News and Developments for Future In-Person runDisney Events

[PrincessV]

When do y’all think the announcement will be?

Sometime between now and Jan. 2022.
Seriously: no idea. Hopefully soon!

 

[ZellyB]

I'm feeling more confident that Marathon Weekend is going to happen. Given that we are still a little over 6 months away and as much as they are now getting back to normal operations (fireworks, filling shows, reopening restaurants, eliminating plexiglass and social distances) all leads me to believe the race will return. Obviously it's a lot of wishful thinking on my part, but I just don't see a good reason for them to continue to keep races discontinued.

 

[PrincessV]

I'm a solid 90% on MW happening at this point. Solid enough that I'm getting the miles in, even though the heat makes me want to cry each time I walk out the door.

 

[runningDisneygirl]

I'm feeling more confident that Marathon Weekend is going to happen. Given that we are still a little over 6 months away and as much as they are now getting back to normal operations (fireworks, filling shows, reopening restaurants, eliminating plexiglass and social distances) all leads me to believe the race will return. Obviously it's a lot of wishful thinking on my part, but I just don't see a good reason for them to continue to keep races discontinued.

I agree! If it was totally out of the question they would have already called it off. I'm less hopeful for Wine & Dine, but I think once they make their decision on that, we will be hearing about both. I am planning on running my first Dopey this coming marathon weekend, so keeping all my fingers and toes crossed for an in person race weekend with all 4 distances like normal years!

 

[GuinnessRunner]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but with expectation of smaller field and the built up demand (and assuming we do have MW 2022), I almost wish I had signed up for the RunClub so I would have a guaranteed entry.

 

[DisJules423]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but with expectation of smaller field and the built up demand (and assuming we do have MW 2022), I almost wish I had signed up for the RunClub so I would have a guaranteed entry.

Lol--been feeling the same. I have no interest in Dopey but am considering it due to the fact I think it will be easier to register for.

 

[lukemorenus]

It's a daily struggle between being crazy excited for a potential Marathon Weekend and being ridiculously angry at RunDisney for their terrible communication skills, LOL

 

[CP3uhoh]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but with expectation of smaller field and the built up demand (and assuming we do have MW 2022), I almost wish I had signed up for the RunClub so I would have a guaranteed entry.

it won't be a smaller field

 

[runningDisneygirl]

it won't be a smaller field

do you have inside info??? or is that just a guess because disney will want to maximize profits?

 

[DocAlan02]

do you have inside info??? or is that just a guess because disney will want to maximize profits?

Not CP3uhoh, but I also don't think it will be a smaller field. There are a whole bunch of big races that will have more people than Disney gets for its races. Not sure why Disney would need to limit its field.

 

[CP3uhoh]

do you have inside info??? or is that just a guess because disney will want to maximize profits?

there's no inside info. There is currently no safety concerns for any size field so there is no reason to limit a field. They're packing people in between pains of plexiglass and no circulation now. Open air corrals are no issue. That could certainly change, I'm interested to see what happens when there's an uptick in the fall of cases though I would hope that the focus is more on hospitalizations at that point and hope even more that they stay at their current or lower level. All that being said, if they are going to plan on the return, it makes no logical sense for profits or otherwise to decrease the number of participants.

Any profit from this is a rounding error on their balance sheet, I wish people would stop being so focused on that. The most profitable thing for them to do would be to keep selling medals (excuse me, hold "virtual races") Plus, I don't think anyone would hold it against them if they opened registration, sold out and then the situation dictated they go back to virtual as the move would certainly be in good faith. I know I wouldn't. There's certainly some X factors approaching when thinking about school and kids over 12 who may not be vaccinated and if the more virulent strains transmit easier amoungst younger kids. Not to mention the safety data from the trials involving kids under 12. But if they waited for that, it would be too late so they can go forward in good faith and hope for the best. Please don't get caught up on "kids won't be in the races". We all know the populous at large will have another shift in attitude if it starts spreading in schools rapidly and it will affect everyone, not just kids, or events solely for kids.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

~deleted~

 

[BikeFan]

Let's try and stick to RunDisney topics and avoid any debate about COVID, etc. The last thread got locked for those reasons and we don't want a repeat of that.

Thank you all.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Over the weekend while running I was listening to a podcast about runDisney from 2012. It was fascinating to listen to how excited the conversation was and how much they talked about legacy, magic of the events, traditions, connection points between Disney and running, how it makes new fans of Disney and creates life long fans, etc. It left me believing that Disney wants these events happening as much as we do. I know nothing about actual profits of a given event and to what numbers much be reached to make the event profitable. But I do believe there is a true specialness to runDisney events. It keeps us coming back. It motivates us to share. The long term upside of getting in-person events happening is just too valuable.

