Sister's First Race

[rasd3b]

My sister is running her very first race, the WDW Half Marathon. I'd love to be able to jump in and run a few miles with her -- just to shake out my legs before the full and also to provide her with some support in the final few miles (I was thinking I'd run 9-11ish with her)

I know people aren't allowed to just jump in any race, but I'm wondering what the possibility is that I would be able to do this with her. Here in Chicago, tons of people will run along-side friends and family in the marathon for a short period of the race.

My dilemma is this: I don't want to get her in trouble and I don't want to possibly find myself somehow DQd for Sunday.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[ultramickeymouse]

My sister is running her very first race, the WDW Half Marathon. I'd love to be able to jump in and run a few miles with her -- just to shake out my legs before the full and also to provide her with some support in the final few miles (I was thinking I'd run 9-11ish with her)

I know people aren't allowed to just jump in any race, but I'm wondering what the possibility is that I would be able to do this with her. Here in Chicago, tons of people will run along-side friends and family in the marathon for a short period of the race.

My dilemma is this: I don't want to get her in trouble and I don't want to possibly find myself somehow DQd for Sunday.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

As an RD, people who run as pacers(rabbits) or "bandits" in races that aren't allowed are frowned upon. What happened if you hurt yourself or another runner? You are legally not allowed to participate and now run against the insurance of the race. Do your friend and yourself a favor by watching the race since you are not a participant!

 

[cewait]

Same here in Houston, it is a common thing to run a bit with friends and family for a mile or so.....

However, Disney is not an event that I would even attempt to do that at. First, you are either in a park or on a long stretch of roadway. For a roadway section you would be committing to a fairly long distance and then you end up in a park section. For a park segment, well forget it; Disney is definitely going to protect entry fees.

In all seriousness, there is a significant security presence at Disney looking for folks jumping into the race.

Finally, on both courses where logistically you would might want to jump into the race to pace for a while the course is crowded. thinking the ttc-contemporary segment; the GF-Poly segment and the DHS- Epcot segment. All three of these are extremely crowded and an added runner would just make things worse.

Besides, mile 9 and 11 are kind of out in the middle of no man's land. Now there is nothing that would keep you from meeting her at mile 12 of the half (in the Epcot Parking Lot) and pacing her from outside the cones through the parking lot. There are just a few spectators at that point and you could run with her mostly unencumbered off the course.

 

[Bephus]

I don't typically care too much about bandits for a short stretch but during my first Disney marathon a runner near me had a friend jump in at main street and run through magic kingdom with her and THAT was frustrating to me because that is the big draw for this race, running through Cinderella's castle! Whatever you do, please wait for your day to do this leg of the race.