Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

[Demarke]

How did you guys pack your medals? I’d hate to damage mine on the way home after working so hard on them.

I’d imagine you would have to separate them to avoid clanking and possible damage:

I've done it a few different ways, wrap them in paper towels (or ask for some of the gift wrap tissue when you check out buying souvenirs at the race expo), or put them individually in dry socks, or place them each in between shirts or in pockets of shorts/pants/or jackets in my luggage.

 

[Surferboy567]

I guess another question. When headed into the park for photos do you do the same thing?

Was thinking about not packing them in my luggage and putting them in my carry on.

 

[pdude81]

I guess another question. When headed into the park for photos do you do the same thing?

Was thinking about not packing them in my luggage and putting them in my carry on.

I only brought the dopey medal to the park on Sunday afterward, and honestly only so they would have pity for me if I ended up late to my late lunch reservation at Space 200 (shocker, I was). If traveling to parks I'd wrap them similarly and put in my trusty backpack, with guarantees to be bag searched on the way in.

I can't imagine wanting to have those on me for any length of time in the parks, so I prioritized getting a photo after the marathon finish. I definitely did the carryon method for the medals though. They went in the gear check bag, wrapped in paper towels but with a mylar blanket and one of the weekend shirts in there too for softness, underneath my laptop.

 

[Surferboy567]

Thanks for all the tips!

 

[LAKid53]

Yeah, I'm hoping when the staffing gets normal again that we actually get to go back to the old course around Asia and through WWoS. Just guessing that has to do with these choices as the traffic issues seem to have gone away. Perhaps they just wanted to address the complaints about doubling back on the same highways before AKV and in/out of WWoS though.

Also I want the race retreat back. That's the only thing that will get me up and over there early instead of having to run to the start and waste precious energy.

I too would like to see the return of the race retreat - not that awful runner's Square - but for all race weekends, not just Marathon and Princess.

 

[LAKid53]

TOTALLY joking here: but ya'll compain about Osceola parkway, ya'll complain about WWoS and when they remove both....ya'll complain

I live in the hilly part of the state. I don't mind hills, per se, just wish the Disney one didn't have that slope.

 

[LAKid53]

i don't disagree. I also think there are too many places to cut the course. I work with the people who figure out the courses (no, I don't have ANY influence) and I cheered when they said Osceola was out of the full course.

Was surprised I didn't see attempts to do that at the point during the W&D Half last November. I've see many corral jump for the Princess Half after returning from the porta potties near the start line.

 

[OG Runner]

How did you guys pack your medals? I’d hate to damage mine on the way home after working so hard on them.

I’d imagine you would have to separate them to avoid clanking and possible damage:

I wrapped each in a running shirt and then put them in my carry on bag. I would imagine it will get heavy if you do
a challenge. I was carrying my Marathon and 5K medals and my girlfriend's 5K medal.

 

[LAKid53]

I've done it a few different ways, wrap them in paper towels (or ask for some of the gift wrap tissue when you check out buying souvenirs at the race expo), or put them individually in dry socks, or place them each in between shirts or in pockets of shorts/pants/or jackets in my luggage.

I just throw them in my tote bag with other important stuff. But then I'm a 4 hour drive away.

Which brings up a question. I'm seeing lots of pictures of Dopeys wearing all six medals...at the finish line area. Do you put them in your gear bag? Have a family member hold them for you until you finish the race? One of the SW Halfs, the two ladies behind me in line to get their official race had all 10 medals - 4 from both Light and Dark Side, Kessel and Coast to Coast. Would love to have the official photo when I complete a challenge wearing all 4 medals.

 

[OG Runner]

I live in the hilly part of the state. I don't mind hills, per se, just wish the Disney one didn't have that slope.

I think I know what you are talking about. Coming around some of the exits, especially around the 5 or 6 mile mark you
felt like one foot was about a foot higher than the other coming around.

 

[LAKid53]

I guess another question. When headed into the park for photos do you do the same thing?

Was thinking about not packing them in my luggage and putting them in my carry on.

As in wearing them in the parks? I wear the medal of the race I completed that day. If it's Sunday, then I wear the Challenge medal. Wore both the Dark Side Challenge and Kessel Run once. Waaaay too heavy. And clanky.

 

[LAKid53]

I think I know what you are talking about. Coming around some of the exits, especially around the 5 or 6 mile mark you
felt like one foot was about a foot higher than the other coming around.

It's the on (or maybe off) ramp to Osceola. It can be difficult to find the best part of the ramp, given how crowded that section can be. And rD loves to have it around mile 4 of a 10K and mile 10 of a Half.

 

[LAKid53]

I guess another question. When headed into the park for photos do you do the same thing?

Was thinking about not packing them in my luggage and putting them in my carry on.

You do know how heavy more than one medal is...

 

[Surferboy567]

As in wearing them in the parks? I wear the medal of the race I completed that day. If it's Sunday, then I wear the Challenge medal. Wore both the Dark Side Challenge and Kessel Run once. Waaaay too heavy. And clanky.

