Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

[Swissmiss]

I would pack a change of clothes, shoes and maybe some body wipes in the gear bag you'll get at the Expo and check it in the morning of the race.

Some good advice, thanks. I had been thinking that we could ask my brother-in-law to bring a bag, but the reality is that I will be with his wife ... and he has quite the artist/inventor personality which means he could easily forget it when he walks out the door without her there to remind him.

 

[LAKid53]

Some good advice, thanks. I had been thinking that we could ask my brother-in-law to bring a bag, but the reality is that I will be with his wife ... and he has quite the artist/inventor personality which means he could easily forget it when he walks out the door without her there to remind him.

Disney tries to discourage you from bringing the gear bag. So I wondered why runners were bringing the bag, many held flip flops. And then I ran my first half. And was jealous of runners pulling out their flip flops and taking off their running shoes.....

I now bring my gear bag for both the 10k and half. It contains packs of my hydration (Gatorade is nasty to me - too much artificial stuff and sugar ) and recovery powders to put in the water bottles they hand you at the end of the race, some body wipes, REAL nutrition (not the junk that's in the snack pack you get), a jacket (if it's still going to be chilly at finish time, like the 2015 Princess) and those flip flops.

Speaking of staying warm.... Bring a cheap blanket or bathrobe with you next January, one you won't mind tossing. It can be really cold and windy standing in your corral for a hour or so waiting to start. You'd be surprised at the number of runners who do this and then toss the blanket/robe by the side of the road, over a barricade when they start running. Disney then collects the discarded items, cleans them and donates them to charities or homeless shelters. I visit Target before I leave for WDW and pickup a cheap bathrobe or two. Much better than those space blankets other runners wear, more comfy...

 

[Swissmiss]

@LAKid53 - the bathrobe idea is GENIUS!

I'm not "running" the 5 km - have had to promise my sister we'll do it walking (she's capable of walking the distance at a good enough pace but not running - unless she plans on surprising me at Christmas when I get to her house, as far as I know she only uses her treadmill for walking) so the flip flops on that day may not be necessary, but I know that they definitely will be necessary for me after the half. My feet were killing me after the DLP half and I would have loved to have a pair of flip flops.

The food idea is also a good one. When I did the 10 km in May (which had an 8 pm start time) all they had was a water station at the 4 km and at the end more water (but no European equivalent of Gatorade even if I am not a fan of the taste) and some banana slices and orange wedges. I think I would have been ok with a whole banana, but there was not really a way to take more than a couple of slices so I was starving by the time I got home.

 

[LAKid53]

@LAKid53 - the bathrobe idea is GENIUS!

I'm not "running" the 5 km - have had to promise my sister we'll do it walking (she's capable of walking the distance at a good enough pace but not running - unless she plans on surprising me at Christmas when I get to her house, as far as I know she only uses her treadmill for walking) so the flip flops on that day may not be necessary, but I know that they definitely will be necessary for me after the half. My feet were killing me after the DLP half and I would have loved to have a pair of flip flops.

The food idea is also a good one. When I did the 10 km in May (which had an 8 pm start time) all they had was a water station at the 4 km and at the end more water (but no European equivalent of Gatorade even if I am not a fan of the taste) and some banana slices and orange wedges. I think I would have been ok with a whole banana, but there was not really a way to take more than a couple of slices so I was starving by the time I got home.

I asked a runner I was walking with to the starting corrals about her bathrobe and she told me. Brilliant idea on the part of both runners and Disney - and people in need get blankets, robes and jackets. Win-win.

The Half will have hydration tables every 1.5 miles with both water and Powerade. If you have a water bottle, they will refill it for you. Somewhere around Mile 9 or 10, they have a fuel station with gel packs and maybe Cliff Bars - I bring my own.

The snack box they hand you has cookies, a "protein" bar (more like a candy bar), plastic cheese and chips, some nut/fruit mix and a thing of squeezable apple sauce. They also hand out bananas. I eat the apple sauce and nut/fruit mixture, toss the "cheese", chips and "protein" bar and save the Oreos for dessert.

