Disney Marathon

[Bike Chick]

I'm thinking of doing a marathon. I've already done 2 half-marathons, am doing the St. Louis Rock N Roll HM in October and the St. Jude HM in December, which will give me 4 total. I'm thinking if I'm ever going to do a marathon, this would be a good time if I just keep the training going. I'm not getting any younger so this may be the only one I ever do (bucket list you know). I want to do a really cool one and the Disney Marathon falls right in line with my training.

Any words of advice from you seasoned runners and has anyone done the Disney? I'm a slow runner so I'm looking at a 5 hour marathon if I'm lucky.

[jessmarimba]

I haven't run Disney, but a good friend of mine did and she was pretty unhappy with it. I guess the race is well organized, etc., but when you aren't running in a park (which is 2/3 of the race) it's pretty boring. Not scenic, no spectators, just long flat roads. If you're someone who can't stand seeing your destination several miles in the distance and watch it not get closer with any appreciable speed, then I wouldn't recommend it. If that doesn't bother you (or will actually inspire you to go faster), go for it.

She compared the whole Disney experience to seeing trailers for what seemed like a great movie, then watching it and thinking the plot was too long, drawn out, and she'd already seen the good stuff.

[Bike Chick]

Thanks, Jess, that's something I hadn't considered. I assumed from their website that it was all through the parks. Hmmmm.

[jessmarimba]

I think the Phoenix Rock n' Roll marathon is a week later. Those are supposed to be fun! I'm thinking of doing Denver in 2 weeks - I trained for a half, but it's just a $15 price difference to the full. I ought to pay for the full, try to PR the first half, then slug through the second half :)

[OakLeaf]

I'm thinking about Disney.

There are a lot of negatives ... extremely unpredictable weather (guaranteed to be humid, but the temperature could be anything from 30° to 80°, torrential rain or blazing sun), high entry fee, ridiculous cost of lodging, having to hang around in the corral for hours (I think they put you on the bus at like 4 a.m. for a 6:30 or 7:00 start); ludicrously high-priced spectator packages for your family.

Flat doesn't bother me. I live in hills and I practically HAVE to enter a race to find someplace flat to run, so it's always gratifying how much faster I can run when there aren't any 20° grades. :D I had thought most of it was in the parks, but if it's not, it's true, Orlando is just butt-ugly. :p

I hear it's a fun race though. Kacie did it a couple of years ago and really loved it. I like a race with a lot of runners and spectators.

I don't know, I'm really on the fence. If I get in to Boston (which is unlikely) I won't run Disney, but otherwise I'll probably be making a decision in the next couple of weeks.

[kacie tri-ing]

Hey! I did run this one, and it was fun!

Off the top of my head--

Positives:
Running through the castle!
Energy of lots of people!
Great costumes!
You get into the park on monday.

Negatives:
You have to be there really really early. And I am used to early.
Once you are on the property, prices are high, so you need to plan ahead.
It isn't the most exciting outside of the parks, but on the other hand, there are very few marathons that are exciting for 26.2 miles and that's ok.


All in all, I think it is a fantastic first marathon. It is even more fun if you can convince family and/or friends to join you!

[ehirsch83]

No advice, but I signed up for the half! and I'm not a runner,lol :) But I am joining a friend who just beat cancer and I couldn't think of a better way to support her then to join her.

[Bike Chick]

No advice, but I signed up for the half! and I'm not a runner,lol :) But I am joining a friend who just beat cancer and I couldn't think of a better way to support her then to join her.

Emily, that's a wonderful thing to do. Good luck and it looks like I'm going to be there too. I talked to an acquaintance yesterday who ran it 2 years ago and basically said what Kacie said. She loved it and said it would be a wonderful first marathon. She also said to spend the extra money on the VIP package so you have access to the tent with food and drink afterward. I have decided to sign up and DH is going to do it with me so it will be fun. I just need to decide where to stay now. Everything is pretty expensive. Any suggestions?

Thanks everyone for your feedback. You were so much help.

[ehirsch83]

I don't have much suggestion on where to stay. I live in Orlando, but never venture near the parks. I will be either making the drive really early, or I might be splitting a room with the other girls just so we don't have to sit through parking traffic at 3:30am!

[Bike Chick]

Well, I did it. I pulled the trigger and signed up for the Disney Marathon. I was almost sick to my stomach just going through the registration process.

[jessmarimba]

Well, I did it. I pulled the trigger and signed up for the Disney Marathon. I was almost sick to my stomach just going through the registration process.

I think I feel like that every time I sign up for a race. It seems like a big deal to plan on something like that, because so much can happen between registration and race day! (I had that same feeling today signing up for a race in 5 days!)

[OakLeaf]

BikeChick, you'll do great!

I still can't make up my mind, I'm really kind of leaning against it.

For those who've done it, are there any bands when you're outside the parks? What about spectators? Roughly how many miles are outside the parks?

[katluvr]

I have not done the marathon, but have done the half twice. It was my first half and I loved it. 2nd time was with a friend and weather was cold, sleet and raining and I hated it because her pace was much slower than mine and I am not that fast as you know. There really are a LOT of spectators & cheer groups, so that is great. And you run over some "over passes" on the road and you can see tons of people running for miles, so it pretty cool. Running down main street of Magic Kingdom is totally magical.
Advice...stay on property so you don't have the hassle of getting there in the AM. Bring layers of "throw away clothes" in case it is cold. You stand out there for 2 hours and both times it was only in the 30's. BYOB (breakfast that is) before the race & food afterwards sucks--really it does!
But the run overall was nice. I can't tell you how many real miles are outside the parks, you may be able to tell that from looking at the map. It is one of those races everyone should do once...but I don't think I will do it again, too many others on my bucket list.
K

[lawnchick22]

Did the half with some friends in 2011...great experience. Characters everywhere....lots of serious runners, lots of non-serious runners. Bands at least every mile.
For the start, byotp..(bring your own toilet paper)...the lines for the portapotties are horrid...trust me, you will be dropping your drawers in the woods, fields, it won't matter....with all those other butts, who will notice? Not to mention it is o'dark thirty and you can't see anyway.

bucket list for me is the goofy challenge in 2013 and for DS to do his first marathon that year as well.

good luck, have fun and embrace all that you can.

[Bike Chick]

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info. I talked to an acquaintance who ran the race with her husband two years ago and she suggested we spend the money on the Race Retreat. It's a VIP tent of sorts for before and after the race. Apparently if you don't spring for the Race Retreat, there really isn't any food or drinks, which is what you meant, katluvr. It was their first marathon and she said it was worth being able to walk in that tent, sit down and have food and drinks. She needed it. I find that surprising because every race I've ever been to, the food afterward is plentiful. I guess they just want to get in your pocket for another $100:(