Future runDisney Events

[huskies90]

I am taking today’s Advent Health announcement as a good sign as it mentions runDisney resources:

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021...ey-world-with-official-provider-adventhealth/
“AdventHealth World of Wellness will be a new suite of virtual services for those with healthcare questions in Disney World. The system will feature Athletic Training resources, runDisney resources, Emergency Room resources, Urgent Care and Virtual Care, a Care Concierge Call Center, Vacation Planning resources, and Equipment and Prescription Delivery.”

 

[GrandAdmiralStrife]

hmmm, the runDisney Blog page has now had TWO stories in the last two days..... I suspect it may be leading to an announcement of some sort....

 

[Barca33Runner]

Well, I got skeptical enough about MW2022 after they cancelled MNSSHP that I decided to give in to the RnR Las Vegas emails I’ve been getting. This will be my first time visiting Las Vegas and second RnR race (first was the inaugural and last Cleveland race in 2013, so does that really count?). Will also be my first race in over two year so the nerves are already going. I’m excited though, seems like it should be a good time.

Still more than ready to register for Dopey 2022 and make those my first races in two years but I needed to get something on the calendar.

 

[PrincessV]

A few notes about things here in FL...

For those who may not have heard, all government orders re: masks, social distancing, and limiting of group sizes are now gone. Businesses can opt to keep their rules in place. In a real-world example, Publix (grocery store) still requires masks... but when I shopped this weekend, about half of shoppers did not wear one and there was no enforcement from the store.

I was in WDW 3 days last week and can attest that there is less enforcement of all COVID restrictions. Mask compliance was still really good, but social distancing was iffy, at best, and nonexistent in many places. CMs are no longer required to wear face shields outdoors in roles that don't involve being within 6' of Guests for more than 15 minutes, and I saw many without them.

The CP is resuming, which can only mean increased park capacity soon. More resorts will be reopening over the coming months, too.

Universal Orlando has moved to 3' of social distancing, which I can tell you is really no social distancing at all once you put 2-3 people in the 3' space.

None of this has anything directly to do with rD, of course. But I'm definitely seeing changes coming along at a pretty swift rate. I received my Star Wars virtual medal the other day and with it was a nice note thanking me for participating, and it specifically referenced looking forward to a time "when we can run with you in-person again." That's pretty telling to me that rD has every intention of resuming at least some live races eventually. I looked back at when registration opened for Marathon Weekend over the years and found that one year, it didn't open until July, so there really is still time, if they opt to return with that weekend in 2022.

 

[1lilspark]

I’m still cautiously optimistic that marathon or Princess could be the first race back in some form live

 

[Desdemona924]

Well, I got skeptical enough about MW2022 after they cancelled MNSSHP that I decided to give in to the RnR Las Vegas emails I’ve been getting. This will be my first time visiting Las Vegas and second RnR race (first was the inaugural and last Cleveland race in 2013, so does that really count?). Will also be my first race in over two year so the nerves are already going. I’m excited though, seems like it should be a good time.

Still more than ready to register for Dopey 2022 and make those my first races in two years but I needed to get something on the calendar.

Cleveland was my first and last RnR experience too! After they cancelled the following year a month out, I've been hesitant to try them again. I would probably only do it for Vegas.

 

[Blondie58]

Not going to speculate on what, when, how etc. Disney runs will return. Only the WDW organization has the answers (and there seems to be a stall about retuning to normal). But, in my opinion: Runs are outside, many people are vaccinated, many have had Covid or been asymptomatic with Covid, most running do not have pre-existing conditions or age against them etc. A return to normal for all these groups would be welcomed. If folks have fear or have not been vaccinated, they may skip participation at this time. Folks are in many different lanes with Covid. All lanes should not be closed. Again, personal opinion.

 

[The Expert]

Cleveland was my first and last RnR experience too! After they cancelled the following year a month out, I've been hesitant to try them again. I would probably only do it for Vegas.

