Question about relay...

[engle]

Ran my first half this past weekend...it was awesome.
Have a question about the relay.
Do you have to wait for the other person to finish their half to start or can you start anytime? I heard that some people did this...is this okay? I am a very slow runner and would like to run the relay with someone that is a fast runner along with some faster marathon runners and would like to be done around the same time...can I start earlier than when my partner arrives?

 

[liznboys]

Congrats on your half!

I did the relay with my friend carissanboys but I don't know the answer to your question. I finished, met with her really quick and then she began.

We are actually trying to understand the timing... Our total time ads up to exactly my time plus her time. But I was under the impression that there would be three times added up: mine, our transition, and hers.

We are trying to figure out where her time/distance began, because it seems she actually ran longer than 13.1. I did my 13.1, then she began and did the transition area then her race. The 13 mile marker for the full was AFTER the transition area which means she went 13.2 plus the transition area.

 

[carissanboys]

You have to wait for your partner to finish before you start. At one point they announced that those who didn't have a partner running towards them could start. This would include people who's partner wasn't there that day.

I had heard beforehand that there would be a point when they would let everyone go (if your partner was taking too long), but that didn't happen while I was waiting. Maybe someone else knows the answer.

 

[carissanboys]

Congrats on your half!
We are actually trying to understand the timing... Our total time ads up to exactly my time plus her time. But I was under the impression that there would be three times added up: mine, our transition, and hers.

We are trying to figure out where her time/distance began, because it seems she actually ran longer than 13.1. I did my 13.1, then she began and did the transition area then her race. The 13 mile marker for the full was AFTER the transition area which means she went 13.2 plus the transition area.

To add to this, it seems that my time started after Liz crossed her finish line as I don't ever remember crossing a mat at my start.

 

[carissanboys]

Thinking about this more, there had to be a separate mat for the 2nd runners. How else would they know the start time for those who didn't have a partner finishing?

 

[robynslp]

I was still walking to the Polynesian when I heard them announce that Leg 2 runners who had not yet been tagged could go now or risk being swept. I think it must have been at about 3:30 clock time, but I don't know for sure.

And I agree that the Leg 2 was at least .2 too long. I hadn't thought about it until my sister (Leg 2) pointed out that she ran out and was suddenly at mile 13 which meant she had to go another 13.2 to the finish line plus the .1 from the transition area. So it wasn't perfect. It was still pretty great! Out of my 4 Half Marathons, this is my favorite. I start training for Mickey now!

 

[scion5220]

I was still walking to the Polynesian when I heard them announce that Leg 2 runners who had not yet been tagged could go now or risk being swept. I think it must have been at about 3:30 clock time, but I don't know for sure.

And I agree that the Leg 2 was at least .2 too long. I hadn't thought about it until my sister (Leg 2) pointed out that she ran out and was suddenly at mile 13 which meant she had to go another 13.2 to the finish line plus the .1 from the transition area. So it wasn't perfect. It was still pretty great! Out of my 4 Half Marathons, this is my favorite. I start training for Mickey now!

I don't know that the second runner's time started until crossing a mat right after the 13 mile marker. I am thinking there was one there to give the full runners their half marathon split. And while the second runner had to go from the transition point to that mat, the first runner had to cover the distance up to the actual starting line...so we're probably even!

 

[carissanboys]

It was still pretty great! Out of my 4 Half Marathons, this is my favorite. I start training for Mickey now!

I agree! I did the half last year and I had a lot more fun with the relay.

 

[joan4mickey]

Some one who ran said that second runner could start at 7:30 or 7:45 can't remember exactly. My daughter ran second and couldn't remember the announcement about second runner start, but knew that at some point all could go. Her brother ran fast so it wasn't an issue for her. Second runner had to walk/run a bit before crossing his/her start mat. My daughter thought it was maybe a quarter mile.

 

[carissanboys]

Some one who ran said that second runner could start at 7:30 or 7:45 can't remember exactly. My daughter ran second and couldn't remember the announcement about second runner start, but knew that at some point all could go. Her brother ran fast so it wasn't an issue for her. Second runner had to walk/run a bit before crossing his/her start mat. My daughter thought it was maybe a quarter mile.

Definitely wasn't that early. I didn't start until 8:45 or so when my partner came through and they hadn't made the announcement yet.

So if our (2nd runner) mat was there, that means they didn't count the transition time with our total time.

 

[PrincessRhi]

I was the first leg and headed off the course right around mile 6 because dehydration was kicking my butt (I'd rather DNF than not give it a shot), so my partner was able to head off early.

