Marathon Weekend 2018

[camaker]

As long as it's not banana peels. Have you ever played Mario Kart?

There are 2(!) banana stations on the WDW Marathon course. Just sayin...

 

[croach]

I hate clif gels. Taste, consistency, packaging...nothing I like about them. BUT, are you saying there are no on course gels? I carry my own but figured they would have some in case of an "emergency".

Sportbeans were handed out during the Wine & Dine half. No gels.

 

[cavepig]

What was (if any) the chocolate handed out in 2017 anyone remember (I didn't run)? Was it still at/near Studios?

2015 I think I grabbed a crackle little bar & 2016 I didn't take any but thought it was Dove.

I don't like sports beans (just feel like that stick in my teeth) & don't eat/like bananas so thinking if they still do chocolate that might be all I take on course, maybe, or not at all. I'll bring clif gels with me.

 

[VAfamily1998]

What was (if any) the chocolate handed out in 2017 anyone remember (I didn't run)? Was it still at/near Studios?

2015 I think I grabbed a crackle little bar & 2016 I didn't take any but thought it was Dove.

I don't like sports beans (just feel like that stick in my teeth) & don't eat/like bananas so thinking if they still do chocolate that might be all I take on course, maybe, or not at all. I'll bring clif gels with me.

I got a Snickers Crisper in 2017. It was just as you were entering HS. I know there were other choices available, but I can't remember what.

 

[KimK2006]

Are there Photo Pass photographers on the course? If we get the Memory Maker, are these pics included?

 

[rteetz]

What was (if any) the chocolate handed out in 2017 anyone remember (I didn't run)? Was it still at/near Studios?

2015 I think I grabbed a crackle little bar & 2016 I didn't take any but thought it was Dove.

I don't like sports beans (just feel like that stick in my teeth) & don't eat/like bananas so thinking if they still do chocolate that might be all I take on course, maybe, or not at all. I'll bring clif gels with me.

I got Dove and M&Ms there I believe.

 

[rteetz]

Are there Photo Pass photographers on the course? If we get the Memory Maker, are these pics included?

Yes and Yes.

 

[KimK2006]

Yes and Yes.

I was hoping so!!

 

[Keels]

Thats terrible. I understand the agreement with Clif ending and if you have a new "nutrition" sponsor and they cant supply gels you should find somebody who should.

I'm one of the few people around these parts that don't like gels, so I welcomed this change.

I like the beans better, but don't like the ingredient make-up all that much ... but it is a fuel supplement that I will use in addition to what I bring with me as opposed to those gels that I hate.

 

[cavepig]

Are there Photo Pass photographers on the course? If we get the Memory Maker, are these pics included?

They are only in the parks though or with character stops (but may not be at all stops). So based on past races they won't just be out on the highways. Look for the little green tents or when it's dark, bright lights. They seem to come in groups on both sides when going through parks. Sometimes you might find one wondering around the prerace area & then they also have the backdrop photos for when you get your medals.

 

[PrincessV]

Went to AK today and asked when the tiger cubs will be out. Was told after the first of the year. All the people going to AK for various reasons on marathon weekend, please check out the Asia walking trail and see the tiger cubs.

I spent some quality time with one of the handlers last week and learned that the cubs have to learn certain skills before they can go outside. Like, swimming - every display enclosure has a water feature, so they need to be 100% sure the cubs can swim well before being let out there. Also, the enclosure that backs up to the area housing hoofed animals? It has a giant ditch between the two enclosures to keep the tigers from, you know, eating the hoofed animals. The ditch will have a big log the tigers can use to climb back up onto their own side if they fall in (unlikely with an adult, but cubs playing? could easily fall), but the handlers need to know with certainty that the cubs know how to do that, so they're teaching that skill backstage. Neat stuff! The handler I spoke with said it's coming along nicely, but the cubs are growing so quickly, they're likely to look a lot like adult tigers by the time they come out for public viewing.

Why do I suddenly have visions of people dropping beans like marbles on the course and people slipping/tripping/crunching beans everywhere?

Totally happened at W&D! Not so much loose beans, though - the packages were everywhere. And whatever flavor they chose had a black package, which blended nicely with the blacktop pavement. I didn't see anyone slip or fall, but it felt rather dodgy.

 

[Princess KP]

I don't care for gels. The beans are nice and far cleaner than gu.

I ran a HM last month and everyone must have not seen the garbage can because the area after the gel station was all sticky. It was like a giant gel had exploded!

 

[cavepig]

all this talk of gels/beans/etc. reminds me of all the stuff I've seen fall out of pockets/waistbands/etc. at the start of the marathon. Like a whole packages of gummies fell out of someone right in front of me, & then smashed gels/gus that never even got to make it far in the race.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Why does it have to be gels? Sportbeans work fine as fuel during a race. That's what they're made for.

It doesnt have to be gels but why NOT have gels? Why allow a nutrition sponsor that doesnt have gels? Im not a fan of gu products either but there are other companies out there who produce gels, bars, chomps, bites, beans, etc.

Personally, gels are the easiest for me. Easiest to carry. Easiest to ingest. Easiest for me to digest. But even outside of my personal preferences it's by far the most popular choice of on course nutrition for endurance events in the world.

Honestly, I know in the end it comes down to money but I think gels during one of the largest marathons in the world is a pretty reasonable expectation.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I'm one of the few people around these parts that don't like gels, so I welcomed this change.

I like the beans better, but don't like the ingredient make-up all that much ... but it is a fuel supplement that I will use in addition to what I bring with me as opposed to those gels that I hate.

Im not of the thought they should ONLY have gels, its NOT having gels that's my issue.

 

[jmasgat]

Another reason to always carry your own race nutrition. When I started running 10 years ago, I tried to use sportbeans. But I quickly found that the idea/fact/mechanics/zen of chewing while running was not gonna work for me. Nor was drinking vast quantities of sports drink. Gels work,but I have to say, I am not a fan of either Gu or Clif (too thick), so unless Disney decides to do PowerGels, I'll bring my own!

 

[Poutine]

I got Dove and M&Ms there I believe.

Yes, just before entering hollywood studios they had small dove chocolates and full sized bags of crispy m&m's. I ended up leaving my unopened bag on a cone along the street near the tower of terror

 

[Poutine]

Nutrition wise, I used to be lemon-lime clif gel. But found that while running it gets hard to choke that stuff back. So now I use clif blox (punch), and sportsbeans (which feel like I get more energy from). During a marathon, I'll take just about anything to keep me moving.

 

[croach]

Yes, just before entering hollywood studios they had small dove chocolates and full sized bags of crispy m&m's. I ended up leaving my unopened bag on a cone along the street near the tower of terror

I housed a bag of crispy M&M’s during the marathon. Was surprised they were handing out full size.

Good way to help with eating gels is to take a drink with it and swish it around.

 

[Jim Tancredi]

Good evening fellow marathoners! As a first time WDW marathoner, I just joined this board yesterday in hopes to have some of the many questions I have about how this event unfolds, answered. I'm not easily overwhelmed by anything, but it seems to me that a lot of things have to happen before you even take your first step in the race. I'm running for Autism Speaks, and as part of the event, I purchased race retreat admissions for my wife (a spectator) and I. Not sure if that's a waste of money or not, but I thought it would be a good idea to try at least for my first Disney event. One very basic question I have is where exactly do the runners go once they arrive at Epcot around 3:30 or so? Seems like a lot of time to kill before the race starts? Also, are there announcements telling the runners to head to the corrales? I'm not worried about the race itself, but for some reason I am worried about the time leading up to the start. I apologize ahead of time for my ignorance where all this is concerned!