Marathon Weekend 2018

[Dis5150]

I was bib 26966 which was corral E for the 5k/10k and they changed my corral for the half/full so I’m not sure what it was originally(I wanna say N) but I was moved to J.

Life has gotten the best of me lately so I haven’t been on here in forever but @rteetz I will be at CR

You were originally in M with me I think! Then you got bumped up and left me all alone! (JK!)

 

[funsizedisaster]

I’m a cheapo that only buys one Disney photo at a time. But being there 10 days, kids races x2 and my Goofy..... should I prebuy? I only have dates until 1/4 booked, should I wait until I have all of them?

Looks like it starts the first time they take a pic.

It is totally worth it! $169 for advanced purchase. That's $16.90 a day for photos. Typically, the cost per photo is about $14.95? So if you were to purchase just ONE photo each day of your trip, you would have spent the cost of the Memory Maker. Disney now using the photopass for race photos, I think you answered your own question You have 30 days from the date of the first photo to use the Memory Maker.

Another thought....are you getting tickets for all 10 days? The photopass is included in the annual pass. When we went in August, I bought an annual pass for myself and bought hopper passes for the family. Linking everyone's tickets to my AP gave me all the photos everyone took! In that sense, it might be worth it for you.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

We didn’t have a frying pan for the pancakes so she improvised with a pot- they still tasted great!

Wouldn't those be potcakes?

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

You were originally in M with me I think! Then you got bumped up and left me all alone! (JK!)

Yes I remember now it was M

 

[courtneybeth]

Yes I remember now it was M

Wow - what happened? Did your POT not register? Now I’m worried.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

Wow - what happened? Did your POT not register? Now I’m worried.

I switched from Goofy to Dopey and ended up with 3 different bibs. It was a mess, they took 2 bibs away and left me in M. But Track Shack was really great about it and honored my original time when I showed them my original registration.

 

[JeffW]

Wouldn't those be potcakes?

No, potcakes are something completely different. You'd need to vacation here to Colorado for that experience

 

[cadek]

Better?

All Star Movies 2
All Star Music 0
All Star Sports 4
Art of Animation 1
Pop Century 12
Caribbean Beach 1
Coronado Springs 5
Ft. Wilderness 2
Port Orleans French Quarter 1
Port Orleans Riverside 6
Animal Kingdom Lodge 6
Bay Lake Tower 3
Beach Club/Yacht Club 11
Boardwalk 5
Contemporary 2
Grand Floridian 0
Old Key West 6
Polynesian 4
Saratoga Springs 12
Wilderness Lodge 1
Offsite 5
Shades of Green 1
Swan and Dolphin 0

I'll be staying at Port Orleans French Quarter.

 

[huskies90]

I will be at AKV - Jambo House

 

[AlexRunsDisney]

For the marathon sign-up I entered a time of 4:30 but did not submit proof of time. Is it guaranteed I will be in the last corral? (Reason for not submitting proof of time was I had never run a race longer than a 5k until my half marathon last month, after the deadline) I had originally signed up with a time of 5:30 since PoT was not required, but then changed it to 4:30 figuring worst they would do is put me back in the 5:30 group.

 

[ell13]

Putting in 4:30 having only ever run a 5k is exactly why they put you in the back without POT.

 

[ZellyB]

Got notice yesterday that our Magic Bands shipped!! Woohoo!!!

I also got an email with the enticing offer to buy the VIP Race Retreat package. It's so tempting to have those pre-race amenities available especially after freezing my butt off waiting for the race to start last year, but YOWZA, that price. Pretty sure we won't be doing it, but it sounds sooooo nice. And, I could eliminate a post-race ADR and just munch on the provided brunch...Need to delete that email.

 

[Dis5150]

So I just remembered I don't have a hotel booked for our last night there! We extended out plane tickets so we could DATW on Monday then go home Tuesday. Now I have a room thru Monday and a plane out on Tuesday. Hopefully they will have availability for a while as I don't have the money to book a room right now (since they make you pay upfront for the 1st night!)

 

[Anisum]

Got notice yesterday that our Magic Bands shipped!! Woohoo!!!

