Race Retreat Thoughts?

[Fantasmic303]

Hoping someone could give me a little insight on timing for Princess Half, since I can't get an an answer from runDisney.

I wanted to sign up for the race retreat for my sister and I, along with Platinum ChEAR for my mom to join us for post-race brunch. I'm concerned, however, with the timing, particularly after following this weekend's races.

This is our first half, and I'm not expecting to finish much earlier than 3 hours once we stop for pictures. I've been training, but my sister isn't an endurance runner, though she's in shape and moves quickly. We did not submit time, so we'll likely be in one of the last corrals.

I'm worried that if we're in the last corral, it'll be close to 6:30 by the time we actually start the race, 9:30 by the time we finish it, and basically 10:00 by the time we make it to the retreat that ends at 10:30.

With all of this in mind, can anyone give me their thoughts on the retreat? I didn't realize the corrals started so late or that the meal time ended so early!

 

[flatlandcycle]

Q1: Hoping someone could give me a little insight on timing for Princess Half, since I can't get an an answer from runDisney.
A1: They just came off an event where they were only getting 3 hours of sleep a night.


Q2: I wanted to sign up for the race retreat for my sister and I, along with Platinum ChEAR for my mom to join us for post-race brunch. I'm concerned, however, with the timing, particularly after following this weekend's races.
A2: As a participant, I never had much need for a bagel right before or right after a race. All (non-retreat) runners will get a snack box, that in the past, has chips, hummus, a Luna Bar and a banana. The Retreat offers weather “insurance” for spectators and runners. You still need to be in the elements to get to the start corrals which are 30 minuets, at best, from the Retreat Tent. There is nothing to protect you once you leave the Retreat Tent.


Q3: This is our first half, and I'm not expecting to finish much earlier than 3 hours once we stop for pictures. I've been training, but my sister isn't an endurance runner, though she's in shape and moves quickly. We did not submit time, so we'll likely be in one of the last corrals.
A3: Unfortunately proof-of-time ended Dec. 1, 2014, and there is no longer corral change at the expo.


Q4: I'm worried that if we're in the last corral, it'll be close to 6:30 by the time we actually start the race, 9:30 by the time we finish it, and basically 10:00 by the time we make it to the retreat that ends at 10:30.
A4: A trip from finish line to Race Retreat can be accomplished in about 10 minutes, if you maintain a steady walk through the finish chute.


Q5: With all of this in mind, can anyone give me their thoughts on the retreat? I didn't realize the corrals started so late or that the meal time ended so early!
A5: The Retreat Tent is very good for spectators with mobility concerns. If you have poor weather it will be very helpful for spectators. For me, it has never seemed worth it as a participant. I will have worked out my throw away clothing strategy having taken my exposure to the weather into consideration. I really want a shower and dry clothing post race so I don't want to hang out at the finish area. I don't want a meal for a few hours after race anyway. The money can be best put toward a meal at my favorite restaurant.

 

[Fantasmic303]

Thank you for the input but just to be clear, I have been reaching out to runDisney and Active for the last three weeks for registration issues and have had very poor communication from them. I understand they had marathon weekend to deal with, but it's a business - I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a response after 7-10 days about an upcoming event even while other events are occurring.

I also wasn't looking to submit a time or change corral placement. I simply included the information to make it clear that we aren't expecting to start the race at 5:30. As this is my first race, I have no sense of how long it takes to move from the finish line to the race retreat, and most reports say it takes about 20 minutes to walk to the corrals, and I did not know if the reverse trip took just as long. I don't know how medal distribution works or if we will dilly dally taking celebratory photos.

I do appreciate your thoughts on the food and weather "protection". I thought it was going to be a nice special event (like Pasta in the Park, which we aren't able to do) for us to enjoy, but it's starting to look like it'd be more stress than it's worth.

Thanks again!

 

[Chiomaca]

You're not the only one who has had problems with RunDisney's communications. They were awful for me last year when I had an issue. I suspect they are nowhere near staffed for the number of people who participate in the races.

I did Race Retreat for the half this weekend, but not for the full. It was nice on the colder day, and the breakfast was fine since all I had was a bagel with peanut butter. I also got a pic with Bullseye, Woody, and Buzz. I finished in plenty of time to take part in the post-run breakfast, but passed on it because I'd paid for the Disney Dining Plan and needed to use up those meals. If I hadn't, I probably would have had breakfast.

I didn't miss it on marathon day, even though it was raining on and off all afternoon. The big plus for NOT doing it was that I got my checked bag on the way out of the chute and got to put my flip flops on instead of going all the way to the race retreat to get my bag and change footwear. The retreat was nice, but I probably won't do it again.

 

[ANIM8R]

I wanted to sign up for the race retreat for my sister and I, along with Platinum ChEAR for my mom to join us for post-race brunch. I'm concerned, however, with the timing, particularly after following this weekend's races.



