Future runDisney Events

[Herding_Cats]

Yes, that's right...it says packed with thousands of volunteers . I was planning on running it last spring before it cancelled and am going to register for it this year as soon I get my second vax shot next Friday. Will it really go with 30,000+ runners? I have no idea. Will they really have thousands of volunteers and entertainers? I doubt it.

Apparently this just switched to virtual (per a fb post in a running group.) Looks like your gut was correct.

 

[Kerry1957]

Apparently this just switched to virtual (per a fb post in a running group.) Looks like your gut was correct.

Thanks for the info. Indy Mini said last week that they would have an update today. I expected (hoped) that it would still be live, but with the Covid precautions that other races in Indiana have used. Unfortunately that was not the case. At 30,000 runners, it is difficult to transition down to a much lower number and pull it off, especially when you are renting the Indy 500 track and Lucas Arena.

Similar to Wine & Dine next November????

 

[DopeyBadger]

Thanks for the info. Indy Mini said last week that they would have an update today. I expected (hoped) that it would still be live, but with the Covid precautions that other races in Indiana have used. Unfortunately that was not the case. At 30,000 runners, it is difficult to transition down to a much lower number and pull it off, especially when you are renting the Indy 500 track and Lucas Arena.

Similar to Wine & Dine next November????

Few spots left in the Non-Cancelled Marathon on May 1st. It's an out-back 3.275 mile route.

 

[camaker]

Few spots left in the Non-Cancelled Marathon on May 1st. It's an out-back 3.275 mile route.

Wow. Four out and backs?! That course looks terrible! I’d be worried about congestion on a course like that, too, with not a lot of room to space runners out, despite the wave starts.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Wow. Four out and backs?! That course looks terrible! I’d be worried about congestion on a course like that, too, with not a lot of room to space runners out, despite the wave starts.

Yea, definitely not ideal. Take what you can get I guess. There were a lot less spots available originally. Looks like he increased capacity for the races after the Milwaukee Marathon went virtual. Not all four races are going to start at 7am. The marathon is likely to start it off (just on the basis of the longest time frame). But it's a two lane bike path, so yea, it'll be rather tight. At least I'll have the first 46 min as open road (my first loop), and presumably the last loop will be mostly open as well.

If I were to assume all 315 runners (HM and M) were on the course at the same time, then that's still 55 feet per runner. 17292 feet / 315 runners. If I include the 125 10k potential runners, then that's still 39 feet per runner. It won't work out that way surely, but I'm hoping it won't be as bad as it seems in the practical sense.

 

[camaker]

Yea, definitely not ideal. Take what you can get I guess. There were a lot less spots available originally. Looks like he increased capacity for the races after the Milwaukee Marathon went virtual. Not all four races are going to start at 7am. The marathon is likely to start it off (just on the basis of the longest time frame). But it's a two lane bike path, so yea, it'll be rather tight. At least I'll have the first 46 min as open road (my first loop), and presumably the last loop will be mostly open as well.

If I were to assume all 315 runners (HM and M) were on the course at the same time, then that's still 55 feet per runner. 17292 feet / 315 runners. If I include the 125 10k potential runners, then that's still 39 feet per runner. It won't work out that way surely, but I'm hoping it won't be as bad as it seems in the practical sense.

I’m looking forward to the upcoming Tobacco Road Marathon, which is run largely on the course I used for my time trial last fall. Hopefully I’ll be able to establish a decent proof of time so I’ll be ready for whenever RunDisney returns. On the downside, though, it’s been moved to mid-May. In North Carolina. Not likely to be anywhere near ideal racing conditions.

 

[Kerry1957]

Few spots left in the Non-Cancelled Marathon on May 1st. It's an out-back 3.275 mile route.

This race is a Silver Circle event which I have ran several the past year. In spite of sounding like a senior citizen's club, they generally do a very nice job keeping everyone spaced as much as possible.

 

[Kerry1957]

Another great HM, the Run the Bluegrass in Lexington, KY is on for March 27. They reduced the field to 1,500 live runners which is around the same level as the 2020 race postponed from March to October. I though they did a great job last fall.

I'm registered and very hopeful they will pull it off in 3+ weeks.

 

[BikeFan]

Few spots left in the Non-Cancelled Marathon on May 1st. It's an out-back 3.275 mile route.

Wow, that sounds terrible! Then again, every December I try to talk some of my fellow run club members into running a local marathon on an indoor 200m track, so I really have no room to talk.

Good luck!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Wow, that sounds terrible! Then again, every December I try to talk some of my fellow run club members into running a local marathon on an indoor 200m track, so I really have no room to talk.

Good luck!

You all are funny! To be fair, my normal training route at its largest is a 4.1 mile loop course. So if I'm doing 16.4 miles, I'm doing 4 loops of it. And that doesn't even account for the loops within my looped route. I've done this route, and the one like it from 2012-2018, for about 13,000 miles now.



So there's an argument to be made that my normal training route is potentially more repetitive than even this marathon course would be. This type of race course is tailor made for someone like me. That aside, I look at the bright side of it. It's an unsupported aid race. But I'll see my wife eight times on the route without her having to move at all. So that means less for me to carry along the way.

 

[BikeFan]

You all are funny! To be fair, my normal training route at its largest is a 4.1 mile loop course. So if I'm doing 16.4 miles, I'm doing 4 loops of it. And that doesn't even account for the loops within my looped route. I've done this route, and the one like it from 2012-2018, for about 13,000 miles now.

