Marathon Weekend 2021

[camaker]

SAFD: Badwater Cape Fear 51.4. The race starts at the Bald Head Island lighthouse running across a boardwalk over a salt marsh as the sun rises. From there it’s 12 miles on the island’s golf cart pathways (cars aren’t allowed on the island) followed by a mile of maritime trail to get to the race HQ station that acts as the hub for the rest of the race. Leaving there, it’s out onto the beach for 10 miles up to the Fort Fisher welcome center and back. One transit finishes up 50k and the 51.4 milers get to do it again. You run through the entire tide cycle, making the beach a constantly changing challenge. Running from sunrise over the salt marshes through sunset on the beach made it an experience I’ll never forget!

 

[pluto377]

Probably the local race around here (Cow Harbor 10K) is my favorite. It's a very difficult course, but it's pretty and there's nice crowd support. NYC Marathon is a close second.

 

[Neon Cactus]

SAFD: LA Marathon. The course is great. It starts at Dodger Stadium and they let us in the stadium so we could sit in the seats and have real restrooms. There are a lot of downhill areas and it winds through downtown, up Sunset Boulevard to Hollywood with the Hollywood sign right in front of us, then down Hollywood Boulevard past the El Capitan and Chinese theaters, back onto Sunset through the Sunset Strip and into Beverly Hills onto Rodeo Drive. Then a smooth downhill into Santa Monica to the finish line right by the beach.

 

[hotblooded]

Zion Half Marathon. It was 10 degrees at the start when I ran, but the views were phenomenal. I would do it again without question, despite the painful pre-race wait, because the organizers are on top of their game. They hired and put up a warming tent at the last minute for the comfort of all runners, and I really got the sense they cared about the running experience rather than just profits.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Our favorite non-Disney race has been the Memorial Day 5k/10k in Punta Gorda, FL.
It has grown a lot from when we first did it but its always well organized and helpful. Money goes to giving a disabled veteran a place to live.

 

[Jason Bryer]

SAFD: NYC Marathon. Crazier logistics than Disney, but the crowd support is incredible. The only time there aren't people cheering is whey you cross the bridges.

I have to give an honorable mention to the Boilermaker in Utica, NY (15k). Also really great crowd support and ends at Saranac Brewery with one of the biggest parties ever (and free beer!).

 

[shellott-hill]

SAFD:

For sentimental reasons, the Canmore Rocky Mountain Half Marathon. This is where the racing started for me. Did the 5k in 2016, the 10k in 2017 and the half in 2018...all with my DS. I am planning on running the half again in 2020 as a lead up to the Dopey in 2021.

There is nothing more invigorating than running a race in the shadows of the mountains. It seems to give you extra energy.

 

[BigEeyore]

The NYC marathon is just epic - there are literally one million spectators lining the course, live entertainment the whole way, all 5 boroughs, running over the Verrazano bridge with lady liberty and the island of Manhattan before you, the NYPD helicopters over the start...even though it was really hilly and I died at mile 20, it was such an amazing experience!

 

[BigEeyore]

SAFD: LA Marathon. The course is great. It starts at Dodger Stadium and they let us in the stadium so we could sit in the seats and have real restrooms. There are a lot of downhill areas and it winds through downtown, up Sunset Boulevard to Hollywood with the Hollywood sign right in front of us, then down Hollywood Boulevard past the El Capitan and Chinese theaters, back onto Sunset through the Sunset Strip and into Beverly Hills onto Rodeo Drive. Then a smooth downhill into Santa Monica to the finish line right by the beach.

This one is on the bucket list! I had no idea the course was so cool until I was looking at it a few weeks ago. Tack on a Disneyland trip and it's almost like a rD event!

 

[UNCBear24]

SAFD: As far as the vibe and course entertainment go, I would have to say it's easily the Bolder Boulder 10k. It truly is a running party. 50,000 runners and walkers of all ages. I enjoy many local races, but they can't match the energy in Boulder.

 

[Baloo in MI]

SAFD: I have talked about it before but my favourite non-Disney race is Run Woodstock. It is a weekend long trail run festival. It is themed after the 60’s Woodstock concert. People camp, there are concerts throughout the weekend and lots of good food. The weekend offers every distance you could ask for: 5K, 10K, Half, Full, 50K, 50 Miler, 100K and 100 Miler. The finisher medal is really cool and the course is just beautiful. It is a very friendly atmosphere, not a lot of support once out on the trail but around the aid stations and back at the farm were it starts and finishes is always a huge boost. I found the aid stations to be fantastic. Hope to get back there next year (in 2021) as my first attempt at the 100 distance.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD:

If I had to pick one, it would probably be the Indianapolis Monumental (it’s both a Half and Full, I always ran the Half). Its a good race. I ran 4 times in a row when they did a medal series (unwittingly ran the first in the series and you can’t stop at the first medal ). Anyway, Indy is nice and we always stayed in one of the hotels where we could just walk down shortly before the race. I haven’t run the last couple years, but I think it’s developing a reputation for being a flat, fast course that is ideal for BQ and is more popular than when I ran it.