 

[LAKid53]

Just read an article on Marathon Investigation about a previously disqualified Boston Runner using her questionable Marathon time to qualify for Boston. Apparently, she has both chip and GPS issues for just about every race she runs.

Question. If you run Dopey, does the 5k bib have a chip, unlike other runDisney 5ks?

 

[Swissmiss]

I just don't get why someone would cheat - and in her case repeatedly. It just seems like an awful lot of effort (and money) for a race medal that you can't even be proud of because you didn't truly earn it!

 

[LAKid53]

I just don't get why someone would cheat - and in her case repeatedly. It just seems like an awful lot of effort (and money) for a race medal that you can't even be proud of because you didn't truly earn it!

This issue is not medals, but that she was disqualified by 4 previous races that can be qualifiers for Boston - 2015 Miami, Chicago and Marine Corps and 2016 Vermont City - they had to shut down the course of this one due to the brutal heat conditions. And she failed to hit any of the intermediate timing mats.

And there's no evidence she finished the Marathon in January. She said the chip on the back of her bib was bent but that staff at the Expo wouldn't or couldn't replace it. She used as proof two stops at the first aid tent, not any data from the GPS watch she was wearing. She also said none of her bibs chirped at the threshold (gee, mine don't either), so she ran back several times to get it to work. Yeah, right.

But with this questionable race....and in spite of the 4 previous disqualifications...they qualified her for Boston 2018.

Her only clean race time was just under 6 hours for the Grandma's Marathon - and she hit all timing mats. But that time is not good enough for Boston, not even if you're a female over the age of 80....

 

[dreamfinder]

Question. If you run Dopey, does the 5k bib have a chip, unlike other runDisney 5ks?

If you do the Dopey challenge, you get 2 bibs, one for the 5k/10k, and one for the half/full marathon. Each bib has a single chip on it, and all 4 events are timed. Since Dopey runners still make up like 75% of the 5k runners (unless they seriously changed the allocation from 7,500 Dopey in 10,000 5k runners) I'm still surprised they don't break down and just chip time them all. I'm pretty sure they don't do anything with all 4 times other than putting them on your certificate, so it seems to me they are just setting up the timing mats to make people feel good since they already have the chips.

 

[LAKid53]

If you do the Dopey challenge, you get 2 bibs, one for the 5k/10k, and one for the half/full marathon. Each bib has a single chip on it, and all 4 events are timed. Since Dopey runners still make up like 75% of the 5k runners (unless they seriously changed the allocation from 7,500 Dopey in 10,000 5k runners) I'm still surprised they don't break down and just chip time them all. I'm pretty sure they don't do anything with all 4 times other than putting them on your certificate, so it seems to me they are just setting up the timing mats to make people feel good since they already have the chips.

Thanks!

 

[EllieBadge]

My husband will be running in the marathon and I was wondering, how difficult will it be to watch him cross the finish line? The website says there is "limited, complimentary" seating. Is it necessary to purchase one of the ChEARS packages to watch a runner along the route, especially at the finish line? TIA for any help!

 

[dreamfinder]

My husband will be running in the marathon and I was wondering, how difficult will it be to watch him cross the finish line? The website says there is "limited, complimentary" seating. Is it necessary to purchase one of the ChEARS packages to watch a runner along the route, especially at the finish line? TIA for any help!

So to see them actually cross the line, you would need to purchase the ChEARs package. Basically there are big tall bleachers right at the finish line area, and those are for people who bought the package only. But those only cover maybe the last 100 feet or so. The remainder of the last .15 mile or so is first come, first served. I want to say a there are a few sections of smaller like 4 row bleachers just after runners leave the backstage area, and then a few small embankments between there and the finish bleachers. But there will usually be people packed 5-10 deep in areas trying to see/cheer for their runners all along that stretch.

