Dopey challenge 2017

Would there be any news on the Runners World Challenge aspect of entry into the Dopey for 2017?

I couldn't see anything on the RunDisney Website.

TIA

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Comments

  • Munchkin2Munchkin2 ✭✭✭
    It is on the website now. I've signed up for the Dopey but not the runners works bit.
  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭

    I'm in the Dopey challenge - whats the runners world challenge? can't wait.

    trying to decide which race to take easy and which to race!

  • Munchkin2Munchkin2 ✭✭✭
    We are still trying to decide where stay. I think a week in a Disney resort will drive my husband and I bonkers but it does seem easiest to do.



    I'm going easy on all of them. Figure I've paid an arm and a leg for the challenge so may as well just throw myself fully into it and enjoy the experience. Starting to put together my list of must-see characters image
  • marty74marty74 ✭✭✭

    Its so much fun. Its all about stopping and enjoying the character stops. The run is really a series of 800m runs and then stop for a few minutesimage. You will all have a fab time.

  • Stay in one of the "value resorts". All-Stars Sports, Music & Movies, and Pop Century are all Disney resorts which come with the free transportation bells and whistles, and are a fraction of the price of the other more popular resorts. Having stayed in a few of them, I can guarantee that there's absolutely nothing wrong with them!!

  • Munchkin2Munchkin2 ✭✭✭

    Thanks Gazza - have you tried staying on International Drive instead? It would appear you can get higher rated accommodation there for a fraction of the price.

  • I have stayed on International Drive, but not whilst doing the Dopey. Ive never considered staying off-site during the races. I think at the very least, I would stay at a Disney resort for the nights before the half marathon and marathon, and then also the following night. I really cannot emphasise enough the convenience of the transportation between the Disney resorts and the event village, and then to the cooldown party in Disney Springs on the evening after the marathon. Its just one less thing to have to worry about.

    Traffic getting into Epcot is usually very heavy on races mornings, but the buses bypass all of that. They also run non-stop, so you never have to wait more than a few minutes to board one. Then you have to decide if you'd want to drive after the marathon, considering you would've done 5km, 10km and 21km in the days leading up to it. Personally, I have enough trouble just walking after all that!!

  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭

    all booked - staying in the All Star Movies Resort - couldn't justify the costs of the bigger hotels. Staying over New Year so will get the full New Years Eve experience - just hope i don't burn out walking around the parks leading up to the races. Coming back late on the Sunday night (day of the marathon) hoping that i will be so knackered i might sleep on the plane.

    watched the videos on YouTube - looks fun!

  • Munchkin2Munchkin2 ✭✭✭

    Lucky you. Still waiting for husbands holiday to be signed off before we book. We plan to enjoy New Year over there too but will come back on the Monday to give our feet a chance to rest image

  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭

    been told its chaos at Disney over New Year - avoid Magic Kingdom apparently.

    Thinking of the Disney Studios park. good news now i can possibly take the kids out without getting a big fine image

  • Munchkin2Munchkin2 ✭✭✭

    I have seen that you have to be in very early to get away with Disney at new year and our flight doesn't land until 4:30pm so we might be stuck in immigration at midnight! If we can't get in then we can have an early night image

    Are you booked now? We are staying in the Sheraton Vistana Resort as BA had a good deal with them.

  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭

    yep - all booked - staying at the All Star Movies Resort so should get complimentary travel to the start line. Flying out from Gatwick on the 30th so we can be there in plenty of time. Worried about 10 days walking around parks and doing the marathon on the last day. I think you should be ok at 4.30 - but it might rule out Epcot and Magic Kingdom - that's why we are doing the Movie studios one, a little quieter and apparently more of a party atmosphere.

  • Munchkin2Munchkin2 ✭✭✭
    Thanks for the advice, will look into the different parks for new year. A few fireworks will be fine for me. We are leaving on the Monday after the marathon to give us time to rest. Luckily we also got upgraded seats on the return flight for ??30 each image
  • got the summer out of the way so training for this one really kicks in now  - not sure how to approach it though - do i simply train as normal for a fast marathon and hope thats enough to see me though? what is everyone's goals? initially hoping to do them all at 8 min/mile pace but with the crowds and characters i know this is probably not possible. is this just really a case of jog around and enjoy or has anyone actually 'raced' one of these and used the characters as a distraction to take the mind off the pain?

  • I have never done it before and couldn't do 8min miles if I was being chased by a lion being chased by a cheetah!!!

    My plan is to enjoy the event and not go for a time (other than the sub-15min miles you need to do to complete the challenge). I plan to run the 5k and 10k and possibly the 1/2 then use the marathon to enjoy the experience by stopping and joining character queues etc.

    Not sure how to approach training though so that would be interesting to get feedback on...

  • 8min miles is ambitious i know - have to honest done a few sub 3 marathons before - so it is a little off my normal pace. Absolutely love Disney, even had a Disney themed wedding after getting engaged there so really want to take it all in too.

