Calling all Princesses! (2014 Princess half marathon board)

[fruitcakes24]

Here's what I sent to RunDisney:
Hello,
>I am signed up for the 2014 Princess Half Marathon with my daughter. My
>husband and I participated in the same event in 2010. In that year,
>there were great discounts on Disney resorts and park tickets. Why are
>there no discounts offered, even for park tickets, this year? The
>discounts added to the fun!!
>
>Also, I see that in 2013, the # of entrants increased dramatically since
>2010. Will the 2014 be that crowded, or have you limited the number of
>entrants to a lesser amount? What is the number of entrants allowed for
>2014?
>
>Thanks!
Response:
Hello,
>
>For resort and theme park pricing information, please call 407-WDW-IRUN.

>Participant numbers are determined by course capacity and the timing
>strategy. For the 2014 Princess Half, we have increased the total
>number of corrals while strategically timing the wave starts. This will
>spread out the participants on course.
>
>Thank you,
>runDisney

My email back:
runDisney,

Thanks for getting back to me, but my questions weren't really answered.

How many entrants (what is the course capacity??) are there for the 2014 Princess Half Marathon? (I understand corrals and wave timing, since I participated in the 2010 marathon). I notice that you have increased course capacity each year.

Also, I was curious why there are no discounts on resort or theme park tickets given out by the IRUN #, when there were discounts in the past.

An additional question - does the registration fee that runDisney charges have any percentage that goes to charity at all or do I need to sign up with a charity to make a donation?
Thanks,



Their response:
Unfortunately, we cannot disclose our capacity amounts. Our discounts are unfortunately on a year to year basis and are not guaranteed to be offered for every year. In order to make a donation to a charity you can do so on your registration form, or sign up with a charity to do so.

Please let us know if you have any other questions. Have a Magical day!
Thank you,

runDisney



I am not sure why they can't say their capacity, since we can see how many entrants there were after the race has happened.

Unfortunate about the discounts...

I guess if you want to make a donation, you have to add additional $, since I don't think they meant that the registration fee goes to the charity you pick???

Wow....interesting responses. Or non responses. I don't recall seeing anything regarding donations to charities on the registration page. Weiird.

 

[sunshinecruise]

Anyone need a little pick me up? Larry, Awesome Larry, wrote this on the PHM FB page.

http://margaritasmilesandmouse.blogspot.com/2013/07/dear-larry.html

I love him.

Thanks for sharing. I just read this and it made me cry.
So happy that we will be running/walking the PHM in 2014.

 

[ColleenG]

Jumping in kinda late. I am doing the GSC. So excited for the additional race. This will be my third Princess Half Marathon. I'm also doing Dumbo at the end of the month and Dopey. Yeah, I'm a little addicted to runDisney and Disney bling. It's really all about the bling! Hope everyone's summer is going great.

 

[Bookwood]

I live right behind MK and yup, temps are all over the place. We ran the Princess 5k in 2012 and ended up with like flakes of frost on our shirts by the end.

This past year we ran the half and while it was cool in the morning, we had our arm warmers off by mile 2 and it was hot!

I ran 2012 Princess as well and remember it being humid but far from cold (no throw away clothes- maybe a trash bag to wait for the start) I wore a skort and no coat to my celebration dinner in the castle that afternoon. So I guess it is all relative to what you're used to.

 

[joan4mickey]

I ran 2012 Princess as well and remember it being humid but far from cold (no throw away clothes- maybe a trash bag to wait for the start) I wore a skort and no coat to my celebration dinner in the castle that afternoon. So I guess it is all relative to what you're used to.

I have run all 5 and this years was by far the warmest...and 2010 was by far the coldest. You can check weather records and find out, but you are correct, it is a personal things as to how you actually "feel" as far as cold or hot.

I have run in sleeveless and a skort in everyone. The first year I just had a small towel...could have used more. There were only 6000+ runners and we started around 7 so it wasn't quite as early. The next year I kept my throw away long sleeve shirt on until the TTC and after I thew it off, I was a bit chilly.
2011 was not too bad. I had a small throw away fleece blanket for waiting. I had a small fleece blanket in 2012 and 2013, but used it to sit on.

 

[SuperHappyFunTimes]

Fab....can you post an link to the PHM FB page please

In case this wasn't answered yet, there are a few PHM FB pages.

This is the "open" one that is pretty big and active https://www.facebook.com/groups/23911491145/

This is a smaller "closed" one that gets much more active closer to the race:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/235075506582373/

I think there are likely a few more out there but these are the two I post in.

 

[krn82259]

Sat down tonight to look online at availability for DVC resorts- nothing that we wanted is available!!! I didn't think I was that late in my planning. Will try to call and talk to someone and maybe they can help me find something that we want.

 

[kappyfamily]

Sat down tonight to look online at availability for DVC resorts- nothing that we wanted is available!!! I didn't think I was that late in my planning. Will try to call and talk to someone and maybe they can help me find something that we want.

I know when we booked for 2012 PHM we had to get BLT 11 months in advance...

 

[jockey]

In case this wasn't answered yet, there are a few PHM FB pages.

This is the "open" one that is pretty big and active https://www.facebook.com/groups/23911491145/

This is a smaller "closed" one that gets much more active closer to the race:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/235075506582373/

I think there are likely a few more out there but these are the two I post in.

Thanks I have sent requests

 

[Fivepin]

Anybody notice the lines for OKW after the race. I saw those lines for the All Star and remember saying-glad I wasn't staying there.
Last year stayed at Port Orleans and it wasn't bad at all. But this year jumped on this band wagon early enough where I can use my DVC property.

