Marathon Weekend 2022

[Dopey 2020]

My very first race was the 5K on Castaway Cay, and of course my first marathon (2019 MW) and first Dopey (2020 MW) are unforgettable but my favorite is still my first half marathon - Wine and Dine 2017 - the race where I got a true runners high and was hooked on both longer distances and runDisney. It started a habit that my loving wife and daughter have to support with multiple trips/year to my happy place

 

[steph0808]

Same as @ZellyB and @Barca33Runner, the 20th anniversary medal from 2013. It was my first marathon after just starting to run in January 2012. I thought it would be the peak of my running career, and yet I've done 4 marathons and many other races since then!

 

[Livelovedance]

At the risk of sounding incredibly cheesy, I just have to stop and say I am so thankful for the disboards and the runDisney threads. I follow the threads when I can, and I’ve enjoyed SAFD off and on the past couple years even though I usually “watch from the sidelines.”

This weekend was really hard. It was a reminder of a lot of loss and dark times through the years. When it rains, it pours. I turned to the boards for distraction and happily replied to this week’s medal discussion. Even though I don’t actually know anyone here, it’s a sense of community that helped fill a little of that void yesterday.

I’m hopeful that runDisney races will return soon, and we’ll all be safely together with thousands of our “closest” friends enjoying the crazy expo lines and early wake ups! If I get to run my first marathon at the 2022 Marathon Weekend (fingers crossed!) I can’t think of another group of people I’d rather do it with! Thanks for all of the (likely unintentional) support. You have no idea how much of a difference each of you makes!

 

[BikeFan]

SAFD:
I've been fortunate enough to have a bunch of neat medals, and all of them have sentimental value to me, but if I had to pick . . .

My favorite non-Disney medal is my 2017 Boston medal, pictured with my 2018 medal. 2017 was my first Boston, and the weather that day was perfect. The crowd was huge, the atmosphere was electric, and it was an amazing experience. 2018 was the exact opposite - the weather was cold and rainy, with epic wind and hail. Still, I got to run that one with my brother, so it was memorable for different reasons!


My favorite Disney medal would probably have to be my 2013 Tower of Terror Ten-Miler medal, because that one had the ToT, along with Stitch on the lanyard. It even glows in the dark! A great event which I sorely miss!


[picture from an ebay listing, because I was too lazy to go snap a pic of mine]

 

[BikeFan]

SAFD: my favorite medals are my medals from Comrades. They’re by far the smallest ones I’ve seen handed out at a race, about the size of a quarter, which makes them even more special. I also have a soft spot in my heart for my medals from Marine Corps because of its history, Richmond because that was my first full, and the mini Saturn V rocket from Rocketman.

View attachment 578548

So if 2015 was the 90th, that makes 2025 the 100th? I was hoping to run Comrades before then, but running the 100th would be epic! Hmmm....
And of course congratulations on completing (twice, right?) such an amazing race!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

This is my favorite medal - not a picture of mine - pulled it from the web:

 

[Disney at Heart]

SAFD:
I've been fortunate enough to have a bunch of neat medals, and all of them have sentimental value to me, but if I had to pick . . .

My favorite non-Disney medal is my 2017 Boston medal, pictured with my 2018 medal. 2017 was my first Boston, and the weather that day was perfect. The crowd was huge, the atmosphere was electric, and it was an amazing experience. 2018 was the exact opposite - the weather was cold and rainy, with epic wind and hail. Still, I got to run that one with my brother, so it was memorable for different reasons!
View attachment 579096

My favorite Disney medal would probably have to be my 2013 Tower of Terror Ten-Miler medal, because that one had the ToT, along with Stitch on the lanyard. It even glows in the dark! A great event which I sorely miss!

View attachment 579099
[picture from an ebay listing, because I was too lazy to go snap a pic of mine]

2013 TOT 10 was my first Disney race. Love the medal, the distance, the nighttime, the accomplishment, and the fact that it was my first!

 

[flav]

SAFD: I guess medals are like kids. I don’t really have a favourite and depending when you ask, I will prefer some aspects of one over the others.

Do I go with beautiful design, travel memories, sense of accomplishment or family bonding?

I am still thinking about it.

 

[FFigawi]

So if 2015 was the 90th, that makes 2025 the 100th? I was hoping to run Comrades before then, but running the 100th would be epic! Hmmm....
And of course congratulations on completing (twice, right?) such an amazing race!

Yes, I did it twice. Had no intention of running it again after the first one. At the beach bar celebrating the next day, though, my South African friends said you haven’t really done Comrades until you go in both directions back to back for the extra medal. Since you only get one shot at that, we all stupidly agreed to run again the next year.

2025 is supposed to be run #100. That’s when our group is planning to go do it again. Not sure if the cancellations last year and this year have interrupted the counting or not.

 

[Carol_]

My favorite medal is DS6’s first, which was from running the Disney virtual one-miler this year. His first race, and he ran half of it backwards because he didn’t know which way to go and wanted to keep an eye on me but stay ahead of me.

 

[NewYKRunner]

This is my favorite medal - not a picture of mine - pulled it from the web:

View attachment 579136

I'm not a big Star Wars person, but I was REALLY impressed with the Star Wars area when we went to Orlando! Same with Avatar. I can see why their rides are always packed.

