Springtime Surprise Weekend 2024 (April 18-21)

[WhereInFlorida]

For me, Disney runs are the treat I get for training. If I want to try and PR, I need to do it on a course with fewer distractions. (AKA Tell me you have ADHD without telling me... )

We all are unique in motivations, I could switch this around and say "If I want to try and PR, I need to do it on a course with distractions." For me, Disney routes are great to PR because the distractions and unique environments can get you through some tough patches that are likely in a PR level effort.

That being said... the 10-miler was going to be an attempt for me at PR because I just do not have many 10-mile races around me. Started in B, middle of the starting group, and there were just so many walkers and others at paces not even close to POT requirements that really made it impossible to maintain a decent pace during the first miles. I certainly could have attempted to bob-and-weave, use the shoulders on roads, and yell at others as others were doing, but I turned it into a training run and enjoyed the parks, entertainment, and other runners.

 

[PirateSnowmen]

Not sure of someone has already asked and my apologies if so, but does anyone have any info on the medical emergency that happened between miles 7 and 9 this morning? Just wondering how the person was as it didn't look good when we went by

Obviously not sure how the person is doing now, but my friend saw someone post on Facebook that the person had been revived before being put in the ambulance. Not sure how reliable the information is, but hoping it’s true. When we passed by CPR was ongoing & the AED was being applied; EMS showed up several minutes later. Absolutely horrible thing to have happen, but going down right in front of a medical tent was best case scenario.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

Obviously not sure how the person is doing now, but my friend saw someone post on Facebook that the person had been revived before being put in the ambulance. Not sure how reliable the information is, but hoping it’s true. When we passed by CPR was ongoing & the AED was being applied; EMS showed up several minutes later. Absolutely horrible thing to have happen, but going down right in front of a medical tent was best case scenario.

Also a good reminder to get CPR-certified to anyone who isn’t already. You never know when you might be the one to save a life.

 

[fatmanatee]

Not exactly sure what the reason for the speed vs. enjoyment post was but I will note that there is a motivating factor for I would guess a decent number of runners: getting a POT for future RD races. This is probably the last weekend that runners were able to try for new POTs for Wine and Dine, as the deadline is May 1. For Marathon Weekend, it's July 1, and with the spring season settling down and warmer running conditions we're running out of potential races where we can grab new POTs there too. On top of everything else, they're expanding the range of POT times accepted for future race weekends, so people who might not have considered getting a POT in the past may have decided to take a shot here. I don't think we need to argue about the benefits of earlier corrals here.

Besides that point, I don't see the issue. You can run for speed and still enjoy the course, you can take it slow and enjoy the course.

 

[Grabnar]

Besides that point, I don't see the issue. You can run for speed and still enjoy the course, you can take it slow and enjoy the course

I think this is what’s good about rD, you can really approach it from whatever direction you want or are prepared for. Other races I’ve run, particularly when I was first starting out, have been a lot more judgmental about slower runners and the atmosphere just frankly sucks. I appreciate how welcoming rD is even if it means that I get caught in crowds on occasion. The only time I’ve ever actually thought this was a legitimate problem was during DL weekend in the infamous mile 3 near crowd crush they made in California Adventure

 

[The Expert]

The only time I’ve ever actually thought this was a legitimate problem was during DL weekend in the infamous mile 3 near crowd crush they made in California Adventure

That debacle was discussed among many of us during the 10 Miler when a water stop was placed along the path from Boardwalk to Studios pretty early in the race (iirc mile 3). That path is already pretty narrow, and once everyone realized they needed to be on the left to grab electrolytes or water it got a bit unnerving. Thankfully they spread the station out -- I think they used the same number of tables that would normally be on both sides -- but that crush for the first few tables was bad.

I was in B, so I did wonder what it may be like for those further back!

 

[Grabnar]

That debale was discussed among many of us during the 10 Miler when a water stop was placed along the path from Boardwalk to Studios pretty early in the race (iirc mile 3). That path is already pretty narrow, and once everyone realized they needed to be on the left to grab electrolytes or water it got a bit unnerving. Thankfully they spread the station out -- I think they used the same number of tables that would normally be on both sides -- but that crush for the first few tables was bad.

I was in B, so I did wonder what it may be like for those further back!

It actually wasn’t that bad, I think because B had about 800 groups and C only had a few.

 

[Naomeri]

That debale was discussed among many of us during the 10 Miler when a water stop was placed along the path from Boardwalk to Studios pretty early in the race (iirc mile 3). That path is already pretty narrow, and once everyone realized they needed to be on the left to grab electrolytes or water it got a bit unnerving. Thankfully they spread the station out -- I think they used the same number of tables that would normally be on both sides -- but that crush for the first few tables was bad.

I was in B, so I did wonder what it may be like for those further back!

It’s still the dumbest place for a water stop. Just wait a little while longer and set it up on the big sidewalk outside Hollywood Studios.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

For the 10 miler I started in the second B wave vs being further back in B last year (5:07am start vs. 5:15am start). Is a really large B corral just the way of runD these days? (I missed Dopey and this was my first race weekend since last SS, so I’m probably behind on the latest trends). I do remember thinking B was huge last year too. I’m normally not a get in the corral too early person but I did feel compelled to err on the earlier side just to get going earlier.

