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Latest reviews by Katherine
Katherine recommends this race
(2016)
"A Potato Filled Marathon!"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
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Expo - Small with a few vendors and at the host hotel, the Riverside. The swag was super fun! The shirt had a fun design and we also got some potato recipes and a cute potato pin!
Race - The start was in the Lucky Peak State Park and was beautiful. The beginning was a bit unorganized and congested but by a mile in the field had sorted itself out. The course had a slight downhill for most of the course. The half and the full marathon started together and there were WAY more half marathoners than full marathons so when the half runners finished, it got a bit lonely on the course. The marathoners finish the remainin miles on an out and back course that runs along the Greenway and while not interesting, is pretty and tree covered. Since there aren't many marathon participants you kind of end up running with the locals just out on their normal Saturday activities. You will need to stay focused and run your own race. The race overall was low-key and well supported with water and electrolytes every 2 miles or so. When the marathons came back to the finish we met up with the 5k and the 10k runners so I called out "passing on the left" and people got over. Overall a great experience but you will be running on a multi-use path/greenway so keep that in mind. This isn't really a sight seeing tour of Boise.
Finish Line - They gave out medals, chocolate milk, and baked potatoes+topping bar. There were also apples and bagels to grab. There were vendors at the park where the finish was and people were mingling and enjoying the day.
If you are looking for a May race in Boise, I highly recommend this race. It was well organized but had a small race/local feel to it. Good luck and happy running!
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Katherine recommends this race
(2016)
"Small race with big race support!"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
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Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
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This was a great race to kick off the racing season in Denver. The race was smaller but it didn't skimp on amenities. Frequent water stops with both water and Nuun every 2 miles and a great finish line area.
The start area was pretty well organized. Since it was a smaller race it had the right amount of organization to manage the people.
The course is point to point starting in Littleton and then heading north towards Denver. Most of the race is flat and is on the multi-use path along the Platte River. Since it follows the river it's mostly scenic but it goes through some more industrial areas. At the very end of the race there is a really steep overpass which was not nice right as I was hoping to crush the last mile.
There is also the option to run the course as a 3 person relay. The relay hand off points were well managed and fun to run through.
The finish line party was great. There were a few vendors out plus burgers and beer. There was a band playing and nice areas to just hang out.
Since it was point to point they gave us RTD light rail passes to get us back to the start/parking area. It worked out really well!
Overall this was a great race and would be great for both the first time and the experienced half marathoner.
Katherine recommends this race
(2016)
"A Magical Mid-Distance!"
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The WDW 10k is a great mis-distance race. The course is about 2 miles outside the parks and then 4 miles in Epcot and running around the Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Club resorts. Lots of characters are out during the race and the environment is friendly but more competitive than the 5k making this a great mid-distance race experience. The aid stations have both water and powerade and the course is very well supported. Lots of people out cheering and volunteers to help you along the way! If you want to up your mileage but aren't ready to take on a full WDW Half Marathon, this is a great race to try out!
Katherine recommends this race
(2016)
"The Most Magical Marathon!"
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This is the granddaddy of all runDisney races and will always hold a special place in my heart since it was my first marathon back in 2011 and I've gone back every year since. I've run it as a solo race and as both a Goofy and Dopey runner and it's a ton of fun, it just has a great energy to it!
The Course: The race starts out like the Half Marathon where the first 5 miles will take you from Epcot to the Magic Kingdom (MK). You will then run through MK (Tomorrowland to Fantasyland, through the castle (bottleneck), Liberty Sq to Frontierland and then you exit) and then past the Grand Floridian and Polynesian. You then run through some backstage areas before entering Animal Kingdom around mile 12. (NOTE: If you are running through Animal Kingdom while the park is open, runners have been known to hop on Expedition Everest).
NOTE: Since the Speedway was demolished the race course changed slightly this year to include more time in MK and a slight out and back as you head to Animal Kingdom.
Once exiting Animal Kingdom you hit the halfway mark and you then run on roads for a few miles as you make your way to Wide World of Sports. This stretch of road is completely uncovered and can be very hot depending on the weather. Once you hit Wide World of Sports you have about 3 miles of endless winding. Highlights include running on the track (the track foam material always feels nice after running on pavement) and running through the baseball stadium. There are also a lot of people cheering here which is nice. Once you exit you will then hit the 20 mile mark and you are in the home stretch.
You enter Disney Hollywood Studios around mile 22, then run along Crescent Lake (Boardwalk/Yacht and Beach Club area), and then you enter world Showcase in Epcot and run your final mile in Epcot and finish in the parking lot! The final 10k of the WDW Marathon is one of my favorite finishes of any marathon I've run. So many people out cheering and so much to see!
Hills: You will go under the water bridge before getting the Contemporary (downhill and an uphill) and there are a few overpasses but other than that it's very flat.
Support: Aid station are every 1-1.5 miles and have lots of water and powerade. There were 2 Clif shot support areas and a candy stop. Medical Tents are every 3-4 miles and have great volunteers and are very well stocked!
Every runner gets a technical long sleeve t-shirt and finishers get a Mickey themed medal. This marathon also includes Goofy Challenge (half and full marathon) runners and Dopey Challenge (5k, 10k, half and full marathon) runners. The Goofy runners will receive their Goofy themed medal after receiving their marathon medal and Dopey runners will receive their Goofy and Dopey themed medals after receiving their marathon medal.
The expo is BIG and CROWDED pack you patience and look over the event guide before you go to see if there are any vendors that you want to check out. They also host many talks throughout the day that cover everything from race day strategies to nutrition to training. If you want official race weekend merchandise it can be a little nutty so pack you patience.
Overall - this is still one of my favorite races and I can't wait to run #7 in 2017!
Katherine recommends this race
(2016)
"Half Marathon, Full Magic!"
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The WDW Half Marathon starts at Epcot and takes you up to the Magic Kingdom and then back and it's full of character experiences and theme park magic. If you want to see some backstage areas in the Magic Kingdom (MK), this will show you some of that.
The first 5 miles take you from Epcot, through the MK tollbooths, through the parking lot, past the Contemporary and then into MK. You enter MK near the Chapeau shop and then you run up Main st before turning into Tomorrowland. You go through Tomorrowland and into Fantasyland where you get to run through the castle (this can be a major course bottleneck). You then turn right into Liberty Sq and exit MK through Frontierland. Once outside the park you run on roads past the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian and then it's back to Epcot. You make a quick loop in Epcot and finish outside the park.
The race highlight is always running up Main St for me. There are tons of people cheering and the castle is lit up with it's icicle lights. It's a truly magical moment for any runner!
There are characters every mile or so, there are more in MK, and aid stations every 1.5 miles with water and powerade. There are also frequent medical tents so you can get the assistance you need.
Every runner gets a long sleeve tech tee (the WDW shirts are some of my favorites to do training runs in) and a Donald Duck themed medal when you finish. The course is pretty flat other than a dip when you go under the water bridge before getting to the contemporary (about mile 4.5) and then an overpass when you are going back to Epcot (about mile 10-11). Other than that it's really flat.
As for all runDisney races, be sure to read the Event Guide to figure out transportation and open roads to get to and from the race. If you are driving, DO NOT rely on GPS since you may run into closed roads. I always recommend staying at a host resort and taking Disney transportation.
This is a great race and super well organized. While runDisney events are expensive, in general, they are totally worth it since the support and organization are top notch!