The Running Thread - 2016

[Waiting2goback]

I am so grateful that RD was there to get me to start running. I"m not going to lie, I wanted that medal so badly. I saw the C2C medal when doing a Google search for a pin I was looking for and about fell out of my chair and started doing research. I had never run anything in my life. Lucky for me, they announced the first 10k that year and that was the beginning.

Now that I've done my first half and will be getting my C2C in Sept., I almost prefer running outside of the parks because the parks are just so congested in my slow corrals. But I will always want to do them. They are still a challenge for me. Do I wish they were less crowded? Do I wish they were cheaper? Of course! I also wish I could live with unicorns and rainbows! But I have started to limit my RD races and do some other ones locally.

I am with you. I am so grateful to runDisney for helping me get off the couch but more importantly, I WANT THE C2C MEDAL.

Does anyone else find themselves looking at their schedule/life events based on races? I'm not terrible with it, but the other day I did make a comment to my mom along the lines of "I'm mad that [my cousin]'s wedding is the day of my half marathon." She laughed but I immediately knew it sounded crazy. Most normal people would probably plan around the wedding and not do the race that's the same day. But I really wanted to do it because I enjoyed the quarter marathon race of the same event so much last year and wanted to do the half this year and have it be my first. Even though I did know when I signed up months ago that they were the same day. So now, I'll be running a half marathon at 7 am on June 11, and going to my cousin's wedding at 2 pm/reception that evening. Needless to say, Sunday the 12th will be a definite day of laziness.

Yes, I look at what races I want to do and my calendar of birthdays and make sure there are no conflicts. Last fall I ran a race on my birthday. I wouldn't do one on the kid's birthdays but mine is no big deal.

 

[alexksmith]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, everyone. I'm still beyond excited to tackle the dopey, and to run the 10k with my sister and half with my brother.

 

[Chasing Dopey]

But, as I read the comments it sounds like most of them are directed at Dark Side weekend which sounds like it was pretty bad for a lot of people.

This is true. Although the merchandise thing really rubs me the wrong way. Registration fees are going up, on course entertainment is going down (from what I've heard), and they are leaving a LOT of money on the table by not addressing the merchandise shortages that have been going on for years. Years? Really?

Does anyone else find themselves looking at their schedule/life events based on races?

How about this... We're looking for a new house. The topography of the surrounding neighborhood is actually a serious consideration.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

I let my family know what races I am considering with dates and ask for conflicts. If something comes up later, after I have registered, I generally opt for the race. For a wedding I would skip most races.

Generally I would probably skip for a wedding too, but this race and the wedding are both in town, and it's not a wedding for a cousin I'm super close to (I'm just going as a guest, not as a participant in any way). So since the race is early enough in the morning, the two don't directly conflict. Recovery should be interesting, though, so in the future, I most likely wouldn't do it again.

Only RunDisney races, I'm a photographer and got an inquiry for a wedding....it's DarkSide next year's date, so I had to say we were booked, they sounded cheap anyway so I don't think I was losing out on a booking, but Darkside takes priority and we actually have the runDisney calendar right with our work calendar notebook since those races & weddings get booked so far out!

Haha, love it. The things we do for Disney!

Yes, I look at what races I want to do and my calendar of birthdays and make sure there are no conflicts. Last fall I ran a race on my birthday. I wouldn't do one on the kid's birthdays but mine is no big deal.

I would totally run a race on my birthday! The Star Wars Dark Side half was on my birthday this year, and I would have done it in a heartbeat if I was local. I don't have kids, so kids' birthdays are not an issue for me currently.

 

[Slogger]

Does anyone else find themselves looking at their schedule/life events based on races?

Yes. Guilty as charged.

I look at the RunDisney calendar and what events we might be able to attend. We have two teenagers and my work and community activities create a lot of conflicts. Maybe I should send a text to friends and family about not having any babies, marriages, graduations, retirement parties, and so forth on the one or two weekends a year that I hope to participate in RunDisney events. Would that be rude?!!

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

How about this... We're looking for a new house. The topography of the surrounding neighborhood is actually a serious consideration.

That is very important!

Yes. Guilty as charged.

I look at the RunDisney calendar and what events we might be able to attend. We have two teenagers and my work and community activities create a lot of conflicts. Maybe I should send a text to friends and family about not having any babies, marriages, graduations, retirement parties, and so forth on the one or two weekends a year that I hope to participate in RunDisney events. Would that be rude?!!

I know, sometimes I find myself thinking, why did this cousin have to choose this particular weekend? It was the only race I had my eyes on at the time and there are several other weekends of the summer available!

 

[Miranda]

I'd skip the wedding, not the race! I'm an introvert... events like weddings are nightmares for me.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

... events like weddings are nightmares for me.

You're not drinking enough.

