2019 Princess Half Marathon Weekend

[Livelovedance]

Should I be getting emails from rundisney? I have zero emails besides my confirmation for registration from August...

It seems most people don’t get them. To be honest, from the ones I have received, there hasn’t been anything in them that I didn’t already know from reading the event guide. I wouldn’t worry about it - as long as you have your registration confirmation you should be fine.

 

[DopeyBadger]

So I am doing the 5k, and it’s my first race ever. My husband and kids (6&8) want to join me at the finish line. I can’t figure out the logistics of when to tell them to leave and if there will be transportation available or not. Any advice? I’d like for my kids to be able to sleep as late as possible and not stand around too too much.
Thanks in advance!

This claims buses are running from 3:30am to 8:30am on the morning of the 5k from the hotels to the finish line. However, in my experience from Marathon Weekend 2014-2018 the buses have always stopped running at the hotels to finish line at 5:00am and didn't restart until 7:00am.

-So if you're a risk taker, then I'd say subtract about 70 min to the time to you estimate you'll finish at and that's when your family should be boarding a resort bus to the finish.
-If you're not a risk taker like me, then make sure your family is on the 5:00am bus from the resort to the finish line.

 

[MarBee]

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This claims buses are running from 3:30am to 8:30am on the morning of the 5k from the hotels to the finish line. However, in my experience from Marathon Weekend 2014-2018 the buses have always stopped running at the hotels to finish line at 5:00am and didn't restart until 7:00am.

-So if you're a risk taker, then I'd say subtract about 70 min to the time to you estimate you'll finish at and that's when your family should be boarding a resort bus to the finish.
-If you're not a risk taker like me, then make sure your family is on the 5:00am bus from the resort to the finish line.

So what I’m confused by is when exactly I’ll start. I know the race starts at 5:30, and I know it takes me 52-55 minutes to run a 5k on my own. However, I’m not sure when the last corral will actually start (I assume not 5:30), and I’m not sure how long it will take me running in a sea of people as this is my first ever race. Any guesstimates from experienced runners?

 

[DopeyBadger]

So what I’m confused by is when exactly I’ll start. I know the race starts at 5:30, and I know it takes me 52-55 minutes to run a 5k on my own. However, I’m not sure when the last corral will actually start (I assume not 5:30), and I’m not sure how long it will take me running in a sea of people as this is my first ever race. Any guesstimates from experienced runners?

I'd say 6:15am is a safe estimate for the earliest you'd start from the last 5k corral. About 6:30am is the latest you would start. So a 7:05-7:25am estimated finish time then. So they either get on the bus at 5:00am (not a risk taker) or at 6:00am (if willing to risk whether the buses will actually still be running based on the event guide but against prior historical tendency).

 

[DopeyBadger]

So what I’m confused by is when exactly I’ll start. I know the race starts at 5:30, and I know it takes me 52-55 minutes to run a 5k on my own. However, I’m not sure when the last corral will actually start (I assume not 5:30), and I’m not sure how long it will take me running in a sea of people as this is my first ever race. Any guesstimates from experienced runners?

I'd say 6:15am is a safe estimate for the earliest you'd start from the last 5k corral. About 6:30am is the latest you would start. So a 7:05-7:25am estimated finish time then. So they either get on the bus at 5:00am (not a risk taker) or at 6:00am (if willing to risk whether the buses will actually still be running based on the event guide but against prior historical tendency).

I should add that your estimated 5k finish time of 52-55 minutes is slower than the slowest minimum time of 49 min (16:00 min/mile). So be sure you start towards the front/middle of the last corral. If you start at the back you run the risk of falling behind the minimum pace requirement. From what I've read about the 5ks, they tend to golf cart you to the finish line rather than a sweep bus. But to make your experience less stressful and having not have to worry about minimum pace requirements, just start towards the front/middle and that'll gain you a few extra minutes buffer (because the 49 min 5k minimum pace doesn't start until the last person crosses the start line). That should help your natural pace (52-55 min) to fall within the finish window without having to be taken to the finish by motor vehicle.

 

[bumbershoot]

So I am doing the 5k, and it’s my first race ever. My husband and kids (6&8) want to join me at the finish line. I can’t figure out the logistics of when to tell them to leave and if there will be transportation available or not. Any advice? I’d like for my kids to be able to sleep as late as possible and not stand around too too much.
Thanks in advance!

I personally would have them go with me. Yes it's a bit earlier than they have to be, but it also gives them time to famililiarize themselves with the layout and find a spot. And I'm a HUGE fan of spectators cheering for random strangers, so it's nice if they are there to cheer other people on as they finish. It is AMAZING how fast some people run. When I volunteered for marathon weekend in 2015, I was lucky enough to be put at the powerade area at the end of the finish chute. We had to be in place as the 5K started, and we got the runners that placed coming through in something wild like 15 minutes. It's pretty inspiring to watch.

However, in my experience from Marathon Weekend 2014-2018 the buses have always stopped running at the hotels to finish line at 5:00am and didn't restart until 7:00am.

Did marathon weekend have this new wording in their event guide? I don't remember seeing it before; it's always specified the gap, if I'm remembering correctly. So I wonder if they are doing something different this year.

