Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

[DrewmanS]

So, a couple of takes from the weekend. I last ran the Dopey 5 years ago. My son told me I had to run it again for WDW 50th anniversary and I also turned 50.

Main Street USA - This is such a wonderful moment of both the Half and Full Marathon. My only issue is, during the Half I was running near the middle of Main Street, someone then abruptly cut in from of me and stopped to give a spectator a hug. As I tried to dodge them, I stepped on the trolly tracks and rolled my ankle. It stung for a few steps, belt felt okay after a minute or two. Unfortunately, during the marathon it started to hurt around mile 18 and subsequently got worse causing me to walk most of the last two miles. I can't be the only one to misstep on the tracks. I think runDisney should push the spectators back toward the sidewalk and make two lanes on either side of the tracks with cones down the middle. Runners could then choose the spectator side or the open side, but avoid the tracks.

Pace Leaders - During the marathon, sub groups were going off at a much quicker pace causing heavy congestion over the first 4 miles and when entering the Magic Kingdom. This caused everyone to modify their pace to avoid bumping into people. The run/walk pace leaders apparently did not get the memo. Several times I encountered pace leaders forcing their ways through congested areas causing their "pack" to do the same, only to have them slow to a walk while in the middle of a crowd causing hazards for runners behind. A don't know what qualifications, review, approval process there is for pace setters, but there should be basic runners etiquette rules they have to follow (like adjusting the pace when in congested areas) or lose the privilege of being a leader.

Dopey Challenge Finishers - It is wonderful that runDisney events can motivate so many people and every participant sets their own goals and every race completed is an accomplishment. I truly believe this. That's why I am upset with myself that the following is an issue for me. When you look at the Dopey results, about 15% of people in each race failed to maintain the minimum pace. 5% of participants didn't maintain the minimum pace in any race. This does not include a couple hundred people who did not complete one or more races, but still may have collected all of the hardware. I talked to several people doing the Dopey who had not trained at all and their longest "race" previously was a 10K. I know the hard work I put in over the last year and am proud of everything I accomplished, but I can't help but feel that the achievement is diminished when others barely train and fail to complete the challenge in the established time limits (which are already much lower than most races) boast about the same accomplishment. Anyone else feel this way? Do you feel guilty about it too?

 

[LAKid53]

People do it for all sorts of reasons. Some to win, some to place, lots to try to qualify for Boston, some to brag about times on social media, some to scam their way into sponsorships, some just to finish without having to run or walk the whole thing, some to promote their fitness business/instagram/whatever, etc, etc…

Check this out if you ever want to go down that rabbit hole: https://www.marathoninvestigation.com/


Here’s some about Disney specifically:

Disney Marathon cheaters number at least 300, says Marathon Investigation - Canadian Running Magazine

Disney's multiple fancy medals the main incentive for folks to cut the course

runningmagazine.ca

Claims of an 'Elite' Runner Unravel at Disney - MarathonInvestigation

The conditions at The Disney Marathon were rough. It was warm and humid, slower runners were diverted to a shorter course due to the heat. Michael ran a Personal record, despite these conditions. He was an active participant on The 6AM Runner Facebook page. Leading up to the race he posted that...

www.marathoninvestigation.com

Cheating at the Disney Marathon - Elbowglitter

Once again, there was plenty of cheating at the Disney Marathon

elbowglitter.com

RunDisney Bib Thief Finally Caught And Detained By Police At Disneyland Half Marathon [VIDEO]

Early this morning, thousands of guests gathered together to run the Disneyland Half Marathon and take pride in winning their medals, but there was something much more sinister going on at the same time. For months, there has been a lot of talk on the RunDisney circuit about someone stealing the...

www.inquisitr.com

Cheating at runDisney Races

www.mouseplanet.com

If it's the medal that's the incentive for cheating - "if I don't finish I won't get that medal" - guess what, you do.

 

[LAKid53]

So, a couple of takes from the weekend. I last ran the Dopey 5 years ago. My son told me I had to run it again for WDW 50th anniversary and I also turned 50.

