2021 Virtual runDisney Dopey Challenge

I participated in the 2021 runDisney Dopey Challenge. For those that do not know what that is, it is a running event at Walt Disney World. Participants run (or walk) a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, then a Full Marathon in 4 sequential days. This year’s event was virtual due to COVID.

I have never done Dopey before. The only runDisney challenges I have done involved the 5K, 10K, and Half. To be perfectly honest, I was afraid of the Dopey Challenge. And I kind of still am. I don’t know that I’d ever do this again. But, I’ve said that before on other things, and I still do them, so who knows!!

Before COVID, we had purchased a Peloton Bike. We had no idea that just days later after our delivery, the pandemic would be announced. Then just a few month ago, we purchased the Peloton Tread+.

When I signed up for Dopey, I had set my mind set on doing all of it on the Tread+. But, my ailing arthritic knee had other plans for me. For the Full Marathon, I used a combination of alternating between the Bike and the Tread+. I cannot thank Peloton enough for the instructors and programming that has gotten me to this point.

I did do Dopey on the dates of the originally scheduled event at WDW, 7-10 JAN 2021. I woke up at 0500 every day, which was 3-4 hours later than the time I’d normally be up for an in-person event at Disney. But, that’s what time I picked.

To get Bike miles equal to running and walking miles, you use a factor of 3. So for every three miles on the Bike, I counted it as one running/walking mile. My Peloton Leaderboard name is #SamCarterSGC if you would like to look at my stats.

For the 5K, 10K, and the Half Marathon, I walked wholly on the Peloton Tread+. Marathon morning I began on the Bike to give my knee time to warm up. In the end, I did a total of 48 Peloton Bike miles (converted into 16 running/walking miles) and 10.2 walking miles on the Tread+. It took me 9 hours and 15 minutes to do the full marathon.

The ratio of bike miles also was on par with my approximate 15 minute mile that I normally walk. I can get faster than that, but not for Dopey. I intentionally walked slower than that for Dopey during the full and part of the half so I wouldn’t wreck my knee. 

So this was a lot of work. It was hard. And it would have been incredibly easy to just give up and pretend like I did it, and then hang the medals up on the wall. But that is not who I am. 

These virtual races give us time to do events and not worry about Balloon Ladies or getting swept up. These virtual events allow us to move at our own rate, and not worry about hurting ourselves. For those that say it's not a real event, or look down upon other runners or walkers for doing what they do - shame on you. What did you do last weekend? Did you walk a marathon? Stop getting into other people's business when all they are trying to do is better themselves.

Yes, I’m sore and tired, just like I would from any other event. My feet swelled up just like at any other event. My knee hurt. My fingers swelled up too. So it was like being at the real event, minus the whole part about being at Disney and running through the parks LOL!! Picture below from 2013.

I have had 2 failed attempts at Goofy in the past. One I had to cancel the trip altogether. The other was in 2015 when I hurt my achilles tendon during the Half. I did not even start the Full the next day. So as I made a post on Facebook during my Dopey about being in the last 2.2 miles - heading to the bridge, then into EPCOT, I got a bit emotional.

Most runDisney people know the bridge I’m talking about. They know that at about mile 25 or so, you enter EPCOT’s World Showcase. (Yes, I know some routes go through the turnstiles along the river, but I don’t think I’ve done that before, so my memories are about being backstage then coming on stage into World Showcase in the UK). 

So I got emotional counting down the last mile. I missed the World Showcase crowds. I missed traveling to the countries. I missed the gospel choir at mile 26. My memories took me back to 2013 to my first ever Full Marathon, also at Walt Disney World. Then I was done with the 2021 Dopey Challenge.

It is never easy to do a Full Marathon. With no one around you during the virtual event, it can be very lonely. No one to cheer you on. No one to give you water. No one to smile, or yell at you that this is the worst parade ever.

But, I did have a lot of support. My husband came into the room from time to time. He’d tell me I was crazy. And he did tell me congratulations when I finished.

My friends from Ireland did a Facebook video chat with me too!! I lost audio, and we had to hang up, but the call came at the right time! Thank you Jill, Rebecca, and Sylvia!

So will I really ever do this again? Probably not. I will do the smaller Challenges. I am signed up for the Star Wars Rivals Challenge in April. I have done the Star Wars event three times at Walt Disney World, and one time at Disneyland.

And as soon as these are shipped and in my hands, I'll be posting more pictures.

If anyone is interested in what runDisney has to offer, check them out at www.rundisney.com