With registration for runDisney Marathon Weekend right around the corner (and sure to sell out in the blink of an eye!) I’m sure many of you are debating whether or not you are going to register and if so, for what races.
Having run the marathon in 2012, the Goofy Challenge in 2013 and the Dopey Challenge in 2014 I figured I’d share my thoughts on each and what I’m planning on doing.
First of all, let me start off by saying I LOVE the Walt Disney World Marathon.
I love starting the race in the dark and finishing with the sun up and the parks opening. I love seeing characters spread out and cheering us on along the 26.2 miles. I love running through all 4 of the Walt Disney World Parks that I have so many memories of growing up. And I love accomplishing something as “crazy” as a marathon (or the Dopey Challenge!) in those parks.
From the moment I crossed the finish line of my first Walt Disney World Marathon (also my very first marathon) I knew it was not a “one and done” for me. (In fact I’m pretty sure I immediately exclaimed to my family that I couldn’t wait until next year!)
Crossing the finish line of my first marathon!
My second Marathon Weekend I did the Goofy Challenge. I loved training for the added challenge of doing a half and a full marathon on back to back days and getting to do not 1, but 2 races while down in Florida!
Showing Goofy my “Goofy” medal!
Well if 2 races on a trip was good, then FOUR races would be AMAZING!
The Dopey Challenge really was an awesome experience and I am so glad that I did it. When I began running 3 years ago I never would have dreamed of taking on 4 races in 4 days, finishing it all off with a full marathon.
That being said, waking up at 2:30am four days in a row to run was BRUTAL! Honestly, it was exhausting and both the 5k and 10k left much to be desired (although hopefully they’ll make some changes to improve them).
It was also incredibly expensive. For 2015 the Dopey Challenge is priced at $530, the Goofy Challenge is $360 and the marathon alone is $170.
**You can read my post on all my pros & cons of the Dopey Challenge HERE**
With registration time quickly approaching I have to say I’m leaning towards the Goofy Challenge this year. For $170 less and only 2 crazy wake up calls I’ll still get to do my two favorite races of the weekend without being too exhausted to actually enjoy the fact that I’m at Walt Disney World!
Will you be registering for runDisney Marathon Weekend?
What race/ races are you planning on doing??
The anniversary medal for the 2015 Goofy Challenge was also released this weekend.
What do you think?
Does seeing the medal affect your decision to do a race at all?
**Note the dates are wrong on the medals…hopefully runDisney will check these before they go to production!**
Below are links to all my runDisney Marathon Weekend experiences if you need any help making your marathon weekend decision (or are just looking for a little light reading!):
2012
2013
Walt Disney World Half Marathon
2014
Walt Disney World Half Marathon
Live, Run, Grow 
I’m going Dopey – and I’m a little scared. O.o But I can do it!
Don’t be scared! As long as you train with back to back runs you’ll be good to go! : )
The only part we have to fear is the submit payment part. Really, after that, it’s all quite simple.
I’m taking your “leaning towards” as a “I’m definitely doing at least the Goofy Challenge” so, YAY!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
Haha, so far. I just love the full marathon there it’s hard to imagine missing it!
Haha, I’m having this SAME conversation with myself right now. I’m not sure if I’ll be running “just” the marathon or taking on Goofy for 2015! I’m dying to run the marathon again, and while I LOVED my Dopey weekend, I felt the same way about the 5K and 10K and I’m just not sure it’s worth it to “go Dopey” again. I might consider doing it again in the future, but for now, I’m satisfied with Dopey as a one-time experience. I was thinking of just doing the marathon, but now that the anniversary Goofy bling has been posted…I WANT it… 😉
That’s how I feel, Dopey was great, but definitely not an every year thing, way too exhausting! I have to be honest though…I don’t really love the Goofy medal, whatever, it’s more about the experience than the medal though!
I’m having the same conversation in my head. It would be great to keep the DOPEY thing going but I really didn’t enjoy 4 days of getting up early.
I feel like I did it and can cross it off my list.
