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Thread: 2017 Star Wars Half Marathon - Dark Side

  1. #26

    Where to eat breakfast if doing a rundisney event
    Good morning..

    We are not very familiar with WDW, and are running in all the events at the Star Wars rundisney event in April. When you have to get up at 3am and are Hoping to catch a shuttle to the running site( not sure where), what do you do for breakfast after? Go back to the hotel? Make reservations at the running site somewhere? Cannot go into the parks, because our tickets are blocked till that Monday.

    Maps are a bit confusing on trying to figure how how far everything is from one place to another. We are staying at shades of green, which is supposed to be walking distance from the poly.

    Thanks

    LL

    -I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way-


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  3. #27

    Actually.. Need race advice about everything..

    We've only been to WDW twice, both times for 3 days only, and are not that familiar with it all. Other then it's BIG. we have signed up to run in the 5k, 10k and half,min April, and are staying at shades of green.

    Sooo..whats the weather likely to be like? What do I wear to run? Right now I just jog around the neighborhood in jeans and t-shirt, but California weather might be different.

    What time do we need to get up to make it to the start? Better to drive or take the shuttle from SOG?

    Where do we get breakfast? Does the race supply snack boxes after like they did at the superhero at Disneyland?

    What did you wish you had know for your first race? Your first disney race?

    Thanks

    LL

    -I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way-


  4. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by LLevy View Post
    We've only been to WDW twice, both times for 3 days only, and are not that familiar with it all. Other then it's BIG. we have signed up to run in the 5k, 10k and half,min April, and are staying at shades of green.
    First, I would recommend reviewing the articles that are here on MousePlanet to familiarize yourself with the races and get some advice on other runDisney topics.

    Sooo..whats the weather likely to be like? What do I wear to run? Right now I just jog around the neighborhood in jeans and t-shirt, but California weather might be different.
    Do you really run in jeans? For 13.1 miles? Florida has humidity, and it can be pretty high, especially in the early morning.

    What time do we need to get up to make it to the start? Better to drive or take the shuttle from SOG?
    How early depends on when you want to get to the start area. I always want to be on the first shuttle bus from my resort, so I work backwards accordingly. From SOG, I would recommend walking over to the TTC and taking the monorail to Epcot. I would not recommend driving from SOG. Road closures will make it difficult to get back to SOG after the race.

    Where do we get breakfast?
    I eat breakfast in my room. I bring food that I know will agree with me. Either bring food with you or buy something the day before to have on hand, like oatmeal or a bagel.
    Does the race supply snack boxes after like they did at the superhero at Disneyland?
    Yes, exactly the same although what comes in them varies from race to race.

    What did you wish you had know for your first race? Your first disney race?
    My advice is give yourself plenty of time. You may find yourself at the start far in advance, but you can adjust the next time. Last year at Star Wars Dark Side there were characters and photo backdrops at the start area before the race, saving me time from waiting in line during the race and waiting in the long post-race lines. I got a picture with Boba Fett and with BB-8.

  5. #29

    Thanks for the quick reply..

    Quote Originally Posted by stan4d_steph View Post
    First, I would recommend reviewing the articles that are here on MousePlanet to familiarize yourself with the races and get some advice on other runDisney topics.
    I was looking, but can never find them.. Saw a few trip reports?

    Do you really run in jeans? For 13.1 miles? Florida has humidity, and it can be pretty high, especially in the early morning.
    Well, since I should have clarified that I'm doing the 5k, husband is doing all the others also, for my hour walk run with the dog, and since I don't own anything else, yes. In jeans.. But I'd like to have something else to wear, but haven't a clue where to start looking. REI seems to carry yoga and hiking stuff, where else should I look for running stuff, and what type?
    Last edited by stan4d_steph; 02-03-2017 at 08:14 AM. Reason: edited tags
    -I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way-


  6. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by LLevy View Post
    What did you wish you had know for your first race? Your first disney race?
    For me, the biggest difference between races at Disneyland and WDW is the time and distance to get to the corrals. At Disneyland, the corrals aren't all that far away, and most of the hotels and such are a reasonable walking distance. That is not at all the case at WDW. At DL, the walk from the entrance to the corrals to your actual corral, even if it's the last corral, is probably 2 minutes, max. At WDW, that is not the case. It can be 5 or even 7 minutes to get to your corral, especially for the 10K and half marathon races. The only WDW races I've done are Princess in 2015 and Star Wars Dark Side in 2016, and both times, getting to the corrals took some getting used to. Whether you take the shuttle bus or the monorail, it's quite a journey from that drop-off point to your actual corral, both in time and distance.

