Marathon Weekend 2027

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Quick update on my end. Since this race is so far away, I’ve shifted more of my focus and willpower away from slogging out runs 4x-5x a week, and instead really gone all in on eating clean and being diligent and intentional with my diet (breaking old habits I was unaware of, stop eating like a ravenous, rabid squirrel that doesn’t know when it’s next meal is coming). I’ve gone gluten free, dairy free, and cut out soft drinks in the last two months. In that time, I’ve lost 15 pounds. I’ve just started this week with intermittent fasting and am now doing a food diary and counting calories. Suffice it to say, my goal weight is generally attainable by years’ end and I have also kept up a modest base of running 3x a week (and it feels easier - i ditched walk/run for a 3 mile run the other day and am below my average pace I ran in my early 20’s).

I hope everyone’s journey is going well too and best of luck with signups next spring!

 

[braycon]

I appreciate this thread. Even though the 2027 race weekend is a long way off, I feel like I'm late to this conversation. Still, I'm planning to run the marathon, and am open to other options if I hit my weight/fitness goals. The Dopey just a few months before my 60th birthday would be positively awesome (assuming one can actually get in the race). For now, weight loss and starting to build up a base...and inspiration from you folks. Good luck everyone and thanks again for the thread.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

I appreciate this thread. Even though the 2027 race weekend is a long way off, I feel like I'm late to this conversation. Still, I'm planning to run the marathon, and am open to other options if I hit my weight/fitness goals. The Dopey just a few months before my 60th birthday would be positively awesome (assuming one can actually get in the race). For now, weight loss and starting to build up a base...and inspiration from you folks. Good luck everyone and thanks again for the thread.

Birthday twinsies! With similar goals! I love it! You (we?) got this.

 

[braycon]

Birthday twinsies! With similar goals! I love it! You (we?) got this.

Oh, we have most definitely got this. Our target weight goals are similar, as well (I have a bit further to go than you do). But this is very doable.

"The ultimate reason for setting goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them."

 

[DisneyParrothead]

I’m in with a charity… technically just in their priority list right now but it’s early enough I think I’ve got a bib. I’m going that route more and more to skip the registration mess.

 

[braycon]

How difficult/time consuming is the fund raising effort for a charity?

 

[mmm_texas]

How difficult/time consuming is the fund raising effort for a charity?

If it's a charity you really feel is a good cause, and don't mind letting friends and acquaintances know about it, it can be pretty easy to make the fundraising goal. That was my experience anyway when I did it. The goal varies widely though from charity to charity.

Another, stress-free, approach, especially if you're only doing one event in a year: Many charity fundraising goals are less than a Club runDisney gold membership, so it could be worthwhile to you even if you don't solicit donations and just donate the goal amount yourself. (Also, don't forget many employers will do some sort of matching for charitable donations.)

 

[DisneyParrothead]

How difficult/time consuming is the fund raising effort for a charity?

It does depend. I tend to pay it myself, but I do come up with ideas to help fundraise. Right now I’m doing friendship bracelets as an easy crafting idea.
Since I do it once a year, I come out ahead financially compared to Club rD, and while I like to shop the merchandise, being first in line isn’t a priority for me.

 

[The Expert]

How difficult/time consuming is the fund raising effort for a charity?

I've volunteered or worked in the nonprofit sector for 20+ years and can tell you that fundraising is a SKILL. It's much like sales -- and you're either naturally good at it or not. You can learn how to get better, and there are tons of ideas out there to borrow, but it can be a struggle if it doesn't come naturally. Find a cause you really believe in and that will make it easier.

 

[braycon]

I've volunteered or worked in the nonprofit sector for 20+ years and can tell you that fundraising is a SKILL. It's much like sales -- and you're either naturally good at it or not. You can learn how to get better, and there are tons of ideas out there to borrow, but it can be a struggle if it doesn't come naturally. Find a cause you really believe in and that will make it easier.

Yep, I have no doubt this is true. There are certainly many worthy charities, but I don't know that I've fundraised since...oh...middle school (!). And not sure it's my first choice...but never say never. Would you need to sign up (with the charity) before sign up (for the race), or are there options for some period of time following?

 

[The Expert]

Yep, I have no doubt this is true. There are certainly many worthy charities, but I don't know that I've fundraised since...oh...middle school (!). And not sure it's my first choice...but never say never. Would you need to sign up (with the charity) before sign up (for the race), or are there options for some period of time following?

I've never personally run with a charity, but my understanding is that you sign up with them directly either before or after public registration, and they give you a specific registration link. Some ask that you fundraise a portion of the required minimum before they give you that link, but their registrations are protected so as long as you fulfill their requirements and they won't leave you without a registration.

 

[Goofed98]

If you're running with a charity, you might check with your HR department about matching funds.

I found out that we match up to $5k per year to charities (503(c), I think). A few hoops to jump through, but also cuts that requirement in half for you.

