Question about relay...

[scion5220]

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.

Ahh...never done a relay before, so didn't know it would even be a possibility. My partner was running her first half marathon though so I'm glad I was there to congratulate her and make a big deal out of it!

 

[figment82]

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.

Good plan - it was HOT by the time my husband finished; he got a nasty sunburn from not thinking about it at 5 AM when he was getting ready.

Also I know they had transportation to the relay exchange point from EPCOT, but then you had to sit around for a long time waiting for your partner to finish (especially if they were going closer to the 16 minute mile pace than not). It's no big deal if they were going to let the second runner go at 7:45 anyway instead of making them wait for their partner to finish, but that wasn't clear from the instructions at all. (if it had been, my husband certainly would have gone earlier since he knew he was going to struggle with the 16 minute mile)

If my husband had to get to the race start with my dad by 5 AM and then sit at the transition point until 9:15 AM when my dad finished, he never would have done a disney race again! The only thing that saved it was that we were at the poly so he could walk over closer to time.

 

[Haas4Concern]

Yeah I heard there were WISHers at the poly. I would have definately been there hanging out if I knew before hand. It was cold in that parking lot and a hotel lobby sounds much more comfortable than wearing a trash bag while sitting on pavement. I guess thats what I get for not being more active on these boards.

 

[K80K]

I was a leg 1 runner. My partner heard them announce at one point that if you did not have a runner coming for you then you could go. Then after we transitioned they made another announcement saying if your runner hadn't come in yet then go ahead and start because if you didn't there was a chance you were going to get swept.

I really enjoyed the relay and felt it was run really really well. Unfortunately the rumor is that it won't be back.

 

[scion5220]

I was a leg 1 runner. My partner heard them announce at one point that if you did not have a runner coming for you then you could go. Then after we transitioned they made another announcement saying if your runner hadn't come in yet then go ahead and start because if you didn't there was a chance you were going to get swept.

I really enjoyed the relay and felt it was run really really well. Unfortunately the rumor is that it won't be back.

Really? That's too bad, I *mostly* enjoyed it!

Glad I got the medal if it isn't going to be run again.

 

[carissanboys]

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!!

Thanks! I went and checked the official results (never got an email or saw any info about them being posted). The time that RunDisney posted to my Facebook page (I signed up for runner tracking ahead of time) included the transition time in MY time. The official results show our transition time as almost 4 minutes so my official time was 4 minutes faster than I thought.

 

[figment82]

Unfortunately the rumor is that it won't be back.

I can see that, which would make me sad since I didn't get to do it...but DH kept asking me why they would have a marathon relay the day after a half.
He enjoyed it, but he didn't really get the point.

My answer was it's a new medal, so people would enter for that (but that won't be the case next year!), and in the past the half has typically sold out early and the marathon late so more people could participate in a half distance without a problem. However, with all the half marathons disney has been adding, that doesn't really hold up anymore either - the half, the marathon, and the relay all sold out pretty close together this year.

Has anyone else heard this rumor?

 

[jeanneg]

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.

It WAS that early! I was just walking to the corrals from the Poly about 7:45 when they made the announcement that anyone whose partner had not finished the first leg was free to take off for the second leg. I had every intention of waiting for my partner, but since we were both nursing health issues I decided to take advantage of the extra cushion and take the pressure off the both of us. He finished in 3:22; I was 3:17, but because I had taken off early NEITHER OF US HAS AN OFFICIAL TIME! I wished they had mentioned leaving early would result in a DQ when they made the announcement. I would have waited. Now I am not sure my husband will qualify for a Coast to Coast medal. (I did the half on Saturday so at least I have that race.) I have a call into Disney about this, but have not heard back.

