What's your feeling about getting a medal without finishing Princess?

[ghoulishgirl]

I have recently heard about some people who cheat at Disney races. People who jump in at Epcot and look fresh as a daisy, cross the line and collect a medal.

That is far worse to me than doing the best you can on that particular day and not being able to finish. The heat got the best of my mom at the Princess this year (who is almost 70). She made the choice for health and yeah, they gave her a medal. She tells everyone she wasn't able to finish and a trip to the hospital would take away from her Disney time, so she opted for the bus when she was told she was behind pace.

What I really don't understand is why people care so much about whether other people collect a medal or not. Do your own thing, it's really none of our business what other people are doing. The Princess this year was my first half marathon in over 4 years due to auto-immune issues and I didn't race for over two and a half years. People have their own struggles to deal with. And for the record, I did finish the race and that medal has a lot of meaning for me, and other people taking a medal when they didn't finish has absolutely no bearing on how I feel about my race and my experience and my accomplishment.

 

[JCH]

I think at the end of the day what this debate comes down to is how you feel about a medal. I have personal experience, I did not have an official finish time for Hawaii 70.3 three years ago. They were nice enough to give me my medal and finisher shirt. I did finish and quite frankly I would be pissed if anyone had said I did not deserve the medal they gave me. People are getting out of bed at 3am and doing a Disney race. If they started then they deserve something to show for that.

What the question really is when you are in that situation will you take the medal or not. No one else has the right to decide for you or look down on your decision.

I'm sorry, they don't "deserve" anything. You got a shirt for showing up, the medal should be reserved for the finishers!

I have recently heard about some people who cheat at Disney races. People who jump in at Epcot and look fresh as a daisy, cross the line and collect a medal.

That is far worse to me than doing the best you can on that particular day and not being able to finish. The heat got the best of my mom at the Princess this year (who is almost 70). She made the choice for health and yeah, they gave her a medal. She tells everyone she wasn't able to finish and a trip to the hospital would take away from her Disney time, so she opted for the bus when she was told she was behind pace.

What I really don't understand is why people care so much about whether other people collect a medal or not. Do your own thing, it's really none of our business what other people are doing. The Princess this year was my first half marathon in over 4 years due to auto-immune issues and I didn't race for over two and a half years. People have their own struggles to deal with. And for the record, I did finish the race and that medal has a lot of meaning for me, and other people taking a medal when they didn't finish has absolutely no bearing on how I feel about my race and my experience and my accomplishment.

I hadn't heard that, but that's just sad.

And we care because the practice is starting to affect others, as many have posted before. It the only people were those who trained their butts off, but tripped and twisted their ankle, I don't think we'd care at all. But knowing you get a medal is attracting people who, quite frankly, are a danger to themselves and others on the course.

 

[Jubilee]

I'm guess I'm in the minority.....

If they get it and they didn't finish, they still tried. Doesn't bother me. It's a personal walk for me.. I wear it because it's my accomplishment, but if someone wears it and didn't complete, what do I care? They know they didn't, but they may be proud of what they did do. That's all that matters.

FTR, I also don't care about clothing labels or have the other nonsense appearance things most ppl do, so this is a big eyeroll subject to me and I feel like people can get very snarky over nothing. I also read the blogs of those people and I feel they are way more positive than most of the people getting an attitude about this. Let's practice what we preach, people. Disney is supposed to be about positivity and uplifting others/feeling good about ourselves, no?

 

[ghoulishgirl]

And we care because the practice is starting to affect others, as many have posted before. It the only people were those who trained their butts off, but tripped and twisted their ankle, I don't think we'd care at all. But knowing you get a medal is attracting people who, quite frankly, are a danger to themselves and others on the course.

I certainly get that and I agree that some people shouldn't be out there. What I was talking about is people who say that non-finishers diminish other peoples' accomplishments. Which I think is absurd. Suddenly your medal means nothing because someone else didn't finish?

 

[Stitch_lover_Sith]

I'm sorry, they don't "deserve" anything. You got a shirt for showing up, the medal should be reserved for the finishers!/QUOTE]

Oh so I am to believe that should you ever be in a spot where you don't finish the race as an official finisher that you are not going to take the medal. You will just walk by and say no.

You seem to have a very strong opinion on what YOU think us right and wrong. Well guess what I don't agree and do not like to think of my self as undeserving for something that the RACE director gave me.

Now you have some points about possibly not doing the race if you don't train for it but quite frankly that is another topic all together.

These races are something that you have to plan out well over 6 months in advance. You pay good money to be there. I will never tell you that you do not deserve something because you did not finish. That is not the RunDisney way or quite frankly the WISH way.

 

[DISNEYFOS]

I think what is at stake is the race wont be considered legitimate. And participation won't be considered running a "real" 1/2 marathon. Maybe that's already the case.

Encouraging non-runners/people who don't train to run a 1/2 marathon or even a full marathon and then having them wear medals and walk around with "I Did It" T-shirts..will just give the run Disney races the wrong reputation.

I understand people who say it shouldn't diminish my accomplishment..but it kinda did... if it ruins the reputation of the event as fluff and you can never get a good PR because of the crowds/people/un-trained people, and not to mention almost getting injured a few times trying to get around them.

