2008 Run to Victory Half, Dec 7th -- Who's in?

[getnthinr]

OK, they have announced the official race hotel and the official airline, so I guess it's about time to put out feelers to see who's planning on the Run to Victory this year.

Are you coming? Are you fundraising so you can do the special dinner with John "The Penguin" Bingham and the Pettys?

I'm trying to decide what I'm doing myself. I have friends from NY coming to do the race and I'm giving them a ride from RDU to Randleman, but I don't know whether to do the fundraising or just visit with any WISH friends who may be coming this year.

If you'd like more info about the race, here are some related WISH posts/threads:

My race report from the inaugural year (with photos and race info):
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=15824999&postcount=1

Last year's WISH meet and race chatter:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1605665

My 2008 race report (with photos):
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=22030152&postcount=29

MouseDogMom's (Jackie's) race report:
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=22015489&postcount=19

CreativeBeth's (Beth's) race report:
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=22025108&postcount=24

jeanneg's (Jeanne's) race report:
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=22023187&postcount=22

HMHunter's (Renee's) race report:
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=22033875&postcount=36

WDWFAN9's (Pat's) race report (more photos):
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=22060284&postcount=43

I can't find Lynne's (xterratri) or Kathy's (NYcpa's) reports, but I know they were there!

So, is anyone coming? Made any plans yet?

 

[amykab]

I would love to do this race! I am a NASCAR fan and knew of the camp, but not the race. My IL's live in NC, near Asheville, so it might be doable if we took a long weekend trip up there. I'd like to fundraise but since I am fundraising for the half in january and maybe a bit for RFTC in october, I'd feel like I would be asking people for too much $$$. I'll have to talk about this with DH. Thanks for posting all the links.

 

[getnthinr]

You are entirely welcome, Amy! I know the date is still a ways out, but I thought it was worth asking if anyone had it on their schedule -- even if it was in pencil at this point.

 

[Big Vic]

We're still making plans to be there. Hope the gas prices don't price us out of the trip.

Guess I need to get cracking on the hotel reservations and getting some donations. Will probably wait a bit to register.

 

[MouseDogMom]

Have not registered yet, but it's on the official race calendar (and in my signature). We're trying not to travel much, so this one is an easy one to do from here.

For anyone on the fence, Nascar fan or not, it's a great race! I only did the 5 miler last year and had a great time.

Jackie

 

[getnthinr]

I'm feeling you on the gas prices, Vic. Like Jackie, I too am trying to race closer to home. I am toying with the idea of doing the Mistletoe Run (Half) and the Run to Victory Half back to back as part of my Goofy training. The races are within 35-40 minutes drive of each other -- Mistletoe on Saturday and this one on Sunday. Of course, making that little jaunt to the airport makes that drive a bit more complicated.

We'll see how things turn out.

Glad to hear you two have interest in coming, though. I do think it's for a good cause.

 

[gatorphipps]

I do have friends running it ..... it kills me being on a Sunday. DH is a minister at our church and it is hard to miss.
It is also a week b/4 the Charlotte marathon, but I more than likely won't do Charlotte this year.
Will need to talk it over with him but put me as a maybe.

 

[getnthinr]

Christa, hope it works out for you! I saw Ron's happy face in the race photo on the Web page for the race -- Too cool! It's always nice seeing him there.

I aspire one day to be fast enough to do Charlotte's Thunder Road marathon, but to date I have not managed to finish any marathon in under 6 hours. Oh well -- at least I have friends who can tell me about it.

 

[jeanneg]

I haven't signed up yet, but we definitely plan to do this one. It was so much fun last year! No fundraising for me, though. I hope we can meet the evening before and have dinner together again this year. I haven't checked the site yet, but I am assuming the official hotel will be the Hampton Inn again. The people there were so nice last year. I remember they gave us goodie bags that were very much appreciated during the drive home.

Speaking of local races, I aso intend to sign up for the City of Oaks Half Marathon in Raleigh. I had been holding out because it was the same day as the NYC marathon which I had applied for entry via lottery. Well I did not get in so we will be doing CofO again this year. It's a good way to get some of my training walks in.

Wendy: thanks for posting those links.....it was fun reading all the reports again.

 

[getnthinr]

You're welcome, Jeanne! The Run to Victory is not easy, but it is fun -- and like you, I'd much rather do a race as a training walk than (in my case) pound it out on my own on the treadmill. It was much more fun last year because you and John and Pat were there for dinner -- and there were all the other WISHers there on race day. I hope we'll end up with a good group this year as well.

It's really good timing for winding up the Disney training, I think.

I'm signed up for the City of Oaks Marathon. I hope that wasn't a terrible mistake. Some races are geared towards back of the packers and some aren't. That is one tough marathon from everything I've heard -- though I did really enjoy the half last year. Time will tell, I guess.

