Running for Time or For Finish?

[AmyBWV99]

I'm sure this has been posted before, but I'm a bit new to the board.

I notice a lot of posts talking about sweeping and maximum times. Are most people here running to finish or running for a time goal?

Are most people running more than Disney races or running Disney races primarily? I've seen a number running other races than Disney, but was just curious what the 'average' Wisher was up to.

 

[wtpclc]

Well, when it comes to full and half marathons, for sure, I'd say many, if not most, of us run to finish. SOme of us have been doing it for a while and go for time. It's easy to be disappointed, though, if oyu don't make your time and my perosnal belief is that if you run a full or half marathon adn finish, you should never be disappointed in yourself.

We also have popele that are completley new to this, so th 5Ks and 10Ks are new to them. They may be going to finish or to hit 15 or 16 min mile pace for teh time limits in DIsney races.

Disny races bring us all together, but most of us know that we hae to have other races throughout the year to keep us training. That being said, anyone who has doen a race in a WISH shirt or been at a WISH meet knows that the best races are WISH races, so we have made a few more trips to WDW so taht we can be together. OK, that DIsney thing helps, too.

Howver, we had well over 20 WISHers in CHicago fro CDC last year and if there are WISHers at a run, I'm always tempted to travel. I think we will have a pretty good number at SanANotiopn, we alwasy have a FLying Pig continegency adn it seems like Philly will be a huge WISH race this year.

Don't know if I answered your question exactly, but hopefully you got a feel. Join us on teh weekly training thread and you will understand what WISH team and support from otehrs is all about!

 

[WDWFAN9]

As one of the slower WISHers I am always walking to finish! And, hopefully have fun along the way. Disney races are near and dear to my heart, but I do other ones too - and I love the ones with other WISHers.

There is a sticky thread that Maherae/Anne keeps updated with the calendar of events WISHers are participating in. Check it out!

 

[Lynn G]

Scott and I both go to finish, me more so than Scott, who will run rather than walk. If we manage to beat our previous time, then so much the better. We mostly do Disney races, and in those, as there are so many distractions, like characters, it is more for fun and finish than time. We have done several local 5K races, and other than that, the only non-Disney race we've done is the ING Atlanta 1/2 marathon, and we are signed up to do the Bolder Boulder 10K here next month.

 

[runningjusme]

for me, i'll be happy to finish Minnie then not get swept up in Chicago... i want to do well at the full in January 09.

 

[GirTheGecko]

I go to finish and say I did it. Then eat my victory twinkie. Doesn't matter to me if I come in first or last. I do try for personal bests, but I figure getting myself ready and trying is great. I did truly enjoy going to WDW with the dbf and his family for the Donald 08. It was such a great experience having them there and all of us crossing the finish line.

 

[CarolA]

I am happy to finish. The only reason I am obsessed with time is I don't want to be swept at the Minnie!!!!

My races so far are a 50/50 split between Disney and local.

 

[BamaEd1]

I'm new to the sport of running and I have a bit of a different take. I'm trying to do at least one race per month in the 10k to 1/2 distance. The local races keep me motivated and my times keep me motivated. I was in the Marine Corps and am in the Army National Guard now which means nothing except that I've been conditioned (brain-washed) to believe in doing better every time out. Time is how I measure this. Just finishing is a worthy goal. Finishing faster at the next race is a higher height that I strive to push myself for. Soon, though, 10k's and 1/2's won't be enough and I'll be doing marathons and maybe ultra's (a friend in our local running club has done a 100 mile ultra!!!!). I am pretty sure that I will enter the Disney full since I didn't get the 1/2 registration in on time. I'm sure that there will be knee and hip replacement in my future but I'm having fun now. I turned 39 Monday and I feel great. 30 snuck up on me but I'm attacking 40!!!!!! "Keep moving forward!" (Walt Disney) "Move faster!!!!" (My drill instructors on Parris Island)! Enjoy the run!!!!!

 

[Kewz1]

My main goal is always just to finish. Let's face it, whether you've run/walked in record time or you just made the cut-off time, you've accomplished something most people won't ever even attempt.

I do have time goals in my training to make sure I am making improvements and to see how far I've come (or lately, how far I have yet to go ).

For my first half I did set a time goal and I will have one for the '09 half also. The other ones were to have fun with whomever I was running (sister twice and friend once) -- the goal was the bling at the end!

Kristen

 

[gatorphipps]

It depends on the race...If I am running by myself...I run for time. But I sometimes run just for fun. I have never been worried about not finishing. Not even for my 1st marathon.

I have, however, learned to respect the 26.2 distance....see my racing blog under the Charlotte Marathon for the hardest marathon I have ever run.