View attachment 560042

So there's an argument to be made that my normal training route is potentially more repetitive than even this marathon course would be. This type of race course is tailor made for someone like me.

I know all about repetitive 4 mile loops. Here's the virtual 50-miler I ran last spring:



12 looonnnggg laps, plus a little detour to make sure the watch said 50. Doesn't everyone celebrate turning 50 by running 50?!?! Makes perfect sense.

That aside, I look at the bright side of it. It's an unsupported aid race. But I'll see my wife eight times on the route without her having to move at all. So that means less for me to carry along the way.

See, that's what I keep telling my running buddies about the glories of an indoor marathon - our spouses can witness the entirety of our glorious achievement without having to move an inch. They've suggested I'm overestimating our spouses' patience and appreciation of our hobbies. Who knows?

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

So just curious, when do people think they’ll make the call on the next round of events? And which do we think might be the first back? I feel like Wine and Dine is a definite no, since it’s only 8 months out and I don’t think they can afford to wait a few more months and then open registration in say, July. They usually register W&D in March/April and it’s hard to see them being confident enough to sign people up and switch to virtual again. I don’t think RunDisney will risk holding sign up for an in-person event again unless they’re confident it will happen. It’s also hard for me to be optimistic about Marathon Weekend and Princess; maybe a bit higher of a chance it can happen but not too much. Since registration is so early, they can’t wait until other big events go off (say Boston if it happens in fall) to make their decision. Also, those winter events are the peak of regular illness season, so I think there will be a lot of caution next fall/winter.

I’m guessing we’ll hear by summer if they have a plan, and the first event back will be the new themed weekend replacing Star Wars in spring, or Wine and Dine 2022. I hope more than anything to be wrong. I want so badly to do MW2022, but if it’s cancelled again I guess I’ll immediately start a countdown to 2023 (ugh, seems so far away!)

 

[Kerry1957]

I'm a bit more optimistic, but fear that you may be accurate. The question in my mind is if runDisney is considering a pared-down version of perhaps W&D. If they reduced the field to say 25% of normal, and stretched out corral space and times, then could they pull it off? The problem may be like Indy Mini that I mentioned a few posts up, where the logistics of having a pared-down field are simply too much expense and effort for the return (dollars and the Brand).

I'm also wild guessing that we will hear something definite on W&D in May or June, with Marathon Weekend following a month or two later.

 

[jimrpa]

I'm thinking some form of a Wine & Dine (even if it's a "mini" Wine & Dine) at least so they can do some kind of "dress rehearsal" for a Marathon Weekend 2022. Given that it will be the MK 50 celebration, I can't see them skipping Marathon Weekend entirely, particularly, if most of the US is vaccinated by early summer!

 

[BikeFan]

I'm a bit more optimistic, but fear that you may be accurate. The question in my mind is if runDisney is considering a pared-down version of perhaps W&D. If they reduced the field to say 25% of normal, and stretched out corral space and times, then could they pull it off? The problem may be like Indy Mini that I mentioned a few posts up, where the logistics of having a pared-down field are simply too much expense and effort for the return (dollars and the Brand).

I really think that's the main factor runDisney is considering - after all, they're in it to make money, and I don't see a pared-down event being profitable for them. Most of the expenses would be the same, but the income would be a lot less. I'd guess races will only come back when they're able to hold them at full capacity. As for when that is, it's hard to know. I don't expect Wine and Dine to happen, but I'm hopeful Marathon Weekend 2022 will go ahead. We probably won't know anything for sure until summer. It'll be interesting to see if the other big fall events will go ahead. Chicago and Berlin are still scheduled for their usual dates in the fall, and Boston, London, and Tokyo are also set to be held in the fall as well, having been rescheduled from this spring. Marine Corps is virtual-only right now, but they've said they will holdan in-person event if the situation changes. As for NYC, I can't find any sort of announcement from them. I guess they're still in wait-and-see mode. If the big fall marathons start canceling, it'll be a bad sign for Marathon Weekend.

 

[GreatLakes]

I think the chance of any in-person race happening in 2021 is slim. My gut is telling me MW 2022 will be the first in-person race back with registration opening this summer.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

wild thought - move forward with 2022 races, but insist on vaccinations for all participants and volunteers

 

[BikeFan]

wild thought - move forward with 2022 races, but insist on vaccinations for all participants and volunteers

Question for those who have received the vaccine - what sort of proof did you get that you got it? I'm curious how a "proof of vaccine" requirement would be met.

 

[Baloo in MI]

It may be wishful thinking on my part but with the addition of Johnson-Johnson now and a much faster vaccination pace I think it is possible for the country to be in a place for runDisney to have MW in January. The next couple months will tell us a lot.

I sure hope it happens. There was very little magic in running a virtual Dopey in the dead of winter here in Michigan. Whether it happens or not my family is going for a vacation then regardless! Haven’t been to the Mouse since MW 2020 and that is to long!

 

[jmasgat]

@BikeFan (Not that I have received it yet, but family members have), you get a little vaccination card with relevant info (dates received, which vaccine, lot number). I don't see Disney (or many businesses for that matter) making vaccines a requirement, and I think they would be hard-pressed to evaluate proof in any form (unless there is a digital registry and I highly doubt that will ever happen)

As for NYC, all they have communicated to those of us who deferred from last year is that they intend to go forward with the event, but haven't announced any size, nor have they said how they will handle the deferrals or any other details. I wish the heck they would figure it out, because I need to make plans, and I don;t know if I'll have the same level of interest if I have to defer to next year or the year after.