Official Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend - The Dark Side 2017

[Goofy2015]

Did you have to run off in the grass a lot to get around people or could you at least stay on the roads/sidewalks, just curious? That is an awesome improvement in time too.

It depended on where in the course I was at. Like at the beginning it was pretty congested and I found myself on the grass at times but could weave in and out through people fairly easily. The only problem was when there were bottlenecks like just before the boardwalk. But yea weaving around people did cause some extra mileage.

Great race & recap! I have the same water bottle I think. I brought it down but didn't end up running with it. In hindsight I wish I had ran with it with powerade in it as I might have drank a little more on course versus just the on course stops with that humidity sucking it out of us. Great photos too! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Chaitali]

Great race & recap! I have the same water bottle I think. I brought it down but didn't end up running with it. In hindsight I wish I had ran with it with powerade in it as I might have drank a little more on course versus just the on course stops with that humidity sucking it out of us. Great photos too! Thanks for sharing!

I was glad for the water bottle because it allows me to skip a lot of water stops But I run with a water bottle for even short runs. I seem to always be dehydrated and I have a hard time running when my throat gets dry

 

[ejcraft]

I've enjoyed reading everyone's race recap I just got mine up today. http://runningandenjoying.blogspot.com/2017/05/disney-world-star-wars-dark-side.html

Can i ask did you submit a time from a previous race or just an estimate? i ask, because I ran the race in the same amount of time, but was placed in coral G, and really want to be in whatever is the 2nd to last coral next time if they keep things he same.

 

[Chaitali]

Can i ask did you submit a time from a previous race or just an estimate? i ask, because I ran the race in the same amount of time, but was placed in coral G, and really want to be in whatever is the 2nd to last coral next time if they keep things he same.

I submitted a POT from a previous race. I can't remember what I used but I have a 10k PR of 1:15 and a half PR of 2:50. I would have used one of those. But my understanding is that POT wasn't required unless you put in a time faster than 2:45. So I think even people that had an estimate of that time with no proof would have been in corral F. Hopefully someone else will know for sure. But who knows, they may change the rules again. It used to be that you needed proof for anything faster than 3 hours.

 

[DisneyPigFan]

I haven't written about my race experience yet -- overall, I had a great time! This was my 10th or so half marathon (also done two fulls), but my first ever RunDisney race. First got into running marathons kind of out of the blue about 2 1/2 years ago, after never running much at all before.

The expo -- Went on Friday first thing after arriving at hotel. Meh. I was wondering what Disney's take on a race expo would be.... add any Disney magic perhaps? Not really. And no star wars or disney characters out and about. It was just kind of like any other expo for a big race, only without as many free samples as I normally see. And none of the vendor booths excited me... normally I find a few booths at big races interesting -- here, not so much. I did buy a Han Solo running shirt though.

The horrible: bib pickup in a completely separate, far away building from the bag and t-shirt. What was up with that? At least give a bag out with the bib, too. By the time I finally got to my t-shirt and a bag, the small packet with my safety pins had disappeared.... would not have happened if I had been given a bag first. So I had to go all the way back to the first building for another packet of pins. Annoying. In every other race I've ever done, a bag is either the very first thing you pick up when entering the expo, or it's given out along with the bib. The shirt is also often given out along with the bib -- or at a station nearby, not in a separate building.

Race day: Due to excitement, I got only 3-4 hours of sleep. Luckily I was staying at the Polynesian, so I could walk over. Left my hotel around 4:45am and got to the starting area shortly after 5am... too late to get any of the character pictures. Bummer!

I was in the second wave of Coral C, so the crowding was never horrible. I made my first and only picture stop for the ewoks, which were shortly before mile 3, IIRC. Took me out of the race for about 10-15 minutes. Loved the laser/battle effects along the way --- Stuff like that made all the highway running slightly less boring.

LOVED running through the parks and boardwalk area. That really made the race, along with all the star wars costumes and general vibe.

The organization of the race itself was very smooth and there were more than enough water stations. I'm glad that there was a gel station, too.
The access to bottles of water and powerade and bananas after the race was good, but the food box was just mediocre. I've had better. But I've also had worse.

Got around 55K steps for the entire day. A fun, exhausting day!

 

[4 YOUNG kids]

Is there a map of the 5K?? We are looking to register for the 2018 and would like to know the route. What hotels are best to get to the start corrals?

 

[Ariel484]

Is there a map of the 5K?? We are looking to register for the 2018 and would like to know the route. What hotels are best to get to the start corrals?

Map: http://cdn.instantmagazine.com/upload/2425/swds17_5k_course_map.825224b9691e.pdf

All on-property resorts are host resorts, meaning that they have race transportation. I'm not sure that there is a "best" place to stay since you cannot walk to the start.

 

[4 YOUNG kids]

Thank you Ariel!! Registration opens May 23 for 2018 Dark Side... I've heard of early registrations already. Hope I can get us registered.

 

[PrincessV]

Is there a 2018 official Dark Side thread yet?

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Is there a 2018 official Dark Side thread yet?

Feel free to make one! I only enjoy making the Light Side one

 

[PrincessV]

Feel free to make one! I only enjoy making the Light Side one

Nope, I'm not around enough to take care of one, lol! I'll leave that to someone else

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I've been back for a few days now, but had some other stuff to take care of first such as pesky work deadlines and attempting to unpack.

