I know many people come up with a training schedule and plan out which races they want to do several months in advance. If you want to run a Disney race, that's a MUST, since they seem to sell out right away. As much as I love Disney races it is a major commitment signing up that far ahead of time. The only reason I can sign up for these races are because I take my vacation during this time and know I will have off.
There are so many great races throughout the year (other than Disney) but sometimes it's hard for me to be able to commit to one because I never know my work schedule until one month prior. Sometimes I get lucky and I happen to have off work when a particular race is scheduled. Because I never know when I will be signing up for a race, I seem to always have to stay in "training mode".
I recently just got my April schedule and was excited to see some of the days I had off were race days so I decided to do the Hot Chocolate run this weekend in Philadelphia since it's so close to where I live. Another race I signed up for is the Rock n Roll Nashville at the end of the month. My best friend from college lives there so it will be a great girl's weekend. I'll also be able to do the April Fools race with my sister in Atlantic City this month so that will be another girls weekend I'll be looking forward too. Looks like April is turning out to be a busy race month for me!
How far in advance do you sign up for races? Who else is running Nashville or Philly? Anyone running the April Fools? -L
For BIG races, something that I plan on seriously training for (maybe to meet a time or distance goal) the earlier I sign up, the better. If I am currently in a training cycle and a race pops up I might signup just for fun and usually small, local 5k's are last minute :)
ReplyDeleteHot Chocolate run sounds fun!!
Karen @karenlovestorun
Timely post! I am looking to move but I have already committed to a competition in November, so have to wait until that's out of the way. Damn fitness getting in the way haha
ReplyDeleteThat's great you are able to add some races with your work schedule. I sure wish you would be back in Wilmington....I will take you to the beach for a great run there! For some reason, the last few years I have signed up way in advance for my races, but that probably is because they are marathons or half marathons. This year I have Boston and NYC Marathons so those are huge commitments! :)
ReplyDeleteA run on the beach sounds lovely. I will definitely let know when I get a Wilmington overnight....hopefully soon!
DeleteSigning up for Disney races is so stressful. If you don't do it within an hour of the race opening then you are out of luck.
ReplyDeleteI know. How crazy is that!
DeleteIf it's a big race, I try to sign up well in advance so I can come up with a training schedule. If I'm looking at smaller, local races, I'll sign up if I want to run them, I go by the price increases. If I have time before a price increase, I'll wait a little bit.
ReplyDeleteThose price increases seem to go up too fast!
DeleteSome of the big races here have lotteries way in advance to sign up and then sometimes I will keep a smaller one on my radar and wait to see the weather week of. With all of the injuries I've had I can't wait to do another race in May.
ReplyDeleteI usually book local races as soon as they open just because I have to plan far in advance. Keeping track of my own commitments as well as extra curricular kids activities means that the sooner we schedule and make plans the easier it all is for us. The one exception is the Crescent City classic as I refuse to do it when it is brutally hot so I want to wait to see what the weather will be like. I also like to sign up early for discounts!
ReplyDeleteDisney just stresses me out. I'm already stressing over PHM 2016!!
I would love to be able to sign up for races early if I knew my work schedule. Unfortunately I'm stuck with paying the higher registeration fees.
DeleteI am running the Hot Chocolate 15K in Philadelphia too! It will be my longest run since Princess due to various circumstances, but I'm looking forward to it! This past Princess Half was my very first RunDisney experience and very first half, too! Signing up was SO stressful! But, I'm glad I did it and I'll probably do it again!
ReplyDeleteJust as an aside: I love your blog! I started following it as a result of reading your various posts to the Disney Princess Facebook page! Keep up the great work! :)
Thank you so much for being a reader! We appreciate you. Do you live in or near the Philadelphia area?
DeleteI will be doing the 5k which starts before the 15k. Maybe we can meet before the race if you are there early?
DeleteWell, I signed up a year in advance for Houston...I don't like to do that, because who knows what life will throw at me in the meantime (last year I had to forfeit two local races I'd signed up for because my son moved to NC and I helped him, which meant I wasn't home for the races). But we were still on a race high and took the plunge, LOL. It's when they are known sell-outs that I will register early.
ReplyDeleteSometimes just a day or two (as in Thursday night for this past Saturday's half)! I ran the Nashville Women's half last September. You'll have SO MUCH FUN there!
ReplyDeleteBesides Disney races I tend to sign up for races last minute. I would probably save a lot of money if I would sign up earlier but I never know what I'll be doing 6 months in advance!
ReplyDeleteI hope I see you in Nashville! I am very excited about my first R n' R race!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, that would be great! Liked to see you as well:)
DeleteIt truly depends on the race. For my first marathon in 2012 I signed up the day the race opened. Same for the Grandma's Marathon this year, as I know it sells out fast!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to do the Rock & Roll in Nashville... but have a wedding I'm doing that same day... I will do that race one day
ReplyDeletei cant wait to hear what you think about RnR Nashville! Nashville is my favorite city and I really want to head there for the full next year.
ReplyDeletenow for races, I sign up and plan far in advance just because prices go up a lot here so the sooner you plan, the better deal you get. If i waited until right before for local 5k and 10ks, they can cost as much as 50 bucks!
I love Nashville too. So excited about the race and seeing my friend from college.
DeleteHey Lacey! I'll be at the AC April Fools half along with three of my scootadoot pals - it's my 4th year doing it and I love it! Wish I were going to be at Philly Hot Chocolate but since it's Easter, we'll be traveling. Have a blast!
ReplyDeleteMaybe we could meet. We plan to get there Friday afternoon and we are doing the 7 and the 11k on Saturday morning.
DeleteI usually sign up for a big race 6 months to a year in advance. I like to plan ahead :)
ReplyDeleteI like to sign up for my goal races right when registration opens, so I can build race schedule around the goal races :)
ReplyDeleteI few years back I signed up for races about 10 months in advance and it was so not my style I am more of a spur of the moment person. The only problem with stuff in advance is things happen and can take you away from your plans..
ReplyDeleteBut it looks like you have a fun set of races coming up, An April fools race sounds fun!
I have a wish list of races and have an idea of when registration occurs or if they offer special pricing. While I run races a lot (I may not race race each one) I focus on a few for the big goal race. This fall I will pick races based on which marathon I will run. Good luck this weekend in Philly :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. It should be a fun one. Always wanted to do a hot chocolate race. I also do not "race"all them, some I do just for fun with others.
DeleteIt would be tough for me to not sign up well in advance, but I'm not a very spontaneous person. But it sounds like you make it work given your schedule. I think your next 3 races all sound fun!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I lucked out in April that I am able to do all three of the ones I wanted to run.
DeleteSometimes I like signing up for races far in advance because its cheaper. However, its not ideal if you get injured or something and are unable to run. So right now I am not signed up for anything and am planning to wait until I am running regularly again before signing up for anything!
ReplyDeleteI usually wait until the last minute. Yes the registration fee is higher but it's still cheaper then paying the fee when it opens and then not getting reimbursed bc you can't run.
DeleteI really want to do Nashville. I keep hoping it'll fall during Spring Break and I'll have the extra days and do it!
ReplyDeleteThat would be nice if it worked out for you sometime.
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DeleteI have yet to do my race schedule.
ReplyDeleteI am so far behind.
Well can't say I am bc as you know I sign up for most races last minute.
DeleteI am so type A and a planner I like to plan ahead! I am doing the HC15K in Philly this weekend too - maybe I'll see you there!
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