As the marquee event I do think that MW will happen in-person in January. I am anxious about when and how many will be able to register. I think the demand will be crazy. And I think each of the races mornings will be electric!

I hope we hear something soon, but I believe it is happening.

 

[ReginaMBK]

What are everyone's thoughts on what they'll do about proof of time? Specifically what range of years they'll accept. I know there are discussions in other threads, but now that we have some ideas of dates... My guess is they'll have to give what they normally did + the time RunDisney races have been cancelled. I'm assuming no virtual will be accepted because there's too much room for fudging the data (GPSs off, starting and stopping watch at lights/to walk, etc)

 

[CP3uhoh]

Over the weekend while running I was listening to a podcast about runDisney from 2012. It was fascinating to listen to how excited the conversation was and how much they talked about legacy, magic of the events, traditions, connection points between Disney and running, how it makes new fans of Disney and creates life long fans, etc. It left me believing that Disney wants these events happening as much as we do. I know nothing about actual profits of a given event and to what numbers much be reached to make the event profitable. But I do believe there is a true specialness to runDisney events. It keeps us coming back. It motivates us to share. The long term upside of getting in-person events happening is just too valuable.

As the marquee event I do think that MW will happen in-person in January. I am anxious about when and how many will be able to register. I think the demand will be crazy. And I think each of the races mornings will be electric!

I hope we hear something soon, but I believe it is happening.

Agree with all this which is why I don’t understand the “profitability” obsession

 

[CP3uhoh]

What are everyone's thoughts on what they'll do about proof of time? Specifically what range of years they'll accept. I know there are discussions in other threads, but now that we have some ideas of dates... My guess is they'll have to give what they normally did + the time RunDisney races have been cancelled. I'm assuming no virtual will be accepted because there's too much room for fudging the data (GPSs off, starting and stopping watch at lights/to walk, etc)

I just want my half from March (2021)to matter for corral placement (1:49)
I’m hoping to do Dopey for the first time and my current strategy for not over doing it and racing the clock is to stop for every character pic/experience which will be a lot easier toward the front.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Pardon my ignorance, but it's been years since I did a WDW marathon. Have they been requiring proof of time for entry? Or is this just for corral placement?

 

[Kerry1957]

POT for corral placement only

 

[DopeyBadger]

What are everyone's thoughts on what they'll do about proof of time? Specifically what range of years they'll accept. I know there are discussions in other threads, but now that we have some ideas of dates... My guess is they'll have to give what they normally did + the time RunDisney races have been cancelled. I'm assuming no virtual will be accepted because there's too much room for fudging the data (GPSs off, starting and stopping watch at lights/to walk, etc)

My guess (or hope) from the POT thread:

December 2020
Now COVID-19 definitely throws a wrench into things, since the appropriate window for POT is up for debate. If it were me, I'd keep the same window as I had for Wine and Dine 2020. So that means I would accept all POTs going back as far as November 2018 (so a 3 year window). I feel like you're better off having something longer, than nothing. And if we're to assume racing was minimal from March 2020 through (unknown month?) 2021, then at least we have a decent 1.5 year window from November 2018 through March 2020. In the past, the POT window was about 22 months, and this proposal would have an 18 month window.

Now you'd have one segment of the population to worry about. Those newer runners without a HM qualifying POT between November 2018 through March 2020. If the POT designation has now moved to 3:00, then we're just asking for the runner to find a single 10k to occur between now and September 2021 with a fairly wide qualifying time pace window. I've got no idea how feasible that will be as we move forward into 2021. But I feel like a good portion of people that want to find a 10k before September 2021 will be able to. But I've got nothing but gut instinct to back that up.

So if it were me, I'd move the window to be November 2018 through September 2021, and move the cutoff to 3:00 hours for the POT submittable HM time.

April 2021
A question not asked, but I think is relevant centers around the POT acceptable window. If it were me, I would extend the window from the typical 22 months to something like >36 months. Try to cover some time in 2019 when the occurrence of races was normal. Yes, there will be come marginal issues with "people can't run that pace anymore", but to be honest those same questions can come up with a POT window of 6 months instead of 22 months. So if it were me, I'd extend the POT window back to match what were the 2020 race windows into 2019.

****

So for Marathon Weekend 2022, my proposed POT window would be January 2019 through October 2021. This would cover about 15 months pre-COVID (Jan 19 through Mar 20) and 7-ish months (definitely debatable) when things have started to open up more.

If they do the normal 22 month window, then we're looking at January 2020 through October 2021, or about 10-ish months of races occurring.

But alas, that's just what I think they should do, and not necessarily what they will actually do.

Or is this just for corral placement?

Just placement. And this is our best guess as to those cutoffs based on what they were doing, but we don't know what they'll do moving forward.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/pot-proof-of-time-race-equivalency-cutoff-confirmed-times.3699036/