Official WDW Marathon Weekend 2013 Thread-Part 2

[cewait]

We're staying at Coronado for the weekend. Do I have to go to the main bus stop for race transportation or do they stop at all of the bus stops?

Generally, if the resort has a convention center (like Coronado) the bus will stop at the convention center and not at the regular Disney bus stops. I have heard the Coronado has been both ways. Keep an eye out during expo hours to get a better idea. Resort cast members may not have the correct answer until Friday afternoon.

 

[Ariel484]

I have stayed at the BLT for two races and found that leaving between 0400 and 0415 worked well. Not rushed, but no time to waste, either. What I observed but do not know as fact is that the GF and CR have trains enter their resorts and fill concurrently. When one or the other fills then trains rotate. So what I found was that an empty or nearly empty monorail pulling into the CR station both mornings I used it. From there, the TTC was a non-issue. One morning the Epcot train pulled away as we were approaching, so we had a couple minute wait while the waiting train came into the station. The other morning, I walked from one train to the other and we waited for all on my train to load then departed.
Not sure if that makes sense, I like you, was a little worried about the transfer time and found it to be easy.

For the Poly folks, I would simple walk to the TTC to avoid the first train all together

Wow, that late even for the half?? That's really surprising...and awesome since I am staying on the monorail this year.

 

[MRS AR]

In general, the race transportation is good to great. However, EVERY year Mears has a snafu or two. Frankly, I am shocked that there are not more. Roads are closed, GPS units then give incorrect instructions and runners are notorious for waiting til the very last moment. Usually one resort will be picked on as the resort of the year. 2012 seems to have been POR, 2011 was SSR, 2010 was most resorts due to the cold. I was nearly left at the Yacht Club in 04 when I was meeting a running buddy who was running a little late. That really did not matter as the buses did not stop between 3:40and 4:20. Mears has a roving dispatcher who arrived and within a few moments 10-12 buses followed. In 2003 (I think) the race was delayed 30 minutes due to a huge traffic issue.

When driving, the traffic will usually seem normal until one approaches the intersection of World and Epcot. That is generally where one spends the extra time on race morning. Normally, the traffic is not all that bad, but on occasion there will be a snag. With the new marathon course, the road closure on the inbound road from World to Epcot Parking should not need closed, so some of the pressure may be off.

I would suggest with all seriousness that one should attempt to be on the bus or in the car (when on property) no later than 0330, a little earlier is better. The 0300-0400 traffic window was set up when the race started at 0600. The window has not changed, but the race numbers are greater and the start time 30 minutes earlier. You never know when your resort will be the resort that has its time in the barrel. The only resorts that I would go later are the monorail resorts. I think in 2010 I left at 0420 from the Contemporary. I had little to no time in the staging area. Generally, hopped of the rail, walked to the tents, shed my keeper warm ups and then walked to the corral as the National Anthem was beginning. Not a lot of time to spare.

Last year had the added issue of a new return route for buses during the half. Since both sides of Epcot are closed during most of the half, there is no ‘normal’ path into the parking lot. They attempted to run buses in on the Cast Member side of the parking lot via Overpass Road and Woodpecker Lane. Surprise, it failed to work well. I am betting that will be much improved in 2013.

Inevitably, the traffic leaving Epcot parking seems to back up on the even years. We have waited for 45 minutes just to get out of the parking grid. Since this is an odd year coming up, it should not occur…

Good luck. I am sure that there are numerous stories of those who wait to the last minute with no issue.

Do you happen to know if the monorail will be running for the Princess Half as well?

 

[cewait]

Do you happen to know if the monorail will be running for the Princess Half as well?

For the Princess, transportation is provided to the 'host' hotels only. In the past only the Poly was a monorail host resort. In looking at the runDisney site to confirm that Poly was a host resort again, it appears like all monorail resorts are now host resorts. I will correct if I see something later but the page seems to point to all monorail resorts.

Make sure you understand reservations and what the iRun reservation number has been guilty of over the last few months. They have on occasion told folks that the only way you can use marathon transportation is to reserve a room through iRun. This is factually incorrect. Anyone looking to board marathon transportation is afforded passage as it would be too disruptive to check some sort of ID system. Central reservations will traditionally have a better room rate than iRun will have.

 

[FFigawi]

In general, the race transportation is good to great. However, EVERY year Mears has a snafu or two.

In 2011, there was quite a delay in buses from CBR getting to the drop-off at Epcot. We boarded the bus around 4, got stuck in traffic, and it was almost 5 by the time we got off the bus and walked to bag drop. As panicked as some people were, this timing actually worked out really well. There were no lines at the porta-potties, the walk to the corrals wasn't crowded at all, and we arrived at our corrals just before the wheelchair athletes got sent off.

