Am I crazy?

[IamTrike]

I'm looking at 2 different races this weekend. There is a local 5k and an 8k which is about 2 hours away. The 5k includes a cotton tee and the 8k includes a long sleeve tech tee. There is also a kids race at the 8k that gives out medals. I'm leaning toward the 8k because the race is longer, it's a better t-shirt and there's bling for the kiddos. Is it insane to make race decisions based on the t-shirt and/or medal they give out. My wife looked at me as though I had lost my mind when I suggested we spend 4 hours driving saturday so that I could get a cool t-shirt and DS could get a medal.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

I'm looking at 2 different races this weekend. There is a local 5k and an 8k which is about 2 hours away. The 5k includes a cotton tee and the 8k includes a long sleeve tech tee. There is also a kids race at the 8k that gives out medals. I'm leaning toward the 8k because the race is longer, it's a better t-shirt and there's bling for the kiddos. Is it insane to make race decisions based on the t-shirt and/or medal they give out. My wife looked at me as though I had lost my mind when I suggested we spend 4 hours driving saturday so that I could get a cool t-shirt and DS could get a medal.

Your wife is a wise person.

 

[SAHDad]

I generally won't drive more than 30-45 minutes each way for a 5k or 10k race, but that's just me. YMMV, but I don't see it as being crazy. Just make a day trip out of it or something.

 

[verticalchaos]

I commute an hour into races in Central Park, but that's because the subway lines I use are invariably affected by weekend track work, and I regularly commute into Manhattan from Brooklyn on weekends for church and other fun things. And I'm only out the "cost" of the subway ride (which I get unlimited cards through my paycheck deductions, so it feels like nothing).

If it's going to take me much longer than that and involve more than what an unlimited MTA card covers to go elsewhere, it will have to be for at least a half marathon.

IMHO 8K is an awfully short race to drive 4 hours (at least pending traffic) to run. Especially with gas prices what they are.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

Good to know I am not the only one that makes a decision about a race based on the bling. I don't think you are crazy - it isn't convenient to go to DL and spend all that money but that Coast to Coast medal is too nice to pass up.

 

[FireDancer]

I've chosen one local race over another because you get a tech shirt instead of a cotton one but they would have both been at least close to the same distance. I think 4 hours for the tech shirt is a bit much but if you want to do the race go for it.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I registered for a race that was about an hour away from where I live. It was a unique distance which is why I did it. I wouldn't do it again because they didn't allow packet pick up on the day of the race. So I ended up spending four hours driving - one day to pick up the packet and drive home and another day getting to the race and back home. While I liked the race, all the driving felt like a waste of time.

 

[Duanerice]

Yes you are crazy

I wouldn't do it but that's me. I do drive that far for a sprint tri but that is because there is nothing closer.

I would pick a race for the bling and the swag but like others said, only if they were the same distance.

enjoy your race,
Duane

 

[cewait]

I vote crazy......

But I also vote in favor of an 8k over a 5 k any day of the week - well maybe not 2 hours out..

But then I do regulary travel an hour or two from organized bike rides.
Oh and to get a race that is not pancake flat or......


Go figure.

Maybe I am the crazy one



But as a footnote...... How many folks travel to MCO for just the 5k? Hmmmmm For the vast majority of us it is just a little longer than a couple hours.

 

[verticalchaos]

I vote crazy.....

But as a footnote...... How many folks travel to MCO for just the 5k? Hmmmmm For the vast majority of us it is just a little longer than a couple hours.

The big difference I see is that most of the people just going the 5K at Disney make a vacation out of it and don't just drive a couple of hours for the race and then back home after. (AP/Florida Resident Passholders who go a lot for a day or so at a time don't count in that since that's a regular occurrence with a 5K thrown in.)

 

[MouseDogMom]

Maybe I'm the odd one out here, and maybe it has something to do with living in NC, but I don't see anything strange at all!

1) It is an 8K, so it's not just a 5K. (I, on the other hand, went to WDW for my first 5K. It's a LONG way from NC to Florida)

2) It's a long-sleeve tech shirt, not just a short-sleeve.

3) And the clincher for me, there's bling for the kids, so it's a 2 for 1. Not often do you get kids' bling during races shorter than a half.

I say go for it! If I weren't injured, I'd be asking where and joining you!

Jackie

 

[IamTrike]

Your wife is a wise person.

She is very wise. It's been 13 years and I'm still trying to figure out why she puts up with me.

At this point I can see that its crazy, but I still may go with the 8k. I've been comparing my work travel schedule with the race calendar for NC and I don't know that I'm going to have another opportunity to race until I do a half in April. They do allow packet pickup race morning, so at least I won't have to make the drive twice.