 

[PrincessV]

I think what is at stake is the race wont be considered legitimate. And participation won't be considered running a "real" 1/2 marathon. Maybe that's already the case.

I believe it is - I have some friends who are serious runners; they also happen to be Disney fans and do some Disney races for kicks. But they don't consider them to be real races; they consider them "fun runs."

 

[Stitch_lover_Sith]

I think what is at stake is the race wont be considered legitimate. And participation won't be considered running a "real" 1/2 marathon. Maybe that's already the case.

Encouraging non-runners/people who don't train to run a 1/2 marathon or even a full marathon and then having them wear medals and walk around with "I Did It" T-shirts..will just give the run Disney races the wrong reputation.

I understand people who say it shouldn't diminish my accomplishment..but it kinda did... if it ruins the reputation of the event as fluff and you can never get a good PR because of the crowds/people/un-trained people, and not to mention almost getting injured a few times trying to get around them.

I greatly believe that any RunDisney event is a real marathon or half marathon. I am what you would call a fast runner, hoping to break two hours in the half marathon distance at Disneyland Half. Two of my most recent PRs were at RunDisney events, Tinkerbell and the WDW Half. to be quite honest I have also done non Disney events and I keep going back and paying the premium to Run Disney. I have been doing their events since 2006.

Now I cannot tell you how you should feel about you race but there is no such thing as a fluff 13.1 miles. You did it. For the I did it shirts you have to buy that if you want to right size before the event, so you do not know if you did it yet. For those who didn't maybe it is bad form to wear it to the parks but they have something they paid for and cannot return. Should they waste their hard earned dollars and throw the shirt away because they did not do it? Just some things to think on.

 

[Jubilee]

I certainly get that and I agree that some people shouldn't be out there. What I was talking about is people who say that non-finishers diminish other peoples' accomplishments. Which I think is absurd. Suddenly your medal means nothing because someone else didn't finish?

Completely agree

As for the mentality regarding RunDisney's "reputation" as a "legitimate" and "real" race, I'm more worried about our reputation as a bunch of elitist bullies who need to compare and contrast our accomplishments to feel good about ourselves, quite frankly.

 

[fashionista311]

I think it's kinda silly to take a medal for a race you didn't finish, but to each his own. I've run a ton of halfs over the years...some with medals, some without. The memories of my accomplishment is more important to me. Without the race, a medal is really just a piece of metal.

What's more upsetting to me about Disney races (and what endangers its reputation more I think) is the over-crowding of the course. I don't see why being welcoming to newer runners, and letting seasoned runners have a fair shot at a decent race has to be mutually exclusive. Limit the field to amount of runners the course can safely hold. Seed runners fairly - if a runner doesn't have a half marathon prior result, then you must account for more fade then a normal running calculator - because let's face it, if you are new to the distance, you will likely have some fade (I know I totally bonked out my first couple of halfs, and I think most have had similar experiences!). Maybe there needs to be more corrals in general. Allow more times between releasing corrals. Have long enough water tables so they don't have to be completely bottle-necked. Maybe create an extra lane xx amount of feet before a character stop so runners who want to stop can safely turn off. Maybe the time limits need to be extended past 3:30...that way runners who are concerned about being sweeped will have the extra time they need. I don't know...I'm not a race director. But I don't think it's too much to ask for Disney to put the runner's experience first, so *everyone* can have a safe and enjoyable race.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

I have never run in a marthon, 1/2 marathon, etc...but am training for the ToT 10 miler and then plan on doing Tink 1/2 & Princess 1/2 next year. I know how hard I am working to reach those goals -- I think you should have to EARN a FINSIHERS medal and not just get one because you showed up. Trying and NOT finishing is a PARTICIPANT. I want to EARN my medal, and know I did it the right way -- not by getting swept "x" many miles into the race.

 

[John VN]

You pays your money, you gets what's coming to you. I have yet to see a p.s. that states, if you do not complete in the time required or the distance required, you will not receive a medal.

Some of the things the entry fee covers is a shirt, goodie bag, course drinks, food stuff, medical stuff, bib with chip for timing......and a medal. If medals are given to individuals who have not completed the distance in the announced time frame, I don't give a hoot. Doesn't bother me at all because I would still race every race I have done and plan on doing even without medals.

My solution is to have the choice of receiving all the perks including a medal no matter what at $$$$ dollars or pay less $$ for everything other than a medal. Could have a day-glow orange bib to denote the person who doesn't want a medal when finishing and thus they do not receive a medal.

I would be wearing a day-glow bib.

 

[MoonFaerie]

I had a really hard time with the heat & humidity at the Princess Half last weekend. I got overheated and stopped sweating for a bit. I was sure I wasn't going to be able to finish, and getting swept was a very real possibility for me. If I hadn't finished, I wouldn't want the medal. That said, it doesn't bother me that others got swept and got a medal. It doesn't make mine less special to me.

 

[goofeygirl]

I wouldn't want a medal I didn't earn. Something about crossing that finish line has meaning to it then running 5 miles into a race and getting swept.
I would tell people that I was given a medal but didn't complete the race but took the medal anyway or just lie and said I did finish the race.
It wouldn't have the meaning behind it either and each time I would look at the medal I would only be reminded of what I didn't do.

