2015 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend ** Check-In ** May 7-10, 2015

[Belle Ella]

cp11, Itinkso, and Viva Las Disney - you've all been added to the runner list
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[Itinkso]

cp11, Itinkso, and Viva Las Disney - you've all been added to the runner list

Thank you, Belle! Excited!! - DD and I did the PHM Royal Family 5K last year but Tink is much closer to home!

 

[Belle Ella]

Add me to the 5k and 10k...

With the addition of Avengers and Star Wars it looks like the days of 15 minute DL sell outs may finally be over, at least I hope so, I hated that stress.

We're past 12 hours since registration opened and only the kids races and the 10k are sold out.

Personally, I think it has more to do with the move of a women's themed race to Mother's Day Weekend than the addition of other events - although I'm ure having more to chose from did factor in as well. But, I have a feeling we will still see quick sell-outs with the Disneyland Half, Avengers and Star Wars because of when they are and who they cater to. Only time will tell, however.

I certainly wouldn't mind seeing registration slow down for them all so we could all stop stressing about them!

 

[Belle Ella]

Thank you, Belle! Excited!! - DD and I did the PHM Royal Family 5K last year but Tink is much closer to home!

Ooh! I hope you and your DD had fun. I'm still hoping to get out to WDW for an event (fingers crossed for Wine & Dine in 2015 but I may need to face the financial fact that it might not be feasible thanks to all of my dental work, even with my discounts) someday. Someday. Someday ...

Whereabouts in California are you?

 

[Itinkso]

Ooh! I hope you and your DD had fun. I'm still hoping to get out to WDW for an event (fingers crossed for Wine & Dine in 2015 but I may need to face the financial fact that it might not be feasible thanks to all of my dental work, even with my discounts) someday. Someday. Someday ... Whereabouts in California are you?

Central Valley - Visalia. DD is a WDW CM now but we used to be DL APs until she moved to the other side of the country. The PHM weekend was quite fun. A friend is joining me for the Neverland 5K as DD won't be able to make it.

 

[rachlovestv]

I'm in for the PDC! Yay!

 

[DisneylandPlanner]

Could you add me to the Half Marathon. Thanks

So which training plan are you going to use. I was looking at Jenny Hadfield Busy womens half marathon plan. This will be my first half marathon and rundisney event.

Hi Miranda!

 

[kim3339]

So which training plan are you going to use. I was looking at Jenny Hadfield Busy womens half marathon plan. This will be my first half marathon and rundisney event.

Rundisney works w/ Jeff Galloway and he comes out w/ a plan for the race. I think you run 3 days w/ him. Hal Higdon has good ones and at different levels. There's a website called Coolrunnings.com and they have a couple different ones. Runner's World has some plans as well. I know there are more, just can't think of them. I created my own from a few different plans taking what I liked from each and did a super plan that I normally use.

 

[AmericanItGirl]

So which training plan are you going to use. I was looking at Jenny Hadfield Busy womens half marathon plan. This will be my first half marathon and rundisney event.

I used Jeff Galloway's program for the Tink 1/2 last year and it worked really well in terms of getting me prepared. You do 30 mins on Tuesday and Thursday (or any 2 week days really) and then either 3 miles or an increasing length on Saturday (or Sunday). I am no runner, but under the Jeff Galloway program, I averaged a 13-min mile, which included stopping to take pictures along the way, 1 bathroom break, and standing in line to get my picture taken with Cinderella.

 

[keahgirl8]

I used Jeff Galloway's program for the Tink 1/2 last year and it worked really well in terms of getting me prepared. You do 30 mins on Tuesday and Thursday (or any 2 week days really) and then either 3 miles or an increasing length on Saturday (or Sunday). I am no runner, but under the Jeff Galloway program, I averaged a 13-min mile, which included stopping to take pictures along the way, 1 bathroom break, and standing in line to get my picture taken with Cinderella.

I say you ARE a runner.

 

[kelly 1]

I used Jeff Galloway's program for the Tink 1/2 last year and it worked really well in terms of getting me prepared. You do 30 mins on Tuesday and Thursday (or any 2 week days really) and then either 3 miles or an increasing length on Saturday (or Sunday). I am no runner, but under the Jeff Galloway program, I averaged a 13-min mile, which included stopping to take pictures along the way, 1 bathroom break, and standing in line to get my picture taken with Cinderella.

