Retired Disney races?

[emilyindisney]

Hi everyone! With EE on it's way out and ToT on 'break' for the foreseeable future, I've started thinking about what other past Disney races have bit the dust. I know there used to be a marathon relay that was done away with once the course changed, and I think I heard about a Wine and Dine 10k where there were food stops along the course. Does anyone remember these races (or others) that are no longer run?

Would love to read some runDisney history!

 

[ANIM8R]

Here's an entertaining article about when they held a Marathon at Disneyland in California...

http://www.mouseplanet.com/10333/The_First_and_only_Disneyland_Marathon

 

[emilyindisney]

Here's an entertaining article about when they held a Marathon at Disneyland in California...

http://www.mouseplanet.com/10333/The_First_and_only_Disneyland_Marathon

That's so interesting- especially with the course mix up and the scramble to re-certify the distance. Can you imagine $55 being an expensive registration fee!? Thanks for sharing!

 

[Ariel484]

Off the top of my head...

You mentioned the Marathon relay (Chip & Dale medal - 2012 only)
You also mentioned the Race for the Taste 10K
There was a Tower of Terror 13K
Minnie 15K ETA: Might be called the Minnie Marathon 15K
Wine & Dine Half Marathon also had a relay (one 8-mile leg and one 5-mile leg, I think).


Not sure other than that.

 

[ANIM8R]

That's so interesting- especially with the course mix up and the scramble to re-certify the distance. Can you imagine $55 being an expensive registration fee!? Thanks for sharing!

On one of the bus trips to one of the Dopey races last year, the lady I sat beside ran in and was telling me about that race.

Her word - 'fiasco'.

 

[emilyindisney]

Off the top of my head...

You mentioned the Marathon relay (Chip & Dale medal - 2012 only)
You also mentioned the Race for the Taste 10K
There was a Tower of Terror 13K
Minnie 15K ETA: Might be called the Minnie Marathon 15K
Wine & Dine Half Marathon also had a relay (one 8-mile leg and one 5-mile leg, I think).


Not sure other than that.

Race for the Taste- that's the one! I believe I heard that had a different start and end location which sounds like it would need some good logistical planning.

On one of the bus trips to one of the Dopey races last year, the lady I sat beside ran in and was telling me about that race.

Her word - 'fiasco'.

Hahaha- no kidding!

 

[AquaDame]

How interesting! I always "knew" there must be a reason for no Disney marathon on the west coast, but I thought it was probably just the street closures that were the issue. Very interesting about the LA one - that makes perfect sense!

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

This isn't a retired race exactly, but in the old days they ran the DW half and full on the same day. It caused major traffic issues. I believe the last year was 2005.

Having them on separate days not only eased the transportation issues, but paved the way for the Goofy.

 

[croach]

I think they used to have triathlons on property although I don't think they were official Disney events.

 

[emilyindisney]

How interesting! I always "knew" there must be a reason for no Disney marathon on the west coast, but I thought it was probably just the street closures that were the issue. Very interesting about the LA one - that makes perfect sense!

Me too- similar to you I just figured there wasn't enough Disney property to run that lengthy of a race on!

This isn't a retired race exactly, but in the old days they ran the DW half and full on the same day. It caused major traffic issues. I believe the last year was 2005.

Having them on separate days not only eased the transportation issues, but paved the way for the Goofy.

Hmmm...that's interesting. I suppose that opened up their participant fields for both events significantly as well.

I think they used to have triathlons on property although I don't think they were official Disney events.

I wonder where they did the swim portion? Bay Lake?

 

[Fruto76]

I think they used to have triathlons on property although I don't think they were official Disney events.

They were ironman events, I think. We Have stayed at Fort Wilderness twice when they were being held. I am thinking the last time was probably 2007 ish? Could be off on the year (we had no idea they were going on until the actual event made its way through the campground) they biked through fort wilderness and started the swim out at the beach By the FW boat launch. not sure where they went after that.

 

[derekleigh]

Very interesting article about the Disneyland Marathon. Always wondered if they had ever considered one over there and obviously they did.

I still want that Chip & Dale Relay to return as I would love to run it. Plus it just fits with the characters and location. Plus with the mid-point being near AK, they could tweak it a bit to have the transition point in the AK parking lot. Oh well, maybe some day.

 

[emilyindisney]

I still want that Chip & Dale Relay to return as I would love to run it. Plus it just fits with the characters and location. Plus with the mid-point being near AK, they could tweak it a bit to have the transition point in the AK parking lot. Oh well, maybe some day.