 

[Qltrgrl2]

It WAS that early! I was just walking to the corrals from the Poly about 7:45 when they made the announcement that anyone whose partner had not finished the first leg was free to take off for the second leg. I had every intention of waiting for my partner, but since we were both nursing health issues I decided to take advantage of the extra cushion and take the pressure off the both of us. He finished in 3:22; I was 3:17, but because I had taken off early NEITHER OF US HAS AN OFFICIAL TIME! I wished they had mentioned leaving early would result in a DQ when they made the announcement. I would have waited. Now I am not sure my husband will qualify for a Coast to Coast medal. (I did the half on Saturday so at least I have that race.) I have a call into Disney about this, but have not heard back.

I heard the announcement as I was finishing leg number 1. It did not make any sense, except if the relay runner 1 was unable to participate. That will be terrible if your husband is denied a C to C medal because of an announcement mistake. Good luck.

 

[figment82]

I asked DH (who got to the transition point around 7:50, so after this announcement) what he heard, and he said they were announcing every 15 minutes or so that anyone whose partner did not finish the first leg would be told and would be allowed to take off for the second leg...in fact someone with the next number up from him had this happen to him when their partner dropped out early, and he initially thought it was his partner (my dad).

I can say that when I got to the exchange point at 8:15 there were still a TON of people left waiting for their partners - so either they all wanted to wait for their partners or didn't hear the announcement or (like my husband) got there after that time. It doesn't really make sense to me that they would let everyone go at 7:45 am, which is only about 2 hours into the marathon (depending on which corral you started in). It would mean the runners from corral G & H would be merging in with runners from MUCH earlier corrals. Not saying the announcement didn't happen!!!!!!!!!! There were any number of crazy things coming out of the announcers mouths in just the hour I was there. But it definitely doesn't make sense that disney wanted everyone to go at 7:45.

 

[scion5220]

I asked DH (who got to the transition point around 7:50, so after this announcement) what he heard, and he said they were announcing every 15 minutes or so that anyone whose partner did not finish the first leg would be told and would be allowed to take off for the second leg...in fact someone with the next number up from him had this happen to him when their partner dropped out early, and he initially thought it was his partner (my dad).

I can say that when I got to the exchange point at 8:15 there were still a TON of people left waiting for their partners - so either they all wanted to wait for their partners or didn't hear the announcement or (like my husband) got there after that time. It doesn't really make sense to me that they would let everyone go at 7:45 am, which is only about 2 hours into the marathon (depending on which corral you started in). It would mean the runners from corral G & H would be merging in with runners from MUCH earlier corrals. Not saying the announcement didn't happen!!!!!!!!!! There were any number of crazy things coming out of the announcers mouths in just the hour I was there. But it definitely doesn't make sense that disney wanted everyone to go at 7:45.

They made this announcement VERY early I thought considering what corral the relayers started in. And I agree that the announcers were saying many things wrong...they kept announcing the dates of the Tinkerbell Half at Disneyland and they were completely wrong! I even asked one of the volunteers standing by our "chutes" if they really meant for people to just start going and she said yes! I didn't do it and now that I read what happened to the previous poster I am REALLY glad I didn't.

 

[hockeygirl]

I ran the second leg of the relay, and thought it was pretty organized. They did make an announcement around 7:45 saying that anybody whose first leg wasn't coming could start at that point. I waited because I knew my partner was coming shortly.

As for before the race, I was in the group that went to hang in the Poly...we stayed warm till about 6:30 then headed out to the lot, it wasn't that bad and we got some extra sleep in the comfy chairs!!

 

[goofyinohio]

Wow. I can't believe if they told people to go they are not going to give people official times. I can understand not giving an official team time, but they obviously have the data for each runner so each should get individual credit.

Oh and Laurie thanks for waiting.

I did leg 1 and loved it. Loved the shirt, course and especially the medal. Given the choice I'd much prefer the relay course to the normal half course. I was ticked there was no merchandise other than the we did it cotton shirt. So I walked out not buying a thing.

I too heard it was a one and done and when I saw no merchandise said so.

I really hope they bring this back.

