Marathon Weekend 2020

[FFigawi]

I went to Jaleo in DC and wasn't into it. We always went to La Tasca when we wanted Tapas.

Give é a try during a Vegas trip. It’s small, intimate, and super fun interacting with all the chefs. Plus the food is inventive and very creative.

 

[JulieODC]

Give é a try during a Vegas trip. It’s small, intimate, and super fun interacting with all the chefs. Plus the food is inventive and very creative.

Minibar is hands down the best meal I’ve ever had!

 

[steph0808]

Blizzard Beach?! 5am start?! Less highway?!

It says more epcot - better not mess with running around World Showcase!

https://www.rundisney.com/blog/exciting-changes-coming-to-the-2020-walt-disney/

 

[Jason Bryer]

Blizzard Beach?! 5am start?! Less highway?!

It says more epcot - better not mess with running around World Showcase!

https://www.rundisney.com/blog/exciting-changes-coming-to-the-2020-walt-disney/

Ugh! 5:30am was already too early to do anything! Love how they phrased it as a good thing.

 

[mjcorral]

Ugh! 5:30am was already too early to do anything! Love how they phrased it as a good thing.

This will be my first time, so I have nothing to compare it to. I did a run not too long ago that part of the route was through a lazy river, maybe the blizzard beach section will have that!

I agree with the ugh! I'm on the west coast and that will be 2am for me.

 

[Neon Cactus]

Blizzard Beach?! 5am start?! Less highway?!

It says more epcot - better not mess with running around World Showcase!

https://www.rundisney.com/blog/exciting-changes-coming-to-the-2020-walt-disney/

I am curious to see this. I was wondering this past weekend with all of the construction and walls at EPCOT how that might affect the course. But World Showcase is the one area that doesn't have all of that construction, other than Ratatouille, which is off the main path. Going through Blizzard Beach will be cool. Can we ride Summit Plummet?? Going up the hill and those stairs would be so much fun late in the race!

 

[rteetz]

Show me the course. I have worries about how this is going to change things.

 

[jeremy1002]

Ugh! 5:30am was already too early to do anything! Love how they phrased it as a good thing.

It would be so great if this was part of the mileage needed to eliminate Wide World of Sports, but it's hard to imagine them pulling that off. Hopefully it is at least the death of that out-and-back on Western Way.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

It says more epcot - better not mess with running around World Showcase!

Hopefully that means we'll either go through Future World some at the start and then end with the usual World Showcase run or get more real time in Epcot for the half. But yes, don't mess with World Showcase.

From the chEAR Squad information, I wonder if they're going to make the MK chEAR squad only now. It was that way at DLR for their races. The only way to spectate from inside a park was to buy the chEAR squad.

I wonder if the new open air runners area means that Runners Retreat will be radically different and not at all available before the race.

In a weird way, I like the earlier start. Don't get me wrong as it's still going to be very difficult, but as a slower runner, this gives me more wiggle room to make my post race ADR.

 

[Kerry1957]

The earlier start may "derail" my plans to ride Expedition Everest. As @rteetz said, Show me the course.

 

[steph0808]

Hopefully that means we'll either go through Future World some at the start and then end with the usual World Showcase run or get more real time in Epcot for the half. But yes, don't mess with World Showcase.

But it says these changes will only be made to the Marathon course - not the half.

 

[Jason Bryer]

It would be so great if this was part of the mileage needed to eliminate Wide World of Sports, but it's hard to imagine them pulling that off. Hopefully it is at least the death of that out-and-back on Western Way.

Looking at last year's map, I could see them eliminating the out and back around mile 11 and put that slack into Blizard Beach. I support that. I wouldn't complain about less ESPN, but I don't hate it as much as others.

What I can't tell is will all the races start at 5am, or just marathon?

 

[aalvis]

The marathon still goes through all four parks though, right?

 

[PrincessV]

Ugh! 5:30am was already too early to do anything! Love how they phrased it as a good thing.

Painful thought it'll be, the earlier start will be good for me - 30 extra minutes to rest/soak in a hot bath/nap/eat/recover before I need to head out for dinner plans is welcome!

I wonder if the new open air runners area means that Runners Retreat will be radically different and not at all available before the race.

That was exactly my thought as I read it. No more tent/shelter, probably no more food.

The earlier start may "derail" my plans to ride Expedition Everest. As @rteetz said, Show me the course.

Yep, I have a feeling this will hurt the faster runners wanting to ride.

 

[jeremy1002]

Little mock-up to give myself a sense of the scale of mileage that BB *might* unlock:

 

[Sleepless Knight]

But it says these changes will only be made to the Marathon course - not the half.

I never know with runDisney, so I can always hope? After running that half course last year, I understood why so many people disliked it.

What I can't tell is will all the races start at 5am, or just marathon?

In theory just the marathon. I really hope. For obvious reasons it causes the most disruption to the parks since it goes through 3 of them when they are open.

The marathon still goes through all four parks though, right?

Well they didn't say it wouldn't. But they can always change that.

Painful thought it'll be, the earlier start will be good for me - 30 extra minutes to rest/soak in a hot bath/nap/eat/recover before I need to head out for dinner plans is welcome!

Exactly. I had just enough time this year to soak in the tub, shower, and catch a bus to Epcot. I skipped my post marathon race retreat access in part because of time, but also because I really just wanted to clean up.

That was exactly my thought as I read it. No more tent/shelter, probably no more food.

For me, the benefit of race retreat was the ability to sit down before the half and full in a chair as opposed to on the ground. I did take advantage of the breakfast after the half and the next morning before the marathon. If they no longer offer the seating, I will probably skip race retreat.

 

[rteetz]

Yeah Race Retreat is no more. Open air space rather than a tent and now open to everyone.

 

[cavepig]

Cool they've added Blizzard Beach, but the paths are more narrow I think but not enought I wouldn't want to run it. If it gets rid of that out and back that's even more super. Makes me almost want to sign up or just hope it stays for the future.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

Will hold off judgment on the course changes until I see it. I guess the first time we will see the new course is when they file with USTA to certify the course? I seem to recall that happens a few weeks before the guide comes out.

First time I ran the marathon (2008) we ran through world showcase at the beginning and I would be happy if they brought that part back. While we get to do it for the 5k/10k, I love running through that area in the dark. I also think I remember hearing how in one of the early years they also ran through Blizzard Beach (I also remember hearing about them having it "snow" during that part, which would be cool), but my memory ain't what it used to be. Not sure if anyone has course maps from that far back...

Start time change doesn't bother me. If it's hot again, it is 30 minutes less in the sun, which I am happy with. Already had to get up so so so early, I will trade the 30 minutes less sleep for less time in the sun. Also could give more people a chance to get to the castle while it's still dark (assuming they don't change the course that much). I typically don't do rides during, but again, depending on where they make the course changes, the early start might not be that much of an impact (if they get added before AK).

I agree that if the "open air" runner area is the replacement for the race retreat, I'm likely out. I splurged for RR as insurance against bad weather (cold/rain), so no need if it's all outdoors now.

 

[goingthedistance]

https://www.certifiedroadraces.com/certificate/?type=l&id=FL96001WN
This is the certified course from the last time (to my knowledge) that the marathon went through Blizzard Beach. I've run every year since 2006 and have never run through Blizzard Beach. I am wondering what the 30 minutes earlier will do to Everest riding and I also wonder what the Epcot construction will do for the full finish. I think we had a sneak preview last year for the half.