Official Glass Slipper Challenge Thread

[dewingedpixie]

I am so sick of this statement that women wouldn't run if it weren't for these races, if they wouldn't run before a women's run, then that's sad and pathetic. That is not a reason to do a race, if you have to do a gender only race to feel enticed to a race, you shouldn't be running to start with. If you cannot run with everyone, then don't race. It is getting really annoying that some women feel they are entitled to their women only races and always have to put down those that realize that excluding people from a co-ed sport is wrong. The point of running a race for most people is staying healthy and active, having fun with other athletes, it is not about being empowered by others women, if that is what you are looking for, a race is not the place. Also, anytime I see a woman wear a women's only race shirt, it sickens me as you wear a shirt that can promote segregation and be acceptable, and yet still be seen as normal. It's been over 40+ years since women were able to run and now some feel they deserve their women only races.

Though, if you look at this thread, the first moment of complaining came from a woman saying men are complaining. Now, if they made the marathon weekend and DL weekend and all the supporting events male centered/only, there'd be hell exploding about it, and you cannot say there wouldn't be. Also, I don't know how a women's race can be more fun because sales are better, not sure how that makes it more fun.

I have no issue doing these races as they are not women only, but putting men further back as discussed does not give for good races and actually lowers the quality of the race. There is no issues with this race, but as I have said before, just make it another normal race and keep the race theme. Also, if men are in corral C again, and it is slow, I will have no issue running through corral B again, but its those that stop, randomly cross and such will get hurt, not by me but by all the other men quickly approaching making it very dangerous. And lastly to the one that said just don't allow men not to run period in this race, they do that, it will seriously cause more problems than help, especially locally.

I can understand the women who wouldnt run before in a coed race. I have friends who were this way. It isnt my personal style but I do understand their perspective. They want to be active, not compete with men. They want it to be fun. Not all women want to train for boston, do ironmans etc. Some just want to hang out with other women and maybe break a sweat at the same time. Its a different mentality than the standard runner. Some of those women will in the end convert once comfortable with themselves, others may not.

I started with local races, went onto large cycling events when it was a man dominated sport. I really have no issue hanging with the boys so to speak. Most of my friends are male and heck my fiance encourages me to go cycle with my boys because he's terrified of clipping into a bike at 20mph.

I also never said the shear numbers of people is what makes these women's races fun. Read it again its the way they sell the race. The women's races typically are very goal oriented encompassing each woman's goal and allowing her to share that. The women's races make every goal feel valuable creating a camaraderie of sorts. Instead of making it 100% about time they make it about making a better person with that race however you finish. They tend to have really good shwag, and nice expos. I just got a pretty nice Tiffany's necklace yesterday, a couple of nice sweaters, and a nice race bag for the NWM. They make it open for cheering and helping another woman out. There are opportunities to really spend time and understand other women's stories. These races highlight those stories pretty much asking for them to be told. They make an open environment for making friends its no longer shearly about your fastest run. These are the reasons these races sell, its not the numbers that make it more fun its the vibe they sell and project with the shwag and personalization of the race to each runner.

Frankly I'd be open to a men's race. It wouldnt offend me. however as stated I started cycling before it was a big women's thing, in fact my 2005 bike is a man's bike. I'd race with the boys. Make it a man's oriented race I dont care, I'll just buy less shwag and spit more on the track.

As to it being dangerous having faster runners behind you there is something called running etiquette. I've had faster runners behind me, and slower in front. If you are that uncomfortable with this situation you shouldn't put yourself on a course with thousands of runners sorry. Some races dont have corrals others the corrals suck. Learning to move yourself with the masses effectively with the flow is a skill learned through multiple races. Its not something that bothers me anymore especially after experiencing mass pelotons while clipped into a bike. You want scary try being attached to a bike with large pelotons going 15-20mph. Once you learn the dance of moving within a peloton and being passed by faster pelotons you really find the whole swerving runners in a race quite peaceful. I've never seen one runner take down 20 other people I have seen it on a bike and had to dance my way out of that mess in the process. So runners en mass do not scare me faster or slower. If you're slower I'll get around you when I find a gap, if your faster I'll move out of your way.