Agree You Are RUNNER! Girl Power!

 

[VickiHD]

Please add me to the list. I'm in for the Pixie Dust Challenge.

 

[DisneylandPlanner]

I used Jeff Galloway's program for the Tink 1/2 last year and it worked really well in terms of getting me prepared. You do 30 mins on Tuesday and Thursday (or any 2 week days really) and then either 3 miles or an increasing length on Saturday (or Sunday). I am no runner, but under the Jeff Galloway program, I averaged a 13-min mile, which included stopping to take pictures along the way, 1 bathroom break, and standing in line to get my picture taken with Cinderella.

Wow that sounds great. Did you run or run/walk? I plan on run/walking. I heard there are characters on the route how does that work? I am slow and I am concerned about falling behind the pace and getting picked up.

 

[Belle Ella]

So which training plan are you going to use. I was looking at Jenny Hadfield Busy womens half marathon plan. This will be my first half marathon and rundisney event.

I'm going to reiterate what a few other posters have mentioned: runDisney works with Jeff Galloway and has a program specific for each race. These are the plans that I generally follow, although I kind of tweak them to work with the training plan in his app on my iphone. They are fairly similar, but that app has one extra day of running and I like that (when I'm actually able to follow it).

Wow that sounds great. Did you run or run/walk? I plan on run/walking. I heard there are characters on the route how does that work? I am slow and I am concerned about falling behind the pace and getting picked up.

Jeff Galloway definitely supports the run/walk method, so I highly recommend looking into his training programs if that's what you're already doing. As for the characters along the course (mind you they will only be in the Parks, so just the first portion of the course) it's a personal decision as to whether you stop for them or not. The lines can get fairly long depending on when you get to a particular character and some characters have longer lines than others. If you see a character you want a photo with, don't be so terrified that you'll fall behind that you miss out on something that could really impact your memories of the race. Unless you're really on that borderline of a 16 minute/mile pace and you were one of the last to start I wouldn't be too concerned. I know the fear of being swept is there in the minds of a lot of us, but it's not that scary! They don't start the pace requirement until the last runner has crossed the starting line so if you're ahead of that you've got a little bit of bubble room, as I like to call it.

Personally, I don't do the character photos unless it's a character I absolutely 100% have to have, like the Lost Boys if they are anywhere you can photograph - since you'll never find them in the Parks. They are usually out for Tink and I was able to get a photo with them at King Arthur's Carrousel, but then the next year I ran it they were all riding the carrousel as we passed so obviously that wasn't going to happen!

I usually go for the area/atmosphere photos of my favorite places in the parks, because it doesn't involve waiting in a line, just asking someone to snap a photo for me. There's usually others doing the same thing so it's not a hassle at all. One location in particular is in front of Paradise Bay in Paradise Pier in California Adventure. They keep the World of Color fountains going and it's great to be able to get that in the background!

I hope that helps at all!

Central Valley - Visalia. DD is a WDW CM now but we used to be DL APs until she moved to the other side of the country. The PHM weekend was quite fun. A friend is joining me for the Neverland 5K as DD won't be able to make it.

I love seeing other posters from California, even if we're not in the same area (I'm from the Bay Area, but moved to Anaheim a couple of years ago). What does your DD do in WDW? I'm a stores CM for DCA and absolutely love it.

 

[Belle Ella]

DisneylandPlanner, rachlovestv & VickiHD - you've all been added to the runner list​

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[Itinkso]

I love seeing other posters from California, even if we're not in the same area (I'm from the Bay Area, but moved to Anaheim a couple of years ago). What does your DD do in WDW? I'm a stores CM for DCA and absolutely love it.

DD's in entertainment and does shows and parades in Hollywood Studios and MK. Next month she moves to the character event travel team... that's why we had to scrap our plans for the PHM 10K because she won't know what her schedule may be. If anything, she may be friends with a character along the race course. She was friends with Minnie for the Princess 1/2 a few years ago and that was a highlight for her!