Main Street USA - This is such a wonderful moment of both the Half and Full Marathon. My only issue is, during the Half I was running near the middle of Main Street, someone then abruptly cut in from of me and stopped to give a spectator a hug. As I tried to dodge them, I stepped on the trolly tracks and rolled my ankle. It stung for a few steps, belt felt okay after a minute or two. Unfortunately, during the marathon it started to hurt around mile 18 and subsequently got worse causing me to walk most of the last two miles. I can't be the only one to misstep on the tracks. I think runDisney should push the spectators back toward the sidewalk and make two lanes on either side of the tracks with cones down the middle. Runners could then choose the spectator side or the open side, but avoid the tracks.

Pace Leaders - During the marathon, sub groups were going off at a much quicker pace causing heavy congestion over the first 4 miles and when entering the Magic Kingdom. This caused everyone to modify their pace to avoid bumping into people. The run/walk pace leaders apparently did not get the memo. Several times I encountered pace leaders forcing their ways through congested areas causing their "pack" to do the same, only to have them slow to a walk while in the middle of a crowd causing hazards for runners behind. A don't know what qualifications, review, approval process there is for pace setters, but there should be basic runners etiquette rules they have to follow (like adjusting the pace when in congested areas) or lose the privilege of being a leader.

Dopey Challenge Finishers - It is wonderful that runDisney events can motivate so many people and every participant sets their own goals and every race completed is an accomplishment. I truly believe this. That's why I am upset with myself that the following is an issue for me. When you look at the Dopey results, about 15% of people in each race failed to maintain the minimum pace. 5% of participants didn't maintain the minimum pace in any race. This does not include a couple hundred people who did not complete one or more races, but still may have collected all of the hardware. I talked to several people doing the Dopey who had not trained at all and their longest "race" previously was a 10K. I know the hard work I put in over the last year and am proud of everything I accomplished, but I can't help but feel that the achievement is diminished when others barely train and fail to complete the challenge in the established time limits (which are already much lower than most races) boast about the same accomplishment. Anyone else feel this way? Do you feel guilty about it too?

In the races I've run, those Pace groups are Jeff Galloway's.

And I agree, Pace groups need to follow basic etiquette rules - raise your hand when switching to walking and move over to the right side.

It's time for the announcers - Carissa, John, etc. - to go over basic etiquette for runners. Again. Like they used to. The next runner who attempts to push me out of their way may find my foot in THEIR way.

 

[LAKid53]

Congrats on another Dopey!!

Previously, when you didn’t finish a race, you would get the race medal but not any challenge medals. I’m not sure how that worked this year since they weren’t taking photos at check in and didn’t seem to check your bib numbers to finish times. Does anybody know where the DNF folks get dropped off and get their race medals? I would assume it’s not at the same place at the finish line where the challenge medal tent is, not that it would be that hard for someone in a bib to work their way back in toward that area, but I don’t know. Although, without them doing any checking, someone could have easily DNF’d (or just not shown up) for the first three races and gotten challenge medals for just finishing the Full. Maybe they figured that, since the virtual option runners got all six without proof of completion, they couldn’t justify withholding any from in-person racers this year?

Maybe (hopefully) next year’s races will be back to normal with this issue, and proof of times, and have all the merch supply chain stuff worked out!

Having been swept, there's a tent outside the finish area you are taken to. They do a little ceremony when they hand you the medal and they hand you the snack box and a banana.

 

[Greenlawler]

So, a couple of takes from the weekend. I last ran the Dopey 5 years ago. My son told me I had to run it again for WDW 50th anniversary and I also turned 50.

Main Street USA - This is such a wonderful moment of both the Half and Full Marathon. My only issue is, during the Half I was running near the middle of Main Street, someone then abruptly cut in from of me and stopped to give a spectator a hug. As I tried to dodge them, I stepped on the trolly tracks and rolled my ankle. It stung for a few steps, belt felt okay after a minute or two. Unfortunately, during the marathon it started to hurt around mile 18 and subsequently got worse causing me to walk most of the last two miles. I can't be the only one to misstep on the tracks. I think runDisney should push the spectators back toward the sidewalk and make two lanes on either side of the tracks with cones down the middle. Runners could then choose the spectator side or the open side, but avoid the tracks.