I think I've seen pictures of the medal once or twice and it's super cool so I'm all for a come back too!

 

[jeanigor]

Very interesting article about the Disneyland Marathon. Always wondered if they had ever considered one over there and obviously they did.

I still want that Chip & Dale Relay to return as I would love to run it. Plus it just fits with the characters and location. Plus with the mid-point being near AK, they could tweak it a bit to have the transition point in the AK parking lot. Oh well, maybe some day.

As the person who did the second half of the relay, I would say it was not that enjoyable. I laid in the parking lot by the race track for over three hours. It was beyond cold and miserable. My body didn't want to move once my partner was near the exchange. If they could figure a way to make it a little more reasonable for the second runner, I would considerate again. (But I'd have to give up the Dopey streak....)

I can't find a pic of the medal on my computer. But it is on my medal tree, so I'll post a pic of that until I go home and take a pic of the medal.

 

[Ariel484]

Chip & Dale medal...super, super cute:

source


From my point of view (I ran the marathon in 2012) the relay seemed smooth. I remember they had signs set up for the relay runners to head one direction for the hand-off and the marathon runners to head another way...if not for the signs I would have never known the relay was happening.

But then I hear it from relay runners' points of view (i.e. jeanigor) and YIKES - that sounds miserable!!! And I'm really not sure what else they could do to avoid that long wait, because they can't really bus all of the second-leg runners over later in the day, can they? I think I remember hearing the Wine & Dine relay was similar (second-leg runners had to be at their starting positions when the race began).

Also, jeanigor - LOVE the medal tree.

 

[jeanigor]

Chip & Dale medal...super, super cute:

source


From my point of view (I ran the marathon in 2012) the relay seemed smooth. I remember they had signs set up for the relay runners to head one direction for the hand-off and the marathon runners to head another way...if not for the signs I would have never known the relay was happening.

But then I hear it from relay runners' points of view (i.e. jeanigor) and YIKES - that sounds miserable!!! And I'm really not sure what else they could do to avoid that long wait, because they can't really bus all of the second-leg runners over later in the day, can they? I think I remember hearing the Wine & Dine relay was similar (second-leg runners had to be at their starting positions when the race began).

Also, jeanigor - LOVE the medal tree.

A scaled down race retreat may do the trick in the AK parking lot.

And next year I need a bigger tree. The coast to coast medals and the 5K medallions didn't make it on. (Plus all the medals from Dopey & Rebel Challenge next month....)

 

[Ariel484]

A scaled down race retreat may do the trick in the AK parking lot.

And next year I need a bigger tree. The coast to coast medals and the 5K medallions didn't make it on. (Plus all the medals from Dopey & Rebel Challenge next month....)

Yes, yes you do!!

 

[RaisedOnDisney7106]

I did the danskin sprint triathlon in 2008 I believe. We swam in bay lake to the right of the monorail station in front of magic kingdom. Then we transitioned in a field near the monorail station, biked 9 miles along the back roads that the marathon uses, back to the transition area. Then we ran 2 miles through magic kingdom, up Main Street, through the castle, back down Main Street (I think), through the boat dock area and back near the transition area by the monorails. It was a great race!

 

[emilyindisney]

I did the danskin sprint triathlon in 2008 I believe. We swam in bay lake to the right of the monorail station in front of magic kingdom. Then we transitioned in a field near the monorail station, biked 9 miles along the back roads that the marathon uses, back to the transition area. Then we ran 2 miles through magic kingdom, up Main Street, through the castle, back down Main Street (I think), through the boat dock area and back near the transition area by the monorails. It was a great race!

Interesting course description! Was the medal/event Disney themed?

 

[derekleigh]

As the person who did the second half of the relay, I would say it was not that enjoyable. I laid in the parking lot by the race track for over three hours. It was beyond cold and miserable. My body didn't want to move once my partner was near the exchange. If they could figure a way to make it a little more reasonable for the second runner, I would considerate again. (But I'd have to give up the Dopey streak....)

I can't find a pic of the medal on my computer. But it is on my medal tree, so I'll post a pic of that until I go home and take a pic of the medal.

Awesome tree!

The long wait for the second leg would be extremely annoying. You're right. If they could fine a way for the second leg to arrive later or have some form of entertainment to kill time, it would be great.

But I couldn't imagine runners waiting 3, 4, 5 hours for your partner. I assume they released the relay runners in the same corral setup as the marathon runners.