Thanks

 

[DVCFan1994]

Sat down tonight to look online at availability for DVC resorts- nothing that we wanted is available!!! I didn't think I was that late in my planning. Will try to call and talk to someone and maybe they can help me find something that we want.

We booked BWV at 11 months. We r a group of nine with 1 or 2 running (depending on if number 2 gets pregnant). Some of the 9 wanted BLT (I was fine with BW). At 7 months we got BLT 2 bedroom for the whole 7 nights and a studio we need for 4 nights. We had to waitlist one night in the studio, but we are all set now. I'm now excited for BLT. I just don't think I'll have any spectators for the 10k. But that's fine, they'll all be at the half.

So try wait listing. Lots of people complain about waitlisting but in 20 years we've only not gotten off the waitlist a few times. And for 12 years we only went the week between Christmas and New Years. Give it a go

 

[kappyfamily]

I ran 2012 Princess as well and remember it being humid but far from cold (no throw away clothes- maybe a trash bag to wait for the start) I wore a skort and no coat to my celebration dinner in the castle that afternoon. So I guess it is all relative to what you're used to.

yeah, I dont remember 2012 being super cold either. I know I had a long sleeve tee on and by mile 2 wish that I hadn't. Someone said there was frost flakes on their shirt, and I mustve spaced that because I dont remember that at all. In fact we were swimming and at the water parks that week. My first time down Summit Plummit was that vacation! I always pack for "whatever" weather when I am in Florida. Doesnt matter what month.

 

[PrincessV]

yeah, I dont remember 2012 being super cold either. I know I had a long sleeve tee on and by mile 2 wish that I hadn't. Someone said there was frost flakes on their shirt, and I mustve spaced that because I dont remember that at all. In fact we were swimming and at the water parks that week. My first time down Summit Plummit was that vacation! I always pack for "whatever" weather when I am in Florida. Doesnt matter what month.

It definitely wasn't frost-cold - I recall a temp in the high-50s pre-dawn and low-60s once the sun came up. I'm Floridian; I was cold! But I was in a tee and shirts the day before - we set a record high temp that day, 80-something!

 

[Meggysmum]

Jumping in quite late here but have registered myself, hubby and my two kids (19 and 16) on the 5K. We have tried to get fitter over the last year and this is now a great incentive. Maybe another year we could try the half marathon.

Flying in from the UK and staying at OKW as had no DVC points left and needed 3 separate beds and it was the cheapest option!

 

[irishsymphony]

Jumping in quite late here but have registered myself, hubby and my two kids (19 and 16) on the 5K. We have tried to get fitter over the last year and this is now a great incentive. Maybe another year we could try the half marathon.

Flying in from the UK and staying at OKW as had no DVC points left and needed 3 separate beds and it was the cheapest option!

Another from "that" side of the world here, flying from Ireland! At least we'll be prepared for all race conditions most likely haha

 

[Princess_Nikki]

How long does everyone usually train for?

Since this race is only 4 months away, and probably sold out, I'm looking at 2015.

Also, I'm not a diagnosed asthmatic, but my Dr. has told me I'm "slightly asthmatic", and running long distance is super hard on my lungs. Which is so not fair since my legs can keep up. I noticed this in high school, too, when I ran for track & field and played soccer. I get winded sooo fast.

 

[Gryhndmom]

How long does everyone usually train for?

Since this race is only 4 months away, and probably sold out, I'm looking at 2015.

Also, I'm not a diagnosed asthmatic, but my Dr. has told me I'm "slightly asthmatic", and running long distance is super hard on my lungs. Which is so not fair since my legs can keep up. I noticed this in high school, too, when I ran for track & field and played soccer. I get winded sooo fast.

 

[DisRunnerGal]

I'd like to know what training plans you all are using. This will be my 6th half, and I would like to change up my training a bit. I've used Hal Higdon Novice 1 and 2 in the past. What training plans does everyone else use??

 

[Figment1990]

How long does everyone usually train for?

Since this race is only 4 months away, and probably sold out, I'm looking at 2015.

Also, I'm not a diagnosed asthmatic, but my Dr. has told me I'm "slightly asthmatic", and running long distance is super hard on my lungs. Which is so not fair since my legs can keep up. I noticed this in high school, too, when I ran for track & field and played soccer. I get winded sooo fast. dde14 It took a few years to figure it out, so I'm wondering if anyone else suffers from this? If so, how do you train? I just want to finish the race in the allotted time too!

Thanks in advance!!

I have "mild persistent asthma" which basically means I don't really have attacks per se, especially when working out, but I do have a very hard time breathing around fumes, smoke, and freshly cut lawn. For me, it took getting a really good handle on my allergies to get my asthma under control. I still get shots every week and I'm on singulair, nasonex spray, and Allegra. I rarely have to use my inhaler anymore except in really humid or high pollen days. I run inside a lot, or at a school track with artificial turf.

It took a LONG time for them to figure it out for me too. It came on very strong when I moved back home after college (apparently my allergies were a mess from a new environment and it wasn't actually my mil stressing me out as I thought!) and I went thru many doctors before I found one that did all the testing and found out, yep, I do have it. Makes me feel better about why I always did miserable at the mile test in school! Now I keep my running pretty slow and that definitely helps too!

 

[MaMa3Princess]

I'd like to know what training plans you all are using. This will be my 6th half, and I would like to change up my training a bit. I've used Hal Higdon Novice 1 and 2 in the past. What training plans does everyone else use??

I have used Hal Higdons plan for the past 2 yrs and it is just solid!! No help but I did add 2 spin classes for my last half and that help shake up the familiarity.