Marathon Weekend 2024

[Herding_Cats]

in the world of


I knew about getting the marathon ears embroidered but you can also get them hand-decorated/personalized in MK at the Christmas shop (across from where they do the hand-decorated parasols) and they do it on the FRONT of the ears! Daaaaaang I'm glad I didn't know about that 3 years ago. I've never done the embroidery because the hats don't really fit my head, and at home I fold them in half and have them hanging on my wall with velcro command strips on the back of the ears. This would be a great way to add something to your ears though, if embroidery isn't your jam.

ETA: I'm also assuming they would do this in the Christmas shop in DS??

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

Hey all! Sorry I kind of went MIA this past week but using DIS on my phone is tedious and I was with my running group and was super busy the entire week. It will take me a month to catch up on all I missed in this thread.

But, I completed Dopey! I shaved over an hour off of my marathon time for last year and had an absolute blast at all four races. My IT band gave me zero problems and I'm feeling decently ok heading into DL race weekend tomorrow. I was initially devastated at the shortened half, telling myself that my Dopey didn't count and that all of my hard training was for nothing. BUT, I got up super early and ran 6 miles around the ride share parking lot and to my corral (I even ended up in the porta potty triangle crew for a few laps) and I felt a ton better after the half was over. The marathon was fun (except for the rain, which was all of Magic Kingdom for me) but I quickly forgot how wet I was and it ended up being a super fun day.

So, I can finally add Dopey Finisher to my bucket list. I may do it again in a couple years, but I'm definitely taking next year off. I just can't do marathon training again over the holidays for the third year in a row. But, I'm eyeing 2026 for my next attempt.

Thanks to everyone who provided so much support this past year. See y'all in other race weekend threads!

 

[camaker]

@camaker did you make it home?

Thanks for asking! Our plane was inbound during the tornado scare. So it wasn't delayed any further by that. Once they boarded us, though, they found a "maintenance issue" that had to be fixed and all the paperwork filled out. Once that was resolved, they decided to take differ flight path to avoid the storm and had to take time to file the new flight plan and add more fuel to accommodate it. All told, we ended up being a little over 3 hours late landing. I got home around 12:30am and, needless to say, am dragging pretty badly at work today. Thank goodness for remote work capability!

 

[Jason Bryer]

I did too! This was a big deal for me (and hard)

Same here. Even throwing away those clothes I had to expand my suitcase and was so worried it wasn't going to fit in the overhead bin. Fortunately it did which is good to know now.

 

[BigEeyore]

Congrats to everyone! MW is always a highlight of the entire year for me, so I am always a little sad when it's over. Despite taking two full weeks off prior to the weekend due to injury, I was able to complete another Goofy! Never take the ability to do these races for granted - I am grateful for every mile!

Random thoughts:
- I hit the expo on Thursday and was happy to see plenty of Tervis cups, ornaments, ears and spirit jerseys still available. Seeing the resellers scooping up the jackets is a problem every year - I think the only solution is to allow pre-orders, one per runner (but they need to show the jacket design at the time of preorder)
- Parks were (unsurprisingly) super crowded. I left HS Friday at lunchtime because wait times were just ridiculous. I heard that a lot of FL kids hadn't gone back to school yet, so that would have definitely contributed to the crowds
- The shortened half was a bummer, but understandable. That course was a poor substitute for Main Street and the castle. I did 3 miles in the porta potty triangle before, and another 3 miles around the lot near the buses after to get the 13. Loved the characters on the course, and the volunteers seemed to really be going above and beyond with their support.
- Other than the 45 minute downpour, the weather for the full was great. I was disappointed with all the Disney Jr characters on course for the full - I understand the whole decades thing, but there are SO many better characters from the last 24 years they could have used.
- New corral set up worked well, and it was nice not to walk so far to the start. But rD really needs to extend PoT people can submit for better corral placement.
- The same loop of music through the whole race from start to finish got old - I heard "Shake it Off" at least 3 times. I was expecting/hoping for inspirational Disney music on the last mile through Epcot (which they usually do) but that didn't happen.

Already thinking about next year!

 

[dobball23]

- The same loop of music through the whole race from start to finish got old - I heard "Shake it Off" at least 3 times. I was expecting/hoping for inspirational Disney music on the last mile through Epcot (which they usually do) but that didn't happen.

