OFFICIAL January 2012 5K, Half Marathon, Marathon, Goofy or Dopey Challenge Thread

[FFigawi]

You start and finish at Epcot and run up to Magic Kingdom in between.

Course Map

 

[cewait]

Better Maps

Half - http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/4106815/

Full (with relay exchange marked with an X) - http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/516484/

5k - http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/37052596/

For a different map layer, open the map options window and select satellite or Open Street. The satellite is on a photo background and the Open Street has a lot of detail... (ever wonder how I remember parking lot names? take a look)

enjoy

 

[CoasterAddict]

I agree with Charles that the economy and the crazy price(and lack of park pass compared to the full) has slowed reg down. Disney is paying for its end of the mighty dollar. People are boycotting and doing 2 other racxes for the same race entry fees. Forgot the hundreds of extra dollars for trip expenses. If it wasn't for Perfectly Goofy, I would be skipping WDW Jan races as well!

I don't know about that...the half had nearly 22,000 finishers last year, 17,000+ the year before. So somebody is signing up.

 

[cewait]

I agree with Charles that the economy and the crazy price(and lack of park pass compared to the full) has slowed reg down. Disney is paying for its end of the mighty dollar. People are boycotting and doing 2 other racxes for the same race entry fees. Forgot the hundreds of extra dollars for trip expenses. If it wasn't for Perfectly Goofy, I would be skipping WDW Jan races as well!

I think we agree on the economy but not so much on the price. I think most of the slow filling is because of the increased number of slots. That, slows the time before the 50% countdown threshold starts and thus delays buyer's panic. Once the numbers are posted, the folks who really want to run it, jump so they are not caught out. A slight jump is noted in the first few days after the 50+ number is first posted. Then the filling drags until the last minute folks start to panic.

I think in the old days we all entered earlier than now because we had no idea when the race would fill. With the 02 quick 3 week fill of that year's half, it became standard practice to send in the entry form as soon as one could. In those days the biggest beef of the once or twice Disney runners was that one HAD to enter early to get a slot. I actually like the slower fill because it allows time for fence sitters to ponder their decision. There is nothing worse than feeling like you have to enter in January of this year to assure a spot for January next year and then come down with an injury in March that wrecks the summer.

As far as pricing, the perceived premium is just not there. It is an upper tier destination event. It does and should cost more than most marathons and halves due to the quality of the event. It is not the most expensive marathon out there. I will yield to some argument that the half should not cost as much as the full, but then the half fills first and has a few thousand more runners. I think it fundamental supply and demand example and the price is what the market will bear.

 

[hauntedcity]

Better Maps

Half - http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/4106815/

Full (with relay exchange marked with an X) - http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/516484/

5k - http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/37052596/

For a different map layer, open the map options window and select satellite or Open Street. The satellite is on a photo background and the Open Street has a lot of detail... (ever wonder how I remember parking lot names? take a look)

enjoy

Those are great. Thank you so much for sharing. My wife and I just went through the satellite photos inch by inch to see where we will be running in January!

Doug

 

[RadioFanatic]

thanks so much for the quick and great response!

 

[cewait]

Those are great. Thank you so much for sharing. My wife and I just went through the satellite photos inch by inch to see where we will be running in January!

Doug

thanks so much for the quick and great response!

No problem

Feel free to ask questions, I have looped these circuits so many times that I can almost remember where the pebbles and patches of gravel are. One thing on the full course that the maps do not divulge (unless we can develop smellivision) are at the POTW (sewer plant) at mile 15 and the elephant building at mile 16. Nor does it give you a feeling for the excitement of running on Main Street USA, Cinderella Castle or passing just in front of the MK Train. Nor of the solitude and running just after leaving MK on Floridian Way. For a little more detail - some call it step by step read this....

http://disneyrunning.com/fullreportcw.html
http://disneyrunning.com/halfreportcw.html
They need updated but are generally correct.

 

[dreams91]

No problem

Feel free to ask questions, I have looped these circuits so many times that I can almost remember where the pebbles and patches of gravel are. One thing on the full course that the maps do not divulge (unless we can develop smellivision) are at the POTW (sewer plant) at mile 15 and the elephant building at mile 16. Nor does it give you a feeling for the excitement of running on Main Street USA, Cinderella Castle or passing just in front of the MK Train. Nor of the solitude and running just after leaving MK on Floridian Way. For a little more detail - some call it step by step read this....

http://disneyrunning.com/fullreportcw.html
http://disneyrunning.com/halfreportcw.html
They need updated but are generally correct.

Great info. Thanks. This will be my first half marathon. It's great to hear what it's like from others. Also like to hear the what to expect & what to bring et.

 

[pipermae]

I'm in for the half. It'll be my first one!

 

[WriteDisney]

Well I officially booked our room at the Contemporary! Thanks for all the help in deciding! I usually book through AAA or directly with Disney but I decided to go with MEI and Mousefan Travel because they had a good marathon weekend package.

Finished the Baltimore Ten Miler this weekend. It was such a humid race! After a mile I knew I was just in it to finish. A good race though!