Pace Leaders - During the marathon, sub groups were going off at a much quicker pace causing heavy congestion over the first 4 miles and when entering the Magic Kingdom. This caused everyone to modify their pace to avoid bumping into people. The run/walk pace leaders apparently did not get the memo. Several times I encountered pace leaders forcing their ways through congested areas causing their "pack" to do the same, only to have them slow to a walk while in the middle of a crowd causing hazards for runners behind. A don't know what qualifications, review, approval process there is for pace setters, but there should be basic runners etiquette rules they have to follow (like adjusting the pace when in congested areas) or lose the privilege of being a leader.

Dopey Challenge Finishers - It is wonderful that runDisney events can motivate so many people and every participant sets their own goals and every race completed is an accomplishment. I truly believe this. That's why I am upset with myself that the following is an issue for me. When you look at the Dopey results, about 15% of people in each race failed to maintain the minimum pace. 5% of participants didn't maintain the minimum pace in any race. This does not include a couple hundred people who did not complete one or more races, but still may have collected all of the hardware. I talked to several people doing the Dopey who had not trained at all and their longest "race" previously was a 10K. I know the hard work I put in over the last year and am proud of everything I accomplished, but I can't help but feel that the achievement is diminished when others barely train and fail to complete the challenge in the established time limits (which are already much lower than most races) boast about the same accomplishment. Anyone else feel this way? Do you feel guilty about it too?

Brother, it is what it is. We are the same age. The less you stress about it, the better off you will be. I have run every Dopey. I have experienced everything you explained here. I have run exceptional times, I have been slower. These are the realities of a runDisney event. You do you. Don't worry about anyone else. Be proud about what you accomplished..

 

[Rteetz]

I know the hard work I put in over the last year and am proud of everything I accomplished, but I can't help but feel that the achievement is diminished when others barely train and fail to complete the challenge in the established time limits (which are already much lower than most races) boast about the same accomplishment. Anyone else feel this way? Do you feel guilty about it too?

No simply because this happens in all races. If you set out and accomplish your goal its a big accomplishment. Dopey is no joke. Some try to think its easy and can be done with no training but it really can't.

 

[lukacseven]

I learned early on that Disney is not the place for a PR. I trained really hard for the half back in 2009, just had a new PR 2 months before and was ready to crush it. I figured out by mile 2 it wasn't happening because I simply couldn't get in space to run at my desired pace. Ever since, I've changed my mentality and expectations of running at WDW. Don't even really care about the medals and I already have a closet full of race shirts. I like the experience - getting the bus at 4:00 am, being able to run through the parks, seeing the characters and the lines being too long to stop for photos. Why would people cut the course and miss out on all that?

I had no idea cheating was so widespread and elaborate. It seems like it's actually more work to cheat than to just train for the race.

I also did not realize that you still got a medal if you got swept or did not finish.

 

[surfsupdon]

No simply because this happens in all races. If you set out and accomplish your goal its a big accomplishment. Dopey is no joke. Some try to think its easy and can be done with no training but it really can't.

Exactly. Each person has different goals. Some have a specific time goal, others have the goal simply to finish. I achieved my goal as a Dopey runner, because i ran a sub 2 hour half and a sub 4 hour marathon, after completing a 5k and 10k at a sub 8min pace!

