Happy Tuesday! It’s time for another edition of Tuesday Topics. This week’s Tuesday Topic: Is there a popular race you never want to run? You can write about this or any running related blog post. Remember to link-up with Kim and Zenaida and the bottom of this post!
No this is an interesting topic! It will be interesting to see which races people do not want to run. While there are still so many races that I would LOVE to run, there’s also a few that i have no desire to run for various reasons.
Boston Marathon
I know this one will probably be shocking to most distance runners, but I have never wanted to run this race. The main reason is because I know I’ll never qualify to run it based on my finish time. The race also allows runners to fundraise for a race entry but the minimum fundraising amount is pretty high and I don’t think I could meet that goal. While I’m sure it would be a fun race, especially since it’s a World Marathon Major race, there just aren’t many viable options for me to run the race. However, I would definitely go spectate and cheer on friends if they run the race in the future!
Any Disney Races
While I don’t mind dressing up in costume for holiday races, I just don’t think that the Disney races would be my thing. I’ve also heard the races start SUPER early and I just can’t see myself waking up at 2 or 3am to run a race. Plus it’s always so humid in Florida and humidity is my running kryptonite so I don’t think I would have fun 🙁
The Barkley Marathons
Ultramarathons don’t sound like fun, and this one is especially hard, so no thanks! In fact the course it so difficult that it hasn’t had a finisher the last few years. Plus I don’t particularly like the race director based on some of his actions last year so I really have 0 interest in anything about this race.
Tell me: Is there a popular race you never want to run?
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I have read about the Barkley events, and have not heard anything positive about the director. He seems to thrive on making the participants suffer LOL I agree on the Disney thing. As much as I love Disney, I think the crazy crowded race courses would drive me crazy. I respect that a lot of participants are there for the experience (and not the finish times), but…aren’t the parks open at regular hours for that very reason?
Yes, the RD for Barkley is kind of an ass. i get that Disney is definitely more about the experience than the race itself, but for that amount of money I’ll go to Hawaii lol
Barkley Marathon is a big NO! I don’t even think much about Boston because I’m not going to qualify either.
I must say Wine & Dine always sounded nice, but I’m not a huge Disney fan, and they’re so darn expensive!
Yes, I should have added the expense for the Disney races too…wowsa!
I totally agree. No Barley, No Disney. No BOSTON!! I am adding no color runs, naked runs, mud runs, Spartans and no RAGNARS!!
I did one Spartan race a few years ago – it wasn’t horrible but I wouldn’t do one again lol.
Good point about the Disney races.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of Disney and its efficient marketing machinery. Besides being fake entertainment, it’s also designed to spend more than you want. So yes, I am totally with you on that one.
And also the Barkley race – no way, haha!
I agree about Disney – it just seems like A LOT.
I too have no interest in running Boston for many of the same reasons you mentioned. I have actually never run a full marathon and don;t plan to. I watched the Barkley marathon movie and wow right there with you on never having any desire to run that one!
The Barkley Marathon just seems like torture!
I’m with you on Barkley and Boston, but Disney… well, it is (or was) one hell of an experience. I’ve done the Tower of Terror 10 Miler, the Princess Glass Slipper Challenge (10K & Half) and the actual marathon. I would never do the Princess again, but I would be in for some of the other events.
I just hear horror stories about the super early wake up times, the weather and crowded courses. I think pre-Covid I might have considered it but now I feel like I will have to really, really want to run a race in order to travel.
100% agree. Boston leaves me cold, though I can see that if someone is close to the qualifying times that it would be a worthy goal to get in. Meh to Disney though I know a lot of people love those races. Hell no to Barkleys.
Although I have my favorite races that I like to run every year, I think my racing goal is going to be to expand and run events that I’ve never done before.
If I were someone that could qualify for Boston it would definitely be more appealing to me, plus Boston is a pretty nice city when the weather is good!
This is a fun topic Kim!
I go back and forth about Disney…some days I think I should go all in and do the Goofy challenge for our Florida marathon, but other times I think its just not for me.
Agree on Barkley!
I can see the appeal of the Disney races because I’m sure they can be fun, but the costs and logistics give me pause!
I ran the Tinkerbell Marathon once because my hospital use to work the medical tents at all the Disney “racing” events and I thought I would get a discount. Wrong. I was shocked at how expensive it was and you are correct, I think we started at like 4am. Most people that run their events don’t train, walk a lot and stop for pictures with characters. They will stand in line to take a picture. It’s crazy!
I think you know how I feel about Boston., but NO to Barkley, Spartan or any ultra.
Oh wow – I’m so surprised that they didn’t offer you a discount! Yeah that 4am start time is definitely not for me. I’m a morning person but not that early, lol.
I’ve done a few Disney races and while they are fun, I HATE the early wake up and start times. I get why it is like that but it is so early. I know what you mean about Boston. I will probably never qualify but if I get an entry, you bet I will run it. But, realistically I will never get an entry anyway. 🙂
I would feel like a zombie while running due to those early wake up times!
Yeah I’m right there with you on Disney – just not my vibe. I get what you’re saying about Boston – but if an opportunity ever presented itself I’d take it.
I don’t understand why anyone puts themselves through Barkley!?! I’d also take a hard pass on any of the obstacle races.
i always try to make a race fun so that’s the main reason Barkley would never work for me – it just seems like hours of torture!
I agree with you, and also Tokyo for the cut-offs along the first half of the route. No Ragnars as I never, ever do relays – so no other relays, either – I just hate knowing I’m letting people down. Also no mud runs, tough mudders, all those ones! I would do another ultra if it was a road ultra, but they just aren’t! I like a road.
That’s a good point about Tokyo – I would add that to my list as well. I would be way too concerned about meeting the cut off times since I’m not a fast runner. Agree with you about the mud runs too!
Fun topic! I’m with you on Disney, and any race with complicated logistics, which includes Boston. Barkley is just nuts!
Complicated logistics can really suck the fun out of any race!
I’d never heard of the Barkley Marathon until now. From yours and other comments, it seems horrendous! And no finisher in years?! What’s that about! I wouldn’t do a colour run. My kids love it but getting paint all over me including in my hair is not my idea of fun!
That race just seems like torture!
Ha, funny topic. While I do have dreams of running Boston someday, I have NO IDEA how I would actually train for it- we literally have no hills at all here. And I ran the Disney marathon once- it was so, so, SO crowded. You can keep that on your “no” list!
Yeah crowded races always stress me out. I feel like the Disney races are probably more crowded than some of the World Marathon Majors races!