2016 Virtual 5K Series

[Dr Gunnie]

Welcome to the Virtual 5K thread!

It's my belief that these virtual 5k races will only be as fun as we make them, so let's make them as FUN as possible!

I figured this would be a good place to talk about what type of things you'll be doing for your run, posting pics, maybe even figuring out some way to bring the magic to wherever you plan to run.

My background is simple. I'm not a runner. I've just started practicing for a 5K about a month ago. As someone who probably won't get an opportunity to do one of the real runDisney events, I figured I would sign up for the virtual races when they were announced and make the best out of them.

Hopefully this can be a place where we all meet to talk about what special things everyone has planned for each race and get to know the others that plan to run too!

The dates:

runDisney Virtual Running Shorts – Yellow Shoes
Completion Timeframe: May 15 – June 1, 2016

runDisney Virtual Running Shorts – Red Pants
Completion Timeframe: June 5 – June 18, 2016

runDisney Virtual Running Shorts – White Glove
Completion Timeframe: June 19 - June 30, 2016

 

[Dr Gunnie]

Go ahead and introduce yourselves:

I'm Josh - I'm 41 and married with two kids. I'm a special education teacher and I coach high school football. My first 5K is this Saturday and I've just started training for it about a month ago. Right now my practice runs have me finishing just over the 38:00 mark. I've recently lost a little over 60 lbs, so I'm just beginning. I plan to do the Castaway Cay 5K in March and I hope to continue to run while I lose another 40 lbs and get to my goal weight. I've never been a big running fan, but the more I do it, the better it becomes. I would like to work my way up to 10K's and who knows... would also love to do a legit runDisney run at some point.

I've signed up to do all three events.

 

[ReelRedHead]

I am also in! I registered for the entire series. I am 39 year old busy mom who works full time. I am very excited about this series. I am not a "runner" but am super motivated by these virtual races! My hubby and children are super supportive and will be cheering me on as I complete my "races" on the treadmill!

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

I want to register for the whole series but after dropping $180 on the half marathon for Jan 2017 and adding a room at OKW and a park ticket I really don't want to tell DW that I'm dropping another $140 on running. Maybe I'll try to ease into it

 

[The Expert]

I'm Kim. I'm 45 and live in Salt Lake City. I signed up for the whole series of virtual 5Ks for the "real" medals and the motivation to train toward my first 10K at the end of July!

On a fluke, I ended up in the 5K at Princess Half this year. (We had a DVC room booked for that timeframe, and when I saw I could reasonably walk it, I decided to sign up and try it out.) I always hated running, but had such a good time walking this one that I decided to give learning to run another shot. I'm using Galloway and have been running every 2-3 days since the end of February. My mom and aunt are planning to do the Princess 5K with me next year, and I'm aiming for the Glass Slipper Challenge and the Tink Half in 2017!

 

[ejcraft]

hi, I'm Tammy and I signed up for the whole series, so I had the motivation to continue you training after I finish my first RunDisney 10K this week at Tink! I'm a very slow runner but had friends who did these races and then my daughter who loves Tink moved to California, so we decided to give the Tink a try can't wait only 3 more days till I leave NY for sunny California.

 

[HockeyMomNH]

Hello virtual friends! I'm Lynn and I'm a runDisney addict.

I signed up for the series. I'm training for the Wine and Dine Challenge so I'm going to be running anyway, so I figured I might as well get some cool bling!

Definitely planning to dress up or do something to make the runs special.

I

 

[Hollysmum]

Hi I'm Julie, I'm from the UK so can't really make all these wonderful Disney races very often. I've booked the whole series to give me motivation to keep running and to get better times and to have a bit of fun!! I'm also doing the Disneyland Paris 5k and half marathon this year

 

[mordyr]

Hi I'm Roberto from Italy. I signed up for the whole series. After running Dopey and Star Wars weekend in january i'm missing so much RunDisney races and i have to wait til september for the Disneyland Paris Half and 5k.... with this virtual races it's like i take home the magic

 

[roxymama]

Hi I'm roxymama...waves!
I'm not doing this series because of $$$ already being devoted to other registered events this year. But I am curious to see how you all like it in case Disney rolls another series out again the future. Also wishing everyone good luck on their training and virtual races.

 

[snowman]

Hi gang! I'm Michelle, a 48 year old college student/SAHM in Maine. I'm on the road to health and have signed up for the series for the motivation to keep moving. My promise to myself is a live Disney 5K in 2018.

