Official Dopey 2017 Thread

[Chasing Dopey]

A couple friends got in today. (DW and I took care of it last week.)

We got to Dark Side planning to put the pressure on them to sign up... So we show up after they each had a couple, and no pressure required. Ha!

 

[rteetz]

How long do we think it will take Dopey to sell out.

 

[DomesticKrys]

I'm in for my first Dopey (my first full) and my kids are in for kids races and my friend is in for her first full!!!!! Registering went so much smoother than I had expected and I am grateful!!!! Here's to training!

 

[DomesticKrys]

The 5 & 10K are both SO

 

[opusone]

The 5 & 10K are both SO

Sort of... you can still register for them by registering for Dopey. Not the easiest way to a 5k and/or 10k.

 

[DopeyBadger]

How long do we think it will take Dopey to sell out.

Two years ago it was 2 hours. Last year it was between 3.5 and 11 hours. I'm guessing it will take over 24 hours for it to sell out. Just a guess based on nothing though.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Two years ago it was 2 hours. Last year it was between 3.5 and 11 hours. I'm guessing it will take over 24 hours for it to sell out. Just a guess based on nothing though.

I agree because a lot of people might be waiting for next year.

 

[Sailormoon2]

Not as climactic, but I am celebrating being in for Dopey even though I knew that I had a deferral spot reserved.

Was the guaranteed spot normal for deferrals? Or is that a bonus because you are AP or DVC or something? Did you get your own link? thanks.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Was the guaranteed spot normal for deferrals? Or is that a bonus because you are AP or DVC or something? Did you get your own link? thanks.

Had my own link, sent to me in an email. I could use the link any time between 12:00 p.m. EDT, April 19, 2016 and 8:00 p.m. EDT, May 02, 2016. Being anal, I signed up on the 19th adding to the chaos of the AP and DVC registrations that took place on that day.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Two years ago it was 2 hours. Last year it was between 3.5 and 11 hours. I'm guessing it will take over 24 hours for it to sell out. Just a guess based on nothing though.

I don't know if it is because of increased # of entries, the running fad dying down a little, lower demand before anniversary race next year, or something else I'm not thinking of but it has certainly slowed down the last couple years. I'm sure it will pick back up next year with all of the anniversaries, but I'm a little surprised that my registration paranoia has seemingly been so unfounded the last couple of years.

 

[mr incredibleS1]

I'm in for the Dopey! We had two computers and a cell phone going at noon time and by 12:30 we had my wife & daughter signed up for the 5k and myself for the Dopey. The Dopey is the natural progression after the '06 5k, '08 Half, '10 Full, '12 Goofy and the '15 full.

 

[alexksmith]

I too am signed up for my first Dopey. Should be pretty exciting. I had always read that it sells out extremely fast, so I signed myself up for that before I went to sign family members up for the 10k. I was barely able to get them in, that race sold out so quickly.

Anyone who has run the Dopey before, have you dared to run any of the first 3 races fast, or is it pretty much required to sandbag the first 3 to save yourself for the marathon.

 

[FFigawi]

Anyone who has run the Dopey before, have you dared to run any of the first 3 races fast, or is it pretty much required to sandbag the first 3 to save yourself for the marathon.

I think it depends on you and your training. If you train to race all four races, there's no reason you can't do so that weekend. If you are training in order to finish upright with a smile on your face, I'd suggest that blowing out the first three will leave you in tough shape for the full. It also depends on what you want out of the weekend. Do you want lots of picture stops with the characters? Time spent riding Everest? High-fiving with the crowds and goofing off along the way? A new PR at each distance? Determining what kind of a race and race experience you want will help you decide how to pace each of the races.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Anyone who has run the Dopey before, have you dared to run any of the first 3 races fast, or is it pretty much required to sandbag the first 3 to save yourself for the marathon.

It's really hard for me not to give a full effort when I am running (I'm too competitive with myself) so I have given a pretty good effort in each of the first three races during my previous Dopeys. It really hasn't been much of a problem for me come marathon day, but I probably would have been able to run the marathon a little quicker if I had taken a different approach the first three days. Like @FFigawi said, it really depends on your own individual goals for the weekend.

 

[Diskidatheart]

I too am signed up for my first Dopey. Should be pretty exciting. I had always read that it sells out extremely fast, so I signed myself up for that before I went to sign family members up for the 10k. I was barely able to get them in, that race sold out so quickly.

Anyone who has run the Dopey before, have you dared to run any of the first 3 races fast, or is it pretty much required to sandbag the first 3 to save yourself for the marathon.

Congrats on signing up for you first Dopey. I agree with @FFigawi, it really depends on what you want to get out of it and how you train. I would not recommend a first time marathoner to go all out for all 4 races. For me, the key to a successful Dopey is taking it easy on the half to save yourself for the full. To be honest, the real key for me is not even so much the races, but the time you spend walking around the parks after the race. Those miles add up fast. My advice is to figure out what you are going to do during that week...are you going to run each race hard or enjoy each race and take it all in? Are you going to spend hours and hours at the parks afterwards or are you skipping the parks altogether? Make sure your training plan fits your schedule. If you plan on going to the parks during marathon weekend, during your training make sure you don't just sit around after each of your runs...get out and do something...mimic your actual plans as much as you can.

 

[cavepig]

Anyone who has run the Dopey before, have you dared to run any of the first 3 races fast, or is it pretty much required to sandbag the first 3 to save yourself for the marathon.

All depends on who you are & your goals. My brother ran all 4 races as "races" & did well. I took them all different and easier as I was injured and then sick for the marathon. I did stop for more photos in the first 3 which was nice & helped keep them easier I suppose. I would not recommend walking all of the first 3 races thinking you'll save your legs/feet that way (unless you train as a walker) as I've seen mentioned in other places online as that will just put you on your feet longer than you really need to be. Basically train how you want to race, if you want to walk more than make sure you train with walk breaks as it uses different muscles. Hope that makes sense.

 

[dburg30]

It was my first marathon, along with the first Dopey. I was VERY VERY careful with park time and the first 3 races to make sure I didnt do anything stupid This will be my 2nd dopey, and I am planning on training slightly harder / faster, BUT also being careful to listen to my body.. Goals are great and very important, but I have learned over the years that sometimes goals have to be recalculated. Not set so easily they become an afterthought, but not so hi that you are basically getting yourself up for failure.. So as others have said. It depends

 

[Barca33Runner]

All depends on who you are & your goals. My brother ran all 4 races as "races" & did well. I took them all different and easier as I was injured and then sick for the marathon. I did stop for more photos in the first 3 which was nice & helped keep them easier I suppose. I would not recommend walking all of the first 3 races thinking you'll save your legs/feet that way (unless you train as a walker) as I've seen mentioned in other places online as that will just put you on your feet longer than you really need to be. Basically train how you want to race, if you want to walk more than make sure you train with walk breaks as it uses different muscles. Hope that makes sense.

I also ascribe to the sometimes going slower just keeps you on your feet longer theory. After each of my marathons the most surprising thing has been how bad my feet hurt. Not from injury or blisters, but just from the fatigue of being on them for that long.

 

[onetoescape]

Got in!

 

[mr incredibleS1]

Dopey, Goofy & Marathon are still available, 1/2, 5&10k's are sold out 24 hours after general registration. I'm surprised that the Dopey didn't sell out right away, maybe Run Disney shouldn't have skipped the Boston Marathon Expo this year!