 

[RedSonya]

yeah! Just finished my 20 mile run/walk. I knew I would struggle as I had pulled an old DVD out yesterday and did an hour of core so I was a bit sore in some areas. Then I decided not to go to my LR location, a flat greenway, but run in my neighborhood, rolling hills. It was a beautiful day so it was nice and I finished. I have known for sometime that I would have to long run today or tomorrow as we leave later this week to meet the family to ski. And Utah is getting some great snow!
good luck to all those finishing those LR!

Nice job on getting in the 20 miler! I'm not sure which canyon you will be skiing in, but we have had some awesome snow the last few days. We skied 16 inches of fresh powder at Brighton today. I'd love to ski this weekend but I will be doing my long runs. Enjoy your trip!

 

[RunRookie]

well am feeling better and tried going for a long today and only made it about a mile when I started coughing really bad. It felt like it lasted 5 minutes. I'm sure it didn't but it sure felt that way. I will give it a few more day then try again..

Take it slow. We don't want any setbacks.

 

[CarrieR]

*Waves hi to the Columbus folks*

We did an 11-mile run there a few weeks ago, but I don't think we saw any runDisney folk! This weekend's 12.5-mi was done on the Hilliard Rail Trail, which said on the website it was 7 miles but is really a bit over six. Worked out awesomely for a 12.5 miler :/

I think we need a Columbus RD group!

 

[cewait]

In 2011, there was quite a delay in buses from CBR getting to the drop-off at Epcot. We boarded the bus around 4, got stuck in traffic, and it was almost 5 by the time we got off the bus and walked to bag drop. As panicked as some people were, this timing actually worked out really well. There were no lines at the porta-potties, the walk to the corrals wasn't crowded at all, and we arrived at our corrals just before the wheelchair athletes got sent off.

I cannot emphasize enough, if you are the panicking kind (ME) the 0330 bus is so much better. However, The three races in the last decade where I did have a bus issue or took the later monorail, I did feel kind of like a celebrity as I flew to the corrals with little in the way of crowd.

 

[gadeac]

Just printed my waiver form. On the 13th day of the 13th year of this century, I am bib number...

1313.

Guess its a good thing I'm not too superstitious.

 

[Cruz91]

I'm bib 7835. I think that puts me in Corral E? Hopefully I'll be able to find the Cliff pacers. Last year (full marathon - my first race of any kind - EVER) I was stuck in the last corral and never cought up to the pacers. May be nice to have someone help drag me along through the tough spots. ;-)

 

[KSBelle77]

Well not training as well as I had hoped but after my first semester of Law School hopped on the treadmill this morning and ran 8 miles without stopping! That the first for me considering the furthest I've ran without stopping was 2 miles! I am hoping this will get me back on track for the marathon. I would have kept go ongoing but have company coming so I had to stop. I felt great, like I could do the 26.2! Here's to running 26.2 miles when I am 26.2 years old!!!

 

[Reep]

Well not training as well as I had hoped but after my first semester of Law School hopped on the treadmill this morning and ran 8 miles without stopping! That the first for me considering the furthest I've ran without stopping was 2 miles! I am hoping this will get me back on track for the marathon. I would have kept go ongoing but have company coming so I had to stop. I felt great, like I could do the 26.2! Here's to running 26.2 miles when I am 26.2 years old!!!

Good job 1L. [J.D. 1998]

 

[hesterfamily]

My husband is in Corral E for the 1/2 marathon and wants to attempt a three hour finish. Will he be too far back to follow and/or catch up to the CLIF Bar pace team for a 3:00 finish time?

 

[Reep]

My husband is in Corral E for the 1/2 marathon and wants to attempt a three hour finish. Will he be too far back to follow and/or catch up to the CLIF Bar pace team for a 3:00 finish time?

I can't remember where the pacers are, but wouldn't Corral E be in front of the 3:00 pacer? The 3:00 pacer is the last pacer for the half, so I would guess he would be toward the back third of the corrals.

FWIW, here is the guy you want to look for:
http://www.clifbar.com/pace_team/mike/

 

[cobbler]

I can't remember where the pacers are, but wouldn't Corral E be in front of the 3:00 pacer? The 3:00 pacer is the last pacer for the half, so I would guess he would be toward the back third of the corrals.

FWIW, here is the guy you want to look for:
http://www.clifbar.com/pace_team/mike/

Just curious, are there any pacers in corral D & what is the finish time if they are there?

 

[tehvalerie]

Does runDisney typically offer registration discounts at the expo? Say, if I wanted to register for the new Dumbo Double Dare at Disneyland? I really want to do it, but $280--oof.

 

[JCH]

Does runDisney typically offer registration discounts at the expo? Say, if I wanted to register for the new Dumbo Double Dare at Disneyland? I really want to do it, but $280--oof.

I'm sorry..I don't have facebook access on my computer...Dumbo Double Dare???

 

[KSBelle77]

I'm sorry..I don't have facebook access on my computer...Dumbo Double Dare???

It's the new Disneyland 10k 1/2 marathon combo. It is on the rundisney page. Kind of lick the goofy challenge!

 

[jmasgat]

There usually aren't discounts for race entry. All you save is the active.com registration fees.