I also got an email with the enticing offer to buy the VIP Race Retreat package. It's so tempting to have those pre-race amenities available especially after freezing my butt off waiting for the race to start last year, but YOWZA, that price. Pretty sure we won't be doing it, but it sounds sooooo nice. And, I could eliminate a post-race ADR and just munch on the provided brunch...Need to delete that email.

I haven't gotten any of these exciting runDisney emails. The race retreat only shows as available for the half marathon on Active when I look so that may make your decision easier.

 

[DopeyBadger]

For the marathon sign-up I entered a time of 4:30 but did not submit proof of time. Is it guaranteed I will be in the last corral? (Reason for not submitting proof of time was I had never run a race longer than a 5k until my half marathon last month, after the deadline) I had originally signed up with a time of 5:30 since PoT was not required, but then changed it to 4:30 figuring worst they would do is put me back in the 5:30 group.

Just a speculation or guess on my part, but they are likely to assign you to the last corral. You'll know more definitively in about 1.5 weeks when the waivers/corrals are released.

Now, don't freak out. When you go to the expo to pick up your bib, head over to race relations. Bring with you the 5k and recent HM results printed out. Have those sheets to help show what you're capable of at those distances. Bring a smile and hope for the best that they may be able to move you into a further ahead corral. They might be able to help you, and sometimes they aren't. It's no guarantee.

But, even if you do end up in the last corral unable to move up, just keep some things in mind to help your race experience. Show up early on marathon morning. Head to the front of the last corral so that you can be one of the first people released in it. Stay calm and run your race as best you can. Stay courteous to those around you as it may get crowded and the people around you may or may not be running as fast as you are. Try to keep a positive outlook. Don't get frustrated. There are definitely sections of the course that open up more than others (regardless if you're in corral C or P). So don't worry if a certain section seems overly crowded. Just conserve energy, make a small move when you can, and then bide time until the next wide open highway section. You'll waste lots more precious energy by weaving than just sticking behind someone for a few extra seconds. Being in the last corral won't completely inhibit you from running a fast race (if that's your desire). Below is a screen shot of some random marathon results:



The left column is "Clock Time" and the right is "Net Time". The differential between them comes from how long after the race started that they actually started. So a person with a 35 min differential started the race 35 min after the first person started (therefore they're in a further back corral). The last corral leaves about 50-60 minutes after the race starts. Just from this small subset I see a few people who ran sub-4 marathons who started in one of the last corrals (4:37 vs 3:52, 4:29, vs 3:53, 4:31 vs 3:54, 4:54 vs 3:56, and 4:51 vs 3:56). And this is just a small subset that I barely even had to try and to search out for these results.

 

[Mary9876]

ZellyB - If it makes you feel better the boards on Facebook have been saying the race retreat is sold out I debated getting the VIP retreat myself for months seeing as this is my first marathon. I couldn’t justify it though since I’d really just be using it pre-race and heard you still head out early and wait in the corral for a long time anyways. If I was a fast runner then I can see it being worth it.

I’m new here but staying at the four seasons. We haven’t been to Disney in years so all this is new to me. I’m the only runner in my group so have to figure out how to get there. We weren’t going to do magic bands but maybe we should think about it but I thought it was only for on-site. I can’t wait till the marathon

 

[cavepig]

GO TEAM POP!

I Sprained by ribs on my right side this weekend (ok, the muscles between the ribs). Luckily no break or fracture to the ribs themselves.
Just hurts sitting down or standing up or laying except on my back.
Doc put me on some muscle relaxants and said no running, exercise, or lifting over 5 pounds for the next 3 weeks.
So I guess my training is done. LOL It is what it is at this point. told I couldn't do my half this coming weekend I had planned.
I can walk, so there will definitely be some long hikes over the next 3 weeks.
Not too worried about the first 3 races, the full will be interesting. did all 3 races for Wine and Dine and for Superhero's.
But at this point, if I need to walk more, I will walk more. and skip. and hop. and sing. and dance.
Just need to make sure I have enough cushion in my time for Expedition Everest and hopefully Tower of Terror.
Normally 11:30-12 m/m so if I can run the first half of the full, figure I will be OK.
The first 2 WDW Marathons I did I was so focused on the race that I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have. Not gonna be a problem this time! LOL