 

[Danhockey04]

In the olympics, they only separate them for the ticket sales and TV slots, it's all about the money. But I'm sure none of us are Olympiads. But we are all runners, and to me a peer is a fellow runner, despite the gender difference. Even in any race, you are still separated by age group and gender for awards. And again, it's women feeling they are special/better or worse than men that they need to separate themselves, that's all I'm getting out of this, that women got equality and they want exclusivity now, and that is acceptable?

 

[Danhockey04]

I can understand the women who wouldnt run before in a coed race. I have friends who were this way. It isnt my personal style but I do understand their perspective. They want to be active, not compete with men. They want it to be fun. Not all women want to train for boston, do ironmans etc. Some just want to hang out with other women and maybe break a sweat at the same time. Its a different mentality than the standard runner. Some of those women will in the end convert once comfortable with themselves, others may not.

I started with local races, went onto large cycling events when it was a man dominated sport. I really have no issue hanging with the boys so to speak. Most of my friends are male and heck my fiance encourages me to go cycle with my boys because he's terrified of clipping into a bike at 20mph.

I also never said the shear numbers of people is what makes these women's races fun. Read it again its the way they sell the race. The women's races typically are very goal oriented encompassing each woman's goal and allowing her to share that. The women's races make every goal feel valuable creating a camaraderie of sorts. Instead of making it 100% about time they make it about making a better person with that race however you finish. They tend to have really good shwag, and nice expos. I just got a pretty nice Tiffany's necklace yesterday, a couple of nice sweaters, and a nice race bag for the NWM. They make it open for cheering and helping another woman out. There are opportunities to really spend time and understand other women's stories. These races highlight those stories pretty much asking for them to be told. They make an open environment for making friends its no longer shearly about your fastest run. These are the reasons these races sell, its not the numbers that make it more fun its the vibe they sell and project with the shwag and personalization of the race to each runner.

Frankly I'd be open to a men's race. It wouldnt offend me. however as stated I started cycling before it was a big women's thing, in fact my 2005 bike is a man's bike. I'd race with the boys. Make it a man's oriented race I dont care, I'll just buy less shwag and spit more on the track.

As to it being dangerous having faster runners behind you there is something called running etiquette. I've had faster runners behind me, and slower in front. If you are that uncomfortable with this situation you shouldn't put yourself on a course with thousands of runners sorry. Some races dont have corrals others the corrals suck. Learning to move yourself with the masses effectively with the flow is a skill learned through multiple races. Its not something that bothers me anymore especially after experiencing mass pelotons while clipped into a bike. You want scary try being attached to a bike with large pelotons going 15-20mph. Once you learn the dance of moving within a peloton and being passed by faster pelotons you really find the whole swerving runners in a race quite peaceful. I've never seen one runner take down 20 other people I have seen it on a bike and had to dance my way out of that mess in the process. So runners en mass do not scare me faster or slower. If you're slower I'll get around you when I find a gap, if your faster I'll move out of your way.

Firstly, you can run with your friends in co-ed races, there does not have to be a women's only race to do this. All the races I've done are goal oriented and have great support, you don't need millions of other women there to make it good. Second, you're proving my point that women are simple and feel inferior, so they must create their own races to feel special, cause after discussing this with some people in this thread, that's how I feel (but it's only select few that seem to feel they deserve the exclusivity). Third, if I'm running in an incorrect corral placement put on me by the race organizer, it is not my fault I have to run through an entire corral of slow runners making it dangerous to everyone around. If it were just me, it would not be dangerous, but when you add in 300+ men in the wrong position all crowding the front of C, there is going to be some injuries just waiting to happen. I didn't put myself in the corral or crowd, I was forced there by the race and terrible planning.