I recall the DHS path water stop being pretty congested last year but it was decent this year, at least in that particular moment in time I went by. I do agree it’s not the best location.

 

[fatmanatee]

For the 10 miler I started in the second B wave vs being further back in B last year (5:07am start vs. 5:15am start). Is a really large B corral just the way of runD these days? (I missed Dopey and this was my first race weekend since last SS, so I’m probably behind on the latest trends). I do remember thinking B was huge last year too. I’m normally not a get in the corral too early person but I did feel compelled to err on the earlier side just to get going earlier.

I recall the DHS path water stop being pretty congested last year but it was decent this year, at least in that particular moment in time I went by. I do agree it’s not the best location.

It’s the first non-POT corral plus CrD, probably got maxed out with so many people saying they’d have the pace for it. I think it’s also only an issue with the 10 miler, as the other race weekends have two (maybe three soon?) POT corrals?

 

[iheartglaciers]

I was also wondering why B was so big compared to the others. I get it’s the first non-POT corral, but I always thought they’d just move some people into C.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

It’s the first non-POT corral plus CrD, probably got maxed out with so many people saying they’d have the pace for it. I think it’s also only an issue with the 10 miler, as the other race weekends have two (maybe three soon?) POT corrals?

That could change since they're extending POT starting next season.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I feel dumb asking this, but either here or another thread I saw someone reference leaving the final chute to use the bathroom. Will they let you do that? And how does that work? Hop over the fence, run to the bathroom, run back, and hop back in? For the life of me I can’t figure out how to start a runD race without already having to go.

 

[wilbur]

I feel dumb asking this, but either here or another thread I saw someone reference leaving the final chute to use the bathroom. Will they let you do that? And how does that work? Hop over the fence, run to the bathroom, run back, and hop back in? For the life of me I can’t figure out how to start a runD race without already having to go.

No hopping involved......volunteers positioned at the end of chute will separate the barriers to let you out....when you return....show your bib & they will open the barriers to let you back in

 

[GADisneyDad14]

No hopping involved......volunteers positioned at the end of chute will separate the barriers to let you out....when you return....show your bib & they will open the barriers to let you back in

Well damn, I never realized that was an option. Thank you.

 

[nancipants]

Well damn, I never realized that was an option. Thank you.

Yes, it’s the reason I always stay to the left of the corral. When you get to the back of the start chute you’re right at the barricade. Usually by the time I get there, there’s already people slipping out the open space, but if not, a volunteer usually opens it for you.

 

[luv2cheer92]

That debacle was discussed among many of us during the 10 Miler when a water stop was placed along the path from Boardwalk to Studios pretty early in the race (iirc mile 3). That path is already pretty narrow, and once everyone realized they needed to be on the left to grab electrolytes or water it got a bit unnerving. Thankfully they spread the station out -- I think they used the same number of tables that would normally be on both sides -- but that crush for the first few tables was bad.

I was in B, so I did wonder what it may be like for those further back!

Idk if it was just where I was, but that water stop didn't seem as bad this year as the last few years. Still am awful decision to put it there.

 

[azrivest]

It’s the first non-POT corral plus CrD, probably got maxed out with so many people saying they’d have the pace for it. I think it’s also only an issue with the 10 miler, as the other race weekends have two (maybe three soon?) POT corrals?

The first non-POT corral (C) for the marathon had at least 9 waves this year. I was at the front of D so I saw it go by.

 

[The Expert]

I feel dumb asking this, but either here or another thread I saw someone reference leaving the final chute to use the bathroom. Will they let you do that? And how does that work? Hop over the fence, run to the bathroom, run back, and hop back in? For the life of me I can’t figure out how to start a runD race without already having to go.

No hopping involved......volunteers positioned at the end of chute will separate the barriers to let you out....when you return....show your bib & they will open the barriers to let you back in

I just discovered this during this past weekend and took advantage of it at all three races. Going out in B, we staged into the chute early enough that I was able to do it while some of the pre-race announcing was still going on. I have a nervous bladder and ALWAYS feel like I have to go the moment I know I can't. It was so nice to just be in the moment and not watching for that first bathroom stop at every race!

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

Back from the weekend and at work. Boo. I will try to catch up on the 13 pages of thread that I missed since I flew in on Thursday, but I'm pretty behind on work so we will see. I had a blast! I had originally hoped to secure a POT for Dopey on the 10-miler, but I had to abandon that plan around mile 4 because it was just too dang humid and my heart rate wouldn't stay down. So, I decided to just have fun and stop for character pics and I had the best time ever. I have another 10-miler on the schedule next month and I am going to push to get my POT in that race.

One observation and I am sure it has been discussed in the pages I missed, but why runDisney decided to throw everyone and their mother into corral B for this race weekend was just awful. I had corral B for the first time ever (no POT, fastest estimated time) and it was so disheartening to have 8 million people also in the corral. It was worse than other weekends when I was in C and character lines were longer than I have ever seen them for all the races (except maybe the end of the 10-miler). And I have a friend who was there this weekend and she is CrD Platinum and she was in D for all three races. I have no clue how they organized the corrals but it was a mess. I hope they fix whatever happened with that.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a magical weekend!