 

[roxymama]

This story is pretty cool.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/27/health/12-year-old-accidentally-runs-half-marathon/index.html

My natural reaction as a mom would be to be livid at my daughter for not alerting a race official immediately even if she decided to keep running. Also I'd arm her with a cell phone for the next race so she could text me if anything happened and I'd tell her probably 1000 times to tell SOMEONE/ANYONE official if something weird like that happens. NOT just at a race, but in life. It's ok to make a decision...but TELL SOMEONE!!! AGH, can you tell this is stressing me out thinking about it? I'm sure I'd eventually be proud of her, but having your kid "missing" even for just a while never leaves a mom.

I'd skip the wedding, not the race! I'm an introvert... events like weddings are nightmares for me.

Don't you love how with running...you can be surrounded by thousands of people so it appears that you are an extrovert...but you don't technically have to interact with any of them. Unless you are 12 and accidentally run a half marathon...then you should talk to people..see above
Also, make a family member create a medal for you to get at the finish line of the wedding reception.

 

[roxymama]

Answer to the question about scheduling around races....My husband ran a race the morning of us driving to family for Easter weekend celebration, and last year I ran a race the same day as a baby shower brunch, and another one the same day as a big fancy dinner dance that night. All were because we'd registered for the race first and then double booked ourselves anyways. Oh and that one time I ran in the morning and then walked around Disney all day

 

[Slogger]

I totally missed it, what happened at Dark Side weekend?

 

[roxymama]

I totally missed it, what happened at Dark Side weekend?

I think lots of re-sellers at the expo buying up the merch to re-sell? Unless there was something else I missed.

 

[Miranda]

There were transportation issues from what I could gather on FB groups (I was not at the race). There were a lot of people stranded at the Wilderness Lodge with no buses (and no bus director person, I think... like the person who is the liason with the other buses and has the walkie talkie and stuff). I saw someone who was waiting there put a plea for help out on the FB group and someone not even at the race was calling the bus company for them. And it sounded like there were very long waits at WWoS after the race to bus people back to Epcot.

 

[Mimsy Borogove]

The Everglades half sounds really intriguing to me. I spent a lot of time there as an undergrad for various field research, more wary of water moccasins than gators for sure. But with all the commotion of a race, the thing that was making me hesitate (other than already being booked for W&D Challenge and Space Coast Half in November, that's a lot of races all over the state for a month with a holiday) is that I wouldn't see any wildlife!

 

[michigandergirl]

totally agree with @cavepig.....Wish I could run all the races but I am in the pick and choose category due to juggling work, teenagers, vacation times, and budget. The only RunDisney burn-out I have experienced is with my wallet!!

Yep, I would totally run all of the RunDisney races if I could, but family obligations and lack of funds are preventing me from doing so! I'm insanely jealous of everyone registering for Marathon Weekend 2017. I'll need to exercise a lot of patience because I will have to wait until 2018 to go back. BUT, my friend and I have officially decided we are doing Dopey in 2018 so I am super excited for that!

And about running with gators: Do you get a finisher medal? Because I'm starting to think I would run just about anything for some bling! It's a sickness really...

 

[opusone]

And about running with gators: Do you get a finisher medal?

If you finish in one piece!

 

[croach]

I totally missed it, what happened at Dark Side weekend?

From what I've heard the corral situation was pretty bad. Too many people for some of the corrals. And also the transportation issue that someone mentioned.

 

[Kathymford]

Don't you love how with running...you can be surrounded by thousands of people so it appears that you are an extrovert...but you don't technically have to interact with any of them. Unless you are 12 and accidentally run a half marathon...then you should talk to people..see above
Also, make a family member create a medal for you to get at the finish line of the wedding reception.

THIS. I couldn't understand why my bf, a total introvert to the point where I'm not sure how we even got together, prefers running with running groups. I'm not fast enough to experience the running groups (yet?), so maybe I just don't get it yet. And they aren't even that local, plus paying for parking (they meet in downtown LA). And all I can think is: "But you don't even like people?! Why are you going!" lol I'll admit the instagram pics make it look fun, but I like people and being social.

 

[rteetz]

I think lots of re-sellers at the expo buying up the merch to re-sell? Unless there was something else I missed.

Merchandise was a big problem, the transportation issue at the 10K, and on course entertainment were all the majority of the complaints.

 

[PrincessV]

I totally missed it, what happened at Dark Side weekend?

Bedlam and pandemonium. I don't buy merchandise, so I had no issue there. And I was super happy to NOT see a bunch of Disney characters in a Star Wars race, so no issue there, either, for me. The issues I experienced were epically insane crowding in the 10K - I mean, worse than anything I've ever seen, shy of July 4th at the MK - and the buses from WWOS to EP for those who drove. P{er GPS we walked an extra 4+ miles in the bus queue after the half; we were in line well over an hour. The day before, they simply stopped running buses to EP and told us to take a bus to a resort, then one form the resort to EP, which of course dropped us off at the EP bus depot, not at the race, so more walking. Took 3 hours to get to our resort Sat, 2+ Sunday. Crazy!