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[verticalchaos]

Maybe I'm the odd one out here, and maybe it has something to do with living in NC, but I don't see anything strange at all!

1) It is an 8K, so it's not just a 5K. (I, on the other hand, went to WDW for my first 5K. It's a LONG way from NC to Florida)

2) It's a long-sleeve tech shirt, not just a short-sleeve.

3) And the clincher for me, there's bling for the kids, so it's a 2 for 1. Not often do you get kids' bling during races shorter than a half.

I say go for it! If I weren't injured, I'd be asking where and joining you!

Jackie

I grew up in North Carolina, so it's not a North Carolina thing...

Regarding your travel to Disney for the 5K, did you drive down, run the 5K and drive back in one day? If so, ok. But if not, that's the difference IMHO.

The tech shirt thing... It would really depend on who manufactured the shirt. We got long-sleeved tech shirts for the Jingle Bell Jog up here, but they are crap quality and I would have rather had a nice short-sleeved tech t or a regular t-shirt like we usually get at NYRR races.

As for the kids, maybe it's just where you are, but pretty much every kids' race I've seen has something for them. I figured it was in the kids race rule book.

Ultimately it's the OP's money though, so if he wants to spend the money on gas (and wear and tear on the car) and the time to travel, it's his decision.

 

[jmasgat]

I vote for not crazy. If you're motivated and will enjoy it, then what's the big deal? I've driven more than two hours just to go skiing for the day--no race or bling involved. I've driven two hours to go to an outlet mall with my DD. Probably driven two hours to do other things that had "entertainment" or "recreation" value, too.

So go ahead and do it- and enjoy!

Maura

 

[joan4mickey]

I just want to know what races you are looking at because there is suppose to be great weather this weekend in the costal and piedmont carolina area.

 

[IamTrike]

I just want to know what races you are looking at because there is suppose to be great weather this weekend in the costal and piedmont carolina area.

I'm looking at the NHL Allstar 5k in Raleigh and the Rowan Runners 8k. I thought I saw a 5k at a YMCA in Wilmington but can't seem to find any information on that now.

Not really worried about wear and tear on the car. My Jeep's 4 years old and still has sub 20k miles because I don't drive it much.

Thanks for the encouragement Maura. I'm trying to get faster and I figured I'd push myself a little harder during a race than a typical weekend run.

 

[IamTrike]

Maybe I'm the odd one out here, and maybe it has something to do with living in NC, but I don't see anything strange at all!

1) It is an 8K, so it's not just a 5K. (I, on the other hand, went to WDW for my first 5K. It's a LONG way from NC to Florida)

2) It's a long-sleeve tech shirt, not just a short-sleeve.

3) And the clincher for me, there's bling for the kids, so it's a 2 for 1. Not often do you get kids' bling during races shorter than a half.

I say go for it! If I weren't injured, I'd be asking where and joining you!

Jackie

Jackie, I'm gonna do the flying pirate half in April in Nags Head. DS and DW are probably going to do the 5k, which is a neat course that runs right up to the Wright Bros Memorial. Maybe we can find some other NC WISHers to run it.

 

[MouseDogMom]

I'm so bummed that I can't do the NHL Allstar 5K. I'm not cleared to run until at least the end of March, so half of the 5K's that I want to do this spring are off the calendar, that one included. I'm hoping to be okay for the Run for our Heroes in Raleigh on 4/30, but it's still a long shot.

I know a couple of people who did the Flying Pirate last year, and I still have that one on my "one day" list. I doubt I'll be ready, but DH may absolutely be interested. He and DD are doing Myrtle Beach next month, so he'll be ready for another by April!

Jackie

 

[joan4mickey]

I'm not far from Salisbury and have seen Winter Flight shirts from previous year at other local races. I looked at that race, but I need to get 8-10 miles in this weekend so will skip it, but a 10am start and the weather looks good and I think I have heard (don't quote me) that they have good refreshments.
You could make a nice family outing, maybe stop by the zoo too (if that's along your route).

 

[WDWFAN9]

I vote not crazy! If you have the time, why not? There are a lot worse ways to spend a day.

DH and I are driving 2.5 hrs and spending a night in a hotel to do a 5K...well, there are extenuating circumstances - the event is at the university my youngest DD graduated from, she and some of her classmates are having a mini-reunion and doing the event too, it is a fund-raiser, and, oh ya - it is put on by my DH's favorite race director, John Bingham, also a grad of Millikin University. And yes, there is a penguin medal!