    That's also true for after the race. At DL, it's a relatively easy walk back to the hotel, unless you're staying really far away or drove in from home, but then, you're only walking to the parking structure. At WDW, you're usually reliant on catching a shuttle bus back to your hotel, and some of those lines are LONG. For both Princess and Star Wars Dark Side, for the 10K and half marathon, the lines to some of the more popular resorts was humongous, and there were a lot of complaints from racers about having just completed a race and then having to inch along in a 20 minute (or more) line to get onto a bus.

    Oh, one other thing just as an fyi. The race expo is much easier to get to at DL, since it's held at the Disneyland Hotel. If you want to go to the expo more than once, it's pretty simple, because it's part of the same general resort area, so you could walk there before or after a visit to the parks. At WDW, the expo is held at the Wide World of Sports, which is completely separate from everything else. It's not very convenient to go more than once, because you'd either have to drive there or take a bus, and I remember hearing people had problems with taking a bus from their resort and misinformation abounded. The race expo at WDW is also divided into two buildings, with bib pickup and shirt pickup and the main merchandise store and the ancillary merchandise store in different buildings. Since you'll be doing all three races, you'll have to go to both buildings to pick up all of your bibs and shirts.

    As far as breakfast, for the 5K, because you're done so early, I like to have breakfast at the hotel after the race. There's not usually much else open yet. For the 10K, I might also stay at the hotel, since it's still relatively early, or I'll book an early lunch in a park. For the half marathon, by the time I'm done with the race and gone back to the hotel and showered and rested and dressed again, then I'm ready for lunch and will usually do that in the parks.

    I think you said you're not that far from the Poly? Kona Cafe inside the Poly is terrific. You'll want to make a reservation, though, because race weekends are very crowded.
    Please don't ask me how I feel, I feel fine.
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  7. #31
    Contributing Writer RunningFool's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LLevy View Post
    Well, since I should have clarified that I'm doing the 5k, husband is doing all the others also, for my hour walk run with the dog, and since I don't own anything else, yes. In jeans.. But I'd like to have something else to wear, but haven't a clue where to start looking. REI seems to carry yoga and hiking stuff, where else should I look for running stuff, and what type?
    Try Target - they carry a good selection of Champion running gear. If you haven't already, go to a local running store and get fit for the right shoes (makes all the difference in the world).

    And here's an article that may help with a lot of your questions. It's an updated Rules of the Road article that breaks down how to survive pre-during-post race.
    RunningFool

    Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
    Next non-Disney Half: TBD
    Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k

  8. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by LLevy View Post
    I was looking, but can never find them.. Saw a few trip reports?

    Well, since I should have clarified that I'm doing the 5k, husband is doing all the others also, for my hour walk run with the dog, and since I don't own anything else, yes. In jeans.. But I'd like to have something else to wear, but haven't a clue where to start looking. REI seems to carry yoga and hiking stuff, where else should I look for running stuff, and what type?
    Articles tagged with runDisney are at this link. The race recap for last year's Dark Side is here.

    The best place to go for running gear is a local running specialty store. However, prices can be expensive. Target has their C9 line of fitness wear that has a lot of running gear. Try on some different types of shorts and find some you like. Get some non-cotton socks to help avoid blisters. A moisture-wicking, non-cotton shirt is better than a cotton tee for Florida weather, in my opinion. Once cotton is wet, it takes a while to dry and can chafe.

  9. #33
    Registered User Nikara's Avatar
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    I've read all of the MousePlanet articles on RunDisney (yes, I'm a geek, why do you ask?), but I'm still a little nervous about my first WDW Half. I've done Paris and DL, but this will be a bit different. Any important tips about differences? The big one I've picked up thus far is how early you need to get on transportation. I'm staying at Pop Century, so that at least is on Disney buses. Also, my flight lands on Friday at 3:45pm. I'm planning on using Disney transport to get to my hotel. Do you think I can make it through the Expo that night to get my Bib/other supplies? The thing I'm finding most intimidating is definitely the expo. Thanks for your help!