Yep, that was my plan. Except maybe the last day two if I have a challenge medal.

I may not even do that though. Probably one a day but 2 max.

 

[LAKid53]

I never complained about WWoS. It was rather winding, but you would enter after mile 17 or 18 and be out around mile 20.
From WWoS you would go up hit the exit, (where the green army man was), then onto Disney Studios from there I could crawl
to the finish. The current course has a few parts that irk me. I am not an elite runner. Seeing runners coming by the 4 mile mark
before I start the race bothers me a bit. I previously mentioned the Animal Kingdom loop in and out. Then there is the wonder
of the Blizzard Beach parking lot. In point of fact the time in WWoS could be reduced and the time in both Animal Kingdom and
Disney Studios increased. The overall run would be smoother and more entertaining. The first time I ran the marathon in 2014 we
came into the back of the Studios around through costuming and then up the "New York" streets to head toward the front of the
park. The Star Wars Half made a much bigger loop through Animal Kingdom than the straight shot through made during the Marathon.
It could be done.

My only complaint about WWoS was the inaugural year of the DS in 2016. Running through that woods area behind WWoS wasn't a smart choice... especially with little light.

 

[LAKid53]

Yep, that was my plan. Except maybe the last day two if I have a challenge medal.

I may not even do that though. Probably one a day but 2 max.

Monday is traditionally Medal Monday in the parks. You could wear all 4 for photos, but I'd be prepared to put them in a backpack afterwards. They are really heavy to wear for more than a few minutes. Plus they really clank and you risk damaging them. My 2018 Princess Half is scuffed up around the edges because I wore it with the Challenge.

 

[Surferboy567]

Monday is traditionally Medal Monday in the parks. You could wear all 4 for photos, but I'd be prepared to put them in a backpack afterwards. They are really heavy to wear for more than a few minutes. Plus they really clank and you risk damaging them. My 2018 Princess Half is scuffed up around the edges because I wore it with the Challenge.

Yeah I definitely don’t want to risk damaging them. I’d be extremely careful with my medals. I’ll try to get lots of photos.

 

[Demarke]

I just throw them in my tote bag with other important stuff. But then I'm a 4 hour drive away.

Which brings up a question. I'm seeing lots of pictures of Dopeys wearing all six medals...at the finish line area. Do you put them in your gear bag? Have a family member hold them for you until you finish the race? One of the SW Halfs, the two ladies behind me in line to get their official race had all 10 medals - 4 from both Light and Dark Side, Kessel and Coast to Coast. Would love to have the official photo when I complete a challenge wearing all 4 medals.

I drive too, so I don't have to pack quite as carefully as the flyers.

I did the pics with all 6 after the 2020 Dopey and wrapped the first three in the towels I had gotten for doing "Runner's Square" (and would use to help dry off after the race) and an extra one of those cooling towels to wrap them and put one in the bottom of the gear back and the other two tucked in my recovery sandals. Frankly, I probably won't do it again, I personally thought it was more trouble than it's worth and wouldn't have otherwise bothered with gEar check.

Monday is traditionally Medal Monday in the parks. You could wear all 4 for photos, but I'd be prepared to put them in a backpack afterwards. They are really heavy to wear for more than a few minutes. Plus they really clank and you risk damaging them. My 2018 Princess Half is scuffed up around the edges because I wore it with the Challenge.

I noticed that my first challenge medal (2019 Star Wars) scuffed up the face of Skywalker or Vader (one or the other) from just wearing them from the finish line and around the reunion area before heading to my car. Rookie mistake. Now, if I have multiple, I'll either hold them against my chest or hold them separately until its time for a picture, then just wear the highest level medal and secure the others til I get back to the car.

 

[CAV]

Yeah, I'm hoping when the staffing gets normal again that we actually get to go back to the old course around Asia and through WWoS. Just guessing that has to do with these choices as the traffic issues seem to have gone away. Perhaps they just wanted to address the complaints about doubling back on the same highways before AKV and in/out of WWoS though.

Also I want the race retreat back. That's the only thing that will get me up and over there early instead of having to run to the start and waste precious energy.

WWoS? You want that boring stretch on Osceola Parkway? No thanks. And then the off camber climb up the on ramp to get the the Studios? Double no thanks.

 

[LAKid53]

towels I had gotten for doing "Runner's Square"

We got towels at Runner's Square? That I don't remember. I wonder where mine is.

extra one of those cooling towels to wrap them and put one in the bottom of the gear back

That's a really smart idea. And I have lots of cooling towels from the races. Can't believe people toss them. I wash mine out when I return to my room and use it in the parks if it's going to be hot. Plus I tie one to my hydration vest when I run a Half.

I'll either hold them against my chest or hold them separately until its time for a picture,

I nearly klonked the lady sitting next to me on ToT when my medal floated up during one of the drops. Nice to know they can be used as a weapon if needed.