As soon as WDW Marathon weekend 2012 came to a close, runDisney has been hinting that the Walt Disney World Marathon in 2013 will have some big surprises in store for those ready to “go the distance” and tackle the 26.2 mile race on its 20th anniversary. Today, runners all over the world are excited to have some of those big surprises revealed, thanks to a special video run-through of a new course created for this special event.
Some new highlights of the new course include running on the race track of the Walt Disney World Speedway, as well as through Champion Stadium at the Wide World of Sports Complex. Champion Stadium, while known to most as the center of spring training for the Atlanta Braves, will also be the center of the “Mile 20 Spectacular” for the 20th anniversary race. Although the mile 20 celebration isn’t described in great detail, some special on-course entertainment is alluded to in the video.
WDW marathon vets will also be happy to see that this new course has runners arriving at the Magic Kingdom much earlier than previous years, while still maintaining the tradition of running through all four theme parks in the Walt Disney World Resort. In previous years, runners reached the Magic Kingdom around Mile 10, while this coming year, runners will be following an initial route similar to the Half-Marathon course, putting them at the Magic Kingdom around Mile 5.
For comparison, here are links to PDFs of the new 2013 Map and last year’s 2012 Map.
For those interested in running the special 20th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Marathon on Sunday, January 13th, 2013, registration is $150 ($135 for Disney Visa Cardholders) now through 6/19/2012. Registration jumps to $170 between 6/20/2012 & 9/25/2012, and goes up again to $190 as of 9/26/2012 until the race sells out. If 26.2 miles isn’t long enough for you to get your run on, you can also register for Goofy’s Race & a Half Challenge, which will have you running both the Half-Marathon on Saturday, January 12th as well as the 20th Anniversary Marathon race on Sunday, January 13th for a whopping 39.3 miles of runDisney fun. Registration fees for Goofy’s Race & a Half Challenge are $320 ($290 for Disney Visa Cardholders) now through 6/29/2012, when they go up to $350 from 6/20/2012-9/25/2012, and top off at $380 as of 9/26/2012, if the race doesn’t sell out before that. (Runners beware: Goofy’s Race & a Half Challenge always sells out quickly- it is already 61% full, 7 months out from Marathon Weekend 2013!)
Link to register for Disney Visa Cardholders
Link to register for Non-Disney Visa registration
Will you be going Goofy, or is 26.2 enough for you? Personally, I think I’ll be sticking with the Half-Marathons for the moment, but a girl can dream about going Goofy one day…
As a runner, I’m not sure I’m excited about the change. I loved the two runs through Epcot on the old routes. The earlier arrival in the Magic Kingdom just means it’s more likely to still be dark when you get there. The run around the track is OK, except you seem to leave the track where you entered it. A marathon is a LONG race. You want to always feel like your progressing to the finish, not just adding miles here and there. As far as the added course route through WWOS, you’re dead tired by the time you get to that point in a marathon. That’s going to be a LOT of quick turns and soft ground on tired legs. Doesn’t sound particularly fun. That mile 20 surprise better be good!! After the Animal Kingdom on the old route, I remember just wanting to get through the Studios and finish the race. Now there’s a whole lot more miles between the Animal Kingdom and the Studios. (granted, this year the Animal Kingdom will come 4 miles earlier than it did last year)
I have no frame of reference since I have not run the WDW marathon before (only the Half), and this will only be my second marathon (the first being the Twin Cities Marathon this October), but I’m kind of excited about the new course. I think getting to the Magic Kingdom a little later in the race (as in the past) would be nice so that it would be light when you run through there, but otherwise I think running the track and the baseball stadium will be cool… and it sounds like after WWOS it’s pretty much the exact same final 6.2 miles. I’m doing the Goofy Challenge, so by that point I’m probably going to be run/walking anyway and just trying to enjoy the experience.
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