As far as along the course goes, I believe the only other place that ChEARs gets you any special viewing is a space near the castle. I think that's new this year, but there are once again people 5-10 deep the whole way down Main Street up to the hub. But along course viewing you are limited for official/tolerated viewing areas. You can watch them at the start line, at the TTC, Main Street, over by the GF/Golf Course/Shades of Green, AK entry/parking areas, DHS entry area past BW, BC, YC, World Showcase and parts of Future World, and then finish line. There are a few other places people who have cars will hang out, but those are the only places guests can easily and safety get to using WDW transportation. Depending on your husbands speed you should be able to see then 4, maybe 5 times at most, less if you want to get a good spot anywhere. Cheer at start line, take monorail to TTC, cheer at TTC, walk down past Poly to GF/Shades of Green, cheer at GF/Shades of Green, head back to TTC, take monorail back to Epcot, cheer at finish area. You might be able to sneak in AK after GF/Shades of Green, but you may end up cutting it close to get back to finish depending on your husbands pace and if you get stuck in traffic due to road closures.

 

[EllieBadge]

So to see them actually cross the line, you would need to purchase the ChEARs package. Basically there are big tall bleachers right at the finish line area, and those are for people who bought the package only. But those only cover maybe the last 100 feet or so. The remainder of the last .15 mile or so is first come, first served. I want to say a there are a few sections of smaller like 4 row bleachers just after runners leave the backstage area, and then a few small embankments between there and the finish bleachers. But there will usually be people packed 5-10 deep in areas trying to see/cheer for their runners all along that stretch.

As far as along the course goes, I believe the only other place that ChEARs gets you any special viewing is a space near the castle. I think that's new this year, but there are once again people 5-10 deep the whole way down Main Street up to the hub. But along course viewing you are limited for official/tolerated viewing areas. You can watch them at the start line, at the TTC, Main Street, over by the GF/Golf Course/Shades of Green, AK entry/parking areas, DHS entry area past BW, BC, YC, World Showcase and parts of Future World, and then finish line. There are a few other places people who have cars will hang out, but those are the only places guests can easily and safety get to using WDW transportation. Depending on your husbands speed you should be able to see then 4, maybe 5 times at most, less if you want to get a good spot anywhere. Cheer at start line, take monorail to TTC, cheer at TTC, walk down past Poly to GF/Shades of Green, cheer at GF/Shades of Green, head back to TTC, take monorail back to Epcot, cheer at finish area. You might be able to sneak in AK after GF/Shades of Green, but you may end up cutting it close to get back to finish depending on your husbands pace and if you get stuck in traffic due to road closures.

Thank you so much for your detailed response! This is extremely helpful!

 

[JZwizard]

Do they have the park music going during the marathon? I'm running it this year for the first time.

 

[dreamfinder]

Thank you so much for your detailed response! This is extremely helpful!

Not a problem. There is some info on the Marathon Event page on the spectators section, but I think the race guides usually have more detailed info.

Do they have the park music going during the marathon? I'm running it this year for the first time.

Some of the parks will yes. There is usually music playing, but it may or may not be the normal park music. I think we had a thread where someone was trying to identify some of it recently as it was different more inspiring music.

 

[Katherine]

Do they have the park music going during the marathon? I'm running it this year for the first time.

Usually for the 5k and 10k World Showcase plays Disney Movie music not the normal background loop.

In MK I think Main St still has the normal loop (it's really loud there because of all the people cheering so it's hard to tell) but I think I remember the rest of the route having more upbeat music that's more noticeable (for some reason I think Tomorrowland has techno music and then Fantasyland and Frontierland have nothing or general Disney Movie music).

I don't remember anything in Animal Kingdom so it's probably just the normal background music or nothing. Nothing really stands out in my memory of ESPN, there are some DJs set up along that loop. DHS for the marathon is open to guests so it's mostly just the park music except for backstage areas which have had speakers set up playing either thematic music (Tower Ride music near ToT for example) or techno. For the full marathon, coming back into Epcot, nothing is jumping out at me but at that point I'm usually so focused on just finishing that my memory probably isn't the best. Epcot is partially open so there might be some Disney Movie music around the American Adventure but I think the rest is just park music.

Again the brain is fuzzy after all the running happens but I've run it enough times that these always kind of stand out to me. Most the marathon is out on the roads, there will be DJs set up every so often but lots of stretches between.

 

[EllieBadge]

Not a problem. There is some info on the Marathon Event page on the spectators section, but I think the race guides usually have more detailed info.

The Marathon Event page is where I found the "limited, complimentary" seating description and that was making me wonder how difficult it was going to be to see him cross the finish. I will be sure to check out the race guides. Thanks again for your help!