I really enjoyed this race weekend. For whatever reason that I don't understand, but loved, the photo op lines during the race were actually manageable for even the last corral runners like myself. This is definitely not the case at Disneyland where those photo ops are 15-20 minutes best case scenario.

For the lack of park time, runDisney made up for it with on course entertainment. The Forest Moon of Endor battle part early on during the half was great. I also really loved the waves within the corrals. That made it possible to actually start the race at a decent pace unlike the horrific bottleneck and 20 minute 1st mile that greeted me during the Light Side 10K. I also liked the character themed mile markers instead of the same lightsaber mile marker used during Light Side Half.

I'll post more in my race report when I get to it. Suffice it to say, this is a race I want to run again, but the logistics of it in April mean that it's difficult. If this turns out to be a one time deal, I can happily say that I'm grateful I got to experience it and earn the Kessel Run medal. I had a few non runners tell me it was the coolest medal they'd ever seen and the usual smattering of non runners intrigued by how they could earn a runDisney medal.

Random lessons I learned:

1. When flying to the east coast from the west coast and trying to adjust quickly to jet lag, the redeye is the way to do it. While no sleep on the plane made for a miserable flight and being very tired on my very first day, I was almost completely adjusted to the time change on Friday and completely good to go on Saturday for the 10K. I got the Expo done on the first day and spent some time in Disney Springs.

2. Next time, I'll build in an entire day off from the parks 1 or 2 days after the half. That would have really helped this time around. I needed it after the challenge and guided tour the day after the half, but instead found myself running around Universal.

3. Don't fret "strange" menu items so much. I shied away from Tiffins at first because of this, but rave reviews made me willing to give it a try. Turned out to be the best meal of the trip. Skipper Canteen was a similarly enjoyable experience and not just because of the Jungle Cruise spirit about the restaurant.

4. Port Orleans Riverside was tremendous. Such a far cry from the constant chaos of All Star Sports. I would love to stay here again with more time to enjoy the resort.

 

[bryana]

Just got my "Thank You For Participating" email. There is a link to register for next year, like they have started doing for the other races.

 

[PrincessV]

Just got my "Thank You For Participating" email. There is a link to register for next year, like they have started doing for the other races.

Me too! Haven't paid off this year's trip, but I'm registered for next year, lol! Well played, runDisney, well played.

 

[BriarRose59]

Me too! I registered for the 5K and the half. Gotta keep trying for legacy status! I would love to do the challenge again but I'm doing both Princess (all 3 races) and Tink (5K and half). My poor old body can't take it! Love the early registration. I was so stressed last week when I couldn't get the AP or DVC links to work for Princess.

 

[ILDisneyfan]

I never get the emails, it's so frustrating that I'll have to wait and stress to register when I did the race this year and should have the opportunity to register early too!

 

[cavepig]

. Port Orleans Riverside was tremendous. Such a far cry from the constant chaos of All Star Sports. I would love to stay here again with more time to enjoy the resort.

I totally get your comment, We stayed at Sports and it did have lots of groups like bands and then International cheer groups came in too and would set up and practice in the football section. We were in hoops and it was quiet though so overall we were fine with it. The foodcourt in the mornings was a little chaotic with all the groups. I so love Riverside though, it is just so laid back!

 

[fiveminutes]

I just registered for SWDS 2018 from the early registration link in the thank you email as well. It's nice not to have to worry about AP dates/links or general registration. Gonna keep up with my Legacy status, though I was really debating it after having such a horrible race this year

On a side note, for anyone who is wondering, I was able to get my C2C and Kessel without the wristbands, there is a table right at the front of the Challenge tent that had two CMs checking Inc the computers to determine if we qualified if there was no wristband for either medal. They also gave you your medals right there, but you did have to go through the challenge tent to get your medal. It was such a nice relief, as I was stressing that I actually lost my wristbands!

 

[Ndusmama]

Finally back from both WDW and a work trip to Houston. I will make a trip report soon.

Half Marathon: 1:54:02 - 8:41 pace ; 13.65 on my MapMyRun with 8:26 pace
10K: 55:59 - 9:02 pace; 6.53 on my MapMyRun app with 8:40 pace

With a lower proof of time, I was placed in Corral E/F for the 10K/Half because it was done before I started training. I should have been more Corral A or B. For the half, I started in Corral F and ended up catching up to people in Corral B by the finish. I had to have passed like 10,000 runners in the run.

I personally thought it was a fun course. The entertainment was consistent with the TVs showing Star Wars clips, characters, spread of parks with Animal Kingdom near the middle and Hollywood Studios/Epcot Resort Area/Epcot for the last 3 miles. I did the Star Wars Half Marathon Light Side in Anaheim in 2016. I thought WDW was better because I personally didn't like running through the city of Anaheim and there was very little park run time. Although, for the Light Side, I was way out of shape and that may have been a factor.

I was in the same corrals, but I actually run at that pace. I am trying to improve for dl half. I want to be in a better corral for princess. How did you improve your time?

 

[lovingeire]

Next year I am hoping for Dapper Day. Bring on cute outfits, celebrating my anniversary with my hubby and not having to worry about having an adult beverage!

I will say, this was my favorite WDW course I've run, so if they could make that happen year after year they'll get me back again. (and I'm secretly hoping they use this course for W&D!)