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Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Flippin'Flounder
Well-Known Member
I'm registered to do my first half!! Super excited! 
Jane Doe
Well-Known Member
Hello,
Going to be registering for the full Marathon. On the Run Disney website it states that bibs and packets are to be picked up prior to the race. Does anyone have any idea when the pick up is? I'll be travelling from the UK so I'll have to plan flights accordingly.
Going to be registering for the full Marathon. On the Run Disney website it states that bibs and packets are to be picked up prior to the race. Does anyone have any idea when the pick up is? I'll be travelling from the UK so I'll have to plan flights accordingly.
kevlightyear
Well-Known Member
The Expo (where you pick up your packet) will open the Wednesday before. You have from then until the Expo closes on the Saturday night before the marathon to pick up your packet. Here were the hours for the Expo this year:
- Wednesday, January 4, 2017 — Noon - 8:00 p.m.
- Thursday, January 5, 2017 — 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Friday, January 6, 2017 — 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday, January 7, 2017 — 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Jane Doe
Well-Known Member
Cheer Kev, where is the expo usually located at?
kevlightyear
Well-Known Member
At the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. Usually, bib pickup is in one building, and then merchandise and vendor booths are in another. You can drive and park there, or if you're staying in a Disney resort, there will be special bus (motor coach) transportation available.
Indigorose
New Member
Has anyone else not received your 2017 Half Marathon medal yet?
psherman42
Well-Known Member
Honestly, I think the fact that next year's the 25th is the main reason I decided to make next year my first (and likely last) marathon. I have no shame.
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
There is no shame to be had. You will run, you will be focused and enjoy, and no matter how tired
or in pain you may be, when you cross the finished, it will be joyous. Then a sort time later you will
think could I have trained more, could I have done better and you will do it again.
psherman42
Well-Known Member
Lol I suppose it's possible. I never thought I'd do a half marathon and the Dark Side will be my fourth* (Wine and Dine 2015 only kind of counts) so who knows with me.Great idea! I'd be really interested to hear your take on this.
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
My first marathon was the 20th.
I have signed up for the 25th as well, as my first Dopey.
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
Does anyone know how the course was run this year,(January 2017), for the marathon?
I ran in January 2016, (DNF), and I know without the race track they needed to make up
some distance, but the up and back on a side street, in between the Magic Kingdom and
Animal Kingdom sucked. Did they correct this?
I ran in January 2016, (DNF), and I know without the race track they needed to make up
some distance, but the up and back on a side street, in between the Magic Kingdom and
Animal Kingdom sucked. Did they correct this?
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
If by correct it you mean make it longer they did. That dogleg was lengthened as they had to also make up for the shorter course in DHS. You can see the full course map here -> http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL17001TY
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
Thank you! I appreciate the information. It is too bad though. Why can't they somehow extend the time we run through Animal Kingdom, instead of that. I miss the race track. I loved coming in around mile 8 and then leaving around mile 9. I know it was still a mile, but for some reason it didn't feel like it.
lukacseven
Well-Known Member
I really liked the race track portion of the course, too. I was also a big fan of the red & blue starts (circa 2005-2011). I liked looping through Epcot in the first 4 miles with the park all lit up & you knew exiting MK you were about 1/2 way there. I'd like to see them bring that back at some point, but that would effectively eliminate the WWoS portion because you exited AK around mile 18.
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
Wow, that would be great. Even though I was actually signed up for the 1st marathon, (I still have the long sleeved t-shirt), the first time I got to run the race was the 21st. The Epcot start sounds cool. WWoS makes me dizzy, even though it helps you enter around mile 17 and by the time you exit you are around mile 20.
lukacseven
Well-Known Member
Yep. I first ran the marathon in 2006 and they changed the course in 2012. It was the same start line location, but you started on both sides of the road. One of the routes entered Epcot the same way the half does backstage behind The Seas and you ran mostly backstage. The other looped around and you ran through the toll plaza and then a straight line directly under the monorail platform (sort of the reverse of the recent 10K) and entered backstage by Norway. The 2 courses merged in the backstage area by Test Track and you followed the 5k course in reverse back out to the original start line. After all that, I believe the mile 4 marker was just before you crossed the start a second time.
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
I am in for Dopey. I am flying in Wednesday night, after the expo is closed, so I will be relying on runDisney to have a bib pickup at the start of the 5K. Which I know they have done in the past because I have seen it first hand. Here's hoping.