So what time are you waking up for the race??

[kaf7878]

Anyone???

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

2:15am on Saturday (due to required meeting in lobby with Team in Training at 3am).

Sunday probably about the same time for some last encouragement for our full athletes.

We've been advised to board busses between 3 and 3:30am--probably closer to 3:00.

 

[msblrobs]

For the 1/2, which I'm running with DH, we'll probably get up at 3:00, be out of the Swan by 4:30 and drive over to EPCOT.
For the full, I'll probably get up at 2:30 and be out for the bus by 3:30. Unless DH wants to come for the start, then we'll repeat from Saturday.

 

[trpscooby]

DH will probably be up around 2:30 to 2:45 for the full. Me and DD, however will be fast asleep at least until 5:30!

 

[keenercam]

Planning to wake at 3 and be at the bus stop by 3:30.

 

[TammyNC]

I am planning to wake between 2 & 2:15 and try to be at the bus stop by 3:00 or 3:15. This was the timing that I used last year and it seemed to work fine. I'm hoping to meet up with a few others staying at BC to ride the bus over for the 1/2.

 

[princessmomma]

For the full, I'll probably get up at 2:30 and be out for the bus by 3:30. Unless DH wants to come for the start, then we'll repeat from Saturday.

Hey Sara, I am at the Swan too! Would you be interested in meeting up at the bus at 3:30? DH will be staying with the kids so I will be making the journey to the start line solo.

Colleen

 

[plutosmyfav]

I'm planning to get up at 4:00 and be out the door by 4:30 (walking from POFQ). That's for the Full.

 

[msblrobs]

Hey Sara, I am at the Swan too! Would you be interested in meeting up at the bus at 3:30? DH will be staying with the kids so I will be making the journey to the start line solo.

Colleen

Meeting up sounds great to me Colleen. I would love some company If you're going to dinner at Trails End on Friday, I'll confirm with you then. If not, give me a call at the hotel. The reservation's in my name. My last name is Roberts.

 

[princessmomma]

Great Sara, we will be at TE! See you then, if something comes up, I will call you Saturday!

 

[Calcio]

Sunny

It is about 1/4 from the lobby of POFQ to the start of the Marathon. Last year I left the lobby at 5:35 and was in the corrals by 5:45. If you leave at 4:30 you'll be in the corrals in 10 minutes, and then have a very long wait indeed for the start.

For the full on Sunday morning, honestly, I'll do my stretching in the lobby of POFQ and then walk out about 5:40. That will get me into the corrals with just enough time to get comfortable, and then listen for the gun.

Craig

 

[plutosmyfav]

Thanks for the reminder, Craig

Maybe I can be calm and wait at least 15 more minutes before leaving but I'm afraid I'll be a nervous wreck! I want to check my bag which I believe needs to be checked by 5AM. Come to think of it, I don't have a clue as to why I need a bag to check... I suppose I could bring my WISH shirt to change into right after the race. They provide food and drink, right?

So what's the bag for????? Just a change of clothes? But there's no where to truly change, right? Oh I'm a mess....

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Probably getting up about 2:15-2:30 and at 'em for 3:00-3:15.

Leaving from BW.

I will be one of those wandering around quite early. I like getting there early and enjoying the experience of all of it.

Getting really nervous.

 

[10nis]

hey plutosmyfav...(I think Sunny??)

Walking from POFQ--you will cross the street straight to the corrals. In doing so, you get to eliminate the "start zone"--which is a 20 min walk from the corrals. The start zone is where you would drop off a bag, listen to the band and announcer, wait in line for a port o potty--generally sit around for an hour and wait until they let us walk down to the corrals. They open up that pathway from the start zone to the corrals about 5am if I remember correctly.

Good luck and have fun--

 

[plutosmyfav]

hey plutosmyfav...(I think Sunny??)

Walking from POFQ--you will cross the street straight to the corrals. In doing so, you get to eliminate the "start zone"--which is a 20 min walk from the corrals. The start zone is where you would drop off a bag, listen to the band and announcer, wait in line for a port o potty--generally sit around for an hour and wait until they let us walk down to the corrals. They open up that pathway from the start zone to the corrals about 5am if I remember correctly.

Good luck and have fun--

Thank you! If I walk straight to the corrals from POFQ then there is no last chance for a potty break? And, if I do want to check a bag, then I have to do the 20 minute walk to get there, and then 20 minute back to the corrals? I better know what I'm doing ahead of time!

Sunny

 

[10nis]

There are port o pottys all along the route from the "start zone" to the corrals which are not far from the corrals as well. As we walk from that "start zone" to the corrals the port o potties are on the left and I recall there being a field w/ trees and brush on the right--many people were relieving themselves in the field on the right instead of waiting for a port o potty. There were PLENTY of port o potties in this area as well as the "start zone" area.

About you walking across the street from POFQ, past the corrals and 20 min up to the start zone. They keep us up in the "start zone" until about 5am--I couldn't even see where we were going or what was going on down there. I imagine it would be like swimming upstream if you try to do it--seems like the runners started lining up to make the 20 min walk about 430a??

Personally, if it were me--I would wait until 530a, walk across the street and into my corral All we did was sit/stand around for 2 hours stressing out!!!! Plus, your last potty break can be in the hotel instead of a port o potty

 

[Calcio]

Sunny

Yes, the port o potties and bag checks are on the other side of the starting corrals in the EPCOT parking lot staging area. To get there from POFQ would be a herculean effort if you are running the marathon.

Also the walk to the corrals from POFQ is shorter than the walk from the staging area. If you hit the bathroom one last time in your hotel room you'll be quicker than using the port o potties.

We're not taking anything to the start that we won't wear in the race. Throw aways if necessary for the weather over our running clothes and nothing else. After I finish the full I have the food and drink I need, then we'll slip back to our room at POFQ.


For the half marathon with the start about 1 mile down the marathon course, I suspect we'll leave our room about 5:15. For the full I'll leave about 5:35.

3 days and a bit.

Craig

 

[xterratri]

Maybe those of us staying at the Port Orleans resorts can set a meet up time for Sunday morning.(I'm at Riverside rather than FQ but still plan on walking- it's not very much further) What about the 2 different start locations though? How is that going to affect this plan?

 

[Calcio]

Lynne

The start for the full is literally right outside the guard booth to the entrance of POFQ. From that booth you walk a bit south on the 2 lane road, turn right, walk over a bridge above a canal, and you are there. Port Orleans Riverside is next to POFQ, so it looks like your walk may be 1/2 mile longer at most.

The start for the half appears to be just past mile 1 of the full course. Same process to get to the start of the full, then walk the remaining mile north and then west along the 3 lane road to the start.

For those interested, a good place to meet would be by the guard booth on the access road into POFQ. From there it's probably 1/4 mile to the start of the full.

On race days I follow a rather quirky routine, which I developed a long time ago on game days when I was a competitive soccer player. My wife saw it up close for the first time last January when we ran the half together, and after a while she told me, "would you just quit that!" It is the manifestation of my worst compulsive-obsessive tendencies, so although I'm happy to provide information, I'll be going it alone race morning.

Good luck to all.

Craig

 

[kaf7878]

Craig,

How far apart are the red and blue starts for the full? I'm trying to figure our which start I'll be at if I plan on finishing in abt 5 hrs. We're staying at OKW and looking at the map it seems the blue start is right across from there.

Also, at the end of the full, how do you get back to your hotel--do you walk back or ride busses?

Thanks, Kelly