Perhaps if I were in a marathon and were swept at mile 24 or something it might be different...but mile 5 in a half...not quite the same thing.

I really do believe that you should just get the medal if you complete the task you signed up for...by crossing the finish line. What else would you want it for?

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

I think the last thing Disney has to worry about is if their race is considered legitimate or not. After all, even with all the price increases, the protests about said price increases, and the record sell-outs, it appears that the races will continue to be popular. A lot of elite athletes won't run them for the very reason that some are mentioning. But, Disney has never tried to be an elite race. It will never have the stigma of NYC, London, Berlin, Chicago, or Boston.

 

[mickeysgal]

This post sums up how I feel about it. I am all for people getting off the couch and being active, but I worry that Disney is enticing people to attempt long distances before they are truly ready. That not only poses a safety hazard for these participants, but also potentially endangers other runners as numbers of participants swell and courses get more crowded, particularly with people not familiar with race etiquette and safety. Sure, I understand that any runner or walker might have a bad day, in spite of training, and may not finish. It could happen to anyone. I just worry a lot about those who don't seem to have even prepared at all, and I feel bad to see so many people in such a bad way at a typical Disney finish line. I would prefer that Disney discontinued their practice of giving medals to everyone.

I personally don't think I would accept a medal if swept just because I wouldn't feel comfortable with it, although admittedly I can't know for sure what I would do without ever having been in that situation, the decision to accept one, or not, when offered is personal, and I don't judge other's decisions. Whatever others do doesn't hurt me, and doesn't change how I feel about my finish or the value of the medal to me. In the end, it's a material thing that sits on a shelf. If something happened and I lost all my finishers medals, i wouldn't have the hunk of medal but would always have the sense of accomplishment from the races I've finished.

A couple of years ago at the Atlanta Peachtree on a very hot 4th of July, we ran past someone that had collapsed. Paramedics were working on him...CPR. Never heard what happened to that poor man. Later that same year we ran a 10K on Thanksgiving where someone collapsed and died at the finish line. My daughter had been running about the same pace as him and saw it, we saw the ambulance. Very sad. And seeing this made us sit up and take notice that this wasn't all fun and games. We then took our training much more seriously.

This is not a sport to take lightly. It can be life threatening. It bothers me that there are folks that are obviously giving it a whirl and aren't trained and ready to cope with the distance, the safety issues, and all that goes with it. These races can be grueling.

No, I don't think everyone should get a medal just for stepping across the start line, pulling themselves from the race, getting swept, etc. Is it disappointing? You betcha. I couldn't accept a metal for doing something I didn't accomplish. Plain and simple.

When you cross the finish line, you are a finisher. A finisher's metal is a metal for finishers.

 

[afnaechiquita]

My aunt came very close to being swept in 2012 - not because she did not train, but because she ran while sick (if anyone can remember - the day before was quite windy, and we spent it at IoA, where it seemed even colder than it was at Disney, and that just about knocked her out). What kept her going was getting a medal and knowing she was receiving it for doing the full 13.1. For some people, it's a very big accomplishment and to wear the medal is to show you made it 100%.

I've never paid attention when running non-Disney races, but do other races give you a medal when you don't finish? As a PP stated, there is no "p.s. you won't get your medal," however, if that's the difference between a Disney race and non-Disney races, it certainly does give credence to the idea that Disney races are not "legitimate" because you can sign up and receive a finisher's medal without finishing.

 

[VernRDH]

I have DNF'd once-my first marathon attempt this past October. I got to mile 20 before I decided I had to stop in order to not injure myself further and not be able to run in January.

The ride to the finish was hard. I was in pain, sick to my stomach and disappointed. Did it hurt to see all the people at the finish wearing their medals? Yes, yes it did. Could I have gotten one? Probably.

That day served as a lesson for me to work harder, keep going and get it done the next time. I did at Goofy (and it was awful) but I very much earned those medals at WDW.

Me personally, I don't think you should get a medal for just participating, its a finishers medal. But I can't judge someone else who decides to take and keep medal they did not "earn". Just my 2 cents.

 

[rmgreenesq]

I have recently heard about some people who cheat at Disney races. People who jump in at Epcot and look fresh as a daisy, cross the line and collect a medal.

Yup! I worked the finish line as a volunteer at the Tinker Bell Half last month. I hung medals around the necks of the finishers. We were instructed that the finisher must be wearing a bib in order to get a medal.

Ninety-nine point nine percent of the people I encountered had a visible bib. I had to ask a few people to see it. The pinned it to their back or it was on a jacket that was now tied around their waist. But there were these two young ladies that came through the chute looking fresh as a daisy. They already had a mylar blanket, which were handed out after the medals. When asked for their bib, they claimed that it fell off. I asked security to escort them to runner relations to straighten them out.

Rick

 

[davedmaine]

Seriously people, it was a Disney princess race. Fat girls were wearing Snow White costumes. It wasn't an Olympic or military medal. It was a Disney princess race medal. Who cares if they all got one..