For those that did Dopey would you do it again?

[goofeygirl]

I think that's the key. When we chatted with some Dopey runners it seemed like most of them were either limiting park time or skipping them altogether. If I could go just to race I think I could do it, but with how pricey the trip is and our limited vacation time it makes more sense for us to make the most of our trip. I can always run a race but my family doesn't get to go to WDW often.

...and this was a big deal...and why I didn't do any parks this year...though I have seen them all it would have been nice to go to ONE with my niece and nephew...I have done that previous years. However knowing that each morning I would have to get up between 230-3am to eat breakfast and get ready..and each morning the race was double than what it was the day before...it also meant not doing other things.
When I did the Goofy...I did have a couple of days where I could go out and do the park things.

It is the real downer to this but I knew that when I signed up. I knew I wasn't going to hang out later at night because I had to get up so early and I knew each day the race miles doubled. I knew it was all leading up to a full marathon and then the next day everyone goes home...the day I could have gone to a park and everyone goes home.

So while I would love to do it again there are some reasons why not too...but it seems that MORE people would NOT do it again...I am reading these posts and others on different fb pages and it seems most runners would not do it again for basically the same reasons...which leads me to wonder if they will bring the Dopey back next year...I am already thinking not. I also thought it odd that they had very limited merchandise for it...like a sweatshirt...nothing...not like the choices one had for all the other races.

I am going to guess that I don't think they will bring it back next year. Too many Dopeys said they wouldn't do it again because of the long commitment.
Who knows though.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I did the parks Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with no problem. Saturday I only ate at EPCOT, and Sunday, no parks at all.

 

[Haas4Concern]

I dont think I will be doing the Dopey again. In fact, I think im sticking with the half marathon for the foreseeable future. I have more fun at that distance and it doesnt wipe me out like a marathon does. Then again, I said the same thing last year and look what happened. I also missed the WISH meet up this year due to timing stuff. Hopefully with only one race to run next year, I can enjoy the non-running activities as much as the running activities.

 

[buckeyecinderella]

I did not do the Dopey this year but would like to run it in future. I hope they keep the race around for awhile! I ran the 10k plus Goofy. All very manageable and so much fun. But my focus this trip was the races and not park touring. I planned that going in. And really I enjoyed it because I had a chance to relax at the hotel, shop, etc that I don't get enough of on other trips.

Didn't the Dopey sell out pretty quickly too? I would think there would still be plenty of runners who would like to do this challenge but couldn't get in this year or didn't feel prepared this year but would want to do it in the future. Like me.
Also, I don't see Disney getting rid of the 5k or 10k so might as well keep the Dopey, right? I hope so.

 

[ludari]

I completed Dopey and I would probably not do it again unless I was celebrating something special like a milestone birthday or something similar. I just do not like full marathons. I enjoy half marathons because I have the energy to go to the parks afterwards, go out to dinner with friends, etc but after full marathons I just want to shower, soak my feet and rest.

 

[jamesg]

You should join the Dopey Challenge Facebook group. There are over 800 of us, and most of us spent the whole week doing meet ups.

Thanks roomthreeseventeen, I just did.

I find myself more and more interested in the idea of continuing to be "perfectly dopey" and attending the event every year from now on. I can't think of another challenge like the Dopey Challenge so until I find one I think that will be my focus.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

i did the first three races with betsy (ironz) and it was fabulous. the full we did on our own and it all worked out nicely. i am not sure i could have completed it all without her for the awesome company and support. i think that if i were to do dopey again i would need to have a friend to run with. i'm a total solo runner usually but sharing the experience with someone really helped.

besides having someone to run with, i would have to have a discussion with DH before i signed up again. it's alot to ask of family to deal with the early rising, childcare, etc. one or two mornings seems fair but 4 was alot. maybe i could go down a day or two earlier than dh and the kids. i could do a solo trip but seeing dh and the boys during the full with the big GO NANCY! sign really does help

 

[John VN]

Even though my body was hurting more than after my Ironman in November, I'll be back for Dopey 2.

McFlurry John

 

[DOOM1001]

Even though my body was hurting more than after my Ironman in November, I'll be back for Dopey 2.

McFlurry John

Did you get your McFlurry?

 

[John VN]

Did you get your McFlurry?

I had a McFlurry at the start of every race and did stop at mile 15 for a fresh and cold M&M McFlurry. IT WAS GREAT!

McFlurry John

 

[DOOM1001]

I had a McFlurry at the start of every race and did stop at mile 15 for a fresh and cold M&M McFlurry. IT WAS GREAT!

McFlurry John

Cool,I was worried with the increased security procedures you might have been denied.

 

[goofeygirl]

I had a McFlurry at the start of every race and did stop at mile 15 for a fresh and cold M&M McFlurry. IT WAS GREAT!

McFlurry John

I thought of you as I passed the McDonalds exit around mile 15...no way could I have gone down the ramp and up again ... I would have to build up a LOT more speed to earn a McFlurry! .... but I did think of you passing it and thought...you would have long long past this place by now...

Now I cannot remember...but are you the one that walks marathons at an incredibly fast pace? Or am I confusing you with someone else here?

 

[goofeygirl]

I have driven myself crazy with this question....at first I said I would do the Dopey again and then it was followed by a would not...but I was thinking about it again...here is what I think RIGHT NOW....I am 48 years old and still young to do the crazy things in my life that someday I wont be able to do (if I live long enough).
I think of people like Santa (Dave?) of whom I had a photo taken with at the half and who is older than myself by a year or two or three
...and ran the Dopey...why shouldn't I? What about the couple in their mid 70's who were running PAST me with a sign that stated their ages and the fact they were doing the Dopey together...What is my reason for NOT doing it if I can right now in my life? It is the entire reason I went to Disney...to do the races...I have seen and done the parks so its not terrible if I do not go to them ... nor is it terrible that for a few days out of one year I have to get up and crazy hours to run crazy miles...

