Hi Everyone,
I've been lurking for a couple of months now in preparation for the 1/2 marathon in Jan. My training is pretty much on schedule - although I am nervous!! But I'm even more excited!!

Anyway, my question is regarding hills on the course. I've been to WDW many times, but I've never really paid any attention to the slopes of the roads. I've incorporated a few smaller hills into my running routes, but is there any one particular difficult spot on the 1/2 marathon route - one big tall killer hill - or maybe even worse, a gradual incline that goes on forever? I
an trying to be prepared...physically & mentally!!

Thanks for your input - I've learned a lot from the other posts.

Mara

I'm looking at a copy of the course layout. From what I have been able to glean, there may be a slight hill somewhere around or between miles 4 and 5. That is where the road leads up to and past the Contemporary Resort.

I am getting nervous and excited, too. This 1/2 is the first time I've done anything at all like this. I'm a pudgy, short gal who thought to do this as a means of getting in shape and losing weight! O Lord what was I thinking:rolleyes:

I wish I could link the course map to you - but I can't figure out how to! I could fax it to you if you wanted to PM me your fax number !

(there may be other hills, I'm no expert! But from what I've heard they refer to it as "fast and flat" .... whatever THAT means!)

Last year, the dreaded "mile 10" marker was at the top of an incline near the Contemporary resort, just before we were to enter the Magic Kingdom. It's not a hill, per se - the road you're on goes UNDER another road, so you're going down and up through a tunnel of sorts. I think with the new route that is now around mile 5.

AVP

Hi Everyone,
I've been lurking for a couple of months now in preparation for the 1/2 marathon in Jan. My training is pretty much on schedule - although I am nervous!! But I'm even more excited!!

Anyway, my question is regarding hills on the course. I've been to WDW many times, but I've never really paid any attention to the slopes of the roads. I've incorporated a few smaller hills into my running routes, but is there any one particular difficult spot on the 1/2 marathon route - one big tall killer hill - or maybe even worse, a gradual incline that goes on forever? I
an trying to be prepared...physically & mentally!!

Thanks for your input - I've learned a lot from the other posts.

Mara

It's in Florida. It's flat. Any hills you take in normal training will be more than enough for the WDW course.

The course is primarily flat, but the one thing nobody tells you is that the various onramps and offramps are BANKED.

Also, there is a slight hill as you run up on an overpass. That and the underpass are really about it.

The course is primarily flat, but the one thing nobody tells you is that the various onramps and offramps are BANKED.

Also, there is a slight hill as you run up on an overpass. That and the underpass are really about it.


I'm not that knowledgable about running in general. Sure I've gone around my share of road "curves" but what effect does a banked curve have on someone?

Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not that knowledgable about running in general. Sure I've gone around my share of road "curves" but what effect does a banked curve have on someone?

Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not much. It'll only be a couple of times during the race. It might make it feel slightly more uphill, but it's really nothing to worry about.

Not much. It'll only be a couple of times during the race. It might make it feel slightly more uphill, but it's really nothing to worry about.
Yeah, it's not a big deal. But if you don't expect it it's a bit jarring.

Okay - I take it that banked means that there is a tilt in addition to the incline? Can someone just clarify that for me.

Also, forgot to mention that in addition to running the 1/2 marathon on Sat. I'll be volunteering at one of the water stops for the full marathon on Sunday - I'm really excited about that too!

Mara

A banked turn means that the outside of the curve is higher than the inside of the curve.

A banked turn means that the outside of the curve is higher than the inside of the curve.

Which is not a big deal unless there are alot of them, like an inside track. Then the stress on the inside leg is a bummer, and you need to reverse your direction midway thru your workout. Also good to remember, when running on the road, the edge is generally slightly banked (slopes down) and that can cause stress on your outside leg, so you need to run more toward the middle of the road.

8 weeks from tomorrow:eek:

Yeah the few banks and slopes aren't that big of a deal unless you're tired and struggling and then every little thing gets magnified. The three things that get more annoying as I get tired over the course of the events are:

1) Slight slopes (the offramp at about mile 22, right before going into MGM, felt like a huge hill)

2) Banks, not so many in the second half of the full.

3) Surface changes. Not such a big issue in Epcot and MK as in Animal Kingdom, but running on concrete themed to a muddy road was annoying. As was the surface at Boardwalk.

But again these are only annoying when you're already suffering so if they start to bother you just chant to yourself "stop whining you whining whiner." It's what I do.

"Stop whining you whining whiner..."

Profound!!!!!!!!!!

I think I'll have to write that in perm. ink on my hand or something:p - you haven't copywrited it yet or anything - have you:confused: :D

I chant "whiners never win and winners never whine". If you say it over and over it turns into whinersneverwinandwinnersneverwhine and it completely doesn't sound like anything, and that's the point where I have to:)