The Running Thread - 2016

[Mickey's sweetheart]

AQOTD: I have mixed feelings about the cost of Disney races. Everything at Disney costs more than outside of Disney, that's just part of the deal, and usually, you get what you pay for. For instance, the medals handed out at Disney races are bigger, thicker, and generally nicer than the ones handed out at my local races. The experience of running through the parks is worth something. The fireworks at the start of each corral is cool.
But I also think the cost is getting too high, even for Disney. The cost goes up almost every year but the amenities stay the same. I can afford it but I would think twice before registering for any more races after I do Dumbo at DL this year. It adds a lot of extra cost to an already pricey vacation and impacts whoever I travel with and our time in the parks.

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

QOTD: What is your max price for runDisney races you'd pay before you said no thanks? Does that price vary for other races of equal distance?

I wouldn't really want to pay much more than the races cost already, having signed up for Dopey for both my wife and I was painful. We only do one rD race per year though and the one nice thing Disney has going for it is that there isn't an upcharge if you are an international runner. I had to pay a higher entry fee (like $50 more or something close to that) for both Chicago and Boston. That makes no sense to me.
How much would I pay for a race though? Dopey is 'cheap' compared to an Ironman, where the entry fee was over $800

 

[Keels]

@Keels Have you ever done the Fort Worth marathon? I have a friend in Shreveport that I'm trying to peer pressure into running her first full. I looked at Fort Worth Marathon, since it's the same weekend as Richmond. I figure we can train together virtually. I don't want her first full to be a dud race though. I would hope it's fun and well supported.

I haven't done the full at Cowtown, but I have done the 5, 10 and Half and I have numerous friends that have done the full. The first 12 miles, the half, full and ultra runners all run together. There's a split at mile 12 which takes the full back through more neighborhoods (mine!) and then out to TCU before finishing the last six-seven miles as an out-and-back on the Trinity Trail along the river. Because so much of the course goes through residential areas, there is a great amount of course support - but the elevation SUCKS for the full. You do a big climb at mile 9 and then I want to say miles 17-19 are pretty significant up and down grades.

The medals are nice and you get really quality participant/finisher swag - the race shirt is a nice the shirt, and this year the finisher's shirts had a cool race course map on the back similar to the RD "I Did It!" shirts. We also got finisher's jackets this year. There are bands that play and a HUGE food spread at the finish line, including all the Miller Lite you could want for free. They also offer a challenge, which comes with an extra medal and a gift - this year it was a cool running hat. And unlike RD, there's no additional cost for the challenge - just sign up for a Saturday race and a Sunday race.

The only real worry is weather. Last year, it was iced out. This year, he race started out incredibly chilly and windy and then finished unseasonably warm.

Another option around the same time is Austin, but I'm partial to Cowtown because it's my home city and I think it has a lot to offer visitors!

 

[roxymama]

My next rundisney weekend I am going to A) go by myself or just with hubby and spend lots of time browsing the expo or B) add two extra days before the day I even have to be at the expo to my vacation. By then my other family members will have already been sufficiently disney'd and won't get upset about having to take time out for me to go to the expo or the races themselves.
Or C) packet at front desk.

I prefer A and B as options because I actually love shopping and snooping race related stuff. But it's more because of taking time away from everyone else's trip that makes it hard for my particular family members. Last trip we made the mistake of travel to airport, flight, MDE to hotel, travel to the expo, travel back, and it took foooooreeeeevvvvver.

 

[ZellyB]

Like many others, we factor in the cost of the race as part of our vacation cost. We've never done a race there that wasn't part of a longer, extended vacation. That said, I'm sure I have a breaking point on the expense, but they haven't hit it yet.

 

[Kathymford]

AQOTD: I have mixed feelings about the cost of Disney races. Everything at Disney costs more than outside of Disney, that's just part of the deal, and usually, you get what you pay for. For instance, the medals handed out at Disney races are bigger, thicker, and generally nicer than the ones handed out at my local races. The experience of running through the parks is worth something. The fireworks at the start of each corral is cool.
But I also think the cost is getting too high, even for Disney. The cost goes up almost every year but the amenities stay the same. I can afford it but I would think twice before registering for any more races after I do Dumbo at DL this year. It adds a lot of extra cost to an already pricey vacation and impacts whoever I travel with and our time in the parks.

My bf and I call this the Disney Tax; we haven't actually calculated real world cost vs Disney cost to see what that Disney Tax percentage actually is ...