You'll have to try to make it out to WDW. There are CM hotel rates available on race weekends and great charter bus transportation from resorts to EPCOT.

 

[Belle Ella]

That's so exciting for your DD! What made her go to WDW over DLR?

I definitely plan on making it out there at some point. I need my Coast 2 Coast medal! Still hoping to make W&D happen for next year, but a lot of the $$ I had set aside for that (CM discounts aside) went to me registering for the Rebel Challenge and Pixie Dust Challenge. Add in $6,000 worth of dental surgeries over the last couple of months and my money is tied up for the next couple of years. But if I can make it work, you'd better believe it will happen!

 

[Itinkso]

That's so exciting for your DD! What made her go to WDW over DLR? I definitely plan on making it out there at some point. I need my Coast 2 Coast medal! Still hoping to make W&D happen for next year, but a lot of the $$ I had set aside for that (CM discounts aside) went to me registering for the Rebel Challenge and Pixie Dust Challenge. Add in $6,000 worth of dental surgeries over the last couple of months and my money is tied up for the next couple of years. But if I can make it work, you'd better believe it will happen!

To be able to do the inaugural Rebel Challenge and the Pixie Dust is amazing! The W&D will always be there because Food and Wine isn't going anywhere. The Coast to Coast Medal is beautiful - a great goal to have!

DD graduated from UC San Diego and felt she could get into entertainment at WDW easier than if she attempted DLR. She did the College Program and then moved to part-time and then full-time shortly after. Being mouse-height, there is a big need at WDW with all the resort character meals and shows. She's friends with Minnie in the Dream Along show that's on the Castle Stage and that definitely is a dream come true for her!

 

[Miranda]

Unless you're really on that borderline of a 16 minute/mile pace and you were one of the last to start I wouldn't be too concerned. I know the fear of being swept is there in the minds of a lot of us, but it's not that scary! They don't start the pace requirement until the last runner has crossed the starting line so if you're ahead of that you've got a little bit of bubble room, as I like to call it.

Thanks for clearing that up... I wondered how that worked. We are planning to try and do a 10K and get into a further up corral, but if I can't manage to do that at least I know to get as far up in the last one as I can! I am pretty sure that I can get a 10K time if I can manage to do the race... my qualifying time is really riding on not freezing to death in a New Years Day 10K (the only one available in all of Dec/Jan in this area!)

 

[AmericanItGirl]

Thanks Keah and Kelly_1.
I still moan and groan about having to run during race training (despite knowing that the goal is worth it), so that's why I still don't count myself as a runner.

Wow that sounds great. Did you run or run/walk? I plan on run/walking. I heard there are characters on the route how does that work? I am slow and I am concerned about falling behind the pace and getting picked up.

I ran/walked, but I didn't do a lot of walking until I got out of the parks (except for during bottlenecks). Instead of sticking with a set run/walk pace, I ran with my iPod and would run every other song (and run for more than one song if I felt up to it). In order to help remind myself to alternate, I had a mix of upbeat and slower songs (ex. I would run when listening to "Let It Go," but walk during "I'll Try" from Return to Neverland).

I really surprised myself with how much running I did, especially in the beginning (the course starts off with running on overpasses, so you start off with having to run uphill). There was a lot more going on to distract me while running on the course than just running on the treadmill (which is what I trained on for the long distances), which helped immensely with psyching myself to keep running (kept wanting to see what else I would see along the course).

For training, make sure that you stick with a 15-min split at your slowest. A 15 minute pace will feel plenty slow compared to a 10 minute pace for running. This is where a treadmill really comes in handy because you can speed it up to get a feel for different paces. I would go with my mom (my training buddy) to her gym and pay for day access as her guest (24 Hour Fitness, prices range $5-$15 depending on the fanciness of the gym location). If you force yourself to never fall below a 15-min pace, then you will have time to go to the bathroom while still staying on track.

There are characters at different points along the route in DCA and Disneyland. Different characters have lines of different lengths (the line to meet Darth Vader was crazy long, even longer than the line to meet characters from Peter Pan), so choose wisely and go for the ones with the shorter lines. If you train/run in fear of the sweepers, you'll be fine.