to count? How would a 2015 race help for a C2C in 2016? (Sorry, this part of the post just confused me)

 

[spideymike]

I'm running both W&D and Avengers 1/2s this year = C2C medal.

I'm planning on running Star Wars 1/2 in 2016 so I can potentially qualify for C2C if I run W&D or something similar at WDW in 2016.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I'm running both W&D and Avengers 1/2s this year = C2C medal.

I'm planning on running Star Wars 1/2 in 2016 so I can potentially qualify for C2C if I run W&D or something similar at WDW in 2016.

Ahh ok, got it now thanks!

 

[StarGirl11]

I think the theme is quite popular, but agree that the timing is rough race-wise. I'm doing the Marine Corps turn around for the second year in a row. Last year was a bit of a challenge, but do-able. This year I'm doing all three races, so it might be harder.

I didn't hate the course, though I much prefer the one they use for Tink. The only part that was really hard was along the riverbed, because the trail is narrow and that's where the wind really did a number on people. The Santa Anas are no fun, but as far as running, I don't think there's much difference between running in the wind or in the rain like Wine and Dine last year. At least at the end, I wasn't drenched and freezing. (I admit that my tights, arm warmers, and sunglasses protected me from some of the worst of the wind, though.)

Maybe I'll see you on the Marine Corps route! Have fun doing all three races, I skipped Wine and Dine (I all ready did my Florida race in January so no need to make a second trip out for C2C) this year because I didn't want the pressure of having all of that so close together.

Anyways I actually liked the Avengers river trail run over the Disneyland run. More pavement and its wider so their is a lot more room to maneuver vs the same the sector we run for the Disneyland Half (I was actually able to maneuver around people on the river trail at Avengers, not so much at the Disneyland Half. Longer trip up the trail? Well, yes. But it is a better trip.).

 

[eandesmom]

Anyways I actually liked the Avengers river trail run over the Disneyland run. More pavement and its wider so their is a lot more room to maneuver vs the same the sector we run for the Disneyland Half (I was actually able to maneuver around people on the river trail at Avengers, not so much at the Disneyland Half. Longer trip up the trail? Well, yes. But it is a better trip.).

My girlfriend felt the same and she has run both as well. I've only done the DL half and more trail was a plus for me. I know a lot didn't like it but I am looking forward to that part.

 

[Chiomaca]

Maybe I'll see you on the Marine Corps route! Have fun doing all three races, I skipped Wine and Dine (I all ready did my Florida race in January so no need to make a second trip out for C2C) this year because I didn't want the pressure of having all of that so close together.

Anyways I actually liked the Avengers river trail run over the Disneyland run. More pavement and its wider so their is a lot more room to maneuver vs the same the sector we run for the Disneyland Half (I was actually able to maneuver around people on the river trail at Avengers, not so much at the Disneyland Half. Longer trip up the trail? Well, yes. But it is a better trip.).

I start at the back of the pack, so if you're back there, we might well see each other. I'll be running with Team RWB, so one of many in red shirts with eagles on the front.

I meant that I was running all three over Avengers weekend. I'm not sure I could handle MCM, W&D and Avengers. I was only going to sign up for Infinity Gauntlet, but then my brother's family decided to run the 5k, so I signed up for that, too. My mom is running the 10k, and my good friend is running the challenge, so it should be fun.

I ran in January, too! We seem to have similar race schedules. I don't suppose you're doing Cherry Blossom this week? I got the Pink C2C last year and would have traded it for the blue if I could. At least I'll have two different C2Cs. Not sure I'm going to run a FL race next year because I may be moving in the spring and will need to stay flexible. I haven't run the DL Half yet, so am not familiar with that course. Where does it diverge from the Avengers one? At least the halfs there are all different courses instead of WDW, which is already boring to me.

 

[eandesmom]

I haven't run the DL Half yet, so am not familiar with that course. Where does it diverge from the Avengers one? At least the halfs there are all different courses instead of WDW, which is already boring to me

This is 2013's but 2014 was the same. Miles 10 on are pretty meh but I loved the rest of it. Of course those parts of the course look the same (the meh part lol).