Also, the CA races are getting cheaper every time lately since only the cheaper/shorter races are selling out. Shocked that Light Side is still open, both the half and the challenge and both of those prices have dropped compared to DLH or Avengers.

 

[GreatLakes]

QOTD: What is your max price for runDisney races you'd pay before you said no thanks? Does that price vary for other races of equal distance?

I'm answering without reading other replies first and I suspect my answer won't be possible but we'll see.

I can't say I have a line in the sand number but I can say with 100% confidence that, for me, Disney races are already far past the price I think they are worth. That isn't to say I won't ever run one again. I was considering W&D this year and am considering it next year also but if I do run that race it would be 6.5 years between Disney races for me. There are way too many other races around the country that cost less and are at least as interesting to me.

I fully realize you are paying a small portion of your entry for the actual race and the rest for Disney touches like the medal, running through the parks, character pictures on course, and there is always the Disney tax. Everything at Disney costs more than it does elsewhere. I just feel the cost is too high even when those extras are considered, especially since I don't stop for pictures on the course. I run a Disney race the same way I run a non-Disney race, as fast as I can on that day.

My favorite local half costs $65. It has just as good a medal as Disney's races do and runs a great course. It isn't through Disney but I love the course. Is Disney a "better" event? Yep. I just can't come up with any reason why W&D is 3x's better than this race.

One of my favorite out of town races is the Flying Pig in Cincinnati. That race is $75 right now. If I want to run a 5K, 10K, and Half all over two days it would cost me $120 while running just a 10K and Half at F&W would cost me $330. Is Lumiere's 2 course challenge a "better" event than the 3-way challenge? Yep. Is it almost 3x better with 2/3 of the races? I don't think so. I have friends there so I stay for free but even if I didn't all the ancillary costs of a Disney race make those comparisons even further apart.

I think RunDisney is great for a lot of reasons. It got a lot of new people running and there are people who only do Disney races. I'm not taking anything away from them but for me the races are fun but just not worth the price. I look at them as a splurge to do from time to time as opposed to trying to do a couple a year like I used to.

ETA: I wouldn't even consider a Disney 5K . $70 for an un-timed (if you aren't do a challenge) race without any age group awards? I feel a little dirty paying anything over $30 for a 5K and all those give me results and the possibility of an age group award. I don't really care at all about finisher's medals for 5Ks but if you are going give them out and charge $70 they should be medals. I have gotten nicer 5K medals doing $20 local races than Disney gives our for $70 5Ks.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

ATTQOTD: I think I am willing to go $50 higher on the half and $25 for the 10k. I know they are expensive compared to other races but if they weren't I couldn't imagine what it would be like to register for one. With that being said the races seem to be selling out slower and slower so I don't think they will be going up anytime soon. Acclaim is having a sale to move bibs and they suckered me into doing the Dumbo Double Dare

@LSUlakes can you please add these to September:

03 - MommaoffherRocker - Dumbo Double Dare 10k (NG / N/A)
04 - MommaoffherRocker - Dumbo Double Dare Half Marathon (NG / N/A)

 

[Waiting2goback]

ATTQOTD: So, my introduction to races is RunDisney, so my price points are probably skewed. I am local to DL and when I started running, we only had 2 races and I only ran 10ks then. So every time DL got a race, I wanted to sign up because there were so few. Then a couple of things happened: 1. DL now has 4 races, 2. Now I'm running half marathon's and (yikes) my first challenge (we'll see if I keep doing that), 3. We started doing WDW races too (the plan was one per year), and 4. I have started wanting to do other races besides Disney. So paying for all of this along with just living (HA) has gotten a tad difficult, so now we pick and choose. 1-2 DL races per year. For 2017 so far, as an example, I chose to do just the 10k for Light Side and will probably do the DLH Half or challenge and that will be it for RD races for 2017.

With that said, for races that are NOT Disney, I am really cheap. I feel like there all too high when a half is more than $100. HA. And it's really hard for me to pluck down that money when the run in more than a year away. I have a hard enough time doing that at the 9 month window for Disney races.

In running news, I am slightly injured. By the end of my run on Sunday, my hip flexor was hurting, but by Monday morning I was fine. On my run yesterday, the minute I started running it was hurting. As I figured out my pace, it was fine ... until I started walking. It hurts more to walk than to run. That seems weird no? It seems to be sore from the hip flexor all the way through to the inside of my knee. That seems not normal.I'm still limping a bit this morning. I used my stick roller thing (not sure what it's called; looks like little marshmallows with handles ha) on it this morning and that seemed to help but only temporarily. I guessing rest and stretching?