Not looking for sympathy, just sharing the journey. Love all the awesome nerds on here and cant wait for January to get here.
Moral of the story, we all got this. We have put in miles. We will be around a ton of amazing and supportive people. We can not change what we have done up to this point.
We just need to go out there and have fun. (and a beer or margarita)

Oooooh rib pain, ouch! I fell back into a filing cabinet not long ago and ended up with really bruised up ribs, sleeping yep only on my back as well. It took a month for them to heal. I did run though, I could feel the discomfort in my ribs, but it wasn't doing any harm or really really painful, just annoying. Hope you heal up soon & can sleep better sooner.

Ok, I'm also beginning to worry about getting swept and I'm hoping people can let me know if this is a reasonable concern or not. My average pace for the 18 miler this weekend was 15:44. That's cutting it close to the 16 minutes and it doesn't include any stops. I'm assuming that I'll have at least 1 bathroom stop during the marathon. And I'm not sure how long the bathroom line will be. But I should also have some cushion from the balloon ladies since I have a 5:50 POT based on my half marathon PR. So if I stop for the bathroom around halfway (maybe in Animal Kingdom) and still have an average pace hovering around the 16 minutes per mile (though this is long, slow, easy run pace and not race pace but imagining worst case scenario), should I be ok given that I should hopefully not be in the last corral?

In 2016 my average was close to that when I finished in 6:50. I luckily did start in F so had a buffer, but to keep me on pace I had my phone sending me the text alerts so I could see my average pace (cause my watch just showed total & I couldn't calculate in my head). You could also track the balloon lady just to know where they are (PM if you want her name, not sure if I should post it here, it's not hard though to figure out/find online, it's been her a lot not sure if it still will be but most likely it will). As for bathrooms I stopped in MK, sure it might be sooner than you want it, but like the one in Frontierland (my preplanned stop) is large and so hopefully the line won't be as bad. THen you hopefully won't be in a panic for one later on. Then I would also preplan one in AK, maybe the dinoland one or elsewhere, pick one once the map is out. I do remember the bathrooms in wide world of sports having long lines, and at that point I was mixed in with all corrals, they must be just a few stalls?! I didn't wait cause didn't want to loose time then. SO, I think you'll be fine as long you just monitor your pace.

Anyone have any idea what the commemorative 25th anniversary item might be in the pre-purchase bundles? Deciding if I should get that or not. I want the ornament for sure but not sure about the other item.

I don't know, but am very curious too. It says figurine so like a vinylmation? ceramic? PVC? I'm holding off, although I have gone back & forth over & over on it.

Thank goodness the name on my resort reservation was finally changed and I was able to get it linked to My Disney Experience. It’s feeling real now!

Anyone thinking bib numbers next week? Today is 4 weeks out and 3 seems to be typical for that info.

Woohoo! I'm thinking the 15th maybe too.

Question for the group - When (if at all) do the balloon ladies stop pulling runners off of the course for the Half Marathon? Is there a point when you are safe from being pulled from the course? I have an injured wife who is worried (plantar fasciitis).

Thanks.

Balloon ladies don't pull you, isn't it the actual course people on bikes that do that. Balloon ladies are just volunteers to give a visual, but it's the people on bikes I think you have to watch for. For the half though I'm not sure, I know you're safe once you hit EPCOT, but that's about all, sorry. Here's pixie dust to her finishing! Plantar sucks, I smash an electric massager on my heel/foot if I feel it flaring up again & it does wonders & massage before getting up in the morning when it was real bad I would do.

 

[Anisum]

For the marathon sign-up I entered a time of 4:30 but did not submit proof of time. Is it guaranteed I will be in the last corral? (Reason for not submitting proof of time was I had never run a race longer than a 5k until my half marathon last month, after the deadline) I had originally signed up with a time of 5:30 since PoT was not required, but then changed it to 4:30 figuring worst they would do is put me back in the 5:30 group.

