runDisney Elite Wave

[Drewferin]

Based on what I can find online it appears that the elite wave for each race is the top 25 male and top 25 female racers? Can somebody confirm this for me?

 

[Nightriders19]

The 2020 Marathon was my only runDisney race experience, but there didn't appear to be a separate elite wave. I started near the front of corral A, and as far as I could tell, we went out with the elites. I finished 12th OA for females.

 

[Drewferin]

Dang grats on being such a strong finisher/runner! I was hoping the elite wave was a get out of jail free card so the crowds didnt influence my 10k in Feb. Told my wife we could race the 10k and mess around on the half the next day

 

[DopeyBadger]

I can confirm @Nighriders19's experience from 6 runDisney Marathon weekends. There are a very small handful of runners (past champion and such) that are allowed to start ahead of Corral A in the marathon (and maybe half marathon?). But for the 10k, I'm not sure if I've ever seen anyone lead out in front of Corral A other than the time Paula Radcliffe ran. While the top 25 bibs male and female are typically reserved for the Elite designation, not all of those bibs are even assigned. @Wendy98 has had an Elite bib in the past, and can give her experience from it. I know Jaime D. had an Elite bib at this year's marathon and we started next to each other.

If you want to be at the front of Corral A for the 10k, then just head to the corrals when they open. That's usually 60-65 min before the race start.

 

[ANIM8R]

If you want to be at the front of Corral A for the 10k, then just head to the corrals when they open. That's usually 60-65 min before the race start.

Or Plan B is what I've seen too many times - show up 10 minutes before the race is supposed to start just bull rush through the crowd to the front anyway.

 

[Wendy98]

Yes, elite wave technically is supposed to be in front of corral A, but in my 2 WDW marathon experiences, there was no real separation. In 2017, I think I was about 5 rows from the line--I knew what kind of time would win it, so no need to push up to the very front--that wasn't going to be me! I looked at those results and I crossed over the start in 1 second (finished 9th OA, 3:07). In 2019 I had an elite bib again. I decided to run this easy and make character stops (I think I hit 12 of them). I didn't care where I started and think I was in the mid-back of corral A. Looking at results, it took me about 16 seconds to get across the start line (finished 22nd OA, 3:22).

Really, if you are in A, crowds aren't going to be an issue. I am not sure what time gets you an elite bib--both times I submitted a sub 3 hour marathon. Any other marathon, it would not be elite.

 

[GreatLakes]

I am not sure if anything has changed or if it was different in DL but I was in the elite wave for the inaugural Disneyland Half. We had a separate area in the front but the A coral started with us. Not sure if they had wave starts then or just the separate corrals.