 

[AuntieM03]

I am very new to this. Haven't yet done my first race, but I am definitely doing them just to finish. I think just getting to the start line is an accomplishment I can't even imagine that a couple of years ago I would be excited for my first 5K. My goal for the Disneyland 1/2 is to not get swept, but even if that were to happen I am proud just to even be there.

 

[AmyBeth68]

Amy,

I think you'll find, as some others have said, all types of competitors here. Some athletes new to the sport may be trying to finish their first 5K, Half or Full; while others may be seasoned veterans of the sport trying to hit a pb or QB. Personally, I'm somewhere in between. In my local shorter distance races in the upcoming year I hope to crush my current 5K and 5 Mile time. Scott and I also hope to run a strong 15K and Half in 2008 (keeping in mind that my idea of strong may be slow to somebody else). But for the Goofy race at Disney our main goal on day one is to have fun and on day two we may try to pr in the marathon time. But who knows...when you're out there running 26.2 just finishing is a HUGE accomplishment in and of itself, and not dying on the course is the prime objective . I'm competitive but I'm also realistic...I'm a 40 year old woman who will never win the prize money so having fun HAS to be the point. Competing with myself (and hopefully beating my current time) is just icing on the cake.

As for races, I tend to run a few smaller local races, the Disney marathon weekend and then several other half marathons throughout the year. This coming year it just so happens that I'll be doing a bunch of Disney races. But last year I did San Jose and Nashville in addition to WDW marathon weekend.

What races do you have planned this year? I think you'll find that whatever your race goals are you'll find a kindred spirit here on the boards.

 

[andromedaslove]

My first I ran just to finish. However, after finding out how much I enjoy it I have been setting time goals since. During this past year at Disney I PR'd by more than an hour. Now my goal is to BQ, which I can hopefully do in one of the two marathons I have scheduled for the end of the year. So far the only races that I have run are Disney races. I have done two Fulls and the TOT, and I am currently signed up for the Minnie next month. Unfortunatey, my days of Disney running are on a hiatus. Looks like it will be local races for me for a while, so I have a half and two fulls on the book for this year.

Dana

 

[windwalker]

I'm a competitive racewalker so my goals are a bit different. When I enter a run race and walk, I try hard not to be last. When I do an event with Erica who also is a walker we go to finish and have a good time, socializing, supporting and being supported by the other Wishers. When I enter a walk race I go to race. I'm blessed that I can experience all the different levels of the sport. Crossing the line at Disney, hand in hand with my lady or breaking the tape on a walk race are equally satisfying.

Walking Panda

 

[amykab]

I am new to Running/walking in races. I mainly signed up for the Minnie 5K and 15K as a goal to motivate myself to get in shape. I had a baby in June 2007 and was really pretty lazy as far as exercise goes for 6 months after. After the holidays, I signed up for the races and started training. I have gone from a 18+ min mile to a 12-14 minute mile, depending on my energy/motivation. So for thes e races I am mainly hoping to finish and have some fun running at Disney!!

 

[Cruella de mom]

I don't know too many people that start a race planning not to finish.

As for me, I always take what the day gives me. I ride the excitement and adrenaline of a race and sometimes that means I run my fastest. However, some of the most fun races I have run were the ones that I didn't care about what time I finished, but what time I had on the course. I ran Goofy this year and I had a the best time on the course. My finsh time is nothing to brag about, but I still smile every time I see it because it was such a great day.

So thats my long way of saying that:

#1) I always race to finish.
#2) I always race to have a great time.

 

[TEK224]

I race for both. I always want to finish (which unfortunately didn't happen at this year's Goofy). And I do set time goals for myself. But they are strictly for myself. I never have, and never will be a speed demon, but I like to have a time goal to shoot for. If I make it great! If not, it's something to shoot for in the next race. As long as I finsh I'm happy. A marathon is 26.2 miles whether I finish in 3 hours (in my dreams) or 7 hours (more likely) and if I finish I'm proud of myself no matter what time I have.

Terri

 

[tigger2esq]

when I started running longer distances it was all about finishing. now that I am officially "retired" from anything longer than a 10k ( for the time being anyway), in order to stay in shape I have set time goals for my finishes in shorter races. when you are only out there on the course for 30 minutes, increasing speed is the only way for me to increase my fitness level.

 

[scoolover]

My first marathon was the 07 Disney marathon. I ran there with a, "just finish but under 5 hours would be nice", attitude. It ended up being 5:43ish and I lost my timing chip so that was fine. My marathon PR is 5:20. Therefore I tell people that I do it to have fun and finish but that is a lie. Every race that I enter, I want to PR. Still being new, it works out a lot.

 

[postesf]

Hi! I'm new to this, so my goal is simply to finish and not get swept! I have only done a Disney 5K. I might could do a few 5Ks in my local area, but I really only see myself doing the longer distances at Disney. It's such a great excuse to go to WDW and the atmosphere is fantastic there! Lots of fun!

Stacie