Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Training Plans

customized for you and the race.

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  • Smarter Training Plans Smarter Plans
  • Safe Training Plans Fewer Injuries
  • Successful Training Plans Better Results

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Training Plans

Custom Training Plans are designed around you and the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend course. We take into account variables that no other training plans can match because we know how important it is to achieve your specific Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend goals.

  • Expert Training Plans

    expert plans

    Developed by certified coaches with time-tested results.

  • Runner Specific Training Plans

    Runner Specific

    We know you’re unique. Your training plan should match.

  • Race Specific Training Plans

    race Specific

    Race profile, time of year, and altitude all factor into our plans.

  • Affordable Training Plans

    affordable

    Custom plans shouldn’t cost more than the race itself.

ABOUT WALT DISNEY WORLD MARATHON WEEKEND TRAINING PLANS

Since 1994, tens of thousands of runners have converged in Orlando in early January to celebrate Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend by running the Walt Disney World 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Full Marathon. Disney Marathon Weekend is the largest of the annual runDisney events, with over 42,000 participants registered for at least one distance. This event also offers "challenges" for runners who want to participate in two or more races over the course of the weekend. You can combine the half marathon and full marathon to complete Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge, or go all-out by running almost 50 miles in total to complete the Dopey Challenge: the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Full Marathon.

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Training Plan

Disney’s family-friendly atmosphere and Orlando’s mild January temperatures make the Disney Marathon Weekend’s races attractive for runners of all ages and abilities. Custom Training Plans designs race-specific training programs that can be personalized for runners at all levels. We offer Disney Marathon training plans, Disney Half Marathon training plans, Disney 10K training plans, and even Disney 5K training plans. Each program can be customized to factor in your current fitness and race goals. Following a CTP Disney Marathon training program can help you make progress toward race day at a pace that’s right for you.

The weekend kicks off on Thursday evening with the Disney 5K. All of the racecourses used during Disney Marathon Weekend begin and end at Epcot, with visits to Disney theme parks added on to increase the distance accordingly. The 5K course revolves around Epcot. The course starts in the parking lot and skirts Epcot’s backstage area. Just after the first mile marker, runners begin a tour through World Showcase, circling the lagoon before heading back through Epcot to the finish line.

The Disney 10K is run on Friday, and runners will begin by taking a similar loop out past World Showcase and the lagoon. The 10K route then splits off to run along the lagoons of the resorts adjacent to the Epcot area before finishing back at Epcot. Both the 5K and 10K races are well-suited for runners of all ages, and the flat course is perfect for beginners. Whether this is your first race ever or just your first race this weekend, following a CTP Disney 5K training plan or Disney 10K training plan can set you up for success. Each of our plans is designed to build your cardiovascular strength and endurance by helping athletes to avoid overtraining injuries.

Orlando’s sunny days and mild January temperatures make the Disney Half Marathon especially attractive for first-time long distance runners. The course begins at Epcot, but skips World Showcase and instead makes a beeline toward the Magic Kingdom. Runners pass Space Mountain, the Haunted Mansion, and Splash Mountain before heading back to Epcot. The route is lined with cheering spectators and countless characters providing enthusiastic support for all 13.1 miles. Its flat, even terrain allows you to focus on your endurance, making the course less demanding than one that includes significant elevation changes. It’s still important to train properly, though. Our 12-week Disney Half Marathon training plans are designed to increase your endurance and power so you can go the distance. For complete beginners, CTP also offers 20-week Disney Half Marathon training plans that provide an additional 8 weeks of cardiovascular strength conditioning to help you avoid burnout and overtraining.

The weekend is capped off by the Disney Marathon on Sunday. This marathon inspires deep loyalty – over 75 “perfect marathoners” have completed every single Walt Disney World Marathon. Over 20,000 runners line up to take on a marathon course that runs through all four Walt Disney World theme parks. The race starts at Epcot and turns north to visit the Magic Kingdom before reversing direction to head toward Animal Kingdom. One of the biggest highlights of the marathon is the opportunity to ride attractions mid-race. Many runners stop during the Animal Kingdom segment to ride Expedition Everest, which marks the unofficial halfway point. Other runners ride the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster or the Tower of Terror when passing through Hollywood Studios, the race’s next destination. After a brief visit to Blizzard Beach, the route turns onto the homestretch and heads for the finish line at Epcot.

To complete a marathon, most runners need more variety than a generic mileage calendar can provide. Quality marathon training plans should include additional workouts that incorporate strength training, mobility work, and cross-training. For those running 26.2, Custom Training Plans offers both 20-week Disney Marathon training plans and 24-week Disney Marathon training plans designed by professional trainers for runners of all levels. Whatever your distance and current level of fitness, we can customize a Disney race training plan just for you.

Here’s what you’ll receive in your plan package:

  • Daily Plans

    DETAILED DAILY PLAN

  • Pace Chart

    Pace chart

  • Lift Workouts

    Lift workouts

  • Coaching Letter

    Letter from your coach

  • Mobility Workouts

    Mobility workouts

  • RPE Chart

    RPE chart

  • Running Podcast

    Podcast

  • Motivational Emails

    Weekly motivation email

How Training Plans Work

How it works

  1. Complete our proprietary runner questionnaire so we can get to know you better.
  2. Your custom Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend plan is built based on advanced analytics with expert coaching oversight.
  3. Receive your custom Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend training plan, lifting + mobility guide, a letter from our coaches, and more within 24 hours.
  4. Finish the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend with confidence.

Our method

  1. Certified Coaches

    With the expertise of USATF certified coaches and physical therapists, we built an advanced model to weigh the effects of runner-specific variables on training outcomes.

  2. Custom Race Profile

    We analyzed unique characteristics of hundreds of races across the country to build a “race profile” into our model that accounts for elevation gain, altitude, time of year, and more.

  3. Training Plan Model

    Our model generates a unique training plan for you and your race, and all plans are reviewed by a coach and hand-tweaked before they make their way to you.