 

[jeanneg]

Wendy, please clarify......you signed up for the City of Oaks Marathon or Half-marathon ? I heard that last year's full course was extrememly difficult with most of the rough areas being during the second half. I also read that they tweaked the course this year so that the second half will be a little easier. I know they reversed part of the course so that one of the really steep uphills will now be a downhill. That said, there was an article in the N&O last year right after the race about the DLF - a 50 year old woman who was going to complete 50 marathons before she reached 50 (she was just a little behind schedule and figured she would still meet her goal if she completed them while she was still 50!) I think the City of Oaks was number 49 or something like that. And that was the harder course! Then there was something on the TV news about an 80-something year old woman who came in 2 or 3 minutes under the 7-hr mark. So if they can do it, you will surely ace it! As for me personally, I really enjoyed the food and festivities at the end of the race which were still going strong because the really fast full marathoners were just starting to come in when we finished. If I ever attempted to do the full, I know they'd be all out of pizza and beer by the time I crossed the finish line. And you know what my priorities are!

 

[getnthinr]

Wendy, please clarify......you signed up for the City of Oaks Marathon or Half-marathon ? I heard that last year's full course was extrememly difficult with most of the rough areas being during the second half.

The MARATHON!

I am going Goofy again this year, so I need to get in those long walks. Even with the best of intentions, it's just so hard to get in 20+ miles on the treadmill at home surrounded by family who "only needs this one thing" about every hour or so. A 5-8 miler is one thing, but trying to walk undisturbed for 5 or more hours is almost impossible. That's why I try to sign up for marathons in September, October, November, and December -- then I know I'm Goofy-ready in January.

Thanks for the encouraging words anyway. I should be able to do it; it just intimidates me.

 

[MouseDogMom]

Jeanne - The 80-something year old woman is a member of my Galloway group (she just turned 82 last week, actually) and she's done many marathons. She's slow, but she gets it done! (And she's an absolute riot too!)

I'm considering the City of Oaks marathon too, since they rerouted the course. I think I can recover from that and be ready for RTV by December!

And Wendy, from my experience last year, I'd say it's pretty back-of-the-pack friendly. I know the course was fully open the entire 7 hours, and we were manning a water stop at mile 22 and did our best to be just as energetic and enthusiastic for the last runners/walkers as we were for the first.

Jackie

 

[jeanneg]

I haven't signed up yet, so I will think about it. I mentioned it to John (who plans to do his very first full marathon at WDW in January) I could see his eyes light up. Now he's thinking it might be a good trial run for the Mickey. So I asked him, "Don't you want to save your marathon virginity for Mickey as I did?" His reponse was unprintable. I guess men don't get sentimental about things like that. I always wanted my first time to be so very special....and it was!

Jackie: 2 of my friends just joined the Raleigh Galloway group. One is my neighbor Patti who has been running all her life but has never done more than a 10K because she always gets cold feet. The other is my friend, Teesa, who is also a fitness instuctor at the Y. She is a West Point alumnus who will be turning 50 next year and has signed up for the Goofy along with some other people from her graduating class. Perhaps you know them......
Are you doing the full or the half at WDW this year?

 

[MouseDogMom]

Jackie: 2 of my friends just joined the Raleigh Galloway group. One is my neighbor Patti who has been running all her life but has never done more than a 10K because she always gets cold feet. The other is my friend, Teesa, who is also a fitness instuctor at the Y. She is a West Point alumnus who will be turning 50 next year and has signed up for the Goofy along with some other people from her graduating class. Perhaps you know them......
Are you doing the full or the half at WDW this year?

I'll have to keep my eyes open. As of last week we had 372 members, so unless they're in the 12:00 pace group chances are slim, and even then, there are 40+ people in our group!

I haven't registered for WDW yet, so chances are good that if we go it will be the full. I'd kinda thought I wanted it to be my first full (yes, I'm a girl and I have those sentimental moments! ), but there's something intriguing about taking on the Raleigh course. As for Disney, DH is wavering about doing the half, so we'd have to book our rooms through Anthony Travel to get him into the half and then I'd have to do the full. My bonus check is in the bank waiting to book the trip, but our company continues to lay off, and even though I'm not in any real danger, it's still comforting knowing the money is there while the economy drags. And DD turns 18 the day before the Disney half, and she can't miss any school or she'll blow her senior exam exemption, so DH and I would have to fly down separately from her and have her arrive the evening of her birthday! How's that for complications? And you asked such a simple question! And we've totally hijacked Wendy's original RTV thread too!

Jackie

 

[jeanneg]

I asked my spin instructor this morning what group she was in.......well, she just joined and already she is in the 10.5 minute group! (Don't you just hate people like that!)

 

[getnthinr]

And DD turns 18 the day before the Disney half, and she can't miss any school or she'll blow her senior exam exemption, so DH and I would have to fly down separately from her and have her arrive the evening of her birthday! How's that for complications? And you asked such a simple question! And we've totally hijacked Wendy's original RTV thread too!

Jackie

Hijacking is totally acceptable, dear friends!

Jackie, that Raleigh group is enormous! Thanks for your words of encouragement about the City of Oaks Marathon. And my daughters would tell yours that WDW is a superb place to spend a birthday. I'd highly recommend dinner at Park Faire, where she'll get a crown (and you can pre-order some fabulous chocolate-covered strawberries -- OMG!!!!!)

Jeanne, if only we had the speed of your friends and neighbors! Heck, right now I'd be happy to keep up with you and John!

See you on the road, friends!