Marathon Weekend 2022

[lhermiston]

Too early to say until we see the marathon POT cutoff. But a 4:15 marathon cutoff would be an estimated 2:00:42.

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I've missed your spreadsheets, Billy. This feels like a return to normalcy.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

So the anxiety for the next three weeks about trying to register is going to be fun. Dopey is what I’ll be shooting for (what am I thinking?!) but if it sells out before I get in, Goofy is 2nd choice, Marathon 3rd. My biggest fear is either me or my sister getting into Dopey but not the other. My sister did virtual Dopey and says watch her not get in while she did for this year when it ended up not happening in person. I’m super excited that the theme seems to be tied into the “ear”idescence of the 50th because knowing 2022 would be the Marathon tied to the 50th is what made my sister and I originally talk after MW 2020 about Dopey 2022 (while she later changed her mind and just decided to go for it right away in 2021).

I’m also an eternal pessimist/worrier so I’m also concerned I’ll get too excited and something Covid-related will happen to derail it. Like the Delta variant accelerates or there’s a huge fall/winter surge as cold weather returns. Ugh, I know, positive thoughts!!

Oh, and we have already had our room booked for weeks at Saratoga Springs for Tuesday-Monday and were also able to just recently book a Southwest flight (schedule released through the beginning of the dates but not return date).

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

I’m also really bummed about the POT changes. I don’t know if I’d be able to use it anyway since it’s over 2 years old now, but I had a 2:24 half in 2019 that I never got to use as proof. Only requiring for less than 2:00 and allowing others to lie and say they’ll finish in say, 2:15-2:30 just to avoid the back is unfair and downright unsafe.

 

[Barca33Runner]

I’m also really bummed about the POT changes. I don’t know if I’d be able to use it anyway since it’s over 2 years old now, but I had a 2:24 half in 2019 that I never got to use as proof. Only requiring for less than 2:00 and allowing others to lie and say they’ll finish in say, 2:15-2:30 just to avoid the back is unfair and downright unsafe.

If you think people will be lying with 2:15-2:30 estimates you have more faith in humanity than I. They will be putting down 2:00:01 or whatever the lowest estimate is for which rD has a drop down option.

Honestly, I can’t figure out how they will keep this plan for only 2:00 or better in place. It’s more work for them trying to sort 60% of the crowd who all gave them the same estimated PoT. Then again, they must not really care.

 

[camaker]

Honestly, I can’t figure out how they will keep this plan for only 2:00 or better in place. It’s more work for them trying to sort 60% of the crowd who all gave them the same estimated PoT. Then again, they must not really care.

I’d actually say this is WAY less work for them. The more PoT submissions they have, the more verification they have to do. With fewer submissions, all they have to do for the vast majority of the field is sort the database by the pace estimate each runner put in at registration and then draw arbitrary lines to split it by the number of corrals they plan. It’s like three or four total clicks of the mouse to sort everyone.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

If you think people will be lying with 2:15-2:30 estimates you have more faith in humanity than I. They will be putting down 2:00:01 or whatever the lowest estimate is for which rD has a drop down option.

Honestly, I can’t figure out how they will keep this plan for only 2:00 or better in place. It’s more work for them trying to sort 60% of the crowd who all gave them the same estimated PoT. Then again, they must not really care.

I kind of just picked a random range, but you’re definitely right. Which sucks because I don’t want to be one of those people. So if I get in, I’d probably put 2:15-2:30 or 2:30-2:45 (don’t know if I should go for my best or be more realistic) so us honest people will get screwed over and end up in the back behind all the liars.

 

[1lilspark]

May attempt to get in to the 10K cause anniversary and it will be a good “training” run as I head up for my first half in February

 

[Barca33Runner]

I’d actually say this is WAY less work for them. The more PoT submissions they have, the more verification they have to do. With fewer submissions, all they have to do for the vast majority of the field is sort the database by the pace estimate each runner put in at registration and then draw arbitrary lines to split it by the number of corrals they plan. It’s like three or four total clicks of the mouse to sort everyone.

I was thinking of all the people complaining after the fact. “My friend is in D and I’m in G and we put the same expected time.” Definitely is less work on the front end, but I can’t see this being anything other than their biggest after corral announcement cluster they’ve ever had.

I guess saying “pound sand”, in so many words, won’t be much added time assuming that’s their plan.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I was thinking of all the people complaining after the fact. “My friend is in D and I’m in G and we put the same expected time.”

Based on the move away from "equal corral size" which caused splits in the 2:45-3:00 submission into multiple corrals, and instead moving to a system of "this is the bucket and that's where they go, we'll sort it out on race day with mini-waves" I think we won't see many, if any, of those email instances you're referring to. I think moving from 42% of runners having a POT to 8-10% will cause even less work. They will have far fewer emails asking about POT conversions and the such. Less people to deal with at the expo trying to change corrals as well. Less people to verify POT submission (although personally I felt like they weren't actually double checking all of those POT submissions previously). It'll be more like the 5k/10k corrals with the exception of a small portion having a POT. So if 60% submit a 2:00-2:15, then they'll have a corral with 60% of the field in it and will use mini-waves to break it up on race day.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Can someone remind me of how long it usually takes disney to refund a room deposit if you cancel?