I have no issue with a women themed race, just like you with a man themed race. But if you are allowing entry by the opposite gender, you should not be pushing them back or making them second class because of their gender. If you allow them to enter, you treat them as a normal entrant.

 

[Danhockey04]

I'm glad that the Princess isn't just for women, I just want to DRESS UP and share the experience with fellow Disney freaks. That's it! Female or male, it's fine by me!

That is the only reason I do these races, I love dressing up, I have tons of costumes (male and female) and I get to enjoy a fun race. But it's the debate that some feel the race should be exclusive or men should start back. I feel the race should never be exclusive, it's not Disney's thing, will be bad PR if they do, especially in DL. I also feel they need to just properly corral everyone and let everyone enjoy the race safely and let whoever wins, win.

 

[dewingedpixie]

In the olympics, they only separate them for the ticket sales and TV slots, it's all about the money. But I'm sure none of us are Olympiads. But we are all runners, and to me a peer is a fellow runner, despite the gender difference. Even in any race, you are still separated by age group and gender for awards. And again, it's women feeling they are special/better or worse than men that they need to separate themselves, that's all I'm getting out of this, that women got equality and they want exclusivity now, and that is acceptable?

I think you are still miss reading this. It is not about being better or worse. It is that these women are new for the most part and they dont want to be exposed. Its almost a form of modesty. Its like having separate locker rooms. Running your first race is exposing yourself in a way for many of these new runners. Women in particular may have been told for years its not lady like to do that. These races give them almost a walled area to do that without the eye they feel has told them in the past to not do that.

What sells these events is the comraderie they offer not the exclusiveness so to speak. They use the whole "girl power" point and drive it home but the reality is under that its about the individual and the goals that person has being of value. If you run the NYC marathon you're one of 25k running. There is no wall at an expo listing your name. There is no prompter at the expo asking you to add your goal and name to be streamed. There is no expo party and post race party telling you to mingle and share your stories. There is no sign the wall with why you are running/walking this. There is none of that. These races sell that. Women are touchy feely and this is what they are selling. Women also like shwag I think way more than men and they do offer really slick shwag at these races.

It is the overall vibe that brings the women back to these races though many will go on to other races not centered on women. These races give them the confidence to see its ok to be strong and run and that in the end its ok to run with men too. These races focus on the individual goal in racing, and the women take that and use it in the future, where before they just saw the overall competition. I really enjoy women's races they're a lot of fun. I wont lie I loved the marine corps 17.75k, and cant wait to do the marathon but its a lot more gritty than the women's races.

 

[dewingedpixie]

I think another important thing is that women want to just be silly girls. These races allow that. I think the forcing men back in the corrals allows these races to focus even more on that. They brought out Joan Benoit Samuelson yesterday because I was in the 3rd corral I was upfront and seeing her made me not only smile but a tear drop. I was within 50 feet of her, because of my pacing I was able to see her on the course at the first turn point as she came back by and that was amazing to see her run in real life. These races want to move women, they want to focus on that. That is not inferior.

There have been exclusive clubs for men for centuries. I have no issues with that. If they want to do a men's focused race I have no issues with that either. If it bothers you so much that girls get all the goodies then start a man's race is all I'm saying. Take all the awesome that these races have made and make one for men with man flare (which probably means butt powered rockets or somthing). I think thats the real issue instead of worrying will women be offended just do it. Who cares if they're offended. We have our races men can have theirs too .

 

[Danhockey04]

But to use a race to feel that empowerment? I just don't think they go hand in hand as much as other events would. Local 5k's and 10k's I see are different, but to do a major event and make it exclusive to a gender is sexist and will always be sexist. It doesn't matter how empowering, how great the shwag is, how great the vibe is, it is still being sexist and overall setting the wrong example, especially for the sport. Once one does a certain race, they expect them all to be like that, it will hurt the sport in the long run than help because it will take the meaning of a marathon and change it. Marathons were meant to be endurance events of mental toughness and physical greatness but it is changing. And Princess is the race where you see it most in WDW races and I feel it is changing mainly from these races. It is becoming a social gathering, a get together with friends for a weekend of fun and entertainment (nothing wrong with that) but many entrants are not trained, do not have the mental toughness and end up not finishing or getting hurt. These races may be great in the short, but I feel its going to hurt in the long as some of the tougher races with tighter requirements are going to fill with those that should not be entering and will not finish (Chicago marathon is a great example, too many entering that do not finish and is saturated with those that shouldn't be running it)