So its something for me to think about between now and when the reg. opens...and besides...The Goofy medal should be way too cool next year!

 

[buckeyecinderella]

I have driven myself crazy with this question....at first I said I would do the Dopey again and then it was followed by a would not...but I was thinking about it again...here is what I think RIGHT NOW....I am 48 years old and still young to do the crazy things in my life that someday I wont be able to do (if I live long enough).
I think of people like Santa (Dave?) of whom I had a photo taken with at the half and who is older than myself by a year or two or three
...and ran the Dopey...why shouldn't I? What about the couple in their mid 70's who were running PAST me with a sign that stated their ages and the fact they were doing the Dopey together...What is my reason for NOT doing it if I can right now in my life? It is the entire reason I went to Disney...to do the races...I have seen and done the parks so its not terrible if I do not go to them ... nor is it terrible that for a few days out of one year I have to get up and crazy hours to run crazy miles...

So its something for me to think about between now and when the reg. opens...and besides...The Goofy medal should be way too cool next year!

If you can and want to, do it!

Sometimes I feel I am extravagant planning/doing these races, but truly like you said, someday I won't be able to. I want to try do to as many as my schedule and budget will allow, not just rD, but a number of destination races.

 

[John VN]

I thought of you as I passed the McDonalds exit around mile 15...no way could I have gone down the ramp and up again ... I would have to build up a LOT more speed to earn a McFlurry! .... but I did think of you passing it and thought...you would have long long past this place by now...

Now I cannot remember...but are you the one that walks marathons at an incredibly fast pace? Or am I confusing you with someone else here?

My past races were completed by speed walking but recently I have been able to add jogging to my repertoire. Interesting tidbit is that Sunday's marathon was slower than my walking marathons even though I jogged almost the entire race.

BTW, I have another Ironman in November and will do Dopey next year at 64+.

McFlurry John

 

[CaptHomer]

Will not do the Dopey again. Don't like having to get there by Wednesday. You can't really enjoy the parks those days anyway. I will do the Goofy next year because I don't have to be there until Friday.

 

[ANIM8R]

Lontime lurker here on DISboards but had to participate in this!

Yes to doing Dopey again! I did the unofficial Dopey in 2013 but found this year to be more difficult than I had anticipated. I think it was more the weather than the 10K plus I was fighting a cold the first three races. Luckily, I felt great on Sunday. Thank you Delsym!

I'm not the quickest runner but I am very proud to have earned that medal. So much so that - I hope this doesn't come across wrong - I didn't even put on the Mickey or Goofy medal after finishing the marathon. All I wanted was to put on that Dopey bling! (Although I think the Goofy is the better looking medal of the six).

I'm 46 and if I can be perfectly Dopey for five years, that'll put me at 50. I'd be estatic to complete the Dopey at age 50! We'll evaluate the situation after that point.

Bottom line - that was the most fun I've ever had running 48.6 miles!

 

[mufasa0505]

I "just" ran the marathon this year (but did Tink to get my C2C the following weekend) and I got serious medal envy from the Dopey people. I'll be doing Dopey in 2015. I originally did not sign up for it because when registration opened, I hadn't done a full and didn't want the Dopey to be my first full. I ended up doing one in October and kicking myself for not signing up for Dopey.

 

[RnbwSktles]

I see the point. So thinking out loud, how does one 'fix' the issue? Unfortunately, there is an underclass of folks who saw the race expo revision process as a game and made up results to better their corrals. The desk was so slammed that there was no way of verifying results at the expo and we ended up with huge groups of folks in B, C and D who really had no reason to be there.

I saw a ton of people corral hopping at the full this year so I think there is only so much they can do to keep people in their correct corrals anyway. I was in K, and when our "column" on the right side was moving forward, people from the left side were running across and jumping in.

I also think avg pace is a useless way to group people unless you're in the first few corrals. I can avg a 11:30 pace by running quickly with short walk breaks. Someone who runs slower but consistently can also have the same pace. We will still be tripping over each other.

I "just" ran the marathon this year (but did Tink to get my C2C the following weekend) and I got serious medal envy from the Dopey people. I'll be doing Dopey in 2015. I originally did not sign up for it because when registration opened, I hadn't done a full and didn't want the Dopey to be my first full. I ended up doing one in October and kicking myself for not signing up for Dopey.

I feel the same way as you. This year was my first full and I was sooo jealous of the Dopey medals. Without ever having run a marathon, I had no way of knowing how I would handle 4 days in a row. I am glad I didn't attempt it as I had a poor performance doing just the full.

Im considering Goofy for 2015, but I feel guilty about spending the money to just get down there and race, let alone going to the parks. I wish I didn't have to make the decision so far in advance!

 

[lifeasiseeit]

I'm doing it again. Even though I swore up and down 2 weeks BEFORE the marathon that I would never, ever run a marathon again.

I am one of the lucky few that never has pain after a race *knockonwood*, I *like* getting up early, and I'm not upset about missing the parks (although I did do MK on Thursday with a late dinner, DTD and hung out with a friend on Friday, AK and Epcot on Saturday, DTD and flew home Sunday afternoon/evening). I think Dopey was designed for me!

In all reality, I've decided that 2015 will be a runDisney year - except for that EEC thing, I'm going to do all of the races.

My big question mark is NYC. I have a guaranteed entry and need to decide by March 18th if I'm taking it or not.