The winners could look at me and say, "Geesh, did he even try?!" I DID! Relative to me, I killed it. Relative to them, I was pretty slow. But I am super proud!! And I am proud of all of you finishers too

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Unfortunately, this is not a new issue or unique to runDisney. I've seen this for years where walkers or 11 min/mile runners would sneak into corral...sorry...start group A or B. Why ask for proof of time if it's not going to be used to properly seed people? 10-15 years ago, it did seem like people were more honest about at least lining up with the start group they were assigned. I always thought in more recent years Disney did a fairly good job of checking bibs at the designated start group points of entry and turned back runners who were not assigned there. As far as walkers being placed in forward start groups, that's on race management not doing their job. It also seems like since Disney no longer did this internally and Track Shack took it over, it really started to become an issue. Bottom line is if you don't provide proof of time from a previous race of at least 10 miles for the half or full, then you should be considered a walker. You should not be able to purchase your way into a start group that you do not belong in.

I was a "bib checker" for S5 for the full and yes, there are 3 of us to watch EVERY bib that comes through. I turned numerous S6 people away trying to get into 5.
If someone hops the fence (like a LOT of people did Sunday morning) there's nothing we can do about it...we don't have enough people to physically cover every inch of fence for jumpers.
Edited to add: If you're a fence jumper you're a ty person and I hope you break your leg doing so.

 

[OG Runner]

I never knew about the seedy underbelly of cheating on races. I have been running for 20 years and never really heard much about it. Then I start reading the recent posts on this thread and I have been down the rabbit hole today. Holy Crud! What is wrong with people?

Do a Google search for the Boston Marathon and Rosie Ruiz. Now that was a cheating scandal.

 

[LAKid53]

I was a "bib checker" for S5 for the full and yes, there are 3 of us to watch EVERY bib that comes through. I turned numerous S6 people away trying to get into 5.
If someone hops the fence (like a LOT of people did Sunday morning) there's nothing we can do about it...we don't have enough people to physically cover every inch of fence for jumpers.
Edited to add: If you're a fence jumper you're a ****ty person and I hope you break your leg doing so.

Agree, the bib checkers are doing their jobs. It's when groups are moved into position for the start line that I've witnessed people jumping corrals - especially for the Princess Half with the start line out on that road. I watched 2 couples with corral letters for the last corral jump the barriers as I stood at the netting. Told them they were in the wrong corral and needed to go back to theirs. Received a few choice words in response. Once someone jumps to a faster corral, I've noticed handfuls of people decide to do the same. I've seen some runners open the fencing so the jumpers can get in. Sad.

 

[Demarke]

I was a "bib checker" for S5 for the full and yes, there are 3 of us to watch EVERY bib that comes through. I turned numerous S6 people away trying to get into 5.
If someone hops the fence (like a LOT of people did Sunday morning) there's nothing we can do about it...we don't have enough people to physically cover every inch of fence for jumpers.
Edited to add: If you're a fence jumper you're a ****ty person and I hope you break your leg doing so.

We had one hopper wind his way through the crowd and jump the front fence from s4 to s3. There was a pretty clear language barrier and it looked like he held up two fingers to the volunteer. He looked pretty clearly like a serious runner, so I couldn’t tell if he just didn’t understand where the corral entrances were or if he showed up too late and they directed him away from the front corrals or if he just didn’t like the corral he was assigned.

I didn’t think much of it until the next morning, just before the start of the full, and here he comes again, quickly winding through the crowd and hopping the fence, but this time he brought a girl with him

 

[OG Runner]

If it's the medal that's the incentive for cheating - "if I don't finish I won't get that medal" - guess what, you do.

That was always disturbing to me. I ran the 2020 Marathon. I was not ready for the weather difference.
I ran in a half in December of 2019 and it was 8 degrees. The 85 degrees and high humidity killed me.
I quit in the Magic Kingdom, met my girlfriend and went back to our hotel. I did not take the bus back
and collect a medal. In my mind I didn't earn it, why accept it. I did finish my fourth Disney marathon
this year and happily accepted my medal.

 

[Greenlawler]

That was always disturbing to me. I ran the 2020 Marathon. I was not ready for the weather difference.
I ran in a half in December of 2019 and it was 8 degrees. The 85 degrees and high humidity killed me.
I quit in the Magic Kingdom, met my girlfriend and went back to our hotel. I did not take the bus back
and collect a medal. In my mind I didn't earn it, why accept it. I did finish my fourth Disney marathon
this year and happily accepted my medal.