    2015: Star Wars 10k + Avengers 10k
    2016: Star Wars 10k, Paris Half and 5k, Avengers Half
    2017: Star Wars Light Side Half, Star Wars Dark Side Half, Paris Half and 10k, Avengers 10k
    MouseAdventure Addict- Usually "Beware the Groove"

  10. #34
    Contributing Writer RunningFool's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nikara View Post
    I've read all of the MousePlanet articles on RunDisney (yes, I'm a geek, why do you ask?), but I'm still a little nervous about my first WDW Half. I've done Paris and DL, but this will be a bit different. Any important tips about differences? The big one I've picked up thus far is how early you need to get on transportation. I'm staying at Pop Century, so that at least is on Disney buses. Also, my flight lands on Friday at 3:45pm. I'm planning on using Disney transport to get to my hotel. Do you think I can make it through the Expo that night to get my Bib/other supplies? The thing I'm finding most intimidating is definitely the expo. Thanks for your help!
    You've hit on one of the biggest - the early transportation to race start. It's especially brutal if you're coming from more than one time zone away. On the plus side since you are doing the half, you only have one morning to deal with it; the challenge and tossing in the 5k can get exhausting. Get on an earlier bus than a later one. You can spend your extra time pre-race in line for character pictures as opposed to stressing if the bus is caught in traffic (which does happen). Pack a mylar or cheap fleece blanket you can wear if needed while you wait for the race to start. The weather is always an unknown at WDW - last year it was warm but with our goofy weather this year it's better to pack a 'just in case' than not have it.

    Expect about an hour to get to the hotel from the airport. I would recommend not bothering with going thru check-in when you get there. Just drop your bags with the bellhop when you get off the bus and head straight to the runDisney expo bus. With the expo closing at 7:00 you should be able to get there and pick up your bib but you may not have time to do a lot of shopping. Fortunately by the time you get to the expo the crazies should be over and you should be able to glide right in without the crowds.

    One big difference you may note with WDW races is the size - they are usually MUCH bigger than DLand races. Last year there were over 18k finishers in the Dark Side half. Compared to Light Side half in 2017 which was just over 12k. Expect a lot more congestion in some areas depending on which corral you are in.

    One of the perks of running WDW courses are the long stretches on the roads between parks usually have characters which DLand can't do (unless you count the 501st which are AWESOME!). Last year, there was a small contingent of 501st outside of Hollywood Studios; hopefully they will be back again this year.

    Enjoy your first WDW half.
    RunningFool

    Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
    Next non-Disney Half: TBD
    Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k

  11. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nikara View Post
    I've read all of the MousePlanet articles on RunDisney (yes, I'm a geek, why do you ask?), but I'm still a little nervous about my first WDW Half. I've done Paris and DL, but this will be a bit different.
    One thing about the WDW half marathons that I'm not a fan of are the empty miles. I'm so used to DL races and I've done a few other city races, all of which are through various parts of city and business districts and residential areas, and there's a ton of people out and things to look at, especially during the parts where you're not sure why you're out there. Because the WDW half marathons are all on Disney property, there aren't a lot of spectators and long stretches of road where there's not much to look at. I missed that a lot during both the Princess and Dark Side races I've done.
    Please don't ask me how I feel, I feel fine.
    Oh I cry a bit, I don't sleep too good, but I'm fine


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  12. #36
    Contributing Writer RunningFool's Avatar
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    Corrals and waivers are LIVE on the runDisney site.

    Challenge corrals

    Half corrals

    Fewer corrals than last year (A - K in 2016 / A - G in 2017) with more bodies per corral. Should be interesting.

    RunningFool

    Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
    Next non-Disney Half: TBD
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  13. #37

    Interesting change to the course from last year. Starting in the MK parking area near the Polynesian. If you're staying there, you can probably walk to the start!


  14. #38
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    I'm excited by the course- I like that I can get in quite a bit of running at the start without too many distractions, then really enjoy the characters stops in the parks at the end. I suspect they may be following the Disneyland Paris corral release structure- we only had four corrals, but lots and lots of little releases spread out by a minute or two. It made it so the course was never super crowded, and I always had space to move.

    2015: Star Wars 10k + Avengers 10k
    2016: Star Wars 10k, Paris Half and 5k, Avengers Half
    2017: Star Wars Light Side Half, Star Wars Dark Side Half, Paris Half and 10k, Avengers 10k
    MouseAdventure Addict- Usually "Beware the Groove"

  15. #39
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    We attended the Galactic Nights party at Disney Hollywood Studios last night, and as part of the party, they had out the backdrops for photo ops that have been available to racers of the Star Wars half marathons at both Disneyland and WDW. They have a new one themed to "Rogue One". It looks great. I'm figuring it will be available for those doing the Dark Side races next weekend.

    Please don't ask me how I feel, I feel fine.
    Oh I cry a bit, I don't sleep too good, but I'm fine


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  16. #40
    Registered User Nikara's Avatar
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    That's awesome! So excited for this race, and a weekend at Disneyworld. I'll be dressed as an x-wing pilot this time.