I've done the RnR Vegas Half three times. They are pretty well organized except for the corrals. Basically, everyone ignores their corral assignments and goes with the first corral once their bib color group is called. Other than that, it's run pretty well. The finish chute is LONGGGGGG so be prepared for that. Also the back half of the course that goes through downtown sucks. It's dark and a bit sketchy, especially for those of us in the back of the pack. I am considering going back to do the 10K because it's the good half of the course on the main part of the Strip!

Happy to answer any questions about RnR Vegas, though.

p.s. Edited to add that the 10K is new. They used to do a 5K off-strip the night before the other races, and a full marathon alongside the Half. No more full, but they've added the 10K and it shares half the course with the Half, which is kind of ideal.

 

[GreatLakes]

Cleveland was my first and last RnR experience too! After they cancelled the following year a month out, I've been hesitant to try them again. I would probably only do it for Vegas.

RnR was a mess even for the year they had the race in Cleveland. If you remember they moved it from Saturday to Sunday (or the other way around) after it was announced. They cancelled the second year after they announced a midwest double running Chicago and Cleveland. I signed up for Chicago for that reason and then they screwed that up by cancelling. They also announce Pittsburgh then cancelled it without ever running it.

I've done a few RnR races and some were ok (Nashville, Phily, VA Beach) but unless they were the only option in a city I want to run I wouldn't do them again. Hopefully their last purchase improved things. I can't even remember who owns them now, is it Ironman?

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

If Marathon Weekend doesn’t return in 2022, my motivation is just going to be even higher for 2023. I will use the rest of this year and 2022 to build my base back up (running lately has felt very hard ), find a local race to train for, and shoot for a good proof of time for (fingers crossed!!) Dopey 2023.

 

[Desdemona924]

RnR was a mess even for the year they had the race in Cleveland. If you remember they moved it from Saturday to Sunday (or the other way around) after it was announced. They cancelled the second year after they announced a midwest double running Chicago and Cleveland. I signed up for Chicago for that reason and then they screwed that up by cancelling. They also announce Pittsburgh then cancelled it without ever running it.

I've done a few RnR races and some were ok (Nashville, Phily, VA Beach) but unless they were the only option in a city I want to run I wouldn't do them again. Hopefully their last purchase improved things. I can't even remember who owns them now, is it Ironman?

I knew a lot of wacko stuff went down that year, but didn't remember it all. I think they had a Bronx 10k that was somewhat longstanding that was unexpectedly cancelled too.

I don't know if it's really better now. A friend was supposed to run one of their new races, I want to say Atlantic City? It was last year, which was postponed for obvious reasons. She's tried to contact them for months but they've been terrible at communication. At the beginning of the year, she was told swag was being mailed out and it should arrive in 6-8 weeks, aka March. No swag. Then she got another email a few days that makes it seem like the only way she's getting her swag (paid for over a year ago) is to run the 5k and the half marathon this weekend, maybe it was even this past weekend. My days have run together a bit, but it was a few days notice and she had the weekend to complete. And she has to submit times. Also, can't use a treadmill unless the tracker connects directly to the treadmill.

It has soured her on the RnR organization, even after good experiences in Philly. And, yes, it is Ironman that owns them.

 

[Onceuponamarathon]

I knew a lot of wacko stuff went down that year, but didn't remember it all. I think they had a Bronx 10k that was somewhat longstanding that was unexpectedly cancelled too.

I don't know if it's really better now. A friend was supposed to run one of their new races, I want to say Atlantic City? It was last year, which was postponed for obvious reasons. She's tried to contact them for months but they've been terrible at communication. At the beginning of the year, she was told swag was being mailed out and it should arrive in 6-8 weeks, aka March. No swag. Then she got another email a few days that makes it seem like the only way she's getting her swag (paid for over a year ago) is to run the 5k and the half marathon this weekend, maybe it was even this past weekend. My days have run together a bit, but it was a few days notice and she had the weekend to complete. And she has to submit times. Also, can't use a treadmill unless the tracker connects directly to the treadmill.

