You both have valid points, which doesn't explain my theory at all. The only thing I can think of is that this is the test run to see how much it affected times. Though aren't rD 5k runs generally untimed? I wonder if they keep times but just not publish them (or do the 5k bibs not have timing chips?)
Jumping off of your thoughts....
They know when people start and when the last person comes in. They know how long people are out on the course vs how long they usually are. They know how much time it takes to get the sag wagon/bus off the course and back. I mean, they know these things. We don't.
But...they give us a time. Looking at the time per mile starting from the end, there's a finite amount of time that THEY are setting. I've never heard of people being well behind the bike people and being allowed to stay (this is actually one policy they stick to, shockingly). If that amount of time isn't right for their needs, that's on them, isn't it?
Hopefully they'll rethink and at least have start/finish area picture opportunities since they make us get there so early!
Thinking back...they had two picture opportunities at Light Side pre-corrals, and I SWEAR I saw a character M&G beforehand as well. We could see the lines for princess M&Gs before the corrals as well. I have NO idea if there were characters/princesses before these events in 2016 even though I was at both of them.... Hmm.
With each successive detail, I get more confused. None of it makes sense and I can't figure out how any of these changes were ever seriously considered as options, leave alone actually instituted.
I can see it now. They are going to solidly blame the TEMPS for not setting things up and for not making spaces for the characters, etc etc. There were *supposed to be* characters, but those darned temps...
Or put a sign ahead of the line so you know what the line is for before you get to the beginning.
Agreed.
And then you wouldn't have the problems of people running backwards on the course to go back to a line they passed. (still won't stop the coaches of the charity teams I saw, or the faster spouses choosing to take their lives into their hands by running back to the slower ones)
Each runner needs to take responsibility for his or her training. If character photo(s) and finishing are a priority for you, then train accordingly. If you're not fast enough to do both, then you need to make a decision and live with the consequences of that decision. This means you may have to get swept.
I agree.
They need to do a better job explaining to runners that time spent in line for character photos will slow down your race time and may cause you to be swept.
I agree. Though how people could imagine it WON'T slow down your race time I do not know.
They should clearly outline what their medal policy is.
YES. And stick to it. And if they keep it as it is, maybe don't rely on fans to tell other fans the policy? Maybe publish it? But if they change it, publish THAT, and stick to it!
But they should not pull characters from any of the races. If possible at this point, they should reverse this terrible mistake and put characters out on the course for the 10K tomorrow morning. And if they can't, they should announce no later than the end of next week (if not Monday or Tuesday), that this was a mistake they will not repeat and characters will be available on the 5K and 10K courses at all future runDisney events. Or if this is a new trend, they need to announce the change so that runners can make an informed decision and sign up for a race with full knowledge that characters will not be there.
Yes yes yes yes yes and probably more yesses.
If it's a new trend, though, and they stick with it AFTER we've all already registered, my cousin and I are going to need about $150 back for the "fairy tale challenge". $100 for my cousin (b/c she loves characters) and $50 for me (b/c I enjoy seeing them on the course).
I think runDisney handled the cancellation of the WDW Half this year well. But as well as they handled that difficult decision, they really screwed up this time.
Yep. Apparently Disney can only make one decent decision per 3 years LOL. All the rest are terrible or at best neutral IMO.