Running half marathon alone

[firstwdw]

thanks everyone for your thoughts .......a disney race is on the radar just not sure exactly when! Appreciate the feedback.

 

[GreatLakes]

I run every race alone. Even the races I travel to with friends and run "with friends" is alone. I'll see them before and after but we run our own pace and don't run together. I do have some friends that I run around the same pace as and on occasion we have run together over a 5K but we were racing against each other, not really running together.

You have no reason to feel awkward OP. I've traveled solo to most of my Disney races. The nice thing about the Disney running community is we are a social bunch. Every race weekend I've been to has had meetups either with people from this board (WISH meets) or from groups put together by Mike Scopa, Len Testa, or Lou Mongello.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Newbie here so forgive this if it is a silly question. Do most folks run with a group, friends, family meaning it would be awkward to do the Dark Side half marathon alone? (family would be along for the vacation/parks etc but not running the race).

I have run every single race I've ever done alone. While my little sister has run in two of the six half marathons I've completed, we each run our own pace and don't feel any pressure to adjust our pace to the other. We have different race goals. If you do run with someone, I strongly recommend having an honest conversation before the race where you outline expectations and race goals. That way you both know what to expect. It's not fair to ruin someone's time goal because you're slower nor is it fair to force someone to skip some or all of the fun opportunities at a runDisney event because they're trying to keep pace with a friend who doesn't want that.

My last 3 trips to WDW were solo trips the entire week and two of them involved a race during the trip including last month's Dark Side Challenge. There are tremendous advantages to running solo. Want to stop for a picture on the Emperor's Throne? When you're by yourself, only the sweepers can stop you.

 

[Missy Bizzzz]

Newbie here so forgive this if it is a silly question. Do most folks run with a group, friends, family meaning it would be awkward to do the Dark Side half marathon alone? (family would be along for the vacation/parks etc but not running the race).

I am running alone too. We could run together.

 

[roxymama]

All of my training is alone. So when I do get to a race that I'm running "alone"...well with all the hundreds or thousands of people around me...I don't really feel that alone!

For the races I go to with a group...I honestly love hanging with them before and after but I really prefer running my own race.

 

[2Tiggies]

I've always run alone for races. My A Goal is to meet one new running buddy on the course and then after that is my time goal. I don't run many events, but when I do, the thing I love about running alone is meeting people, getting to chat a little bit with someone on the course and just taking in the atmosphere and going at my own pace. There are so many benefits to running alone I think you'll be just fine.

 

[hotblooded]

I'm pretty sure almost everyone will be running alone. Many show up alone, and others show up together but go their separate ways when it's time to start. If anything, running together as a group is rare.

 

[IamTrike]

I've run alone and in groups, both at Disney and at other places. I think Disney Races provides you plenty of opportunity for either style of running. If you want to run in a group there are of course pace groups that you can join.(most races have these). They can be great if you want a little encouragement or you want to make sure that you don't go out too fast. It can be a good place to meet people to talk with. Of course there are also these forums and other places where you can meet other people running the same race as you at Disney. This can be a good place to a make a friend to run with.


If you decide you want to run with friends make a plan for what happens if someone needs to change the pace. Usually in my group if someone is struggling the group drops to their pace. However there are two exceptions.
1. If the group has trained for this to be an "A" race sometimes a person will ask to be dropped from the group for fear they might make the rest of the group miss their goal.
2. If someone finds they are pushing themselves too hard to stay up with the group, and they know they will continue to do that so long as the group stays around they will also ask to be dropped.

I like both solo experiences and running in groups. I do find that at Disney in particular I wind up talking to a decent number of people on the course.

 

[drante]

I've run every single race I've done alone. I just did the Tinkerbell half marathon last month at Disneyland. I ran by myself but my family was there watching the race. Honestly, there are so many people there (some also alone) and the whole experience is a ton of fun that I'd definitely do the entire thing (parks and races) by myself if no one is able to join me.

 

[mslezalie]

My husband and I run at different paces. He's a fast runner averaging 8 minute miles, while I am a slow runner at double his pace (15-16 minute miles). In 2014 we did Expedition Everest Challenge and Tower of Terror 10 Miler. For EEC, it was a team event and seemed enjoyable for both of us going at my slower pace. However, for ToT I felt like I was holding him back. I would tell him to go run and I'll catch up with him later, but he stayed by my side. It was a nice gesture but I kept worrying about him and if he was enjoying the race. He was mostly walking it at my pace. I learned walking for him is more painful than running. Since then we've run our own races and would meet up afterwards at the finish line or the hotel. In doing that we both enjoy the race experience more.

 

[The Expert]

As you've seen, many of us do the Halfs alone. No big deal. There's a nice support group on Facebook if you'd like to join - it's called runDisney Independent Princesses (Solo Runners). Despite the name it is open to both men and women.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Even an anti-social introvert like myself made friends doing the RunDisney thing solo. Go, run, have fun. RunDisney folks are the best.