I'm worried that if we're in the last corral, it'll be close to 6:30 by the time we actually start the race, 9:30 by the time we finish it, and basically 10:00 by the time we make it to the retreat that ends at 10:30.

With all of this in mind, can anyone give me their thoughts on the retreat? I didn't realize the corrals started so late or that the meal time ended so early!

My two cents:
For background, I get the retreat for me and the Platinum chEAR for my wife only on the marathon day. I take advantage of it pre-race if only for not being in a large crowd and having shorter bathroom lines.

We both enjoy the lunch afterwards and a chance to relax right there at the finish (after changing into clean, dry clothes).

Is it worth the money? From a purely financial standpoint - absolutely not....but when adjusted for the "Disney Factor" it becomes worth it to us.

However, if I knew going in that I would only be able to utilize the amenities for around 30 minutes then, no, it is not going to be worth it.

You're correct about your starting time if you're in the last corral. So, unless you greatly exceed your anticipated finish time I strongly advise you forgo the retreat this year. That's too much money for a half-hour of extravagance. Sorry to be such a downer.

 

[Fantasmic303]

Thank you, Chiomaca and ANIM8R - no worries about being a downer, that's exactly the information and advice I was looking for. It's hard to have any idea what to expect from our first runDisney experience except to hear from people who have been there and done that.

Thanks again!

 

[rpcvpanama]

I used it this past weekend and will not in the future. I started in corral L (out of P) and ran about a 3:20 race (stopped for photos). It was about a 15-20 minute walk back to the race retreat after the medal, powerade, photo, etc. When I got there they still had hot food out...but 1/2 hour later it was all gone. They did a hard shut down of the food sections, I mean there was nothing left out. Also, the "gift" that was given, they ran out of parts of the "gift" so I only received a portion of the "gift." Also, the "stretching" area was only available pre-race. After the race that area is taken over for massages. All in all, I think if you are a slower runner, or want to stop for pictures, and are on one of the later corrals you run the risk of it being shut down after you finish the race.

Pre-race it was nice to have someplace to sit and wait for the start but again, it is a long walk to the corrals. They told us all to leave by 5am and by the time I got to my corral A and B had already been sent off. I did princess last year and didn't use the tent and in the future I won't pay for it again as a runner. Now, your mom may want to use it as a spectator, as that is a completely different situation.

 

[pixarmom]

I'll add my race retreat experiences in case they are helpful. I did the RR for the PHM last year (Corral C) and the full marathon (Corral E) this year. In both cases I was glad I did. But I won't in the future.

Climate control: The climate control/insurance was at the top of my list of reasons for the retreat. Part of the need for climate control was the fact that I arrived really early for both races. Now that I know the drill, I won't arrive so early in the future and won't have to wait around as much as a result.

Food: I appreciated the pre-race food, but in the just as easy for me to grab a plain bagel and a banana elsewhere. The post-race food was nice for the PHM. I went in to the tent to get my breakfast and then brought it outside to the tables to eat it while talking with my family. But for the full marathon this year, they wouldn't allow anyone out of the tent with any food. I just took a half sandwich, but had to stand at the door to eat it before leaving. Poor guy who had just run a marathon and was pushing a stroller couldn't leave with a single muffin. But this is probably all because of the woman who tried to take out two heaping plates of food with four forks sticking out of it. So I get the policy and the reason for it, but it enters into future RR decisions.

The "Gift": This was fun for the PHM - the flip flops. Don't really use them much but they were cute and festive. This time (at least for me) the gift was a really not-so-great-string bag and some champion socks that had nothing to do with runDisney. I expected at least a Mickey or a runDisney logo on the socks - nothing but the "C" for champion.

The location: For the PHM, the location of the RR was ideal and near everything else. Last weekend, as someone mentioned earlier, it's off in a corner behind a fence that we had to walk all the way around to get back to the monorail. Lots of extra walking, which was fine for me post-race, but it's just not as in the middle of the action as it was before.

Forgot to add bag check and bathrooms . . . nice to have the RR bathrooms and they improved the line-up system for the bathrooms since the PHM last year. But for me, the most important bathrooms are the ones right at the corrals, and there were only four people in line ahead of me for those before the full marathon last weekend. I've also been paying attention to the bag check area outside the retreat, and that didn't look crowded for either the PHM or the full marathon. In fact, I probably would have had my stuff much more quickly after the full if I could pick it up at the regular bag check, rather than walking all the way back to the RR!

 

[networktek]

i did the race retreat for the 2015 marathon and thought it was great especially if you are a single runner going by your self. it was nice to sit in side with a nice controlled tempeture and your own washrooms for men and woman so the lines were not that long, the food before the race and food after the race is a great benefit it was defiantly worth the money for me.