I would say stretching and foam rolling, on top of resting it.


QOTD: The simple answer is, I don't let price determine what races I do. If I want to do the race I can justify the cost.

Long answer: At my unhealthiest I was 260 lbs and had just gotten out of the hospital for a heart attack scare. I was put on a ton of medications. I was paying $150/month for medicine co-pays and another $50/month, on average, for all the co-pays for follow up doctors appointments, labs test, etc... That equates to roughly $2400/year for co-payments.

So, when I started getting healthy again I would take just the medicine co-pays of $1800 and tell myself if I stayed under that for my yearly running budget then I was winning.

I think the Disney races are awesome. I think we are getting less and less for our money lately, but the same applies for anyone just going to a Disney park. I do think what they charge for a 5K is awful. I also think all the races are becoming the same, making them less worth it to me personally. Marathon weekend is still different, but the other weekends are all 1/2 marathons, all with a challenge, all in the morning. The only thing that changes is the theme. If Wine and Dine was still a night race I would spend my money on that. If they did a night challenge I would spend my money on that.

After experiencing my first runDisney race I was obsessed. I wanted to do as many as I could. I wanted to do every race at least once. I may still eventually do them all but I am looking around and seeing so many other races around the country that may get my money over Disney now that they seem to have lost their magic. I have even begun to wonder if Dopey, and what I am guessing will be a $600 registration fee, is too much. I may just settle for Goofy in 2018. It will give me more park time and I still get the 25th anniversary marathon medal.

For local races I will go based on recommendations and my own research. If the race is well run I will pay more for the race. I try to do races in cool places or that may have a good medal. I think the most I paid for a local race this year was $80 for my October marathon. Turns out I wasted all that money but you get the point. Hopefully I can defer them until next year.

 

[Waiting2goback]

 

[derekleigh]

QOTD: What is your max price for runDisney races you'd pay before you said no thanks? Does that price vary for other races of equal distance?.

I know for some people, price will not matter, but I can hardly understand anyone paying $500 for a single Disney. For me, the 5k has gone beyond the equilibrium. Sorry but $75 for a 5k is bonkers! Even thought I actually wear those t-shirts more than the tech shirts.

I haven't run the 10k so I'd probably be willing to pay $125 to run it once. The half, hmmm.... $200 might be the max I would do. I returned to the half this year after running the full in 2015, and was sadly disappointed ( and the half is my favorite distance too). I'd probably be willing to pay $225 for the full, maybe $250. Goofy = $360 and Dopey $600. 10k/half challenge combo = $350

I'm slowly finding the valuerice ratio shrinking. I overly not impressed with the direction rD is going (not to say it's going in a bad direction). Some of my local races are starting to be my favorite events, one in particular is a 1-miler and half challenge run 30 minutes apart.

But overall, the race, time, place and circumstances could change the amount is be willing to pay for that case in particular.

 

[Slogger]

ATTQOTD-RunDisney events are expensive because we have to travel to all events, and end up staying at the resorts, going to parks, bringing kids, etc.
It really adds up even before you tack on race fees.

We try to pick and choose events well in advance and stick with our plan. Not sure an increase in race fees would be the only reason for us to stay away from all of that Disney Magic!

 

[DVCFan1994]

ATTQOTD: I'm torn on my answer. I'd say I don't have a limit on what I'd spend. But, I feel like in the 3 consecutive years I've done the Glass Slipper Challenge I've seen less value. I felt like this year in particular the cutbacks for on course entertainment were very disappointing. That said, I loved the Avengers Challenge races, so maybe I need to just keep trying new weekends? I'm willing to pay much more at Disney, but that's just my love of Disney. I honestly can't come up with a price I won't pay. I'm sure it exists, but I won't know it until I see it.

The non Disney races I've done have been cheap by comparison, but I've enjoyed them all. I'm guessing $50 for a local 5k and $100 for a local 10k would at least make me think about it. But I'm not sure I'd pass if it were a course I wanted to try or cause I wanted to race for.

 

[michigandergirl]

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend! I'm going off the grid for the weekend, heading up to the cabin in Northern Michigan with the family for some R&R. Looking forward to running up there where I might see some elk, fox, loons, and bald eagles.