I do understand your logic here. If you don't finish the race by their rules you don't get the bling. "Thier Rules". I remember thinking in 2020 at Blizzard Beach how much I wanted to leave the course and jump into that wavepool lol.

 

[Greenlawler]

Do a Google search for the Boston Marathon and Rosie Ruiz. Now that was a cheating scandal.

I actually knew about that one, I just had no idea so many folks cheated on runDisney races.

 

[OG Runner]

I do understand your logic here. If you don't finish the race by their rules you don't get the bling. "Thier Rules". I remember thinking in 2020 at Blizzard Beach how much I wanted to leave the course and jump into that wavepool lol.

Not true. If you stop and take one of the buses to the finish, they will give you a medal for the event. I know someone that did it and
they were told "you paid for it".

 

[LAKid53]

There needs to be some clarification on being swept - whether by pacers or voluntarily - and a runner deciding in a park to stop running.

The former ends up in runner being placed in vehicles, either the infamous "parade buses" or vans. To clear you from the course, you are taking back to the finish line area, but OUTSIDE the finish line, finish line hydration tables, medal photo spots, to a small tent where you can get a medal, snack box, banana, bottles of water/Powerade. You then walk some distance to the trucks to retrieve your gear bag. If you've been swept due to a medical need (like you've fallen and injured yourself), you'll be taken to the huge medical tent at the finish line area. I pulled myself off the W&D Half around mile 5 or 6 (shortly before the course leaves DAK) because I was not feeling well. I was examined by one of the EMTs before getting on a van that was in the park picking up runners (most were ill or injured) to make sure I didn't need immediate medical treatment - I'd skipped the 5k and 10k races because I was still not feeling very well after a bout of stomach flu. Those in the van needing medical treatment were taken first to the medical tent and the rest of us to a tent to get a medal, etc. I do remember the hike to the trucks to get my gear bag.

You could also just quit running in a park, not inform any race official or volunteer, just leave the park and walk over to the finish area to get your gear bag or hop on a bus back to your resort or go get your car. You won't get a medal.

 

[OG Runner]

There needs to be some clarification on being swept - whether by pacers or voluntarily - and a runner deciding in a park to stop running.

The former ends up in runner being placed in vehicles, either the infamous "parade buses" or vans. To clear you from the course, you are taking back to the finish line area, but OUTSIDE the finish line, finish line hydration tables, medal photo spots, to a small tent where you can get a medal, snack box, banana, bottles of water/Powerade. You then walk some distance to the trucks to retrieve your gear bag. If you've been swept due to a medical need (like you've fallen and injured yourself), you'll be taken to the huge medical tent at the finish line area. I pulled myself off the W&D Half around mile 5 or 6 (shortly before the course leaves DAK) because I was not feeling well. I was examined by one of the EMTs before getting on a van that was in the park picking up runners (most were ill or injured) to make sure I didn't need immediate medical treatment - I'd skipped the 5k and 10k races because I was still not feeling very well after a bout of stomach flu. Those in the van needing medical treatment were taken first to the medical tent and the rest of us to a tent to get a medal, etc. I do remember the hike to the trucks to get my gear bag.

You could also just quit running in a park, not inform any race official or volunteer, just leave the park and walk over to the finish area to get your gear bag or hop on a bus back to your resort or go get your car. You won't get a medal.

Thank you, this is exactly what I was saying. In my case, I stopped in the Magic Kingdom, during the 2020 Marathon.
My girlfriend was there near the castle. I stopped, walked to the buses and we went back to our resort. I did not have a
gear bag to retrieve and did not want the medal for a race I had not completed.

 

[Texas84]

Not true. If you stop and take one of the buses to the finish, they will give you a medal for the event. I know someone that did it and
they were told "you paid for it".

Well, you did pay for it. I hear you don't get challenge medals though.

 

[LAKid53]

Well, you did pay for it. I hear you don't get challenge medals though.

No, you do not.