 

[NewYKRunner]

SAFD: I only have two at this point, both non-Disney and both virtual. The Ultra Night Run 10k (and one meal supposedly donated by Michelob for each km ran) I did in the fall outside - very rainy and cold! - and the Hapalua half marathon one I did on the treadmill at the end of April. The Hapalua medal is my favourite because 1) it's the longer distance and 2) it's a more elaborate and colourful medal.

 

[camaker]

SAFD: I’m a little late to the SAFD party this week, but here are my favorite medals. Leading off is the 2016 WDW medal. It’s not the fanciest marathon medal I’ve earned, but it was the first and that gives it special meaning.



Next up is a much more recent medal. From Blackbeard’s Revenge 100k, it represents my longest race effort to date and one of my greatest running accomplishments. Plus, it’s a pirate ship!



Finally, hailing from the inaugural SWDS weekend is my favorite medal design. Yes, it’s just from a 10k, but it’s a TIE Fighter! I’m going to miss Star Wars races…

 

[flav]

SAFD: I guess medals are like kids. I don’t really have a favourite and depending when you ask, I will prefer some aspects of one over the others.

Do I go with beautiful design, travel memories, sense of accomplishment or family bonding?

I am still thinking about it.

After deliberation, here are two medals that cover most of the points that I mentioned above. While none is the best of any of the criterion, the combination of factors is why I choose them.


This is a runDisney picture of the medal for my very first runDisney race, at Wine n Dine 2017. It is probably one of the reasons why I started racing, dreaming about traveling to WDW to run. Also, of the three medals I got that weekend, I find that it is the nicest one, with details and a visible Mickey.



That guitar medal from the 2018 Montreal Rock’n’Roll Remix challenge is massive and I like the way it hangs. It covers a race weekend that started with a 5k with DD and DH, followed by a good brunch, and finished the next day with my first attempt at pushing the pace on a HM. In terms of official PR, this one still stands today. Plus I wanted to include a local race in my choices.

 

[lhermiston]

Good morning runDisney all-stars!

For this week’s Sundays are for Disney, design your own Disney race or race weekend. What are the distances? Routes? Who are on the medals? What makes your race(s) unique?

I would do a marathon weekend, but with every race run at night. Each race would either start or finish at a different park, with the marathon definitely ending on Main Street, USA. Since the races
run at night, there would be a huge after party in MK that goes until morning.

Each medal would represent a different park, I think. The challenge medals would have so be something cool that represents all of WDW. Otherwise, I’d do something with underrepresented characters, like the Muppets.

Have a safe and healthy week, everyone!

 

[opusone]

SAFD: how about a true coast to coast race: Disneyland to Disney World (would probably be between 2,500-3,000 miles depending on a realistic route with no interstates). Should probably be a team event (say 10 or 12 runners each team), and there will be a 21-day time limit. I know, I know: this doesn’t bring revenue to the parks, so a non-starter for Disney. Oh well.

Instead of a medal, each finishing team member would get an awesome and unique MagicBand, and their Disney account would allow for an additional “golden” FASTPASS at each park for life. The golden FASTPASS (one per park visit day) can overlap with a regular FASTPASS and can be used on attractions that are already full for the day.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

I would change things up with the smaller distances. The 5k and 10k courses are always the same, except I think the 5k for W&D is thru AK? The first Disney 5k I did went from TTC thru MK and back. I’d also like to see a 10k course using MGM Studios, along the Boardwalk/Beach Club area, then into EPCOT, and not just World Showcase. The first three miles of the current 10k course is on the roads, and at 5-whatever in the morning, there’s not much that’s interesting.

 

[shellott-hill]

SAFD:
I was have a Disney Amazing Race that would happen at night. It would be a four day event that would encompass all 4 parks. You would have to run around the parks looking for clues to your next destination. This would include pit-stops that may have you ride certain rides, collect specific merchandise, find specific characters and/or eat specific foods. In addition it would provide you a clue on your next destination.

During the race you would be collecting little trinkets, like charms you add to you Pandora bracelets, but they would be attachments to the medals you collect at the end of each race. They would serve as proof you competed each task, but also come together to form some really cool finisher medal.

 

[Basil of Moss Bluff]

SAFD: Since I'm from Louisiana, I would do a Princess and the Frog Mardi Gras theme run event. A 5K run and a half marathon run. The 5K run course would be at a different park every year. The 5K medal would have Madame Odie, Louis, and Ray. The half marathon course would also be different every year. One year it would be from EPCOT to Magic Kingdom and back. The next year would be EPCOT to Animal Kingdom and back. Then, EPCOT to Disney Studios and back. The half marathon medal would be in the shape of a fleur de lis with Mardi Gras colors (green, yellow, and purple). Inside the fleur de lis would be the silhouette of Tiana and Prince Naveen. And 2 frogs......of course.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD:

It’s usually fun to think about this one but I just want to see live races back on the calendar.

So my dream race weekend is January 6-9, 2022.
5k on Thursday, 10k on Friday, Half Marathon on Saturday, Full Marathon on Sunday. All races themed to their proper host: 5k-Pluto, 10k-Minnie, Half-Donald, and Full-Mickey. There would be two challenges, one for the Half/Full called the Goofy and one for all four races called the Dopey.

Can’t you just imagine it. It would be glorious.