I'm going to try and build a GPX route in Garmin for this since I want to use PacePro that weekend. Once I do I'll make it public. I would prefer they actually post the GPX like some other races do, especially since no one can run or bike their course in advance to create it, but I might be able to find a 2020 course and edit it. As anyone that uses Garmin for courses knows sometimes the edit is not easy to use.
I tried to upload my GPX but the DIS doesn't allow that attachment type. PM your email and I can send it there if you wish. Alternatively, you can use my grade adjusted pace data from Strava to get a good idea on pace differential based on hills (almost none). There were no miles with a GAP difference greater than 3 seconds. So essentially every mile can be viewed as flat pacing. I planned to use PacePro for my November Marathon on a relatively hilly course. I mapped it out in Garmin, but found the adjustments were far less aggressive than what Strava GAP was calculating.
In yellow are downhill miles where Garmin said I should bomb the downhill (-8 or -12 seconds in mile 1 and -6 or -9 seconds in mile 18). Whereas, the Strava GAP says that despite the downhills the final pace should be close to goal (only 1 sec difference in mile 1 and 2 sec difference in mile 18).
In red are uphill miles where Garmin was far less aggressive in the need for a pace change when running uphill. Mile 22 being the most egregious. Strava says that there is a 27 sec difference from a flat mile, whereas Garmin suggested only slowing by 9-14 sec. In Mile 26, Strava says a 24 sec difference and Garmin says 1-2 sec difference.
Green is where they pretty much agreed on a uphill/downhill section.
I'm a pretty effort based runner in training. I know what a certain pace feels like. It's been my experience that the Strava GAP is quite good, and that the Garmin PacePro in this singular example doesn't seem to be aggressive enough on the pace adjustments for the hills. That being said, you're not going to encounter enough hills at Disney for this argument of Strava GAP vs Garmin PacePro to matter.
As for the use of PacePro to account for extra GPS distance during the race itself (to stay on track to a certain time goal). I've run the Disney marathon six times with a distance of 26.34, 26.41, 26.44, 26.33, and 26.44 (average of 26.39). So that's about 1:15 more time on course or about 3 seconds per mile for a 7 min/miler. So if you're going for say a 7:24 pace, then you'd want to aim for a 7:21 average GPS pace on your watch.
If Marathon Weekend follows the W&D pattern, we won't know our bib number or starting group until bib pickup in January, right?
When runner tracking comes out roughly 2 weeks before the race, you'll have your bib number. If it follows Wine and Dine, then like
@GreatLakes said we won't know starting groups officially until the expo. Whereas in the past, the corral information was released early. With that being said, I think we can make pretty good guesses towards people's starting groups based on their bib number and their estimated pace/POT at registration.
