Calling all Princesses! (2014 Princess half marathon board)

[Just love Eeyore]

I just ran 5 km -very slow - but I ran all the way, so I'm very happy.

 

[laura428]

Thank you very much for this post - It almost made me cry.

I really hope that I will be able to complete this race, even though it seems like a far away dream right now.

You WILL finish! Loved reading your story and wanted to extend a warm welcome as well. Congrats on making the commitment!

 

[STILLWISHING]

I just ran 5 km -very slow - but I ran all the way, so I'm very happy.

By February, you will surprise yourself and look back on these posts and smile. I broke my leg last year and had it put back together and did not run until this summer. It still hurts sometimes but I am determined to make this half (my 2nd- the first I ran/walked)) a good one - all these ladies will be my inspiration to do it and you will be there too .

 

[kim3339]

Question for all you experienced Princess/WDW vets ~ Thursday the expo is open until 7pm. I've been looking at flights and am coming in from CA so my options are either a red eye Wed night or 1st flight out Thur and I'd land at MCO around 4pm. I'm staying on-site so I'm using the Express bus to get to All Star Sports where I'm staying. Will I have enough time to get to the expo in time for my 5k bib if I take the Thurs flight or should I take the Wed red-eye? If the timing is close I can just go back on Fri to pickup my GSC bibs and the expo booths aren't really a big thing; the only places I'll be stopping are the official merch and maybe raw threads if they have something new. And w/ the 5k, at least at DL, I know they used to have bib pick-up if something happened the day before, do they still do that at WDW so if my flight got delayed on Thur I could just get it pre-race. I know that's not recommended, but it would only be a last resort.

 

[cjbear]

I ran the Princess Half Marathon in 2012 and had an amazing time so I'm back for more! I printed out the Galloway training plans from RunDisney tonight and they don't start until October. I really do better training when I have a definite plan on the calendar so wondering what to do to start now. Should I just start and repeat the earlier weeks a few times? Start and repeat some harder weeks in the middle?

I have run for a long time but have been slacking off and also babying a minor injury so feel a little out of shape right now and eager to get to work but without getting hurt and worn out before February. (right now I do a 3.7 mile loop 4-5 times a week in my neighborhood)

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Cripey]

Question for all you experienced Princess/WDW vets ~ Thursday the expo is open until 7pm. I've been looking at flights and am coming in from CA so my options are either a red eye Wed night or 1st flight out Thur and I'd land at MCO around 4pm. I'm staying on-site so I'm using the Express bus to get to All Star Sports where I'm staying. Will I have enough time to get to the expo in time for my 5k bib if I take the Thurs flight or should I take the Wed red-eye? If the timing is close I can just go back on Fri to pickup my GSC bibs and the expo booths aren't really a big thing; the only places I'll be stopping are the official merch and maybe raw threads if they have something new. And w/ the 5k, at least at DL, I know they used to have bib pick-up if something happened the day before, do they still do that at WDW so if my flight got delayed on Thur I could just get it pre-race. I know that's not recommended, but it would only be a last resort.

Personally, I think landing at 4 and trying to be at the expo before 7 will be cutting it too close. Will you be checking a bag that you'll have to wait for? The Magical Express can be so hit or miss...I've walked right on to a bus before and been on the road pretty quickly and then there have been times where I've had to wait in line to get on the bus for 20+ minutes and the bus sat there for quite a while before it even left...Like a half hour one time. Not only that, they usually make stops at 3 resorts, so if you happen to be last, you'll be on for a while. Then, you're stuck waiting at your resort for the expo bus after you check in...however you could grab a cab at this point if it was getting late. If the stars aligned and everything worked out perfectly from the flight landing on time to an ideal Magical Express ride, you could probably make it happen, but I still think it would be a nail-biter.

ETA: you could always find a buddy on the DIS that is going to the expo on Thursday to pick your stuff up for you and meet up with them later that day after you get in! (Sorry, I'm not arriving until Friday or I would offer!)

