So how fast do you have to run?

[Raenstoirm]

I understand that the sweep is 16, but Disney has been lax about sweeping in the past. I am just beginning my training using the galloway method and I am averaging about 14 a mile right now (according to my app, I am running at 11). As I get faster, what should I aim for taking into account that I want to meet every character and I may need to stop for a potty break and a snack break at some point?

 

[hollieplus2]

I did the ToT 10 miler and got swept at mile 7. I asked and they told me I was about 1:35 min behind pace. No clue how accurate that was but I was like 2nd or 3rd person on the bus. It was really really hot so I ended up stopping @ all water stops, took pics of all mile markers, went potty once and stopped to see the hyenas at animal kingdom. I was injured going into it so I knew I wasn't really going to make it so I didn't go all out. If I hadn't stopped I probably would not have been swept...live and learn. No regrets here but they did sweep.

 

[Raenstoirm]

I did the ToT 10 miler and got swept at mile 7.

Yup, that is what I am afraid of, all that training and money spent to race and not being able to finish it. Did you at least get your metal for your efforts?

So should I aim for 12 a mile? That gives me roughly 4 minutes per mile for "stuff."

 

[DisneyRunnerGirl]

Not to scare you, but if you are planning on stopping for every character you are going to need a pretty good cushion. My normal half pace is around 12:45 miles. When I was actually moving in Jan for the half I was right around that speed.

In Jan my pace with quite a few, but not all of the photo stops and one bathroom stop (with no line) averaged almost 18 minutes a mile with a couple of miles over 20 minutes. My wait for Captain Jack was over 10 minutes.

My chip time was 3:50:50. I was able to go that far over the 16 minute sweep because I started in corral C.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I train at 15 minutes per mile, but I race much closer to 14 minutes per mile. For Disneyland 2012, I stopped for Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip and waited about 3-4 minutes for both of them together. I stopped later for Darth Vader and Stormtroopers and waited about 7-8 minutes. I had a one minute bathroom break, so my total stops were about 10-13 minutes and my chip time was 3:07:51. I ran the 2011 Disneyland 1/2 in 3:05 with no stops whatsoever.

If you're worried about being swept then I would be selective with characters. It does make for a nice break from the running, but I would hate to be swept because I stopped for a character photo.

 

[Raenstoirm]

Is there a list somewhere of what characters will be on the route? So I can decide who is worth stopping for, so i dont waste time with characters on my "B" list and have to miss my "A" listers because I am short on time.

 

[FireDancer]

I don't think they are lax about sweeping, they just don't start the clock until everyone has started so you almost certainly will have some cushion above the 16 min/mile. If you are worried about getting swept I would wait until I build a cushion before stopping for characters and then use that as a guide. If you are 4 minutes ahead of the sweep you know you can stop for a picture. If after that picture you are 1 minutes behind you will have to skip them until you build a cushion back up. I think finishing trumps pictures since you can get pictures anytime, you can only finish the race during the race.

There is no reason that stopping for water will add any time to your race. I would recommend doing a local 5k or two as part of your training so you can get used to grabbing and drinking while at your race pace. The bathroom breaks can add time though, there is no way around that. Ok, no pleasant way around that.

I can't recommend enough doing a local race or two before your destination race. There are lessons you can only learn while racing and it is much easier to learn them close to home for $20 than at Disney after spending thousands. You will also get a much better idea about your race pace since, in my experience, you will always be faster at race time. I've done hundreds of races at this point and I still can't get to race pace in training. You might be surprised at how much faster you are in a race but you will also learn how to control adrenaline so you don't go out too fast.

I also realize this may not be the popular answer but only people who finish the race should get medals. It is a finisher's medal, not a starter medal. That may sound harsh but if they want everyone to have a medal they should just hand them out at packet pickup since it has lost all meaning. There is something to be said about failing at something and then trying again to succeed.

Good luck and I hope you can get the pictures you want and finish.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

At the Expo for the 2012 Disneyland 1/2, they had a list of characters appearing in the parks and where they would be located at the runDisney booth. There were lots of copies of the list available for any interested runners. I don't know if they were available at other races.

For my first race, I didn't dare stop for character pictures. While I could have if I wanted to given my final time, I wanted to get character photos later on that day wearing my medal. And with the exception of Darth Vader, I think all the characters I passed on the course were in the parks later that day. And I had already seen Darth Vader a couple of years earlier at Star Wars Weekends.

 

[mking624]

If you are doing a park the next day, you could always wear your medal and get some character photos then. Since it is my first timed race, I am not stopping for character photos. Like Sleepless Knight, I train at 15mpm, but actually go at about 14mpm. For myself, I'd much rather have the cushion and finish than be swept because I waited in line for a character. I may do character pics then next day when I have my medal.

 

[erinna]

I'm of the "I'd rather not get as many character pics than get swept" group. I handle my desire for pics by (1) monitoring my time with my Garmin Forerunner and (2) doing the 5K and getting my picture on there!

 

[momhmmx2]

If you are doing a park the next day, you could always wear your medal and get some character photos then. Since it is my first timed race, I am not stopping for character photos. Like Sleepless Knight, I train at 15mpm, but actually go at about 14mpm. For myself, I'd much rather have the cushion and finish than be swept because I waited in line for a character. I may do character pics then next day when I have my medal.

The past 2 years it seemed to me that the first couple characters stops were the most crowded then the lines seemed to get shorter. I would stop if there were 5 ppl or less in line. The line goes REALLY fast as everyone wants to get back to running! A quick photo taken by the Cm and you are off!

 

[Raenstoirm]

A quick photo taken by the Cm and you are off!

Another question... Do you carry your own camera for the character pics or is the "photopass" race photographer (whatever company that is) at each stop?

 

[momhmmx2]

Another question... Do you carry your own camera for the character pics or is the "photopass" race photographer (whatever company that is) at each stop?

No photopass..must carry own camera. I use my iPhone since it has my music on it as well makes it easy to only have to carry one thing.