    Training is going to be strange, i think given we are all doing the marathon we can just take the 5k and 10k as a given we will be fine its just how to approach the 1/2 marathon followed by the full on the next day. Normally when i am doing a Long Run (20+ miles) i only do an easy 5 or 6 the day before but i assume now i might need to up these to 8/10 miles easy or 6/7 miles at decent pace just to feel the miles in the legs. I also thinking of making sure my max weekly mileage is in the upper area, near 70-80 miles per week on a more regular basis to get used to the tiredness in the legs. 

    still, whatever happens its Disney so how can we not enjoy it? Just thinking of all the bling i can add to the collection. Did you get booked with accommodation etc?

  • I have to admit that I have only done 2 marathons. The first I trained for (though not as much as the plans say you should) and the second I didn't really train for as I didn't tell anyone I was doing it. On that basis I cannot comprehend what I need to do to get around this and will probably end up winging it a bit!!! I do have the marathon Eyre in October and a few half marathons booked in so they can be my training image

    We are now booked into the Sheraton Vistana Resort - seems to be close enough to get to the events but we have a kitchen etc if needed.

  • I've done this twice, and all rules regarding pacing and training go right out the window for me. Technically, you COULD race them all, but why would you want to? The Disney races are all about the experience, so if you fly around at your normal racing pace, I promise you'll miss out on a lot of what makes these races what they are. Character stops, theme park photo opportunities, on-course entertainment.. just take it easy and enjoy the atmosphere.

    Not sure if its advised, but in the training, I'd stick to my normal marathon plan, but split my LSRs into two parts on the same day, so do 10 miles in the morning, have lunch, and hours rest, then 8-10 in the afternoon/evening.

    As far as tactics go for the races, I always try to get to the start line of the marathon in the best possible shape. The 5km and 10km can be busy in places, so we slow the pace down, try not to dodge around people and waste energy, have a short walk in Epcot, take in the surroundings, get a few photos, and try to take as little out of our legs as possible.

    The half marathon we usually slow the pace down again, have a brief walk in the theme parks, take a few photos when the opportunities arise, and try to finish feeling reasonably fresh (easier said than done in that humidity).

    Then for the marathon, use whatever you have left. Usually start to struggle around ESPN Wide World of Sports, and adopt a run walk strategy from there. It's not nice to start a marathon feeling leggy, and if you get those first 3 races wrong, the Sunday could become a very long and painful day!

    Brilliant, brilliant event though!

  • Cheers Gazza

    doing London in 2017 so starting the build up to that now so may just use the Dopey challenge as part of that. Will be doing all the parks in the buildup to the race weekend so hopefully i will be all photo'd out - especially if the wife an kids have anything to do with it. 

    Is it really still that humid in Orlando in January at that time in the morning?

  • The humidity can be crazy before the sun comes up, and as soon as the sun does come up (which wont happen in the 5km and 10km!), the humidity drops but the temperature rises. The 2014 half marathon was the most uncomfortable conditions I've ever run in. Dripping in sweat within a mile of the start!

  • Ewww... Remind me not to think that it is a good idea to do any of it in fancy dress!

  • just thinking that - mickey mouse costume out then image

    they wouldn't allow it anyway

  • Just remembered - need to put our times into our profile...

  • whats that for - starting pens? Did we not do it on registration

  • You could do it on registration but my husbands half marathon pb was 30+ mins slower than mine (he mainly does trail events) so we needed to do a road event together so I could kick him around in a faster time. We did the Liverpool Rock and Roll event, nearly divorced, but his time is now closer to mine image I am going to submit our times from that event so that we are hopefully together!

  • my wife refuses to run with me - apparently my slow jog is too fast and within 5 minutes all i can hear behind me is countless expletives. i'm using her bucket list of things and places to visit to get my marathon list ticked off - got New York next year and Tokyo the year after - she goes shopping etc whilst i go for a run.

  • I am not sure that my husband and I will run together again after that for pretty much the same reason but at least I will have someone to chat to in the start corral!!!

    We might be okay for the marathon as I plan to take it easy anyway image

  • Hal Higdon and Jeff Galloway both have specific Dopey training plans on their websites if you're interested.

    Best fun ever! Make sure you run with a camera, the characters all have a minder who is happy to take pics on your own phone / camera. Much quicker and cheaper than the pro ones.

    Can be very cold at the start. I went to a charity shop and bought blankets after the first day. Great to wrap around or sit on in the corral and then left them for charity collection
  • Holiday to Disney all paid for now (check) - seats on plane booked (check) - london marathon acceptance form (check) - quite a good day today..

  • Oooh, you are completely sorted! I hope I have seats on the plane but I am not willing to give the airline more money just to make sure I have specific seats so I just have to wait and see. Though I did pay £20 a head to upgrade on the journey back so I know we have more space for our aching limbs image Will pay the remainder when due...

    No idea about London yet but I am not expecting a yes and I am not worried if I don't get one!!! I have Eyri to squeeze in before the end of the month and that is enough for me!!!

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