 

[megny]

I can see that, which would make me sad since I didn't get to do it...but DH kept asking me why they would have a marathon relay the day after a half.
He enjoyed it, but he didn't really get the point.

My answer was it's a new medal, so people would enter for that (but that won't be the case next year!), and in the past the half has typically sold out early and the marathon late so more people could participate in a half distance without a problem. However, with all the half marathons disney has been adding, that doesn't really hold up anymore either - the half, the marathon, and the relay all sold out pretty close together this year.

Has anyone else heard this rumor?

Someone I was talking to while waiting to start was saying this as well... her speculation was that next year, being the 20th anniversary of the Mickey, they would have enough runners on the field and wouldn't need to worry about the relay. But I'm REALLY hoping its not true!

 

[PrincessRhi]

I can see that, which would make me sad since I didn't get to do it...but DH kept asking me why they would have a marathon relay the day after a half.
He enjoyed it, but he didn't really get the point.

My answer was it's a new medal, so people would enter for that (but that won't be the case next year!), and in the past the half has typically sold out early and the marathon late so more people could participate in a half distance without a problem. However, with all the half marathons disney has been adding, that doesn't really hold up anymore either - the half, the marathon, and the relay all sold out pretty close together this year.

Has anyone else heard this rumor?

My friends and I chose to run the relay because the experienced Disney runners like the marathon course better than the half marathon course. We also figured we'd have an easier time cheering for our friend who ran the Goofy challenge, possibly providing her with some encouragement/piggyback rides on the longer day.

I hope it's offered again next year. I had a blast running it and would love to give the second leg a shot. The main finish line looks like an EXPERIENCE.

 

[chimera]

loved the chance to run leg #2. Since Princess and Donald are the same course, it really gets boring doing them both each year. I like that once you get into HS, you have stuff to look at and people along the course for the remainder of the race. On the Donald course, once you leave the castle, it's a good 5 miles of road right when energy starts to dwindle.

 

[Sam G]

I did the half on Saturday and then the second leg of the relay.

Just a couple of things. It was darn cold waiting that long. I wish I would have thought about going to the Poly... I don't understand why we had to be there so early.

The DJ was .... can't find the right word...
"Time to get up! the first runner is nine minutes away!"
Well, my partner was not going to be the first runner. The music was really loud.

Really!?! They were that worried about us using the race blankets? I made sure I handed mine off to the first leg runner.

And lastly, I was there the entire time. At no point did they have tell us that our start was no where near the transition point. I ran out.. saw mile marker 13.. realized then that I hadn't actually crossed a timing pad. Our time didn't start until the halfway point of the marathon. Pretty far from where the first leg runner finished. We should have been told.

 

[liznboys]

... Given the choice I'd much prefer the relay course to the normal half course. ...

I really enjoyed the first leg course too! The miles went by so fast and then it was great having MK towards the end. It was a blast.

 

[scion5220]

I really enjoyed the first leg course too! The miles went by so fast and then it was great having MK towards the end. It was a blast.

When I did the half back in 2001 and 2004 that was the course. That was when they ran the half and the full at the same time. Which was fun!

 

[wasabi girl]

My daughter and a friend did the relay and mostly loved it. My daughter ran leg one, after doing the half the day before, and she was dismayed that there wasn't any gu or any sort of "food" for the first leg of the relay. Seems like an oversight on Disney' part. Perhaps runners who train for and run the full are okay with no food until mile 14 or 15 or whatever it was, but by splitting it into tow halves Disney encouraged those who train for and run half marathons and are probably used to fueling up sooner than marathoners.

I also heard there were transportation snafus during marathon weekend, some runners unable to get to their corrals due to busses being held up in traffic.

I want to run a half and am still considering which one. I love reading the race reports to see the experiences everyone had. I'm the big 50 and have only been running for a year or so. So I may be doing just one half marathon, and I want it to be a fun one.