    2015: Star Wars 10k + Avengers 10k
    2016: Star Wars 10k, Paris Half and 5k, Avengers Half
    2017: Star Wars Light Side Half, Star Wars Dark Side Half, Paris Half and 10k, Avengers 10k
    MouseAdventure Addict- Usually "Beware the Groove"

  17. #41
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  18. #42

    I see the half marathon ends at Epcot. Is there a way I can catch the monorail over there. Watch the finish and ride it back to transportation center with husband? Or should I just wait at the hotel for him to catch a bus back? Without actually going into Epcot and using a day off our ticket...


    Thanks

    -I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way-


  19. #43
    Quote Originally Posted by LLevy View Post
    I see the half marathon ends at Epcot. Is there a way I can catch the monorail over there. Watch the finish and ride it back to transportation center with husband? Or should I just wait at the hotel for him to catch a bus back? Without actually going into Epcot and using a day off our ticket...
    The finish is outside the park, so you wouldn't have to use park admission to see him finish. You can take the monorail to and from Epcot without entering the park also. The finish is in the parking lot to the left of the entrances as you face them, so just walk that direction when you get off the monorail.

  20. #44

    A heat advisory is on for this weekend, so please make a note of that when planning what you will wear for the events. It's probably not a good weekend to push for a PR unless you're used to hot and humid conditions. Stop and take a few pictures, take more walk breaks, and don't skip any water stops.


  21. #45
    Registered User Nikara's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stan4d_steph View Post
    A heat advisory is on for this weekend, so please make a note of that when planning what you will wear for the events. It's probably not a good weekend to push for a PR unless you're used to hot and humid conditions. Stop and take a few pictures, take more walk breaks, and don't skip any water stops.
    I've already started to hydrate. Given that the first four miles of the race are super boring, I'll try to get some speed in there while it is still dark, then slow down for everything else.
    2015: Star Wars 10k + Avengers 10k
    2016: Star Wars 10k, Paris Half and 5k, Avengers Half
    2017: Star Wars Light Side Half, Star Wars Dark Side Half, Paris Half and 10k, Avengers 10k
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  22. #46
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    Hope all you 5kers had fun. Good luck tomorrow in the 10K!

    "[Disneyland] has that thing - the imagination, and the feeling of happy excitement - I knew when I was a kid." - Walt Disney

  23. #47
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    After reading lots of warning about the WDW Expos, I was very pleasantly surprised by how well today went. I arrive at around 5:30pm on the second day of the expo. No lines to get into any of the buildings or for my bib or shirt. I got my two wristbands- Kessel Challenge and Coast to Coast when I got my bib. Got to head straight into the official race merchandise, and based on my quick look, most things were still in stock, including the themed shirts, pins, ornament, glasses etc. I got my Kessel Run hat and "I did it" half shirt, waited about five minutes to pay, then went over to get my KT Tape with no line. Grabbed a few more last minute items, then headed over to Disney Springs for dinner. Tomorrow is a parks day, then the big race is on Sunday. Congrats on RunDisney on properly dealing with some of your merchandise stocking challenges. I'm very pleased!

    2015: Star Wars 10k + Avengers 10k
    2016: Star Wars 10k, Paris Half and 5k, Avengers Half
    2017: Star Wars Light Side Half, Star Wars Dark Side Half, Paris Half and 10k, Avengers 10k
    MouseAdventure Addict- Usually "Beware the Groove"

  24. #48
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    From the stories I have read here on MP and elsewhere it was always the first day where chaos reined. I do not what u said about merch still being well in stock. That seems to be different. Maybe they made more? Or interest is wanting.

    Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

    "[Disneyland] has that thing - the imagination, and the feeling of happy excitement - I knew when I was a kid." - Walt Disney

  25. #49
    Registered User Nikara's Avatar
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    Loved this race so much! I got a PR, and finally got under 2:30 for a half! The humidity really wasn't that bad, and I've finally figured out how to fuel during races, which really helped. I loved the course- my favorite bits as a first time WDW runner were the fireworks starts and getting to finish at a park, instead of in the streets of Anaheim. A really cool experience in the first part of the race when it was really dark- they had a light show that made it seem as though there was a battle happening between the two sides of the woods we were running through- super cool! I did find the part of the race before the sun started rising to be REALLY dark in some places, and some of the Animal Kingdom backstage areas were really tight, but I didn't have any problems in the boardwalk area, and I loved watching bits of the movies during the runs. They seemed to put those screens on top of the minor hills in the course, which was the perfect place to distract us! Overall a really good time and I got my Kessel Run and Coast to Coast medals as well!

    2015: Star Wars 10k + Avengers 10k
    2016: Star Wars 10k, Paris Half and 5k, Avengers Half
    2017: Star Wars Light Side Half, Star Wars Dark Side Half, Paris Half and 10k, Avengers 10k
    MouseAdventure Addict- Usually "Beware the Groove"

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