I like the idea of virtual races because then I won't be embarrassed at being slow.

Excited to be here.

 

[cavepig]

My mom registered, but we are all sharing it & to hang in our office. My parents just did Dark Side as their first Run Disney events and won't do another one till probably Wine & Dine 2017 (as their trips won't coincide with race dates & I'm doing Wine & Dine 2016 & Darkside 2017 and someone has to stay here for pets) so this should be a fun way to get a little Disney magic at home. We've never done virtual races & I really don't get them, but we're going to make this fun & create some custom shirts just because. Run Disney really knew how to rope us in on this one, ha!

 

[Camshell]

My husband and I will be doing all 3 runs. I just started running, so the first run will actually be a walk for me, the second/third will be a combination of run/walk. I'm using the Galloway 5K app right now to train. I'm also planning on doing the Castaway Cay 5k run on our cruise next March, and a local 10k in April next year. Our dream one day is to do a 10k or half marathon in Disneyland or Disneyworld.

 

[Dr Gunnie]

My husband and I will be doing all 3 runs. I just started running, so the first run will actually be a walk for me, the second/third will be a combination of run/walk. I'm using the Galloway 5K app right now to train. I'm also planning on doing the Castaway Cay 5k run on our cruise next March, and a local 10k in April next year. Our dream one day is to do a 10k or half marathon in Disneyland or Disneyworld.

We are heading on a cruise next March too. What date are you leaving? We are doing a 4 day out of Port Canaveral that leaves March 12th.

Trying to think of something special to do for these runs... any ideas? I've decided that I'm going to do them outside instead of on the treadmill. Outside runs just seem to go by faster for me. A local running store is also starting to do Thursday fun runs each week - I thought about maybe trying that out. It says all levels welcome, so hopefully there are some others that are just starting out and slow like me. I did knock my 5K time down yesterday from 38:22 to 36:50. Baby steps!

 

[cavepig]

we're making the shirts, just waiting on the tech shirts to come in, we'll share the medals for pictures after and add graphics and maybe a start/finish sign for fun, I don't know we still need to figure our dates for them. Maybe theme dinner that night around it, Mickey food is always fun, right?!.

36:50 isn't slow at all @Dr Gunnie , everyone starts somewhere and not everyone can be as fast as others. I'm sure you won't be alone at the fun runs if you do them, sounds like it would be a great way to get out there.

 

[Camshell]

We are heading on a cruise next March too. What date are you leaving? We are doing a 4 day out of Port Canaveral that leaves March 12th.

Trying to think of something special to do for these runs... any ideas? I've decided that I'm going to do them outside instead of on the treadmill. Outside runs just seem to go by faster for me. A local running store is also starting to do Thursday fun runs each week - I thought about maybe trying that out. It says all levels welcome, so hopefully there are some others that are just starting out and slow like me. I did knock my 5K time down yesterday from 38:22 to 36:50. Baby steps!

Our 3 day cruise departs on Mar 30th. It's our first one and we are doing at the end of our vacation in Disneyworld.

I'm planning our 3 running routes using Map My Run http://www.mapmyrun.com/ All 3 will be different and it's fun to do. I'm going to make a little poster to put on our fridge with our run, run dates, and route to make it more real. We'll probably do some kind of a special celebratory "Disney" inspired meal at the end of each run and maybe watch a video of one of the Disney nighttime shows on You Tube. Our computer is hooked up to our big TV so its really fun to watch the fireworks, World of Color, Fantasmic, etc. on it.

 

[BelleInBlue]

Does anyone know if the "Share your experiences at #runDisneyShorts" is required in order to earn the medals after doing the runs?

 

[FFigawi]

Does anyone know if the "Share your experiences at #runDisneyShorts" is required in order to earn the medals after doing the runs?

I wouldn't think so. All you should need to do to get a medal is send your money to Disney.

 

[cavepig]

Does anyone know if the "Share your experiences at #runDisneyShorts" is required in order to earn the medals after doing the runs?

You don't have to share anything to get your medals. They aren't tracking anything on it, if you paid you get your medals.

 

[Dr Gunnie]

The first running window opens this Sunday. Anyone have anything planned for their first run yet?

I slowed my pace a little on Tuesday and ran 3.1 miles and felt really good. I was thinking I might try to do my first 6.2 mile run Sunday. If I can do it without walking, then I'll earn the Yellow Shoes medal. Weather here is supposed to be cool (high of 62*), so it might be the perfect weather for it.