 

[IamTrike]

I'm glad DopeyBadger responded. I didn't run Marathon weekend this year, but I'd always remembered there being a gap in when the buses run for at least the other halves. I wasn't sure about the 5k though because there will be people finishing before 6am.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Did marathon weekend have this new wording in their event guide? I don't remember seeing it before; it's always specified the gap, if I'm remembering correctly. So I wonder if they are doing something different this year.

It's after the fact now for Princess Weekend, but the event guide was the same for Marathon Weekend 2019. Although, I wasn't there this year so I can't confirm whether it was a misprint. It states that "finish line to Host" is 3:30am to 8:30am, but in my prior experience the buses on 5k morning at the finish line never started running back to the hotels until all participants had passed by that area (6:45am ish). Plus, the re-running of buses was never until 7am in the past for the HM from resort to finish. So that's why I remain leery of what was printed. It definitely could be a change. With that being said, if anyone has any experience from this morning I'd appreciate hearing about it so that when people ask in the future I'd have to something to refer to.

Edit - NVM. Didn't realize PHM was next weekend and not this weekend. So still relevant.

 

[Bree]

After the 5K Marathon Weekend the busses would not even let people start loading until after 7am. I think it may have been because it took forever to get the runners ON the course. The corral release took forever because the waves were way too small. I was in corral A and when I crossed the finish line they were still releasing corral C.

I stumbled across this on Facebook for corral release times for the 2018 Princess Half. I started in the 1st wave of corral d last year and the time stamp on my Garmin is 5:43.



I ran 17 treadmill miles this week. 8 of them were today and my hip held up great. I also rode the bike at the gym for 23 miles. I’m feeling a lot better about getting through the half than I was a week ago. Looking forward to that cold parking lot beer after the race.

 

[doodlemama]

I just finished my last weekend run. Just 7.5 miles but for some reason it was really hard! My legs just didn’t want to go. I was feeling good about next Sunday but that run definitely shook my confidence :/

 

[jmasgat]

I just finished my last weekend run. Just 7.5 miles but for some reason it was really hard! My legs just didn’t want to go. I was feeling good about next Sunday but that run definitely shook my confidence :/

Look at it this way....you got the stonker run out of the way, so next weekend will be great!

 

[doodlemama]

Look at it this way....you got the stonker run out of the way, so next weekend will be great!

Ha. Thanks! Yeah need an attitude adjustment! Maybe I will focus on packing!

 

[clemsondisneygirl]

Anyone who did marathon weekend, how efficiently were the buses running after the half? My husband has to leave for a work trip and they booked him an earlier flight than we hoped...I'll need to get back to the hotel as quickly as possible to trade off for our toddler so he can leave for the airport. Is Uber/lyft a better option?

 

[acbshada]

Husband came down pretty ill yesterday. We're supposed to be in a plane Tuesday morning, and I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that he can kick this in a few days. But I'm worried. We had to cancel ito trip last year for medical reasons, and my mind keeps flipping to the worst care scenario.

 

[AZMermaid]

Oh no! Quick healing thoughts for your husband!

 

[drummerwife]

Sending lots of and healing thoughts to your husband.

 

[BFD]

Anyone who did marathon weekend, how efficiently were the buses running after the half? My husband has to leave for a work trip and they booked him an earlier flight than we hoped...I'll need to get back to the hotel as quickly as possible to trade off for our toddler so he can leave for the airport. Is Uber/lyft a better option?

When we finished the half, we were able to basically walk straight from the finish line and onto a bus. There just happened to be one waiting there at that time. I'm not sure how long you might have to wait if there isn't one there, maybe 10 minutes? But I'm also not sure where Uber is allowed to pick up at Epcot, you'd probably have to do some walking to get to that area. Maybe someone else knows where you'd have to catch the Uber, or what the official bus schedule is.

 

[lovingeire]

Husband came down pretty ill yesterday. We're supposed to be in a plane Tuesday morning, and I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that he can kick this in a few days. But I'm worried. We had to cancel ito trip last year for medical reasons, and my mind keeps flipping to the worst care scenario.

Oh no! I came down with a bit of a cold yesterday. Not serious, but annoying since I fly out on Wednesday. Hoping I can get some rest the next couple of days and that Zicam does the trick! Praying for quick healing for your husband!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Sitting here with an empty suitcase. Cold/cooler weather training and the seemingly warmer weather we’re in store for has me all for the right running clothes. 5 options for 2 races seems normal, right?

I know, runD problems... I’ll make it through.

Safe travels and good health to all runners, volunteers, and spectators next weekend.

 

[Livelovedance]

Sitting here with an empty suitcase. Cold/cooler weather training and the seemingly warmer weather we’re in store for has me all for the right running clothes. 5 options for 2 races seems normal, right?

I know, runD problems... I’ll make it through.

Safe travels and good health to all runners, volunteers, and spectators next weekend.

Mine is practically empty as well, so I’m working on that today!

I know I keep harping on this so I apologize in advance, but this time last year we had already seen both the merch preview and the race shirts! I’ve been stalking the runDisney twitter page and Disney Parks Blog since Monday... runDisney problems

Safe travels everyone! Hoping for a great upcoming race weekend!