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WDW Marathon
- Thread starter brresler
- Start date
Chape19714
Well-Known Member
I'll be volenteering there! Look for me as a MK track moniter on the full marathon day, and on the Spectator Monorail during the 1/2 marathon!
Pixiedust1393
Member
Wow, long run. I've never done this so I don't have any answers for you, but... Have a good time & good luck! :wave:
And btw- welcome to the boards!
And btw- welcome to the boards!
lebernadin
New Member
brresler said:
It is very flat. The only inclines are the overpasses which you've most likely driven on.
What is your background? Is this a one-time thing you're training for or do you run marys regularly?
Tell us more about your running background and what you're looking to do in this marathon, ie just finish, 3:30, 5:00 etc.
Feel free to PM me. I'm running the half this year but have run the full a few times.
lebernadin
New Member
WDWBro said:
Quite a bit of that is simply marketing. But it is a good first mary in the respect that its large. This year the cutoff for both the full and half are 13,000 runners. There's always a fair amount that no-show though.
There's a stigma in the running community that its one that dissapoints all too often. But this stigma is born out of false expectations and naivete. New runners develop this false impression that they're going to run 26.2 miles through the parks and be surrounded by characters and pixie dust. They ignore the course layouts that are readily available online and sent to runners in the months leading up to the events. They also ignore common sense which dictates running 26.2 miles through 4 parks that aren't connected is impossible. But nevertheless, they whine their opinions and then people take them as fact and turn them around as advice to others.
There's obviously more stretches of roads with nothing along them along the 26.2 miles than there are parks and resorts. If you set your expectations in line with the reality that is presented on the course layout then i don't see how you could be dissapointed in that respect.
I don't know where these people come from either because when i run in the suburbs or do almost every other marathon, what is on both sides of the road is no more exciting than the trees lining WDW's roads. It just illustrates the newbies who "train" to basically walk the 26.2 miles and then complain that they had to look at trees along the way.
What is along the routes change year to year. But besides the refreshment and first aid stations there's typically some characters every now and then, and some bands or gospel choirs and the like. Its definately a mary catered to newbies. Its similar to the chain of Rock'n'Roll Marathons that have been really popular with new runners over the past few years. Me, i run because i love running. Characters, Bands etc, i can do without. But some people need such things before they'd attempt to run 26.2 miles.
One piece of advice i'd give is to leave your MP3 players at home. They're a safety hazard and there's a reason why they're against the rules of most marathons. You can't hear race officials or other runners approaching talking to you. If you're training with them start weening yourself off of them.
Why not make friends while running? Talk with those tackling it at your own pace. I think the last thing i'd want to do if i was running 26.2 miles at a slow pace was tune everyone out.
Another is to lineup in the appropriate corral. If you're running to finish, start in the back. Don't be a jerk and try and move closer to the front only to make those of us running at fast paces, and are lined up according to earned times in other races, have to bob and weave around you and risk injury.
SpenceMan01
Well-Known Member
I have considered running the half marathon so I could see backstage at the parks. There's no way I could ever do the full marathon. I'd never do the half either... I'm definitely not a runner. Maybe I'll just take the backstage magic tour instead :lol:
Disney Couple
New Member
I have run this marathon and others many times. This race is one of my favorites. Yes, at times there are boring stretches of road, but what race does not have these. I just focus on my next travels throough a park and have fun.
The logistics in my mind are the best. Plenty of water/drinks and lots of toilets along the way. If this is your first or last marathon, do as I do, enjoy the view and make some new friends.
I have so much fun I am running the 1/2 with my wife on Saturday and the full on Sunday.
Enjoy yourself.
The logistics in my mind are the best. Plenty of water/drinks and lots of toilets along the way. If this is your first or last marathon, do as I do, enjoy the view and make some new friends.
I have so much fun I am running the 1/2 with my wife on Saturday and the full on Sunday.
Enjoy yourself.