I’m leaning more to just goofy. I did that 2 years ago and enjoyed it.
The other stupid point is that it’s not like you can wear all 6 medals. After the marathon, I wore the DOPEY medal and felt the marathon medal just got kicked to the curb.
Such decisions!!!!
Exactly, crossed it off my list so I don’t really feel like I have to do it again, I’d rather have more time to enjoy actually being at Disney this year!
Two fewer day sof getting up early, and by “just” doing Goofy, you can find out if Disney has changed the 5k and 10k for the better.
Yeah, I’m really interested to hear if they do improve either of the races…
I’m hoping to be able to register for the Dopey Challenge (it’ll be my first). I would like to check it off my bucket list (one and done?), though like Jenn, I’m pretty nervous/scared. I think with the proper training, I’ll survive. Hopefully…
It’ll be your first marathon, right? I know that’s what Jennifer @The Final Forty (not sure if you read her blog) did – her first full marathon was during Dopey last year. Personally I’m glad I did a stand alone marathon first, but like you said if you get the training in I’m sure you’ll do great!
Thanks! Yes, it will be my first marathon, although I’m looking into possibly doing one in the early fall, or at the very least, try and do some back to back races. I have read Jennifer’s blog, along with a few others that ran their first full marathon during the Dopey. I have to say that either way, it’ll be quite the challenge, but I’m up for it 🙂 Hope to see you there!
OMG! I saw the Goofy medal on Twitter yesterday and got all jazzed about it but I DIDN’T NOTICE THE DATES WERE WRONG, ahahaha
Haha, I noticed it right away! Honestly, partially because I had told my husband that the marathon WASN’T on his birthday this year, but according to the medal is was! Looks like runDisney corrected it already on the one they released today : )
Honestly, I think I’m out for everything. I’m thinking really hard about what I want to do in 2015 and I don’t think marathon weekend is in the cards for me.
Awww…I was hoping you’d come to Marathon Weekend : ( You do have a busy fall race schedule already though!
I have to admit, I love that Goofy medal! Maybe it would actually entice me to do it and head to WDW Marathon Weekend my third year in a row. It’s such a fun event! We’ll see. I still haven’t decided what I’m running this fall yet, let alone next year!
I know, I HATE having to decide about doing a race this far out, but I really think if I don’t register I’ll end up regretting it!
You know, if you’re going to start making these runDisney decisions on sound financial and practical reasoning, it’s going to lose all its fun.
Oh, it’s not only financial reasoning…I used a complicated formula that took into account many factors such as the effect of sleep deprivation, park time lost due to necessary naps and getting in bed at 8m and amount of laundry generated by 2 races vs. 4.
When I entered all this data into my formula I came up with GOOFY!
Even I was falling asleep early and I already go to bed early so basically it was still light out and I was in bed sleeping. In Disney World. And yet, I’m still like, “hey, I would’ve finished running in time to make it to breakfast…” and somehow this makes it all better?
I love the Goofy medal! Honestly, I think I’m out this year. It’s getting so expensive. And it’s crazy how it sells out in minutes! I’ve done the marathon 3xs and the Dopey once, and have loved them, but I think I’m skipping this year.
I actually got used to the wake up calls after the first few days. They were brutal though.
And haha, I love the photoshopped race clock! I should’ve thought of that!
Yeah, I keep going back and froth and honestly hate having to decide this far out, but I do have a feeling if I don’t end up registering I’ll regret it eventually!
Dani… I rememberer the day you went out for you very first run around the block, and came back wheezing and exhausted. Look at you now…. I am so proud of you, as you should be of yourself. You have come a very long way…. as you stated in one of your blogs (that I follow diligently), “Step out of your comfort zone, where the fun begins!” You did just that….. Love… dad
Pingback: 2015 Walt Disney World Marathon Pre-Registration is Now Open | Why I runDisney
I have nominated you for a Liebster Award! 🙂
http://cmcdot.blogspot.com/2014/04/liebster-award.html
Hopefully you enjoy answering the 10 random questions, just like I did 🙂