Marathon Weekend 2016

[Kathymford]

First let me say, I know I should have done this months ago. BUT, I still have not booked my hotel for this race. I have been all over the place planning a trip to Europe and for Wine and Dine, so I was waiting for the AP rates (and my credit card bills to go down!) and they came out today but I am not super impressed by them. So, I am considering a couple of things including calling rundisney, booking on orbitz with an extra discount, and renting DVC. Which brings me to my question. Does anyone have it in them to help a girl out and check DVC availability for Jan. 6-13? It would be most appreciated and I will throw you some happy vibes emojis! This would be the cheapest option I think, so I figure I will try it first.

Again, thank you in advance for anyone who can help!

I can do this for you @AThrillingChase ! What size room? I'm pretty sure everything is pretty booked ...

 

[AThrillingChase]

I can do this for you @AThrillingChase ! What size room? I'm pretty sure everything is pretty booked ...

You are the best! It would just be me and maybe/probably/likely my little cousin who is also obsessed with Disney. So just a studio would work! I am afraid I am sol too - to be honest I am a little embarassed to contact the rental agent I usually use for that reason!!

 

[Kathymford]

You are the best! It would just be me and maybe/probably/likely my little cousin who is also obsessed with Disney. So just a studio would work! I am afraid I am sol too - to be honest I am a little embarassed to contact the rental agent I usually use for that reason!!

BW Garden View - 1/12-1/13
OKW - 1/11-1/13
Poly - 1/11-1/12
SSR - 1/9 and 1/11-1/13

That's about it, I'm afraid ....

 

[AThrillingChase]

BW Garden View - 1/12-1/13
OKW - 1/11-1/13
Poly - 1/11-1/12
SSR - 1/9 and 1/11-1/13

That's about it, I'm afraid ....

Well, shoot. I was hoping maybe SSR would have something left...but I was prepared for it! I guess a split stay or orbitz it is! That or maybe I come in on the 7th or 8th and extend instead since that appears to have better availability...Thank you again for checking!! Much appreciated!!

 

[IamTrike]

I don't know about that, I do enjoy having them, I just don't get over excited about the design changes from one year to the next I guess. It is interesting however that 5k and 10k distances are starting to trend towards the medals instead of t-shirts these days. I kinda like the tshirts...

For me it's less about the medal itself, than the fact two months out I am looking for any little thing to help with the race anticipation. I think they are neat but at this point I've got enough that I don't really know what I am going to do with them.

 

[Barca33Runner]

For me it's less about the medal itself, than the fact two months out I am looking for any little thing to help with the race anticipation. I think they are neat but at this point I've got enough that I don't really know what I am going to do with them.

I get a little more use out of the shirts so I generally care a little more about those aesthetics, but I get a little excited about the medals. I'm sure it's reading too much into it, but I get a little cynical with the corporate nature of these races if it doesn't look like they put much effort into them. I'm also reaching the point of saturation, but I like displaying them so I'll just keep the medal hanger industry in business.

 

[Kathymford]

For me it's less about the medal itself, than the fact two months out I am looking for any little thing to help with the race anticipation. I think they are neat but at this point I've got enough that I don't really know what I am going to do with them.

For you and for anyone actually. We found this non-profit called Medals4Mettle; you can donate your medals, half marathon or higher, and they present them to kids fighting diseases. In their own words:

"Medals4Mettle is a national non-profit organization that collects earned finishers' medals from half marathoners, marathoners and triathletes, and presents these medals to patients (children and adults) fighting chronic or life-threatening illnesses."

Unfortunately, my local chapters don't seem very active, so I haven't had much success contacting them. But their Facebook page is filled with other chapters that seem very active. Their website is www.medals4mettle.org

 

[derekleigh]

For me it's less about the medal itself, than the fact two months out I am looking for any little thing to help with the race anticipation. I think they are neat but at this point I've got enough that I don't really know what I am going to do with them.

In he last few years I've started to slip into the feelings towards medals. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy earning one for various races and I hang the proudly in a display case. But ever since I signed up for my first marathon two years ago, running for me became more of fulfilling something more than getting a medal at the end of a race. Running has become more a means to connect to myself and the world around me. I know within a few years I'll peak at my fitness level and as I age, I will probably slow down a bit. So essentially I'm trying to perform to the best of my abilities instead of collecting medals. Truly I'd like to run the Dopey Challenge as they'd be individual races, meaning there will be no holding back or taking a certain race or two easy.


Nothing wrong using medals as motivation, whatever keeps you going. Everyone has their own methods to get the job done.