 

[Gryhndmom]

Question for all you experienced Princess/WDW vets ~ Thursday the expo is open until 7pm. I've been looking at flights and am coming in from CA so my options are either a red eye Wed night or 1st flight out Thur and I'd land at MCO around 4pm. I'm staying on-site so I'm using the Express bus to get to All Star Sports where I'm staying. Will I have enough time to get to the expo in time for my 5k bib if I take the Thurs flight or should I take the Wed red-eye? If the timing is close I can just go back on Fri to pickup my GSC bibs and the expo booths aren't really a big thing; the only places I'll be stopping are the official merch and maybe raw threads if they have something new. And w/ the 5k, at least at DL, I know they used to have bib pick-up if something happened the day before, do they still do that at WDW so if my flight got delayed on Thur I could just get it pre-race. I know that's not recommended, but it would only be a last resort.

Agree with Cripey on cutting it close to get to the expo..your plane has to leave on time, land on time, no traffic to hotel, be first hotel to get dropped off etc etc etc. they did have morning pick ups this year but I believe that was due to,the storm up north and not any other factor such as what time your plane landed.

I ran the Princess Half Marathon in 2012 and had an amazing time so I'm back for more! I printed out the Galloway training plans from RunDisney tonight and they don't start until October. I really do better training when I have a definite plan on the calendar so wondering what to do to start now. Should I just start and repeat the earlier weeks a few times? Start and repeat some harder weeks in the middle?

I have run for a long time but have been slacking off and also babying a minor injury so feel a little out of shape right now and eager to get to work but without getting hurt and worn out before February. (right now I do a 3.7 mile loop 4-5 times a week in my neighborhood)

Thanks for any advice!

I started early training last year too..I think your current workout is fine for right now until the "official" training plan starts. Best of luck!

 

[jmasgat]

I ran the Princess Half Marathon in 2012 and had an amazing time so I'm back for more! I printed out the Galloway training plans from RunDisney tonight and they don't start until October. I really do better training when I have a definite plan on the calendar so wondering what to do to start now. Should I just start and repeat the earlier weeks a few times? Start and repeat some harder weeks in the middle?

I have run for a long time but have been slacking off and also babying a minor injury so feel a little out of shape right now and eager to get to work but without getting hurt and worn out before February. (right now I do a 3.7 mile loop 4-5 times a week in my neighborhood)

Thanks for any advice!

I would take the next few weeks to just build some endurance. Don't jump into the harder weeks--that's a potential recipe for injury. Do some cross training or a little weight lifting if you can. I would even drop one of your runs in favor of more XT or weights.

Looks like the beginner plan is 18 weeks, but the intermediate plan is for 22. That would start in a couple of weeks. Not sure which plan you are looking at.

 

[acename]

I have what might be a silly question, but I've never run in any race before so I don't know anything.

I'm looking for a 10k that I can use to enter a time and possibly get in a better corral. My question is, How do I know if the 10k I choose will count? Does it have to have a chip time, or something like that? I don't have much time to find one, and they seem to be few and far between in my area. Thanks so much.

Alex

 

[amingione]

I have what might be a silly question, but I've never run in any race before so I don't know anything.

I'm looking for a 10k that I can use to enter a time and possibly get in a better corral. My question is, How do I know if the 10k I choose will count? Does it have to have a chip time, or something like that? I don't have much time to find one, and they seem to be few and far between in my area. Thanks so much.

Alex

Look for one that's timed and, I think, USATF (USA Track and Field) certified. If you don't see on the website, you can try emailing the event organizer too

 

[DVCFan1994]

I have what might be a silly question, but I've never run in any race before so I don't know anything.

I'm looking for a 10k that I can use to enter a time and possibly get in a better corral. My question is, How do I know if the 10k I choose will count? Does it have to have a chip time, or something like that? I don't have much time to find one, and they seem to be few and far between in my area. Thanks so much.

Alex

If you go to USATF.com you can find a link under products/services to search for certified courses. I couldn't find any races near me in New England that said they were certified, but I found two using the USATF website I had not previously seen. Good luck finding one that works for you

 

[Cripey]

Just got a great deal on my flights so I'm all set for this trip...so excited! It pays to stalk airline websites multiple times a day...went down $200 from when I looked this morning.

 

[kim3339]

Personally, I think landing at 4 and trying to be at the expo before 7 will be cutting it too close. Will you be checking a bag that you'll have to wait for? The Magical Express can be so hit or miss...I've walked right on to a bus before and been on the road pretty quickly and then there have been times where I've had to wait in line to get on the bus for 20+ minutes and the bus sat there for quite a while before it even left...Like a half hour one time. Not only that, they usually make stops at 3 resorts, so if you happen to be last, you'll be on for a while. Then, you're stuck waiting at your resort for the expo bus after you check in...however you could grab a cab at this point if it was getting late. If the stars aligned and everything worked out perfectly from the flight landing on time to an ideal Magical Express ride, you could probably make it happen, but I still think it would be a nail-biter.

