So I've been mulling this over for a few days. Anyone else have pretty low desire to enter races? I mean, at this point, for the "standard" road distances I know I can do all of them. And I have a hard time convincing myself to try to do them faster for the sake of doing them faster. The driving motivation isn't there. I don't need to pay for a long run (outside of Disney races, of course.) I'm a pretty competitive person, and I know that even if I worked really hard, I'd maybe be a middle-of-the-pack'er.
What gets you to register for a race (outside of Disney)? Medals? Course scenery? PRs?
My issue is I like signing up for races, but none of my local races. Most of the races I want to do outside of Disney aren't close and require air travel. Colorado isn't flat, and so many races I've done switch between paved trails and dirt trails. There's nothing really great about them, and I've done them enough times I'm just not excited about them.
So I've been mulling this over for a few days. Anyone else have pretty low desire to enter races? I mean, at this point, for the "standard" road distances I know I can do all of them. And I have a hard time convincing myself to try to do them faster for the sake of doing them faster. The driving motivation isn't there. I don't need to pay for a long run (outside of Disney races, of course.) I'm a pretty competitive person, and I know that even if I worked really hard, I'd maybe be a middle-of-the-pack'er.
What gets you to register for a race (outside of Disney)? Medals? Course scenery? PRs?
Outside of Disney, I just do a few local races just to have something on the calendar. I’m never doing summer races longer than a 10K in the future though, it’s too dang hot and humid
For me, the comfort level of a Disney race plays into it a lot! I know I won't be bored and I know I (probably) won't be last. Most other races I don't have those guarantees. There were a few back in Salt Lake that I had done and felt comfortable with, but since moving, I have yet to be drawn into anything. If I find myself curious about a race, I always go look at previous results first to see what the mid-to-back finishing times were and how big the field was. I know it shouldn't matter, but I would be horrified if everyone were just standing around waiting for me to finish (or worse -- tearing everything down and leaving).
So I've been mulling this over for a few days. Anyone else have pretty low desire to enter races? I mean, at this point, for the "standard" road distances I know I can do all of them. And I have a hard time convincing myself to try to do them faster for the sake of doing them faster. The driving motivation isn't there. I don't need to pay for a long run (outside of Disney races, of course.) I'm a pretty competitive person, and I know that even if I worked really hard, I'd maybe be a middle-of-the-pack'er.
What gets you to register for a race (outside of Disney)? Medals? Course scenery? PRs?
I've definitely cut way back on the number of races I run over the years. It's been a very deliberate decision to go with fewer, higher quality races rather than just running as many as I can. I tend to look for races that are more experiential, like running along the outer banks of NC where I have very strong nostalgia and it brings back memories of my late father. We used to take extended trips to the outer banks to drift fish and gig flounder when I was a kid and young adult. I miss those days and the scents and scenery evoke very strong memories.
I did my first non-Disney race in March with a group from my gym. I was too nervous to try one on my own. But since then I’ve done one local 5k with a friend and signed up for 2 5K’s this fall. I picked them because they are both unusual courses. One has us going on the race track of the Daytona 500 and the other is along the cart paths of the TPC Sawgrass golf course. If I’m going to do a 5K I want it to be something interesting. Of course my training has been so hit and miss that I’m glad they are only 5K’s.
For a long time I was pretty focused on medals and was signing up for every race I could. Life has been a bit too demanding so now it is primarily runDisney races and then either unique local races or races that let me explore areas I have not been. This year I will end up only doing two non Disney races, that will be the fewest in a year that I can remember! Hoping for Chicago or New York next year and also thinking about signing up for a couple trail races, been awhile.
I've only done one non-Disney race so far, a 5k at the Margaritaville resort, which I raced. I'm doing the 10k this year as a training run/fitness gauge.
There are a few other specific races here I'd like to run - the OUC half marathon, because it's in Orlando and familiar, and the Space Coast half marathon, because of the space theme and where it's located. I would like to eventually race both of these so I can see how fast I can actually run a half marathon. Same with a 10k, I just have to find one in the winter because the Margaritaville race is at the end of September and that's still too hot. Disney races are either too crowded in the later corrals or you're stopping for characters, etc., which makes it difficult to actually race. Plus, I want to enjoy those races more!
I should say that I HAVE done a few other non-local, non-Disney races. Namely I did RnR Vegas Half 3 times when it was still in November and only an hour flight or easy drive away. Atmosphere and participation was a lot like a Disney race, and I loved that it was at night and on the Strip. I did it the first time alone, just for fun. The second time my aunt and cousins came and did it, and they practically walked the whole thing. The third time was on my ramp-up to my first marathon. I trained hard and raced it and got a time (barely) fast enough for Disney POT, then they changed the times and I was no longer in the range. I was SO proud of that time and SO bummed when I couldn't use it for future races.
I should say that I HAVE done a few other non-local, non-Disney races. Namely I did RnR Vegas Half 3 times when it was still in November and only an hour flight or easy drive away. Atmosphere and participation was a lot like a Disney race, and I loved that it was at night and on the Strip. I did it the first time alone, just for fun. The second time my aunt and cousins came and did it, and they practically walked the whole thing. The third time was on my ramp-up to my first marathon. I trained hard and raced it and got a time (barely) fast enough for Disney POT, then they changed the times and I was no longer in the range. I was SO proud of that time and SO bummed when I couldn't use it for future races.
I did the 10k in 2017 and loved the night aspect. It did make fueling different, but I did it I'm doing RnR San Antonio so I can see the Riverwalk in Christmas lights. No Christmas light runs in Denver without it being absolutely freezing.
I run a bunch of non-Disney races. I try to mix them up with favorites (Des Plaines River Trail HM, Soldier Field 10, Run the Bluegrass HM, Fort2Base, Big10K) and new races. As a proud member of Team Not-So-Fast as well as an older runner, I no longer chase PRs but run for the fun, comradery, bling, and experience.
I am more like @camaker in that I only race maybe 2 - 3 times per year, so I usually choose pretty deliberately. That also means that I don't mind making them an "event" that I travel for, spend a bit more money, etc. I'd be interested in an unusual/pretty course or location or something else memorable about it.
I would also probably do an additional race or two if I had a friend who suggested something we could do together. That hasn't worked out much.
The only races I do outside of Disney are small local ones. But I kind of discovered this summer that I don't really enjoy racing, I enjoy training. I feel like races aren't as fun now that I'm slow and I really kind of hate trying to run fast.
It is the perfect time for me to join this group because race season anxiety has started -- especially for the WDW Marathon. My first full marathon ever!
It is the perfect time for me to join this group because race season anxiety has started -- especially for the WDW Marathon. My first full marathon ever!
It is the perfect time for me to join this group because race season anxiety has started -- especially for the WDW Marathon. My first full marathon ever!
All you first time marathoners will crush it! An advantage of doing a marathon at Disney is that all of those photo stops are great recovery breaks. It will definitely help.
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I'm doing RnR San Antonio so I can see the Riverwalk in Christmas lights. No Christmas light runs in Denver without it being absolutely freezing.