 

[SarahDisney]

So, here's my take on medals:
Yes, I like them because they're shiny. But there's another reason I like them.
At some point in my life, I may have kids and/or grandkids. I probably won't have the t-shirts from all the races, and I may not remember the races so well. But I will have pictures and medals to show them, and maybe seeing those medals will inspire them to do something they might have though was impossible or reach for their dreams.
After all, who would have thought that a girl who couldn't walk for an hour after running the mile in gym class would be getting ready to run her first 10K race 15 years later?

My father's running scrapbook is something I've always been interested in looking at, even before I started running, and while he only has a few medals (most of his races were non-medal races), I have seen the medals he has (including 3 NYC marathon medals) and I know that each medal has a story behind it (some of which I've heard about 1,000 times), which is pretty amazing.

That said ... I know that for many people running is about running, and there are plenty of reasons to do it even without the medals.

 

[Ariel484]

I love getting the medals...they are a big motivator for me.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I like receiving the medals, and I wear them the day after a race (a few days after at WDW). After that they go into a box with all the rest. The lanyards cme in handy for other purposes, but the medals - I never even look at them again.

But, as said by PPs, anything that motivates you to get moving should be leveraged to its fullest.

 

[MinnieMarathoner]

So essentially I'm trying to perform to the best of my abilities instead of collecting medals.

I don't think you necessarily have to choose one of the other. I have run a few races for the medal and a PR.

I'm not a big medal junkie, but have run a few races to collect them. This medal for me is a big motivator, but that is because it is my first full.

Agreed with a lot of others, whatever motivates you (t-shirt, medal, PRs, etc) is what is important.

 

[Alicatt]

Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone could offer me some advice about the expo. We will be attending Thursday morning. Am I correct that the kids races are in the same area? How long does it take to get to the actual expo from a resort (POR) and from the expo to the kids races? How much time do I need for the expo? I will be with small kids and non-runners, so we're going to need to keep the shopping time to a minimum. Lastly, is there a place to sit and have a snack for the family? Thanks for all your help! Now that it's getting close I find myself panicking about this....

 

[rteetz]

Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone could offer me some advice about the expo. We will be attending Thursday morning. Am I correct that the kids races are in the same area? How long does it take to get to the actual expo from a resort (POR) and from the expo to the kids races? How much time do I need for the expo? I will be with small kids and non-runners, so we're going to need to keep the shopping time to a minimum. Lastly, is there a place to sit and have a snack for the family? Thanks for all your help! Now that it's getting close I find myself panicking about this....

I can't help with the kids races because I have the same questions but to get to the expo from POR is relatively easy. I stayed at POR this past January and they had a guy standing out front that tells you an estimated time when a bus should arrive. The kids races are at the expo center but over by the running track I believe. I spent just over an hour maybe and hour and a half by myself at the expo looking around, getting my stuff and buying things.

 

[Alicatt]

Thanks rteetz! When did you get your race guide last time and what's in that?

 

[roxymama]

In my long ago past I was a college athlete and we only got medals if we won or placed in our races (rowing, not running.) And some big races there were no medals. We'd just end up "trading shirts" to the team that won. And often the winning team if they liked our shirts would trade back, especially if we were the ones they knocked out. And so I have a garbage bag full of these old shirts from other schools that do not fit anymore (RIP ripped athletic small body) in my basement. The posts above make me want to go fish them out and reminisce abotu the "good old days" of 1999, haha. (totally did not mean this post as a humble brag, just got my memories flowing)

BUT my rowing medals are still out and proud and now they are hanging out with my new running ones. I think @SarahDisney is right...if you are into keepsakes or mementos, having the medals is really cool.

My biggest win (rowing marathon!) was hung up by my hubby in my hospital room during the delivery of my daughter as a reminder that I can kick butt.
So yeah, I really like medals

 

[RunDisneyDad]

Overall I like the medals. They've gotten a lot better compared to some of the older ones I have.

As far as Disney Medals go I thought it was really cool having mine on after the Marathon and having people congratulate me or other runners engage me in conversation about how the race went.

 

[roxymama]

Overall I like the medals. They've gotten a lot better compared to some of the older ones I have.

As far as Disney Medals go I thought it was really cool having mine on after the Marathon and having people congratulate me or other runners engage me in conversation about how the race went.

Very good point. Even at my little local races it's nice to keep the bib on for just a little while. Training is such a solitary thing for me, that when I go to a race I feel more like I'm "running with" not "racing against" people and it's kind of nice to feel like a part of something or a group for a little while even after the race is over. And starting up convos. with people is something I enjoy. Kind of also why I hang out here...HI GROUP!

 

[Keels]

Things I run for:
1A: Beer
1B: Medals
2: Because it's good for me

 

[roxymama]

Things I run for:
1A: Beer
1B: Medals
2: Because it's good for me

When you say "because it's good for me" you are talking about the beer right?

There's a race in March that has a medal that is a bottle opener...thinking my hubby would be talked into that race to get that swag