 

[Chaitali]

I'm actually struggling with the cost/value proposition on disney races at the moment and working on figuring out what I want to do next year. It's my 40th birthday next year and we're planning on going to Hawaii in the Fall. So that means it kind of makes sense to stop in California and do a Disney Land race! And get a coast to coast. I figure I won't have that many opportunities to do that. So I was thinking of doing Star Wars Dark Side in April and then Avengers in November. And I haven't done a Disney race this year so I can kind of justify doing 2 next year. But then I keep hearing about how people feel they're getting less value for their registration fees and I'm torn. I could instead do RnR New Orleans in the Spring (I've never been there so it would be a cool way to check out a new city) and then RnR LA in the Fall before heading to Hawaii. I'm already signed up for RnR DC so I could do all 3 RnR races for about $199 (that was the price of their 3 pack this year). Decisions, decisions... And I know next year is pretty far away but with Disney races, I feel like I have to sign up when registration opens. I guess I've got a couple months to decide still. I'd welcome anyone else's thoughts

 

[LSUlakes]

Long answer: At my unhealthiest I was 260 lbs and had just gotten out of the hospital for a heart attack scare. I was put on a ton of medications. I was paying $150/month for medicine co-pays and another $50/month, on average, for all the co-pays for follow up doctors appointments, labs test, etc... That equates to roughly $2400/year for co-payments.

So, when I started getting healthy again I would take just the medicine co-pays of $1800 and tell myself if I stayed under that for my yearly running budget then I was winning.

That's an amazing story! It's like a new start at life. Congrats on making the decision to live a healthy life and keep up the good work!



My Friday is not starting off well. Went to bed at decent hour to get my morning run in this morning. Well my GPS watch my actually be done for now. I have the Garmin 620, which requires to use a touch screen to get the thing going. Well the touch screen is not responding . So I woke up early and tried sorting out the problem for so long that by the time I gave up, it was to late to get the miles in anyway. I have a back up watch, but it is not charged, but it is on the charger now for the run this afternoon. Its a older model and while it works, it is going to make my workout Saturday a little more complex without the reminders on the watch. Back to instructions on paper in a Ziploc bag.

 

[LSUlakes]

I think we may have touched on this subject in some form in the past, perhaps regarding obstacle races (Mud, Foam, color, ect..) Either way it was a good suggestion and worth visiting again.

QOTD: What is your position on virtual races?

ATTQOTD: I have not participated in one, and do not plan to do so. Having said that, if that event is what it takes for someone to lace up the shoes and get outside to get healthy I am for it.

 

[PrincessV]

QOTD: What is your position on virtual races?

ATTQOTD: I don't have one Virtuals aren't my jam, but if other people dig them, have at it!

 

[camaker]

QOTD: What is your position on virtual races?

I recently participated in one just to see what it was like. It was the Half Blood Prince Half Marathon put on by Hogwarts Running Club to support Project Purple pancreatic cancer research in honor of Alan Rickman (Professor Snape, the Half-Blood Prince). I liked their set-up and the charity focus of it and the medal was top-notch, but the run itself kind of left me unfulfilled. It just felt like a longer than normal training run. I might do another in the future if the theme or charity really appealed to me, but otherwise I just don't think they are for me.

 

[roxymama]

ATTQOTD: It feels a little weird like I'm just paying for a medal, but doesn't feel as weird if the money is going to charity. I like that they exist to get people off the couch who do not feel ready for an organized race or who are not yet at the point where they can make the minimum pace before sweeping/course closure. But I think working towards meeting a minimum pace is a good goal to earn a race medal (but I realize not everyone is capable of that for health, age, disability reasons.) I also don't mind the Disney one after thinking about it, since many people are not going to spend a ton of money on a huge disney vacation...so making a disney race at home is kind of cool concept...especially love the idea if you are doing it as a family. A lot of them seem geared more towards "collectors" of things...like the Hogwarts ones...but as a collector geek of other things, I totally get that. Since I don't fall into all the categories above...I think an organized race medal feels more earned for me. (emphasis on "for me.")
My own experience...I made a pact with myself to run a 5k every single month in 2015. And I missed December because we just could not find a race. So hubby and I are trying again to do that this year, but with any and all distances. And March came and I just could not get one weekend where I could have a babysitter so I could run. He had his race and then was out of town and then I had plans, etc. So I signed up for a virtual run for charity with a group of women that I buy my running skirts from and I did a 5 miler on my own. I got the medal in the mail and hung it up. It didn't feel the same. It felt emptier. I'm super happy about the cause and I researched it to learn more, so I like that I helped someone somewhere...but I prefer (For myself) running in the big herds of people at races. Hence why I sign up for so many that don't even have medals.

Now if we ever did a disboard one, I would sign up...especially if we all ran at the same time on the same date.