Overall, my point in all of this is that it can be bad for some of the runners that care to run in races, but it can be good to popularize the sport. But it may also turn out that more and more races turn to women events and will eventually kill the sport for men and serious runners, especially exclusive women runs. If there is a women focused run, just to save the sport, men should be allowed, men should be given awards and treated the same, but theming it for women will make it majority women. There are ways for women focused runs that still keep the spirit of the sport and welcome all to run equally. Though most half marathons now are majority women, so having a women's focused run seems pointless.

There are no men's races anymore in the US and if one existed, it would be on the news as sexist and against equality. That's how the media is these days, and there is no denying it.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

But to use a race to feel that empowerment? I just don't think they go hand in hand as much as other events would. Local 5k's and 10k's I see are different, but to do a major event and make it exclusive to a gender is sexist and will always be sexist.

Well, tell it to Nike and their Women's Marathon/Half Marthons.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Also, in New York, we have one men's only race in September, and we also have a May 10k where only men are eligible for the big prize money. So your theory doesn't hold.

 

[Danhockey04]

Well, tell it to Nike and their Women's Marathon/Half Marthons.

I do tell it to Nike the only way I can, my wallet. I do not buy their products, don't like them and will not buy from them. I know it won't make a difference, but that's the only thing I can do. I know you're not going to change your view point, I won't change mine. But as I have said before, just put the men back into corral B, the danger of being ran over is gone and women can have their races still. I'm arguing the whole fact that men must be put 2 corrals back and that puts all others in danger. Disney allows men to enter, men will continue to enter, more and more enter each year and will continue to do so, as legally they cannot prevent a man from entering as lawsuits may ensue from others (I wouldn't waste my time, but it would happen, hence Nike allows men in the women's halfs they do). Some races get around this for offering an exact race exclusively to both men and women separately, otherwise, today, a lawsuit may ensue on any refusal to entry, plus a possible lose in sponsorship.

Also, even though I'm a man, I love the girly themes. I like pink, I like princesses and I enjoy dressing up in costumes and having fun. Just because I'm a man shouldn't mean I can't enjoy the theme equally as everyone else. There are men that like girly stuff and women that like manly stuff, just how it is, but to ostracize one for their gender isn't right. That's why I am so adamant about this subject. I have pink running shoes, pink/purple shirts, colorful shorts. Just cause I'm a guy, I don't let that get into the way of the things I like even though the things I like are considered girly. And if there was ever a Hello Kitty Marathon anywhere, I'd be first in line for that.

 

[freepixie]

Leaving this thread, tired of the belly-aching, I can get my information regarding the races elsewhere.

 

[dewingedpixie]

But to use a race to feel that empowerment? I just don't think they go hand in hand as much as other events would. Local 5k's and 10k's I see are different, but to do a major event and make it exclusive to a gender is sexist and will always be sexist. It doesn't matter how empowering, how great the shwag is, how great the vibe is, it is still being sexist and overall setting the wrong example, especially for the sport. Once one does a certain race, they expect them all to be like that, it will hurt the sport in the long run than help because it will take the meaning of a marathon and change it. Marathons were meant to be endurance events of mental toughness and physical greatness but it is changing. And Princess is the race where you see it most in WDW races and I feel it is changing mainly from these races. It is becoming a social gathering, a get together with friends for a weekend of fun and entertainment (nothing wrong with that) but many entrants are not trained, do not have the mental toughness and end up not finishing or getting hurt. These races may be great in the short, but I feel its going to hurt in the long as some of the tougher races with tighter requirements are going to fill with those that should not be entering and will not finish (Chicago marathon is a great example, too many entering that do not finish and is saturated with those that shouldn't be running it)