 

[hauntedcity]

I did it. I'm all signed up for the half-marathon. I have a room booked at AKL and car booked so I can finally head over to Hogsmeade. Hopefully, Southwest will have some good flights posted soon.

Hmmm... Okay, this is actually pretty bad. Now, with all that money at stake, I'm running out of excuses not to exercise.

Doug

 

[Vickibean]

Since the Goofy training plan for last year seem to indicate that training starts in about 1-1/2 weeks, I figured I'd better take a trip to the Dr. and find out what is causing pain in my ankles, above the bone on the inside. He asked how long I had been running, then immediately said I have tendinitis. He prescribed Meloxicam and said to see him in a month. He didn't say to stop running, but life has gotten in the way again, and I haven't been running much since my last half a month ago. I went to the gym yesterday, all ready to run 3 on the track, only to find out that I was there an hour before child care was open.

Hopefully, I can get 3 in tomorrow!

 

[Vickibean]

Oh...and my wait list came through. I originally had a treehouse villa, but I gave it up since it wasn't looking like the rest of the family was coming along. I cancelled it at the 7-month window and booked AKV, with Wilderness Lodge waitlisted. Last week, I got the email!!!

 

[lovesdumbo]

I've signed up for my first half. My friend and I thought Disney would be good motivation to get moving!

I have a few questions for those who have done this before.

Do all Disney resorts offer bus service to the marathon? We are planning on a value resort. I've made a reservation at Pop thinking it is close to the sports center but are the All Stars any better on race day?

Do any of you do the Race Retreat?

Anyone do the Pasta in the Parks?

Thanks for sharing your insights.

 

[FFigawi]

Do all Disney resorts offer bus service to the marathon? We are planning on a value resort. I've made a reservation at Pop thinking it is close to the sports center but are the All Stars any better on race day?

Pretty much all of them offer bus or monorail service on race day. Both Pop and AS are the same for getting to the race, but getting back afterwards is a different story. One bus runs to all three AS resorts so the line and wait for that can be quite a bit longer than for Pop or any of the other resorts. After the half during Disney on Ice, I skipped the AS line of over 100 people, hopped on the first bus to anywhere else that came along, and called my wife to ask her to drive over from AS and pick me up.

 

[Fellowship9798]

I'm running a half marathon here in Vancouver tomorrow morning as part of my long road to the Goofy next January. The weather should be dry and sunny, but not too warm. Hopefully perfect running weather.

Jan 2012 is sneaking up now. It's only a couple of weeks until the 180 day ADR window opens up for the super plannersa mong us. I might try to book one or two things, just because we have a group of seven people and I wouldn't want to be shut out of any first picks. I'll need to think about a celebratory dinner for all after the weekend is done. I am doing the Goofy, DW the half, our kids are registered for the kids races, and my parents and sister are coming along for support. Maybe Ohana on the Monday evening, or Hoop Dee Doo. Hmmmm.....

 

[stitchfan18]

Jan 2012 is sneaking up now. It's only a couple of weeks until the 180 day ADR window opens up for the super plannersa mong us. I might try to book one or two things, just because we have a group of seven people and I wouldn't want to be shut out of any first picks. I'll need to think about a celebratory dinner for all after the weekend is done. I am doing the Goofy, DW the half, our kids are registered for the kids races, and my parents and sister are coming along for support. Maybe Ohana on the Monday evening, or Hoop Dee Doo. Hmmmm.....

We are trying to decide on a celebration dinner as well, but I was thinking about doing it Sunday evening after the full. Maybe that's too ambitious for the 3 of us in my family running the full though. I can imagine we'll be exhausted, especially since one of my SIL's and I are doing Goofy. Now I'm going to have to rethink ADR's...

 

[stitchfan18]

Now that my mileage is getting in the mid to upper teens on long runs, I'm trying to decide whether to get another hydration waist pack with more bottles, or a backpack. I'm concerned that all the bottles will seem bulky, especially when they are all full. The waist packs are a lot cheaper though... Which way is the best for carrying a lot of water? My waist pack now can only hold 20oz, and I definitely need more than that on my long runs.

 

[CrystalCastle]

We are trying to decide on a celebration dinner as well, but I was thinking about doing it Sunday evening after the full. Maybe that's too ambitious for the 3 of us in my family running the full though. I can imagine we'll be exhausted, especially since one of my SIL's and I are doing Goofy. Now I'm going to have to rethink ADR's...

Maybe do a small snack after the race and then dinner late like around 8:00PM?

 

[Fellowship9798]

I'm running a half marathon here in Vancouver tomorrow morning as part of my long road to the Goofy next January. The weather should be dry and sunny, but not too warm. Hopefully perfect running weather.

Well, the race was good. Clear blue sky. Maybe a little sunnier than I would have preferred, but still didn't get too hot. It was my second half marathon and I did better my time from the last one. I finished this one in 1:45:44. And to top off the day, the family went to see Cars 2. Not my favorite Pixar movie by far as it lacked the "heart" of pretty much all their other films, but it was entertaining enough.

Now on to working out my training plan for the next segment of the build up to Goofy. A full marathon in early October.