A few friends who were also running the relay mentioned an announcement being made as they were heading off right around 2:30 (marathon pace, so maybe 8:30/9am?), but they thought it was for the people who wanted to run second leg and didn't have partners running the first. I don't know if they just allowed people to go at whatever point, but it seems like it would make sense if they wanted to give both runners a fair shake.

 

[megny]

I did the second leg of the relay and was SO confused by the discrepancy distance until I looked up the official results... It seems our 'official' time started from the time we crossed that marker at 13.1 until the finish. Its strange because the email I got from RunDisney with my time had included the time from the start at the transition area, through 26.2. But then I looked at the official results posted, and the time is shorter and seems to match the 13.1 time. So that walk from where our partner came in, through our start line, past mile marker 13 and onto the mats at 13.1 were just a bonus!! Haha... killer when you weren't planning for it! At least if I go next year, I'll know to start the Garmin at that point instead of when I cross that first line. It also makes sense why no one got any half-point text updates... a lot of the marathoners on the course were checking there phones, hoping for that update, bcs they knew that we had crossed the mats... there was no indication that that was only for the relay runners.

Congrats to all... hope your enjoying that gorgeous C&D medal!!

 

[figment82]

I did the 1/2 on Saturday and was supposed to do the marathon relay with my dad on Sunday as the second runner, but I'm seven months pregnant so I let enough people talk me into not doing the relay and got my husband to do it instead. I came out and cheered and was at the transition point.

My dad crossed the finish at 9:16 AM with a 14:40 pace (he was in the last corral). As I was walking back to the Polynesian with my dad, we heard the announcement that all of the remaining runners could go to avoid being swept. I didn't look at my watch but that was right around 9:30 AM.

I can also confirm they stopped the timing clock at the finish line at 7 hours 31 minutes (clock time, not chip time - since it was a wave start). They let people finish that were already in the park, but you wouldn't have received an official time if you came in after that. My darling husband came in at 7 hours 27 minutes so it was a real nailbiter for me I'm very proud of him for finishing with absolutely no training, but it's a good thing my dad wasn't walking the 16 minute miles he normally does with me [We normally wouldn't care, I'm a firm believer in the WISH slogan, but since I finished a race 7 months pregnant and my husband ended up doing a half he otherwise never would have, we had decided we were going to go to disneyland to get the C2C]

My only complaint with the marathon relay was the merchandise. Why didn't they have a pin? I know there were only about 1800 people doing this, but they could have at least had one as part of the pre-order so they would know about how many to make. Instead if you wanted a pin you had to pick between the 1/2, which is the right distance but wrong race/date, or the marathon, which is the wrong distance. There was only the one "We Did It" shirt, which my husband didn't think he wanted when we were at the expo but then changed his mind, and they were totally sold out by the morning of the race. So he got no merch whatsoever.

We were staying at the Poly so the relay exchange wasn't an issue for us - he got to sleep in and walk over when he was ready. But Disney should have arranged some sort of transportation for the second runner to get there if they weren't staying at the Poly, and made it more clear for runners staying at hotels on the monorail route that they could do this. I only knew because of the map that was posted on here!

 

[scion5220]

I did the second leg of the relay and was SO confused by the discrepancy distance until I looked up the official results... It seems our 'official' time started from the time we crossed that marker at 13.1 until the finish. Its strange because the email I got from RunDisney with my time had included the time from the start at the transition area, through 26.2. But then I looked at the official results posted, and the time is shorter and seems to match the 13.1 time. So that walk from where our partner came in, through our start line, past mile marker 13 and onto the mats at 13.1 were just a bonus!! Haha... killer when you weren't planning for it! At least if I go next year, I'll know to start the Garmin at that point instead of when I cross that first line. It also makes sense why no one got any half-point text updates... a lot of the marathoners on the course were checking there phones, hoping for that update, bcs they knew that we had crossed the mats... there was no indication that that was only for the relay runners.

Congrats to all... hope your enjoying that gorgeous C&D medal!!

I LOVE the medal! It may be my favorite!

 

[PrincessRhi]

My only complaint with the marathon relay was the merchandise. Why didn't they have a pin? I know there were only about 1800 people doing this, but they could have at least had one as part of the pre-order so they would know about how many to make. Instead if you wanted a pin you had to pick between the 1/2, which is the right distance but wrong race/date, or the marathon, which is the wrong distance. There was only the one "We Did It" shirt, which my husband didn't think he wanted when we were at the expo but then changed his mind, and they were totally sold out by the morning of the race. So he got no merch whatsoever.

