Disneyland Paris Half Marathon

Swissmiss

Swissmiss

Premium Member
Having participated in a runDisney event at WDW this year has only made me shake my head a bit more at how the expo is set up here. Although I didn’t look go thru all of it the first year (it was way too hot inside - no air con and no air flow) it seemed like there were several vendors and some Disney stuff Last year again I just wanted to get outside again because it was way too hot inside and I had preordered my pins so no reason to look at Disney stuff but seemed like less than the year before and fewer vendors too. Today once I finally was able to get bibs (after reminding myself several times to take my ID ... I forgot to take my ID :banghead:) I did look at the small amount of Disney things offered and other than the t-shirts and pins, the rest wasn’t really race merchandise. As for the vendors, pretty non existent. A race tour operator, a couple disney related things, a physiotherapy stand, two sponsor stands and one person selling hairbands. As for corrals for the 5K that’s another head scratcher. I’m in A. I’m a slow runner. I’m happy to be in A because I should be back in my hotel by 9:00 pm, but I really shouldn’t be in A. (And I am correctly placed in D for the half marathon).
 
RunningKoen

RunningKoen

Well-Known Member
Overall: expo improved. It's small and has nothing but the bib pick up and limited merchandise, but the pick up went smooth. Challenge is down to 1 bib and you get a packet with all the shirts at once. Picture is made and will be used as proof for the challenge medals.

Also, the race themes have improved and come back in finish area, shirts no longer a tech with a plastic print but have the design in the teh fabric itself, and they are really comfy. 5K is tech aswell. The logos and medals have a great style and design, but thats personal taste. Regardless of that, they did use the theming very well, also during warm up and starts.

Starting area has greatly improved. From 3 to 5 corrals and they make smart use of the expo area, so that's a big plus. Corral placement is a thing. That direct steep turn after the start is also something to reconsider. Finish at the studios slightly improved, but it still isnt the best place to host this. The finisher signs for after race logos had no race logo or info on it.

Big issues of last years 5K edition have improved well: the 5K route is through both parks and filled with lights! Done great.
No decent KM markers (only runDisney flags) and a cut back in the number of photostops.

10K: I cant say a bad thing about this race, cause it's Hercules themed. I had a warming up routine with up beat Hercules songs and I sang along. No shame. I loved Megara and the theming of the starts, and Pain and Panic offcourse.

Also for the 10K: less photostops. No pain, panic, megara, hercules or hades on course. Hades at finish area was great, it made up for it a lot! This race had KM markers, all Hercules themed, different poses of Pain and Panic.

Half: Great race. Cruela de Vil as a started worked nice. KM markers contained villains. They looked greatly styled. This race also had less character stops than 2017 and the worst: Hades, Pain and Panic (all 3 together!) were out, but it was on roulation with Yzma and Kronk. I didn't know untill after the race, cause I just saw Yzma and Kronk and passed them, but I felt gutted afterwards when I heared it.


My biggest problem with the race: corral placement. I submitted 1:35 as time for the half, and no PoT was needed. runDisney mailed me twice confirming that would get me in corral A. I was in B on my challenge bib. After some argueing at runners relations, it was corrected to A, but they were hesitant.

Lots of people had their corral changed at runners relations & the check for corrals wasnt that strict. Lots of people in the wrong corral.

And I wouldnt have a issue if A was reserved for the really fast, 1:30 for a half marathon kind of runner. But people who had 1:55 were placed in A. I saw runners who cleary werent able to run a half marathon below others and both the 10K and half, I started in A and passed so many walkers within the first KM.

I have no idea who is in charge of these placements. But that persons needs to be fired directly. And runDisney France should ask proof of time for every submission below 2:45.

But, in the end: the race weekend has improved and this might have been my favorite one. The 4th edition is already set & selling, and I'll be there.

This edition, I met several people from previous year or people from communities (Like the totally random meet with SSwissmiss, that was the best surprise of the entire weekend! :D Some stranger asking me if I was on WDW Magic while I struggled with a cashregister)

I can recommend it to everyone (@LAKid53 in particular. Swissmiss and me discussed you coming to Paris during our meet !)
 
LAKid53

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
RunningKoen said:
Overall: expo improved. It's small and has nothing but the bib pick up and limited merchandise, but the pick up went smooth. Challenge is down to 1 bib and you get a packet with all the shirts at once. Picture is made and will be used as proof for the challenge medals.

Also, the race themes have improved and come back in finish area, shirts no longer a tech with a plastic print but have the design in the teh fabric itself, and they are really comfy. 5K is tech aswell. The logos and medals have a great style and design, but thats personal taste. Regardless of that, they did use the theming very well, also during warm up and starts.

Starting area has greatly improved. From 3 to 5 corrals and they make smart use of the expo area, so that's a big plus. Corral placement is a thing. That direct steep turn after the start is also something to reconsider. Finish at the studios slightly improved, but it still isnt the best place to host this. The finisher signs for after race logos had no race logo or info on it.

