2017 Walt Disney World Marathon By The Numbers
The 2017 Walt Disney World Marathon kicked off with a 5K (Disney Sports)
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UPDATE: 2018 Walt Disney World Marathon By The Numbers Is Here!
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The 2017 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna kicked off January 4 and runs, literally, through the title event on January 8 at Walt Disney World in Florida. The Walt Disney World Half Marathon celebrates its 20th running this year.
The five-day extravaganza is one of the largest running festivals in the U.S. with five main events: Walt Disney World Marathon, Walt Disney World Half Marathon, Walt Disney World 10K, Walt Disney World 5K and runDisney Kids Races. That includes runners doubling, tripling, or quadrupling their fun with the Dopey Challenge, Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge, and Castaway Cay Challenge.
New Balance released their 2017 runDisney Collection of shoes at the 2017 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, with designs that pay homage to iconic Disney parks rides Space Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, Mad Tea Party, and Toy Story Mania.
It all adds up to one big event. So take a look at Mickey Mouse’s favorite race weekend by the numbers.
7,800 runners will take on the Dopey Challenge in 2017. (Disney Sports)
2017 Walt Disney World Marathon By The Numbers
Participation
323,000—runners who have registered for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in its 20 years
230,000—runners who take part in runDisney events each year
100,000—runners and spectators expected at Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
78,000—registrations for the 2017 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
26,000—runners registered for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon
22,000—runners registered for the Walt Disney World Marathon
12,700—runners registered for the Walt Disney World 10K
12,600—runners registered for the Walt Disney World 5K
7,800—Dopey Challenge registrants
4,700—kids registered for the runDisney Kids Races
2,994—runners registered for the first Walt Disney World Half Marathon in 1998
2,600—Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge registrants
Supplies
80,000—bottles of Powerade at the weekend’s races
33,000—bottles of Dasani water
30,000—pounds of ice put to use
28,500—pounds of bananas consumed by runners
4—styles of shoes in the 2017 New Balance runDisney Collection, themed to iconic rides Space Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, Mad Tea Party, and Toy Story Mania
History and Records
1994—year of the first Walt Disney World Marathon
1998—year of the first Walt Disney World Half Marathon
2014—year of the first Walt Disney World 10K
2:31:54—women’s marathon event record, set in 1995 by Judit Nagy of Hungary
2:11:50–men’s marathon event record, set in 1995 by Leonid Shvetsov of Russia
1:13:04—women’s half-marathon event record, set in 1999 by Taeko Terauchi of Japan
1:05:26—men’s half-marathon event record, set in 2013 by Mike Morgan of Michigan
24—years the Walt Disney World Marathon has been running
20—years the Walt Disney World Half Marathon has been running
12—years in a row a Brazilian runner has won the Walt Disney World Marathon, split between Adriano Bastos with 7 wins and Fredison Costa with 5 victories
Courses
48.6—miles Dopey Challenge participants will run over four days
39.3—miles Goofy’s Race and a half participants will run over two days
26.2—miles Walt Disney World Marathon finishers will complete
8—races and challenges taking place during the weekend (marathon, half, 10K, 5K, kids races, Dopey Challenge, Goofy Challenge, Castaway Challenge)
4—theme parks runners go through at the Walt Disney World Marathon presented by Cigna: Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT.
1—race that runs through all four Walt Disney World theme parks. The one, the only, Walt Disney World Marathon.
With Lady Daisy and Knight Donald at the 2014 Walt Disney World Half Marathon. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)
Want to know what it’s like to run Disney? Read about my experiences!
Race Report: Walt Disney World Marathon
Race Report: Walt Disney World Half Marathon
Race Report: Walt Disney World 10K
Race Report: Walt Disney World 5K
As media, Disney sometimes provides me with complimentary attendance at runDisney events. But as always, all opinions are purely my own. Seriously. For more information read my Disclosure Policy.
About Karla Bruning
Karla Bruning is a race announcer at the TCS New York City Marathon + other major events, TV host for the New York City Triathlon + contributor to Shape, Redbook, Runner's World + other publications. She used to report for Newsweek but spent her free time squeezing in workouts. Now it's her job. She's run 8 marathons, 30 halves, 10 triathlons + open water swims. When she's not running, talking about running or writing about running, she's snuggling her baby, spoiling her dog + compulsively traveling.
I am a new runner, but running the Disney Marathon is my biggest goal– I am hoping to run it in 2019, but for now, I am concentrating on a (non-Disney) half marathon in April.
Kate recently posted..My Running Journey Begins
The Walt Disney World Marathon is one of my future goals.
Thank you very much for the details and tips. Great work.
Cheers Sharon…
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