For as long as the Disney full– and half–marathons
have been in existence, the two courses overlapped almost identically,
allowing all participants to run together. Unfortunately with the growing
popularity of the events, running them, and trying to herd 20,000+ people
at once must have become a logistical nightmare for Disney.
For the January 2006 event, Disney is not only splitting the full–
and half–marathons apart into two separate days over a weekend (with
the half on Saturday, and the full on Sunday), but they have radically
altered the half–marathon course.
Today, we take a close look at the half–marathon course and compare
it to its previous course.
In my view, Disney should be commended for redesigning the half–marathon
course. While I think half–marathoners will now miss out on some
things they enjoyed in the past, there are many positive changes that
I think makes this a better one than before. Most important of these advantages
is that the slowest of the walkers (who are not swept for maintaining
the 16–minute–mile pacing requirement) enter the Magic Kingdom
much earlier in the course than before, ensuring that they will be able
to experience Main Street magic without getting knocked off the course
for being too slow to enter.
Changing course: The course start
In the past, the half–marathon course started on Epcot Center Drive.
The new course also starts on Epcot Center Drive, but now begins where
the Mile 1 used to be.
Mile 1
One of the big changes with the new half–marathon course is that
participants no longer even enter Epcot in the early portion of the course.
In the past, Mile 1 was right before a left turn into Epcot property with
a jog around World Showcase; no more. Instead, the new Mile 1 is straight
out at the end of Epcot Center Drive at the cloverleaf (the old Mile 6).
At this point, you do a left-handed loop and head out on World Drive.
Miles 2 & 3
Heading up World Drive, you veer left as you run past the Auto Care Center
and the Richard Petty Driving Experience.
Mile 4
You run through the parking lot of the Ticket and Transportation Center,
and hit Mile 4, which in the past has been Mile 9. By this point, you
are starting to see the Contemporary Resort, and the Magic Kingdom is
not far away.
Mile 5
By the time you hit Mile 5, you have run through the underpass, back
up along the Contemporary Resort, and reached just shy of the former Mile
10 marker as you near the security entrance at the Magic Kingdom. From
here, you enter the Magic Kingdom, and even the slowest of the walkers
should hit the area well before the park opening. This means that walkers
will be allowed to enter the park before management cuts off the course
to prepare the park for opening to the general public. Since the experience
of going down Main Street to cheering spectators is considered one of
the event highlights, Disney should be commended for going out of its
way to make sure those who aren’t swept in the official earlier locations
will be able to enjoy Main Street. [For more information on how a group
of 200 walkers were caught in a poorly planned and executed sweep spot
outside of the Magic Kingdom this past January, read my article
here.]
Mile 6
The course from miles 5 to 6 take participants through the heart of the
Magic Kingdom. This includes not only Main Street, but Tomorrowland (where
the cleanest restrooms are, since they are the permanent facilities next
to Merchant of Venus, and a better alternative to the portable potties),
and through to Frontierland. As you pass Mile 6, you are now heading outside
of the Magic Kingdom.
Mile 7
Mile 7 is located right in front of the Grand Floridian Resort. In the
past, this was Mile 12, and half–marathoners were probably starting
to feel some aches and pains. Let’s hope the psychological memories of
being tired through this segment don’t tire out too many participants,
since at Mile 7 we are just past the half–way point for the course.
Part of the Grand Floridian portion includes the Wedding Pavillion, and
cast members are always out in force past this area, with their bride
and groom Mickey ears.
Miles 8 & 9
Mile 8 is right before the Ticket and Transportation Center parking lot,
while Mile 9 is right past it. Keep on going; unlike in years past, the
course still has another four miles left. Once you have passed Mile 8,
you are entering new territory, since this portion is new for the 2006
course.
Mile 10
Once you have passed Mile 9, you are back on World Drive, heading back
now on the course that you ran on in your way out towards the Magic Kingdom.
As soon as you go through the cloverleaf, you are at Mile 10, and you are heading back on the same course that you went on earlier in the event.
Mile 11
Mile 11 is in the middle of Epcot Center Drive, at about the same location
as Mile 5 is for the full–marathon, but going the other direction.
You continue on Epcot Center Drive as you start nearing Epcot, and Mile
12.
Mile 12
You are just about to reach Epcot, and you will finally be able to get
to the park’s entrance as you hit Mile 12.