Because.....I might want to book a room (while the one i want is still available) just in case DH says "go for it" AND I'm able to snag a bib.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Based on the move away from "equal corral size" which caused splits in the 2:45-3:00 submission into multiple corrals, and instead moving to a system of "this is the bucket and that's where they go, we'll sort it out on race day with mini-waves" I think we won't see many, if any, of those email instances you're referring to. I think moving from 42% of runners having a POT to 8-10% will cause even less work. They will have far fewer emails asking about POT conversions and the such. Less people to deal with at the expo trying to change corrals as well. Less people to verify POT submission (although personally I felt like they weren't actually double checking all of those POT submissions previously). It'll be more like the 5k/10k corrals with the exception of a small portion having a POT. So if 60% submit a 2:00-2:15, then they'll have a corral with 60% of the field in it and will use mini-waves to break it up on race day.

60% of the field, hard to imagine…

The first race I did in 2015 I had no POT and I remember on Marathon day being in coral P (I believe). I know for sure that it took forever to get to the start. It was my first marathon and the waiting was the absolute worst part! From then on I always submitted a POT to avoid that waiting. It must have been 45 minutes. Ended up being a lot of extra time in the sun later in the race.
My daughter, who is 14 and a strong runner, but newer to the half distance wants to go for a POT even if it is set at 2:00. So I guess I am putting some speed work back in my training and we will see if we can go sub-2 on the half. If not we will put what ever time we each and hope that does not end up being 60% off the field!

 

[Kerry1957]

I kind of just picked a random range, but you’re definitely right. Which sucks because I don’t want to be one of those people. So if I get in, I’d probably put 2:15-2:30 or 2:30-2:45 (don’t know if I should go for my best or be more realistic) so us honest people will get screwed over and end up in the back behind all the liars.

This is the ethical dilemma I will face. I have a 2:22 POT, so will I be honest and select 2:15-2:30 and end up near the back, or select 2:00-2:15 and join the other 90% (gross exaggeration, I hope) of the non POT runners who will claim they have suddenly become very fast? I feel for the legit 2:00-2:15 runners who will have to weave around groups of walkers in front of them going 4 abreast.

The other logistical issue all of us non POT runners will face concerns the mini waves. If there are only a few huge corrals, then how early should we get to the corral to be somewhere near the front in an earlier mini wave?

 

[hauntedcity]

I was successful in nabbing a January DVC room this morning! Did anyone else have any problems with the DVC website yesterday. Every open room I selected got a message saying it suddenly was unavailable. Odd, but I'm glad they fixed it overnight! I'm excited to try out the refurbished rooms at Saratoga Springs.

My wife and I are planning on doing the Half Marathon, 10 years after our first-ever half marathon (not-so-coincidentally at WDW). After this rough year (with corresponding drop in fitness and rise in weight), we should have enough time to whip ourselves back into running shape.

 

[The Expert]

I was successful in nabbing a January DVC room this morning! Did anyone else have any problems with the DVC website yesterday. Every open room I selected got a message saying it suddenly was unavailable. Odd, but I'm glad they fixed it overnight! I'm excited to try out the refurbished rooms at Saratoga Springs.

My wife and I are planning on doing the Half Marathon, 10 years after our first-ever half marathon (not-so-coincidentally at WDW). After this rough year (with corresponding drop in fitness and rise in weight), we should have enough time to whip ourselves back into running shape.

Yep, it's been an ongoing issue all week. I got a reservation at BWV at the 11 month window, but decided I'm (probably) going for Dopey. I was trying to add on a studio at BCV to the front and had the same issue three or four times, even though it kept coming back up as available on refresh. I finally gave up and tried a GF standard that popped up instead, and it worked.

 

[Chasing Dopey]

Haven't checked in in a long while, so I thought I'd see what the buzz was...

Re: the new 2:00 POT standard... So far only for Wine and Dine, and there is only one way this is remotely feasible. The field has to be MUCH smaller than in the past. 12,882 finishers in 2019, so I'm guessing 5,000? Not sure if they plan on bigger fields for marathon weekend, but they have to make up their mind pretty quick.

Registration will be interesting. AP, DVC, TA, and regular registration all on the same day for high demand races with likely limited fields. Since many people run as a family or a couple, will rD hold to the no cancellation rule if only one family member gets registered? And if you are worried about that, do you just pass on rD until that isn't a potential problem again? (DW and I had thought of running the 10k together, and I would take on the marathon. Getting registration seems dicey, so we may have to pass.)

Our Annual Pass expires in September, not to be renewed. End of an era.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Booked 4 nights at ASMo just in case. DH says we will "talk about it" tonight.

In case anyone was counting on a certain newsletter CDP code for an affordable rental car, Hertz has cancelled pretty much all of those out, and a week-long car rental for MW is about $600 right now. Guess I'm going to have to pay close attention to the new offerings replacing ME and be content with relying on the busses if I'm able to go.

 

[The Prophet]

This may be nit-picking, but the site says registration starts at 10:00 AM EST
Most of the country changed the clocks on March 14th. It should read "10:00 AM EDT"

 

[MissLiss279]

This may be nit-picking, but the site says registration starts at 10:00 AM EST
Most of the country changed the clocks on March 14th. It should read "10:00 AM EDT"

At least for W&D, when you go to the event specific page it does say “Eastern time” without reference to standard or daylight time… but yeah, the big bold registration dates and times on the general weekend pages does make it confusing…. With ‘EST’ when most (all??) East Coast time zone is on daylight time.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Oh no. I just realized we are going to be camping when registration opens. And cell service there is basically non-existent. Which means I'll have to go somewhere and use public wifi to try to get a bib.

And the nearest public library (to try to use their computers) doesn't open until 10am.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

And the nearest public library (to try to use their computers) doesn't open until 10am.

Doesn't solve the computer issue part, but often times you can pick up the WiFi signal for the library out in their parking lot. My sister has had to take advantage of this for her daughter's school work before. Not a guarantee, but might work and allow you to get signed on before they open.