All of the relay merch (aka, We did it shirts) was sold out by Friday afternoon aside from some XXL shirts.

I was at the expo on Thursday afternoon and didn't see much of anything for the relay runners, which was kind of a disappointment. A lot of us chose to buy generic runDisney stuff instead.

 

[Haas4Concern]

I ran the second leg of the relay and I left the transition area at about 7:45. They announced something about if you werent sure if your partner was going to finish you could leave. I took that as my que that it was ok to go. It was a fun a race and I hope they keep doing the relay.

 

[scion5220]

I did the 1/2 on Saturday and was supposed to do the marathon relay with my dad on Sunday as the second runner, but I'm seven months pregnant so I let enough people talk me into not doing the relay and got my husband to do it instead. I came out and cheered and was at the transition point.

My dad crossed the finish at 9:16 AM with a 14:40 pace (he was in the last corral). As I was walking back to the Polynesian with my dad, we heard the announcement that all of the remaining runners could go to avoid being swept. I didn't look at my watch but that was right around 9:30 AM.

I can also confirm they stopped the timing clock at the finish line at 7 hours 31 minutes (clock time, not chip time - since it was a wave start). They let people finish that were already in the park, but you wouldn't have received an official time if you came in after that. My darling husband came in at 7 hours 27 minutes so it was a real nailbiter for me I'm very proud of him for finishing with absolutely no training, but it's a good thing my dad wasn't walking the 16 minute miles he normally does with me [We normally wouldn't care, I'm a firm believer in the WISH slogan, but since I finished a race 7 months pregnant and my husband ended up doing a half he otherwise never would have, we had decided we were going to go to disneyland to get the C2C]

My only complaint with the marathon relay was the merchandise. Why didn't they have a pin? I know there were only about 1800 people doing this, but they could have at least had one as part of the pre-order so they would know about how many to make. Instead if you wanted a pin you had to pick between the 1/2, which is the right distance but wrong race/date, or the marathon, which is the wrong distance. There was only the one "We Did It" shirt, which my husband didn't think he wanted when we were at the expo but then changed his mind, and they were totally sold out by the morning of the race. So he got no merch whatsoever.

We were staying at the Poly so the relay exchange wasn't an issue for us - he got to sleep in and walk over when he was ready. But Disney should have arranged some sort of transportation for the second runner to get there if they weren't staying at the Poly, and made it more clear for runners staying at hotels on the monorail route that they could do this. I only knew because of the map that was posted on here!

I totally agree about the merchandise. I got the "We Did It" shirt, but I probably would've bought a few more things if they had them. They did have transportation from EPCOT for the second runners which dropped us off right at the gathering area for the transition.

Also I think you made the right call about not doing the race being 7 months pregnant...it was pretty warm out there.

 

[scion5220]

I ran the second leg of the relay and I left the transition area at about 7:45. They announced something about if you werent sure if your partner was going to finish you could leave. I took that as my que that it was ok to go. It was a fun a race and I hope they keep doing the relay.

Did your partner wonder where you were or did you have a way to communicate with them? I thought it was odd how early they told everyone they could start going if they wanted to.

 

[Haas4Concern]

I told my partner I was to going to leave the first chance I got. I wanted to avoid the heat as much as possible.

 

[Qltrgrl2]

I also ran as runner 1. Yesterday, I tried to post from my hotel and lost the post when it was nearly complete ( and it was a long one!).

I started in corral B and finished in 2:03 so that was exciting considering my prior best was 2:07. The course was fun and I loved going through Magic Kingdom late in the race. Having run only two prior halves, the late miles seem to be where I struggle. The crowds were absolutely fantastic and several gave me a special cheer when they saw my green Wish shirt.

The relay was tons of fun, and I would probably run it again, except I really want the other medals from Disney races.. So, my next challenge is to decide if my old body could handle Goofy or at the least the marathon. As for the C and D medal, it is adorable, maybe my favorite.

The Expo was a complete disappointment with regards to merchandise. We arrived around 12:00pm on Friday and most of the small clothing was gone. I did get the "I Did It " shirt which is cute, but I wanted the training shirt for 2012 and that was sold out. They also had sold out of jackets and hoodies.....why doesn't Disney learn from prior expos?

Looking forward to my next Disney race! Congratulations to all who ran over the weekend.
Happy running,
Pam