Big issues of last years 5K edition have improved well: the 5K route is through both parks and filled with lights! Done great.
No decent KM markers (only runDisney flags) and a cut back in the number of photostops.

10K: I cant say a bad thing about this race, cause it's Hercules themed. I had a warming up routine with up beat Hercules songs and I sang along. No shame. I loved Megara and the theming of the starts, and Pain and Panic offcourse.

Also for the 10K: less photostops. No pain, panic, megara, hercules or hades on course. Hades at finish area was great, it made up for it a lot! This race had KM markers, all Hercules themed, different poses of Pain and Panic.

Half: Great race. Cruela de Vil as a started worked nice. KM markers contained villains. They looked greatly styled. This race also had less character stops than 2017 and the worst: Hades, Pain and Panic (all 3 together!) were out, but it was on roulation with Yzma and Kronk. I didn't know untill after the race, cause I just saw Yzma and Kronk and passed them, but I felt gutted afterwards when I heared it.


My biggest problem with the race: corral placement. I submitted 1:35 as time for the half, and no PoT was needed. runDisney mailed me twice confirming that would get me in corral A. I was in B on my challenge bib. After some argueing at runners relations, it was corrected to A, but they were hesitant.

Lots of people had their corral changed at runners relations & the check for corrals wasnt that strict. Lots of people in the wrong corral.

And I wouldnt have a issue if A was reserved for the really fast, 1:30 for a half marathon kind of runner. But people who had 1:55 were placed in A. I saw runners who cleary werent able to run a half marathon below others and both the 10K and half, I started in A and passed so many walkers within the first KM.

I have no idea who is in charge of these placements. But that persons needs to be fired directly. And runDisney France should ask proof of time for every submission below 2:45.

But, in the end: the race weekend has improved and this might have been my favorite one. The 4th edition is already set & selling, and I'll be there.

This edition, I met several people from previous year or people from communities (Like the totally random meet with SSwissmiss, that was the best surprise of the entire weekend! :D Some stranger asking me if I was on WDW Magic while I struggled with a cashregister)

I can recommend it to everyone (@LAKid53 in particular. Swissmiss and me discussed you coming to Paris during our meet !)
Click to expand...

We'll talk about it in November. You and @surfsupdon need to plan that M&G after the Half.
 
surfsupdon

surfsupdon

Well-Known Member
I’m getting a phone call tmrw from GET sports about next years race. I did sign up to reserve a space.....that I can hold for a week.

I’m just scared. I know it’s silly. Wish I had a traveler to go to France.
 
Swissmiss

Swissmiss

Premium Member
I completely agree that bib pick up at the expo went so much better this year but I also wonder if weather had something to do with it - since temperatures were cooler and it was overcast on the day I went, it did not feel like an oven as in the past two years. And it is a good thing that one of us looked like our profile picture, right @RunningKoen ?

Another nice addition this year was the PhotoPass photographer out at the hub this weekend - this was the first time I have ever seen one in DLP in a location without a M&G (and some of those don’t even have one). I managed to get a picture there yesterday with my 5K medal and did consider going down there this afternoon for a picture of my Castle to Chateau challenge medal when I was making my way to 5 Guys to get something to eat after I’d showered and rested but it seemed too far (and I was starving). A few minutes later there was a deluge of rain, so I probably would have made the walk down there for nothing.
 
Swissmiss

Swissmiss

Premium Member
surfsupdon said:
I’m getting a phone call tmrw from GET sports about next years race. I did sign up to reserve a space.....that I can hold for a week.

I’m just scared. I know it’s silly. Wish I had a traveler to go to France.
Click to expand...

You may not have a traveler to go to France but at least you will know some people there. And @RunningKoen can assure you in November: we don’t bite 😂

And that Castle to Chateau medal is pretty nice 😉
 
RunningKoen

RunningKoen

Well-Known Member
@surfsupdon before the 2019 DLP race, I've traveled to WDW for a race weekend four times, alone! It's just a whole different experience, compared to the DLP weekends where I go with my sister as a family thing.

It's awesome to be alone! Single rider lines, meeting people and you can do whatever you want!

As a bargain, the CEO announced more sport things and new concepts. Maybe a second weekend? Something like expedition everest run? Who knows. You should come to find out. ;-)

Anyhow, the 2018 weekend was a succes. I assume the 2019 weekend will improve: runDisney France has grown up. This isnt a one time thing any more, they are in for the long haul. Several aspects in the race shows that it has become a real organisation. and we need a bigger WDW Magic crew over there. I'm getting started with a 10 month program to convince you all.
 
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RunningKoen

RunningKoen

Well-Known Member
Photopass is working

And yes. I was soaked. From rain.


7Vv5xZI.jpg
 

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