ETA: you could always find a buddy on the DIS that is going to the expo on Thursday to pick your stuff up for you and meet up with them later that day after you get in! (Sorry, I'm not arriving until Friday or I would offer!)

Agree with Cripey on cutting it close to get to the expo..your plane has to leave on time, land on time, no traffic to hotel, be first hotel to get dropped off etc etc etc. they did have morning pick ups this year but I believe that was due to,the storm up north and not any other factor such as what time your plane landed.

Thanks guys! I'll do the red eye Wed night and relax by the pool and expo Thurs.

 

[pixarmom]

I did RR for the 2012 when it was $99. I had read so many reviews from 2011 PHM that the weather was drizzly and cold I decided to splurge on it. The weather in 2012 was great, overcast, mid 50's. (I'm from Oregon so this is a typical training day for me). The biggest perk to the RR is you have to get to Disney races SOOOO incredibly early before you start that you do a ton of "hanging" out before race start.

That is where RR comes in handy. If the weather is rainy you have a covered place to hang out. If you dont have RR, there really is no where to stay warm/dry. You are in a huge empty parking lot. I didnt really take advantage of the food in there. I think I only had water. I brought my own bagel (the same kind I eat before a long run at home, packed it in my suitcase. I didnt want any kind of "new food/brand" that I wasnt sure how my stomach would react to.) I saw some people seriously chowing down though, good for them but UGH!

There are a lot of tables and chairs and it's pretty loud with all the people talking. I went to the corner of the tent and sat on the ground, stretched, stayed warm, listened to some music and just chilled out. Used the bathrooms that are private to the RR people (this was really nice) and checked my bag in the private bag check area as I saw mass people were heading out.

Once I finished and walked like Frankenstein over to the tent, I got my bag and they also gave us free PHM flip flops to put on. We grabbed a bottle water from the RR and then headed back out to stand in the CRAZY long line for buses. So I never really used the RR after the race, I mean who wants to sit around in an enclosed tent with 500 people that smell like B.O.?

So for 2014, I'm still trying to decide if I am going to do it or not.... If it wouldve been $99 I probably would. BUt now for $120, that's a bit steep. Part of the problem is you just dont know what the weather in Orlando is going to be like. I guarantee if you were standing in the rain for 2 hours the $120 would probably seem like nothing to you!! So the verdict is out if I'm going to do it....... Hope this helps??

I know this post is from a long time ago, but just wanted to mention that it's been very helpful! I finally did it - registered for the PHM race retreat! I think I've read a zillion reviews of the retreat and was on the fence for a long time. The deciding factors: 1) this is my first half marathon; 2) I'm running solo, which is very unusual for me; 3) I like to be super early, which would mean a lot of time waiting around in the lot on my own; 4) I'm a wimp in cold or rain, so more time out of the elements (if they show up) is a nice insurance policy for me; and 5) I don't run with my phone, and it would be nice to hold on to it (and take a few photos) until the last moment and do a quick bag check on my way out of the tent. I'll plan to arrive bright and early. Maybe I'll do a mini report live from the race retreat, although I suppose nobody is awake at 3am reading live race reports! Anyone else doing the race retreat?

I have what might be a silly question, but I've never run in any race before so I don't know anything.

I'm looking for a 10k that I can use to enter a time and possibly get in a better corral. My question is, How do I know if the 10k I choose will count? Does it have to have a chip time, or something like that? I don't have much time to find one, and they seem to be few and far between in my area. Thanks so much.

Alex

Hi Alex! I just ran the DL 10K with my family, but with the crowds there and lots of walkers in our corral, my time wasn't even close to my training runs. So as other posters suggested, I went to the USATF website to find 10Ks in my area that might be less crowded and more similar to my training runs. Found one on September 28 and registered! Good luck!!

 

[amyup]

I am super stoked to join this thread. I have officially signed up for the glass slipper challenge! Bring on the pink coast to coast medal

And I was able to get a reservation at California Grill on the night of the race. Feeling like my trip is finally becoming a reality.