I’m probably the only one like this, but I don’t get a lot of joy from my surroundings during a run/race outside of Disney. I prefer the treadmill to outdoors. I’ve run a couple short trail races and 10k and a bunch of Half Marathons and 5k; honestly, I couldn’t describe a single distinguishing feature of any of the courses I’ve run outside of Disney.

 

[PrincessMickey]

SAFD: As far as the vibe and course entertainment go, I would have to say it's easily the Bolder Boulder 10k. It truly is a running party. 50,000 runners and walkers of all ages. I enjoy many local races, but they can't match the energy in Boulder.

Hot Chocolate is always a good time but Bolder Boulder is my favorite. A 6 mile long party! So much local support and all kinds of snacks and beer along the way!

 

[PrincessV]

SAFD: I'm jealous of all the beautiful races you guys are talking about! And I think I'm putting an end to any more non-WDW FL races, because the only non-WDW races I've run have been local, and I've pretty much hated every one of them. I can look at my over-populated urban/suburban sprawl while running every day... for free.

 

[ANIM8R]

SAFD: Our favorite non-Disney race is the Space Coast Marathon (and Half). It's always the Sunday after Thanksgiving. By that time, we have already had a taste or two of the mid-Ohio winter. Even in late-Fall, the warm weather and sunny beaches are always nice! The course is right along the Indian River and absolutely gorgeous. I'm guessing it's salt water because I've seen dolphins in there swimming (unless they can live in fresh water, also) and have often seen Pelicans "dive-bombing" at sunrise. Plus, I'm a space/rocket geek so the medals and beach towels win me over every year!

 

[michigandergirl]

SAFD: The Chicago marathon was my favorite non-Disney race. The crowd support was amazing and I especially enjoyed all of the alcohol and food being handed out in the later miles.

But because I've only ran Chicago once, I feel like I should mention my second favorite non-Disney race: The Amway River Bank Run. This is my big hometown race that I have been participating in for years. It's the largest 25K in the country (also a 5K and 10K). It's a mix of city streets and parks with a hilly back half. The weather is always interesting too - we've had everything from snow to 90 degree heat in May. With the hills, the weather, and the odd distance, it's always challenging no matter how prepared I am.

 

[Dopey 2020]

So I guess I can’t answer yet as I haven’t ran an official race outside of Disney. I feel lucky to have been able to run close to 30 races over 12 weekends plus Castaway Cay at the beginning of my running career. I do enjoy reading all the race reports as I try to make a list of races I’d like to do.

 

[The Expert]

SAFD: Our favorite non-Disney race is the Space Coast Marathon (and Half). It's always the Sunday after Thanksgiving. By that time, we have already had a taste or two of the mid-Ohio winter. Even in late-Fall, the warm weather and sunny beaches are always nice! The course is right along the Indian River and absolutely gorgeous. I'm guessing it's salt water because I've seen dolphins in there swimming (unless they can live in fresh water, also) and have often seen Pelicans "dive-bombing" at sunrise. Plus, I'm a space/rocket geek so the medals and beach towels win me over every year!

I'm extremely interested in Space Coast, but two questions...

First, on the site it shows two courses - north and south. Is that really the case? If so, how do you pick?

And second -- this may be more of a general question for the group (or, let's face it, @DopeyBadger ) -- would the timing of this work for a check-in Half during full marathon training for MW? Or, being six weeks out from the full, is that too close? (The other option I'm considering is just the half at W&D.)

 

[DopeyBadger]

And second -- this may be more of a general question for the group (or, let's face it, @DopeyBadger ) -- would the timing of this work for a check-in Half during full marathon training for MW? Or, being six weeks out from the full, is that too close? (The other option I'm considering is just the half at W&D.)

Totally reasonable. It's about as close as I like to put a fitness test race to the "A" race. Something like:

11/23/20 - Space Coast HM
11/30/20 - Peak
12/7/20 - Mod
12/14/20 - Peak
12/21/20 - Taper
12/28/20 - Taper
1/4/20 - Marathon Race Week

It falls in the traditional "recovery" week. So I'd probably just consider taking some of the intensity out of the week of 11/30/20 to allow sufficient recovery from the HM. Otherwise, it falls in a reasonable place to not interfere a ton with the end peak of training. If you followed a 14-day marathon taper instead of a 21-day marathon taper, then the race would fall on the 3rd to last peak week of marathon training.

 

[bearybubba]

OK. I have a question for everyone that does the Dopey Challenge. Would you make the Disney Marathon in January your first marathon you ever did?