Overall, my point in all of this is that it can be bad for some of the runners that care to run in races, but it can be good to popularize the sport. But it may also turn out that more and more races turn to women events and will eventually kill the sport for men and serious runners, especially exclusive women runs. If there is a women focused run, just to save the sport, men should be allowed, men should be given awards and treated the same, but theming it for women will make it majority women. There are ways for women focused runs that still keep the spirit of the sport and welcome all to run equally. Though most half marathons now are majority women, so having a women's focused run seems pointless.

There are no men's races anymore in the US and if one existed, it would be on the news as sexist and against equality. That's how the media is these days, and there is no denying it.

And you keep not getting my point that its not entirely about women's empowerment. You keep giving a circular argument when I've told you there are a variety of reasons for these races.

I am sorry but the world has always been sexist and it will always be. There are plenty of men's clubs and organizations. I really don't care they are that way, and if you want a man's race I don't care either. Instead of crying like a 2 year old girl about it though go make one. See that's the funny thing you think women would cry fowl over a men's organized race but I really think there would be very few angry cries over this especially if shown there are women's varieties. So really if you're that freaking upset over a women's race 1 don't run it as you've said you wont, 2 go make a man's race. However jacking a thread on that race for people who want to run it creating a circular argument repeatedly makes you look like you're an immature self entitled brat. Welcome to the world its sexist sorry and for years it was sexist against women, welcome to the new equality its sexist towards everyone.

 

[dewingedpixie]

Also, in New York, we have one men's only race in September, and we also have a May 10k where only men are eligible for the big prize money. So your theory doesn't hold.

I think this is awesome I'm all for men's only races.

 

[HealthyDisneyGuide]

Ahem.

SO, WHO IS EXCITED ABOUT ANOTHER BACK-TO-BACK RACE CHALLENGE???

 

[Cripey]

UNCLE! UNCLE!



Let's debate something I think we can all agree on...this is going to cost way more than it should, and we're all crazy for paying that much to willingly torture ourselves! Am I right? Yes? No?

I can't wait to see what they come up with for both the 10K medal and the challenge bonus medal.

 

[SAHDad]

UNCLE! UNCLE!



Let's debate something I think we can all agree on...this is going to cost way more than it should, and we're all crazy for paying that much to willingly torture ourselves! Am I right? Yes? No?

I can't wait to see what they come up with for both the 10K medal and the challenge bonus medal.

I think after the sticker shock of the Dopey, any of the other Disney races are going to look cheap.

I just try to look at it as a cost per mile - then it's not so bad, provided I include all the training miles along the way.

(That reminds me - next time I spectate, I need to make a sign that says "Remember, you PAID to do this.")

 

[ohMom]

hi everyone, i'm popping in as this thread got a 'reported post' on it with it evolving into debating vs race info....so looks like you all are steering back OT now. i'll leave it as that for now, if it continues to get reported posts it may have to be shut down

 

[saysay]

I am still debating if I can do PHM next year. My plan was for C2C with Tink and W&D....now I want to do PHM and Tink. Don't know if that can happen, but if I can't do PHM this year...I think I will go for the Glass Slipper Challenge in 2015!

I am so happy that runDisney added a shorter race for PHM weekend! For those who dont' want to train up to a half, this is a great option!

Wondering where the course will be.....ok off to read older posts in thread!

 

[niclodn]

Leaving this thread, tired of the belly-aching, I can get my information regarding the races elsewhere.

Ditto. This is getting ridiculous.

 

[dlbwright]

Ok, Since this thread seems to be back on track, , I am going to join. Cannot wait for this race. I am signed up for W&D, the 10K and 1/2 for marathon weekend already. Had no desire to do Princess weekend. And of course Disney adds a 10K to the 1/2 and calls it something special and I am more excited about this one than my other two combined. They know how to sucker us in.