Amy

 

[jbish]

Hi everyone!

I've finally joined the boards after lurking for months! Reading this forum has been so helpful since I decided to run PHM. This will be my first half, ever. I've never been a runner. In fact I always found running to be boring. But there's something about doing a RunDisney event that is so appealing that I'm actually doing this! As a mom to three little ones, it's nice to have an excuse to force me to get out and workout.

I'm doing a 10k in two weeks with the hopes of getting a decent time to submit. In light of some recent posts, I'm wondering, does my time have to be from a USTAF sanctioned event? This race I'm doing is a "real" race and will be timed. Should that work?

I'm so glad to be here on DisBoards and this forum. I'll be staying at my home resort, BLT - coming with just my DH. No kids this time! (Family vacation is 10/31-11/5 so no worries, they'll still get to go. LOL) Trying to convince DH that we shouldn't leave on Sunday but should stay at least until Monday.

 

[pixarmom]

Hi everyone!

I'm doing a 10k in two weeks with the hopes of getting a decent time to submit. In light of some recent posts, I'm wondering, does my time have to be from a USTAF sanctioned event? This race I'm doing is a "real" race and will be timed. Should that work?

I'm so glad to be here on DisBoards and this forum. I'll be staying at my home resort, BLT - coming with just my DH. No kids this time! (Family vacation is 10/31-11/5 so no worries, they'll still get to go. LOL) Trying to convince DH that we shouldn't leave on Sunday but should stay at least until Monday.

First, welcome! Second, I grew up in Fairfax, so with NoVa as your location, it looks like you're close to "home!" Not sure about the USATF sanctioned/certified, but that's what I looked for when registering for a 10K just to be safe. Which one are you running? As for departure date, we're leaving on Sunday evening too (7:30pm flight) - my DH isn't interested in staying until Monday either!

 

[kappyfamily]

I know this post is from a long time ago, but just wanted to mention that it's been very helpful! I finally did it - registered for the PHM race retreat! I think I've read a zillion reviews of the retreat and was on the fence for a long time. The deciding factors: 1) this is my first half marathon; 2) I'm running solo, which is very unusual for me; 3) I like to be super early, which would mean a lot of time waiting around in the lot on my own; 4) I'm a wimp in cold or rain, so more time out of the elements (if they show up) is a nice insurance policy for me; and 5) I don't run with my phone, and it would be nice to hold on to it (and take a few photos) until the last moment and do a quick bag check on my way out of the tent. I'll plan to arrive bright and early. Maybe I'll do a mini report live from the race retreat, although I suppose nobody is awake at 3am reading live race reports! Anyone else doing the race retreat?
Good luck!!

Aww shucks, thanks, that was my post, glad it helped! I STILL have not decided.......

 

[kappyfamily]

Hi everyone!

I've finally joined the boards after lurking for months! Reading this forum has been so helpful since I decided to run PHM. This will be my first half, ever. I've never been a runner. In fact I always found running to be boring. But there's something about doing a RunDisney event that is so appealing that I'm actually doing this! As a mom to three little ones, it's nice to have an excuse to force me to get out and workout.

I'm doing a 10k in two weeks with the hopes of getting a decent time to submit. In light of some recent posts, I'm wondering, does my time have to be from a USTAF sanctioned event? This race I'm doing is a "real" race and will be timed. Should that work?

I'm so glad to be here on DisBoards and this forum. I'll be staying at my home resort, BLT - coming with just my DH. No kids this time! (Family vacation is 10/31-11/5 so no worries, they'll still get to go. LOL) Trying to convince DH that we shouldn't leave on Sunday but should stay at least until Monday.

Welcome!! Ahhhhhhhh BLT........so dreamy..........

 

[jbish]

First, welcome! Second, I grew up in Fairfax, so with NoVa as your location, it looks like you're close to "home!" Not sure about the USATF sanctioned/certified, but that's what I looked for when registering for a 10K just to be safe. Which one are you running? As for departure date, we're leaving on Sunday evening too (7:30pm flight) - my DH isn't interested in staying until Monday either!

Well, hello, neighbor! I grew up in Annandale, now live in Sterling and work in Tysons. I'm running the Clarendon Day 10K in Arlington. Hmm...now I'm worried this won't give me an "official" time. Should I keep looking for another race?