UltimtMickeyFan
Member
I did the 1/2 Marathon 3 years ago and the weather was perfect and there was also lots of Disney related things to see at that time. This was also done in my wheelchair, and I have to say that there is definately a fair share of up and down along the course length, especially on the road sections. As was said earlier where there are overpasses etc... they are alot steeper then they appear while driving in your car...But each time you hit a park though and see all the CM's and characters and other things, gives you such an amazing boost to just keep going that much further and before you know it, your at the finish line.
lebernadin
New Member
SpenceMan01 said:
I'll guarantee you that your imagination of what the backstages look like far outweigh the reality. So either stick to those or set your expectations lower. :animwink:
13.1 miles is a very manageable distance for anyone who is determined to run it. If you can build up a base of 30 miles per week including a 12 mile long slow run then you're there.
lebernadin
New Member
UltimtMickeyFan said:
Yeah it tends to be perfect marathon temps, in the Fifties most years. If you're sitting there saying "perfect!? 50's cold!!!" you have to consider that your body heats up 10-15 degrees warmer than current temps. This is why you see us training on roads in singlets and shorts in cooler weather.
As mickeyfan says, the overpasses are definately "worse" on the wheelchair runners' arms than on our legs. I don't think i could get a wheelchair up most race hills. Wheelchair runners are definately amazing.
To tie in to what i was saying above about mp3 players though, in this year's Long Island marathon, a girl wearing an mp3 player couldn't hear an approaching wheelchair runner giving the appropriate "on your right/left" warnings. Well she sensed him at the last second and chose the wrong direction and fell right into his lap. Well some morons around the fall yelled at the guy to slow down as he proceeded on his way after she got up. "Slow down?" Its a race folks. He was doing his part for safety, she wasn't. Hence, her fault.
Well, its my first marathon. My roommate has run it for the past two years, and finally convinced me to do it. I've been training with a schedule out of Marathoning for Mortals for a while now, and its definitely heartening to see that its a good race for newbies. My goal is just to finish. I figured this would be a good way to squeeze in a trip to Disney and a good inspiration to get in shape. I am running in a half-marathon in October, just to see what the normal procedures and such are. My desktop background is the race map for WDW, so I know exactly what to expect as far as time spent running in the parks. Good luck to everyone else running this year. I hope to see you all there!
lebernadin
New Member
brresler said:
These things tend to change depending on the year. But something that tends to be the norm in most large marys is a table for whatever endurance drink and a table for water.
Gatorade has been pushing their new Endurance on marathon directors and many have used it instead of "regular" Gatorade already this year.
I haven't emailed the race director yet, but a good bit of advice is to train with what your next mary is using. ie If your October half is using Powerade, train with Powerade. Then switch to what Disney will be using in January etc.
We should find that out though as fall starts to creep up on us.
sas115
New Member
I am running the 1/2 marathon this year, my first Disney race, and I have some race related questions:
Does anyone know if Disney has a program where they deliver the the race packets to their resorts for confirmed resort guests?
What is the best way to get to the expo to pick up a packet from a Disney resort?
and a park question - what are the typical hours for MK leading up to marathon weekend(TH-FR-SA)?
thanks
Does anyone know if Disney has a program where they deliver the the race packets to their resorts for confirmed resort guests?
What is the best way to get to the expo to pick up a packet from a Disney resort?
and a park question - what are the typical hours for MK leading up to marathon weekend(TH-FR-SA)?
thanks
lebernadin
New Member
sas115 said:
I'm 80% sure they don't offer such a service, or at least aren't for the first time this year('06).
Reasoning:
- Expos are about retail and sponsorships. Its a symbiosis between those putting on the race and the sponsors providing funds etc. As a result they expect as much exposure to their product lines as possible, hence why races require folks to attend the expos to grab their packets.
- BUT i can see where you would think they may offer this, considering other park->resort deliveries etc that WDW offers.
Best way to get to the expo are the only ways, Disney's bus system or your vehicle.
I don't know the exact hours for the MK, but in general there tends to be a decrease in hours for all the parks following the Christmas/New Years crazy weeks. I think whatever that decrease turns out to be for the MK will hold true to those days leading up to the marathon weekend as well. The parks are dead in general and those two flanking weeks are comprised of mostly marathoners and their families/friends. Maybe the WDW Info # already has forecasted park hours for that week.