We are staying at the Boardwalk, so my hope is to see him at MK, somewhere along the Boardwalk and then cross the finish line in Epcot. He's pretty speedy (normally 7ish minute mile, but will obviously be slower given the nature of the course), so I don't want to push my luck too much trying to see him and end up missing him. I will also be tracking his progress on the course. We are super excited to see how all of this goes!

 

[dreamfinder]

The Marathon Event page is where I found the "limited, complimentary" seating description and that was making me wonder how difficult it was going to be to see him cross the finish. I will be sure to check out the race guides. Thanks again for your help!

We are staying at the Boardwalk, so my hope is to see him at MK, somewhere along the Boardwalk and then cross the finish line in Epcot. He's pretty speedy (normally 7ish minute mile, but will obviously be slower given the nature of the course), so I don't want to push my luck too much trying to see him and end up missing him. I will also be tracking his progress on the course. We are super excited to see how all of this goes!

Plenty of space at the finish to stand, just only a few sets of bleachers for normal folk to use.

Seeing him at BW and then also at the finish line won't be doable, and even seeing him at the BW bridge over by the IG might be tough. You would need to make it from the IG through Canada and Future world, and then out the front, around the finish area to the security entrance on the back side, and then back through the finish area to the actual finish line. So your total distance would be pretty close to the distance he needs to run, and you need to clear through security twice. If you watch him over by that foot bridge, or the loading area for the Friendship boats outside the IG, you should be able to make it through to catch him again going down the spine from WS to FW. But anything longer than that would be tough, especially since you would need to cross through the runners at least once, and that can take a few minutes before the CMs let you go.

Here is the finish staging area from 2015, which was still fairly similar to the one from 2017, and I would imagine will be similar to this years. You can see the small black rectangles in the lower left corner (normal bleachers) and the big one labeled ChEAR (big bleachers for paid guests). But you would need to walk in the Guest Entrance/Security area, over to the end of the group tents, and then go back through the Imagine lot to the finish area. If finish line is important I would do the MK and then head back over to the finish area. You may end up having to wait a few hours, but I would want to allocate at least a 45 minute buffer before expected finish to get through security and make your way through the mass of people to actually find a viewing area.

 

[EllieBadge]

Plenty of space at the finish to stand, just only a few sets of bleachers for normal folk to use.

Seeing him at BW and then also at the finish line won't be doable, and even seeing him at the BW bridge over by the IG might be tough. You would need to make it from the IG through Canada and Future world, and then out the front, around the finish area to the security entrance on the back side, and then back through the finish area to the actual finish line. So your total distance would be pretty close to the distance he needs to run, and you need to clear through security twice. If you watch him over by that foot bridge, or the loading area for the Friendship boats outside the IG, you should be able to make it through to catch him again going down the spine from WS to FW. But anything longer than that would be tough, especially since you would need to cross through the runners at least once, and that can take a few minutes before the CMs let you go.

Here is the finish staging area from 2015, which was still fairly similar to the one from 2017, and I would imagine will be similar to this years. You can see the small black rectangles in the lower left corner (normal bleachers) and the big one labeled ChEAR (big bleachers for paid guests). But you would need to walk in the Guest Entrance/Security area, over to the end of the group tents, and then go back through the Imagine lot to the finish area. If finish line is important I would do the MK and then head back over to the finish area. You may end up having to wait a few hours, but I would want to allocate at least a 45 minute buffer before expected finish to get through security and make your way through the mass of people to actually find a viewing area.

More great info, thanks!

I was beginning to think the same thing about making it from Boardwalk to Epcot in enough time - you confirmed my suspicion. I will likely do as you suggest and stick with MK and the finish line.

 

[Simba's Mom]

One thing we loved about staying at BCV was that I could walk out along the wooden boardwalk and watch all the marathoners run by at about 24 miles and cheer them on ("Almost done!") and enjoy the costumes-

 

[RunningKoen]

That is one of the best places to support; as you can see on their face support is really needed at that part of the race.

I do remember those last miles really well, the struggle is so real and I cannot enough express my gratitude for all the people cheering over there