WDW Marathon

[Aggie_Ama]

Anyone ever done the Walt Disneyworld Marathon? Want to share you experience? DH and I have discussed we want to do one marathon before we have kids and I really want to do the Disney. I love Disneyworld and can think of nothing I would enjoy better than running down Main Street USA. We won't be doing it until the 2010 run but it is on my mind since I started running again recently and already am loving it again. That is another thread though!

[RoadBunner]

I love the WDW Marathon! It was my first in 2005 and I did the Goofy Challenge in 2008. If you're a Disney fan you will definitely enjoy the race. The characters come out to cheer you on (carry a camera to get pictures). The volunteers are great and the organization is wonderful. My main hints would be to stay onsite at a Disney hotel. They have transportation all weekend long to the expo and to the race (and back again). The main wild card with Disney is the weather. Both years I ran it were very hot. Some years it is downright cold. Running through the Castle ranks right up there with running in Kenya and running by the Colosseum in Rome for my great marathon moments Even though you can't always be guaranteed a good PR attempt (because of humidity/heat) it's so much fun that I plan to run it again and again in the future. The medals aren't bad, either!

[Aggie_Ama]

Oh I am so excited to hear it is fun and it sounds like you feel the same way as me about Disneyworld. My husband and I joke we will quit and go sell churros there. It will be my first marathon, so it will definitely be a PB! Right now I am just getting back into running, goal for this fall is a 5 mile Thanksgiving run, then working my way up next spring. I want to start training in the summer of next year, so I have a long time to build up but we will want to start planning the trip early.

We will stay on property, hopefully my parents will come along like they did last November for our vacation. We stayed at Fort Wilderness in their travel trailer and really had a great time.

On the weather, I hope training in Texas will help be ready for the heat. We don't have much humidity in my area but might do a half marathon that takes place in Houston.

[Kimmyt]

I didn't run it, but did go down to support and cheer on my friend a few years ago in her first marathon. This is before I ran. It was a really fun event, though I heard that outside of when you are running through the parks it can get boring, and it was a bit chilly that year, I think people weren't prepared for it because of the variable weather like RoadBunner said. But it was a great finish (at least to watch) and there were several good viewing stations in the park.

I love the medals too, so cute!

[katluvr]

I did the 1/2 about ...oh 3 years ago i guess.
I agree it was awesome and I would do it again. I ditto what was said.
However, this is something you should know....you HAVE to be to the stagnig area by 4 AM (yes by 4AM). I think the first bus runs at 3 or so. So expect to get up REALLY early. Then the race does not begin until 6. So you have 2 hours....yes 2 full hours! Weather can be unseasonable warm or cold. The year I did it --it was 38 degrees (that is cold for standing around for 2 hours and for us Floridians!).
So bring throw away clothes (they get donated) and bring a blanket. Just be prepared for the long wait.
The reason is they have SSSOOOOOOOOO many people to get into the "corrals" (yep, just like cattle).
That is the only thing that was not great....the super early getting there. Otherwise it was a blast and I loved every minute of it. I have done teh Race for the Taste 10K the past 2 years...I love Disney races!

[RoadBunner]

I did the 1/2 about ...oh 3 years ago i guess.
I agree it was awesome and I would do it again. I ditto what was said.
However, this is something you should know....you HAVE to be to the stagnig area by 4 AM (yes by 4AM). I think the first bus runs at 3 or so. So expect to get up REALLY early. Then the race does not begin until 6. So you have 2 hours....yes 2 full hours! Weather can be unseasonable warm or cold. The year I did it --it was 38 degrees (that is cold for standing around for 2 hours and for us Floridians!).
So bring throw away clothes (they get donated) and bring a blanket. Just be prepared for the long wait.
The reason is they have SSSOOOOOOOOO many people to get into the "corrals" (yep, just like cattle).
That is the only thing that was not great....the super early getting there. Otherwise it was a blast and I loved every minute of it. I have done teh Race for the Taste 10K the past 2 years...I love Disney races!

Yeah, I believe the last busses leave the resorts at 4 am so I usually tried to be there at 3:45. I never minded the wait very much. They have entertainment and there are plenty of people to talk to. Of course, all the races I did were about 60+ at the start so it was pleasant. I'd take 38 degrees to run in over 80+ with humidity any day, though!

There are long stretches when you're not in parks but they put out signs with trivia questions and they have characters out to cheer you on. Just be familiar with the course map so you know when you'll need to psyche yourself up. There's a short out-and-back at around mile 20-21 which is particularly deflating, though I enjoy it because you can cheer for people running in the opposite direction. I think some people get upset because they think they'll be in the parks the whole time, but if you look at the map that's clearly not the case.

I think it's a great first race. Check out the forums and info at disneyrunning.com More info there than you'll ever need.

[kacie tri-ing]

This is great information!

I registered for it, and I am really excited! I'm glad to hear that there is some "entertainment" when you are not in the park! I noticed on the maps how much of the time you spend out of them!

Did you see any animals in Animal Kingdom??

[RoadBunner]

I don't think the actual race goes by the animal exhibits, but both the years I did it there were cast members with live animals on the side of the course with real animals you could take pictures with. Nothing too exotic. I think there was a snake, llama, goat, eagle/falcon...They were located on the stretch going into or out of the Animal Kingdom, not within the actual park.