It's very likely they will put you in a later corral. My understanding, based on previous discussions with other board members is that when you put a time like that with no PoT in is that it is up to TrackShack to put you in the appropriate corral. It's certainly easy for them to go and say 'anyone who didn't follow the directions and put an estimated finish time without the supporting PoT gets sent to the last corral' but they may just as easily put you in the first of the corrals that don't require PoT. It really depends on how generous they're feeling when making the corrals. Not having a PoT would have put you solidly between L and P last year (with P being the last corral).

There's really no way to know for sure until the corrals come out but if you find yourself in the last corral and truly can (based on your half marathon time) run a 4:30 I would suggest going to race relations. They may not be willing to assist you as they generally have those deadlines for a reason but they also want everyone on the course to be safe which is why they use corrals to keep runners of like paces together in the first place.

 

[rootbeerkid]

Just a speculation or guess on my part, but they are likely to assign you to the last corral. You'll know more definitively in about 1.5 weeks when the waivers/corrals are released.

Now, don't freak out. When you go to the expo to pick up your bib, head over to race relations. Bring with you the 5k and recent HM results printed out. Have those sheets to help show what you're capable of at those distances. Bring a smile and hope for the best that they may be able to move you into a further ahead corral. They might be able to help you, and sometimes they aren't. It's no guarantee.

But, even if you do end up in the last corral unable to move up, just keep some things in mind to help your race experience. Show up early on marathon morning. Head to the front of the last corral so that you can be one of the first people released in it. Stay calm and run your race as best you can. Stay courteous to those around you as it may get crowded and the people around you may or may not be running as fast as you are. Try to keep a positive outlook. Don't get frustrated. There are definitely sections of the course that open up more than others (regardless if you're in corral C or P). So don't worry if a certain section seems overly crowded. Just conserve energy, make a small move when you can, and then bide time until the next wide open highway section. You'll waste lots more precious energy by weaving than just sticking behind someone for a few extra seconds. Being in the last corral won't completely inhibit you from running a fast race (if that's your desire). Below is a screen shot of some random marathon results:

View attachment 287187

The left column is "Clock Time" and the right is "Net Time". The differential between them comes from how long after the race started that they actually started. So a person with a 35 min differential started the race 35 min after the first person started (therefore they're in a further back corral). The last corral leaves about 50-60 minutes after the race starts. Just from this small subset I see a few people who ran sub-4 marathons who started in one of the last corrals (4:37 vs 3:52, 4:29, vs 3:53, 4:31 vs 3:54, 4:54 vs 3:56, and 4:51 vs 3:56). And this is just a small subset that I barely even had to try and to search out for these results.

I'm grateful for this information. Thank you.

My situation is somewhat unusual I think. The best POT that I can provide is 2:51:44 (13:07 min/mile) for a half. I think my starting residence will be near or in the last corral - the Balloon Ladies will be visible. Since that POT race, improvement has been dramatic and it's not totally impossible that I could run at 10 min/mile for the Disney half. There is no official POT that can verify the improvement - they don't (and shouldn't) accept FIT files. With this information there is now hope that the performance might not be too adversely affected by corral placement.

 

[Chaitali]

In 2016 my average was close to that when I finished in 6:50. I luckily did start in F so had a buffer, but to keep me on pace I had my phone sending me the text alerts so I could see my average pace (cause my watch just showed total & I couldn't calculate in my head). You could also track the balloon lady just to know where they are (PM if you want her name, not sure if I should post it here, it's not hard though to figure out/find online, it's been her a lot not sure if it still will be but most likely it will). As for bathrooms I stopped in MK, sure it might be sooner than you want it, but like the one in Frontierland (my preplanned stop) is large and so hopefully the line won't be as bad. THen you hopefully won't be in a panic for one later on. Then I would also preplan one in AK, maybe the dinoland one or elsewhere, pick one once the map is out. I do remember the bathrooms in wide world of sports having long lines, and at that point I was mixed in with all corrals, they must be just a few stalls?! I didn't wait cause didn't want to loose time then. SO, I think you'll be fine as long you just monitor your pace.

Thank you for the information, it's really useful! That's good to know about the bathrooms in Wide World of Sports and the good options in MK and AK. That's a good idea about tracking the balloon ladies but I usually just have my phone on airplane mode so I don't have distractions or have to worry about the batteries running down. I'll think about it though...