I don't think I heard "Go the Distance" the entire weekend. Perhaps it wasn't part of the loop? Or I just wasn't paying enough attention. I feel like that should be the anthem of Marathon Weekend.

 

[Herding_Cats]

@DopeyBadger despite the event guide indicating that we would enter from the right and go behind the entertainment stage for the half and full to load the corrals, I was able to walk straight from the Reunion area into the corral area all 4 days.

 

[azrivest]

I was disappointed with all the Disney Jr characters on course for the full - I understand the whole decades thing, but there are SO many better characters from the last 24 years they could have used.

Right? Does runDisney know that participants for a marathon must be 18 years of age or older?

I would have loved to see Baymax or Raya on course but oh well I had a blast anyway

 

[Baloo in MI]

This Disney trip just keeps on giving. Of the 8 people who were part of our party, 6 of us are sick in some form. Son has strep, wife has bronchitis, and I just tested positive for Covid. I am not bad at all, just a cough and some chest congestion. But you know what? Beside everything that happened over the trip, we had fun and already looking forward to MW 2025.

Sorry! Hope everyone starts feeling better quickly!

 

[camaker]

I don't think I heard "Go the Distance" the entire weekend. Perhaps it wasn't part of the loop? Or I just wasn't paying enough attention. I feel like that should be the anthem of Marathon Weekend.

Let's not get into the travesty of "Let's Go Fly a Kite" not being played entering World Showcase during the marathon!

This weekend was certainly was not their strongest musical effort. I think the three songs I heard most, and near constantly, were:

"Shake It Off"
"Brave"
"Try Everything"

At least the last one is a Disney song.

 

[The Expert]

I don't think I heard "Go the Distance" the entire weekend. Perhaps it wasn't part of the loop? Or I just wasn't paying enough attention. I feel like that should be the anthem of Marathon Weekend.

I personally heard the full loop at least four times while spectating at Epcot. And no, Go the Distance was not on it. Huge miss!

 

[lookingforsunshine]

I think the three songs I heard most, and near constantly, were:

"Shake It Off"
"Brave"
"Try Everything"

Also “Today Was a Fairytale” (alyssa approved) and “Single Ladies” (not alyssa approved)

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

Right? Does runDisney know that participants for a marathon must be 18 years of age or older?

I would have loved to see Baymax or Raya on course but oh well I had a blast anyway

I actually loved seeing the Disney Jr. characters that are no longer in the parks. I'm a stay-at-home mom to a preschooler and a 7 yr old, and stopping for a picture with Jake (one of their favs) was the first time in 7 Disney races I stopped for a character. But there was only 1 person in line, otherwise I would have just run past like I did for Handy Manny. Loved seeing Agent P out there. If only he had had a shorter line!

 

[Novatrix]

As long as we're registering complaints about the music playlist during the marathon, I want to lodge a complaint that "Dig A Little Deeper" was far too early during the race.

Also, as someone who is NOT a parent of a small child and therefore doesn't feel like cutting her eardrums out when she hears the song, I like hearing "Let it Go" somewhere in the 18+ mile mark.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

I am the main Disney PhotoPass pic!!!

 

[Zutroy]

As long as we're registering complaints about the music playlist during the marathon, I want to lodge a complaint that "Dig A Little Deeper" was far too early during the race.

Also, as someone who is NOT a parent of a small child and therefore doesn't feel like cutting her eardrums out when she hears the song, I like hearing "Let it Go" somewhere in the 18+ mile mark.

I think it was during the 5k, and the prerecorded choir was ”singing“ Queen songs when they transitioned from “We are the Champions“ to “Another One Bites the Dust.” I thought how cruel to hear that at the 26 mile-marker during the full.

 

[nancipants]

Yeah, I should have put on my survey that the music choices were weird this year.

 

[jrsharp21]

….

 

[AJruns]

The same loop of music through the whole race from start to finish got old - I heard "Shake it Off" at least 3 times. I was expecting/hoping for inspirational Disney music on the last mile through Epcot (which they usually do) but that didn't happen.

my thoughts exactly! except for me it was Crazy in Love and Single Ladies. I will *never* forget finishing my first marathon through Epcot with You’ll Be In My Heart playing.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

I will *never* forget finishing my first marathon through Epcot with You’ll Be In My Heart playing.

This just reminded me that All I Want for Christmas by Mariah Carey was playing when I went through the half finish chute/line. Was not a fan lol.