It has soured her on the RnR organization, even after good experiences in Philly. And, yes, it is Ironman that owns them.

I hadn’t heard the greatest things about them even precovid. Vegas and a handful of others being more the exception than the standard of what to expect with them. They also have a history of going into a town, and picking the exact same course and similar weekend as a local race to kill out the local one and then ditch the place.

Then covid hit and it’s been a nightmare. So much so that I think there are a lot of pending lawsuits over how they have handled things.

They also own vacation races which are the races in national parks that aren’t actually in national parks.

 

[GreatLakes]

I hadn’t heard the greatest things about them even precovid. Vegas and a handful of others being more the exception than the standard of what to expect with them. They also have a history of going into a town, and picking the exact same course and similar weekend as a local race to kill out the local one and then ditch the place.

Then covid hit and it’s been a nightmare. So much so that I think there are a lot of pending lawsuits over how they have handled things.

They also own vacation races which are the races in national parks that aren’t actually in national parks.

Have they always of did they recently acquire them? I ran the Rocky National Park 5k and Half in 2017 and thought it was a pretty good event. It wasn't in the actual park but that was clear from the start and I assumed it had to do with permitting issues. I thought some of their other events were in the actual parks.

As for the taking over races thing, that did happen a few times. I believe they started the process with the Run the Bluegrass in KY and either failed or sold it back to the original race director. That might have been their model for the Raleigh race as well. At least when they did Cleveland they didn't try to steal the existing race. There was a local group that started to do a Rock Hall half when RnR bailed and that has been a nice event. I've run it twice.

I'm on a quest to run at least a half in every state and when anyone asks me about finding a race anywhere I try to stick with something that is owned and managed locally. I have never really been a fan of the big national for-profit races, at least not after my first few years once I did some research.

 

[Onceuponamarathon]

Have they always of did they recently acquire them? I ran the Rocky National Park 5k and Half in 2017 and thought it was a pretty good event. It wasn't in the actual park but that was clear from the start and I assumed it had to do with permitting issues. I thought some of their other events were in the actual parks.

As for the taking over races thing, that did happen a few times. I believe they started the process with the Run the Bluegrass in KY and either failed or sold it back to the original race director. That might have been their model for the Raleigh race as well. At least when they did Cleveland they didn't try to steal the existing race. There was a local group that started to do a Rock Hall half when RnR bailed and that has been a nice event. I've run it twice.

I'm on a quest to run at least a half in every state and when anyone asks me about finding a race anywhere I try to stick with something that is owned and managed locally. I have never really been a fan of the big national for-profit races, at least not after my first few years once I did some research.

So rocky national park with vacation races is actually a great example. The Estes Park Marathon and Half run mostly the same route at a similar time. It’s a pretty firmly established local race. Vacation races created the rocky half as a direct competitor to the local race. Vacation races does have better marketing, but my understanding is that this is their MO for almost all races under that umbrella.


Edit to add: my very first half ever was rock n roll DC. It wasn’t until I got more into running that I started looking for more local races to support and/or go for the full on Disney style experience. So I totally get it. It was a while before I learned more about rock n roll and the parent company (a friend started doing IMs and apparently it’s a big point of contention in her racing circles)

 

[GreatLakes]

So rocky national park with vacation races is actually a great example. The Estes Park Marathon and Half run mostly the same route at a similar time. It’s a pretty firmly established local race. Vacation races created the rocky half as a direct competitor to the local race. Vacation races does have better marketing, but my understanding is that this is their MO for almost all races under that umbrella.


Edit to add: my very first half ever was rock n roll DC. It wasn’t until I got more into running that I started looking for more local races to support and/or go for the full on Disney style experience. So I totally get it. It was a while before I learned more about rock n roll and the parent company (a friend started doing IMs and apparently it’s a big point of contention in her racing circles)

Well, now I feel bad. Had I known I would have tried to do the original half.