 

[jrsharp21]

Yep, I have no doubt this is true. There are certainly many worthy charities, but I don't know that I've fundraised since...oh...middle school (!). And not sure it's my first choice...but never say never. Would you need to sign up (with the charity) before sign up (for the race), or are there options for some period of time following?

There are both. Some people will sign up with a charity before registration day to skip the chaos of what we all know is runDisney registration day. Some will try their luck on rD registration day and if they don't get in, they go look for a charity. The hard part about waiting is that usually the ones with the higher fundraising requirements are the only ones available.

I would also say that if you are going the charity route, be prepared to possibly pay alot of the fundraising on your own. I have a decent following on social media with my baseball coaching, my son playing baseball, etc. I thought it was going to be easy as posting the info about the charity I was running for and donations would roll in. I got one donation. I ended up covering almost the entire fundraising requirement on my own, along with the registration cost.

 

[jpholic]

If you're running with a charity, you might check with your HR department about matching funds.

I found out that we match up to $5k per year to charities (503(c), I think). A few hoops to jump through, but also cuts that requirement in half for you.

I signed up with charity bibs for 2025 W&D and STS for 2026. I hate asking anyone outside my immediate family and close friends for money. It's a skillset I definitely am not any good at. I pay the initial fee and run with a charity that will add that to the fundraising total. Family and close friends will send me their donations and I can make one large donation and my company will match it. Makes the fundraising target much more attainable and then when I hit the goal I feel like there is a lot less pressure to solicit from my IG story which is my only social media.

My company utilizes Benevity and it's super easy to navigate and submit our donation matches.

 

[Tall Todd]

Any thoughts on POT guidelines? Wondering what the calendar range would be.

 

[fatmanatee]

Any thoughts on POT guidelines? Wondering what the calendar range would be.

2026 POT range is 1/1/2023-7/1/2025 so best estimate right now is probably 1/1/2024-7/1/2026. They actually extended the POT for Springtime Surprise to closer to race weekend so it's possible that they do the same for MW (maybe to 9/1?) but that said, not sure how likely it is that someone will get a good POT during the summer.

 

[Tall Todd]

2026 POT range is 1/1/2023-7/1/2025 so best estimate right now is probably 1/1/2024-7/1/2026. They actually extended the POT for Springtime Surprise to closer to race weekend so it's possible that they do the same for MW (maybe to 9/1?) but that said, not sure how likely it is that someone will get a good POT during the summer.

That's what I thought too. Might register for the SS 10 miler tomorrow.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Quick update on my end. Since this race is so far away, I’ve shifted more of my focus and willpower away from slogging out runs 4x-5x a week, and instead really gone all in on eating clean and being diligent and intentional with my diet (breaking old habits I was unaware of, stop eating like a ravenous, rabid squirrel that doesn’t know when it’s next meal is coming). I’ve gone gluten free, dairy free, and cut out soft drinks in the last two months. In that time, I’ve lost 15 pounds. I’ve just started this week with intermittent fasting and am now doing a food diary and counting calories. Suffice it to say, my goal weight is generally attainable by years’ end and I have also kept up a modest base of running 3x a week (and it feels easier - i ditched walk/run for a 3 mile run the other day and am below my average pace I ran in my early 20’s).

Kudos. I'm excited on your behalf for getting diet cleaned up. (Says someone who never thought he would become such an advocate for better eating).

Covid made colas taste so bad that I went cold turkey about 5 years ago, and now I'm annoyed at myself at how many gallons of the stuff I consumed over the years. And if I hadn't, I probably wouldn't be close to diabetes, according to my lab numbers.

I haven't gone gluten free, but I have cut out nearly all bread and related items in cutting out carbs, which now makes it a bit disconcerting to be consuming pre-race carbs for carb loading. Fasting? Not for me. I've learned the hard way I need to keep my blood sugar fairly level in order to be a tolerable moderately pleasant person.
And the main reason I chimed in is because a good friend of mine has dropped over 80 pounds this year by keeping a food diary and sticking to it and staying below a certain calorie count. So it definitely works and I wanted to offer that confirmation and encouragement. (I just haven't been quite so diligent, which is why I've taken several years to drop 20 pounds, but a change in habits means the weight should stay off long-term without any "snap-back" gain.) I've also found that the better eating habits lead to better eating being easier, for instance, I can now walk past a box of doughnuts at work and keep going without snagging one. Ditto for strolling past the cookies and snacks aisle at the grocery store. FWIW, my buddy also started walking and is doing a multi-mile walk nearly every day.
All I can say is that even a relatively small loss of weight makes one feel a lot better, and in my case, the exercise actually has me wanting to eat less, or at least to not over-indulge.
Sorry for the long post, but wanted to add my encouragement. Stay on it, and hopefully I'll also be there for MW 2027.