Mile 13 and finish
After Mile 12, you enter Epcot. You go around Spaceship Earth as
you continue towards World Showcase… however, you do not enter World
Showcase in this new couse. Instead, you run up to the lake, and then
you turn around and run past the other side of Spaceship Earth. You then
exit Epcot, and the finish line is right in front of you, in the Epcot
parking lot. In fact, the finish line is the same finish line that is
used for the full–marathon.
General course impression
One of the best views I thought the half–marathon course used to
have was of entering Epcot early in the morning, while it was still dark.
Disney would bring the Illuminations globe out onto the middle of the
lake, and have it be lit and rotating as you heard music piped in through
World Showcase. I gasped and almost started tearing up when I saw the
globe. “They brought the globe out!” I said out loud to no one
in particular. I love the Illuminations globe, so seeing it out for just
the marathoners was a particularly verklempting experience. Be
warned: Catching one’s breath and having a Disneyfying moment is not good
when you are running and needing to take solid breaths.
Unfortunately, 2006 half–marathoners (myself included) will not
be able to enjoy this experience, and it was one of those things I considered
as a highlight of the course. And although you technically do get to go
near World Showcase towards the end, the focus by then is primarily on
running past Spaceship Earth. Although it’s not quite as stunning as a
glowing globe at 0–dark–hundred, running through Future World
without any park visitors will still be a treat.
On the other hand, being able to go down Main Street in the first hour
of the event for most people will be a very nice experience, both for
participants and for spectators. Participants will still be in pretty
good shape, and spectators will have plenty of time to then catch the
monorail back to Epcot in order to be available at the grand finish.
One new experience will be in doing an out–and–back course.
Many courses are that way; the Big Sur Half–Marathon that I participated
in in October of last year was one, as was the Honolulu Marathon, which
I did twice. Don’t feel too disappointed at having to retread your paces.
One really exciting thing we could never really experience before was
to cheer on the fastest sprinters on the course as they head towards the
finish line while you are still making your way out towards the Magic
Kingdom. As much as I admire the ordinary person who decides to take this
long–distance challenge, I have great awe and respect for those athletes
who can run fast enough that they zip past me on their way to the finish
line. Since the half–marathon finishers will likely be done in a
little over one hour, some of the slowest of the walkers will be able
to—at around Mile 3—see the sprinters return past them on their
Mile 8.
Get started!
Have you started exercising yet? Spring has officially started, so now
you don’t have an excuse. Get your shoes on and head outdoors! What a
better time than to get out and enjoy the warming weather.
If you have never walked for exercise (that is, fast enough that you
are breathing hard and having a bit of difficulty maintaining a regular
conversation), now is the time to start. There are a number of good beginner
programs on the Internet, but take a look at Hal Higdon’s (link).
Hal recommends starting with 30–minute sessions that include both
walking and jogging. If that’s too difficult, take a look at Jeff Galloway’s
(link),
which is only 20 minutes long and starts you at just brisk walking. Either
way, let’s set a goal until the next installment of this series (which
normally runs in the middle of the month): by mid-April, try to go out
and walk or jog at least eight times (12 is even better), for no less
than 20 minutes each. Keep a calendar or a log so you can keep track of
when you went out. Try not to go more than 3 days without exercise of
any sort. If you are too busy, break your workout up into two 10–minute
sessions. Even the busiest person should be able to manage that.
Finally, the most important thing: Have you registered for the either
of the marathon events yet? Registration is still open for both the full–
and half–marathon events for now. And according to Disney, they are
tentatively allowing 12,000 registrants for each event. Those are big
numbers… but traditionally, the half–marathon registration fills
up before the summer starts, so better late than never; sign up now so
you can commit to it and get serious about your long–distance challenge.
You can do it, and I’ll be cheering you along every step!
Next time
If you haven’t decided between the marathon and half–marathon, let’s
take a look at some of the highlights of the full–marathon course
and see why all the marathon gear says, “I ran around the World!”
(they aren’t kidding).
If you are still using your old sneakers to go out on your walks, let’s
get you set up with the information you need to get yourself the right
shoes. Hopefully you will have been exercising regularly for a few weeks.
You will be feeling better as you start getting in shape, so let’s take
that opportunity to see what shoes you can purchase.