Before that became the RnR DC race I ran it twice as the National Half Marathon (2010 and 2011). It was a great event then. They did have a problem the second year because they couldn't get the Metro opened early like they did in 2010. I think they raised the price too much or something. We were staying at the house of a member of the presidential secret service team so he drove us to the start and it was an adventure. Traffic was terrible but the maneuvers he was able to make to get us there was an experience.

 

[Onceuponamarathon]

Well, now I feel bad. Had I known I would have tried to do the original half.

Before that became the RnR DC race I ran it twice as the National Half Marathon (2010 and 2011). It was a great event then. They did have a problem the second year because they couldn't get the Metro opened early like they did in 2010. I think they raised the price too much or something. We were staying at the house of a member of the presidential secret service team so he drove us to the start and it was an adventure. Traffic was terrible but the maneuvers he was able to make to get us there was an experience.

So rocky national park with vacation races is actually a great example. The Estes Park Marathon and Half run mostly the same route at a similar time. It’s a pretty firmly established local race. Vacation races created the rocky half as a direct competitor to the local race. Vacation races does have better marketing, but my understanding is that this is their MO for almost all races under that umbrella.

!!!! This is the kind of experience I would love to hear about!

Don’t feel bad. I think vacation races really go after the kind of people that are into outdoors and local kind of races, based on the marketing. They make it seem as if the races are small intimate affairs for people who love national parks and want to foster the love of running in the great outdoors. There’s no way I would know about the parent company if it wasn’t for the discussions in the IM circles. I think covid exposed some customer service and operational issues though. You can only churn and burn for so long.

How many states are you up to?

 

[meye1099]

I'm on a quest to run at least a half in every state and when anyone asks me about finding a race anywhere I try to stick with something that is owned and managed locally. I have never really been a fan of the big national for-profit races, at least not after my first few years once I did some research.

Have you done South Dakota yet? If not, I'd like to recommend the Spearfish Canyon Half Marathon. It's beautiful and runs directly through the Spearfish Canyon by Spearfish, which is a lovely town with lots of surrounding outdoor activities. It's in the Black Hills area, but not hyper touristy like Deadwood. The race benefits Northern Hills CASA, which advocates for children who have been neglected and abused.

 

[Krandor]

I’m still cautiously optimistic that marathon or Princess could be the first race back in some form live

I am too but the announcement of the boo bash to replace MNSSHP has me a bit concerned for marathon. In that announcement they didn't promise any large crowd events returning. Doesn't mean they won't by October but at least now Disney is not willing to announce them right now.

The good part is MW is two months and a week after boo bash and a lot could change and in 2 months disney might be willing to announce something.

With the lead time required to put on the races I'm leaning more toward whatever replaces star wars being the next in person one.

 

[SheHulk]

Philadelphia’s mayor announced today the Philly Marathon will run in November but with half the normal number of runners. I want to say it’s usually about 10,000 but not sure. They said they may increase if the covid picture indicates it closer to the date.

 

[Barca33Runner]

I am too but the announcement of the boo bash to replace MNSSHP has me a bit concerned for marathon. In that announcement they didn't promise any large crowd events returning. Doesn't mean they won't by October but at least now Disney is not willing to announce them right now.

The good part is MW is two months and a week after boo bash and a lot could change and in 2 months disney might be willing to announce something.

With the lead time required to put on the races I'm leaning more toward whatever replaces star wars being the next in person one.

I’m still hopeful, but that was a big blow for me. I was halfway expecting to see an announcement in the next couple months about the return of fireworks and parades. Instead there is the early cancellation of an event built on fireworks, parades, stage shows, and character meets; replaced by an event that is substantially similar except for the absence of those features.

The return of those four things are basically what I’ve been looking for to start thinking rD events will be viable in Disney’s eyes. I don’t expect any toned down or limited registration events; I’d tend to think rD events are really only worth the hassle if they are full participation.

I could be wrong and hope I am but I was pretty surprised at the timing.