Calling all Princesses! (2014 Princess Half Marathon Weekend)- thread #2

[jdd]

Woohoo! Thanks for posting the link to the waivers - just printed mine Each of these steps just makes it more real

 

[GrownUpLilo]

Hi everyone!

I got a surprise last minute registration from one of the travel package providers and booked my trip on Sunday! Never committed to a race with 4 weeks to go!

A couple questions:

Was is the weather/temperature likely going to be like for the race? Will I be too cold in a tank top and capris?

Has anyone ever done the pasta in the park parties before a race? Fun and worth it?

Thanks!!

 

[mamacate]

Hi Folks,

The last two years I've been very involved in these boards, and I'm just checking in now this year, which is weird! I still think of WISH as my team! I'm doing the GSC, my third princess, and my daughter is doing the 10K with me, her first 10K at 11 years old.

I'm slow but I plan to have fun. Just got my waiver. 22 something. Whatever that means.

I did a long run on a hotel treadmill on Saturday--3 hours/13+ miles. So I guess I'm ready!

See you real soon!

Cate

 

[emilyindisney]

Any bets on when corrals are coming? Maybe sometime at the end of this week/beginning of next week?

 

[Figment1990]

Any bets on when corrals are coming? Maybe sometime at the end of this week/beginning of next week?

Sure hope soon! I'm going crazy not getting details! Guess i Better start scouring for past trip reports to amp up the excitement!

 

[afnaechiquita]

Do I need this? I hadn't really thought about it but the private bathrooms sound so appealing.
I doubt I'd use it post race, but my pre-race jitters are getting the best of me.

i don't think so! like joan4mickey said, there are plenty of port-a-potties outside, and always the bushes (which my DA has used in the past too). i think there are p-a-ps by the corrals too, but i've not seen them. it just makes my DA much more comfortable to know the ones in the race retreat are there with minimal waiting. i wouldn't have bought it if i weren't going with her.

besides, waiting in line for the p-a-p is one of the best times to get to know your fellow racers!

 

[Disneyland_emily]

are the bib numbers grouped by corral? My DD and I are running together and we both submitted 10K proof of time that are very close to each other, but have vastly different bib numbers

You have to remember that there is upwards of 15,000+ runners with all very close proof of times so for every minute or 30 second increment there could be hundreds to thousands of people who also fit that 'time' (as I bet it doesnt arrange per second i.e 2:09:09 would be ahead of 2:09:45 just in the group of 2:09)

plus I found esp for princess placement v corrals is a tad more perplexing than usual (I guess the 'predominately female bell curve' is more unique than a male/female bell curve) I tend to place 1-2 corrals earlier in princess than I do in other races with same proof of time (old B & C vs D/E/F)


-em

 

[paxsarah]

Also, half marathon and GSC will have separate pools of bib numbers (don't know if that is a factor for you), but will be overlaid with each other in the corrals. GSC appears to start at 20000.

 

[appleorchard]

Oh, good grief-- it snowed again last night! I was so looking forward to bare roads today after plowing through 5 miles of slush on Monday. And today it's back to Yak Trax. This is getting sooooo tiring. My long run is Friday and I'm praying for bare roads. These stupid Yak Trax were the best thing I've bought all winter lol.

 

[evenstar]

Hello everyone! Excited to be joining in on the princess fun for my first half and first solo visit... eek!
Looking for some advice, encouragement on my training plan please I ran the WDW 10K earlier this month with 1:12 finishing time. I also got bronchitis right after and spent the following week sick but still touring the parks and not training. Started meds the following week and took that second week off training also.

Finally got back on track last week with 6.5 mi and two 3 mi runs. My plan is to increase the long runs by 2 mi each week to get up to 12.5 mi before PHM. This goes against the whole tapering idea, is this a bad idea? Don't want to risk an injury but need to get my milage up. One last question, are gels and such needed for a half? I haven't experimented with that yet.

Thanks in advance and good luck and safe training.

 

[joan4mickey]

Hello everyone! Excited to be joining in on the princess fun for my first half and first solo visit... eek!
Looking for some advice, encouragement on my training plan please I ran the WDW 10K earlier this month with 1:12 finishing time. I also got bronchitis right after and spent the following week sick but still touring the parks and not training. Started meds the following week and took that second week off training also.

Finally got back on track last week with 6.5 mi and two 3 mi runs. My plan is to increase the long runs by 2 mi each week to get up to 12.5 mi before PHM. This goes against the whole tapering idea, is this a bad idea? Don't want to risk an injury but need to get my milage up. One last question, are gels and such needed for a half? I haven't experimented with that yet.

Thanks in advance and good luck and safe training.

Most will say 10 miles is long enough for training, but you need to do what you feel good about…physically and mentally.
I like the honey stinger chews. You should try both and see how your belly takes it. I like the chews as I will take one pack and start chewing on one about 5 miles in and then chew another every mile or so. I use the SPIbelt to keep my personal items in…I don't carry much just room key, not this year as I will just wear my MB, and my chews and maybe a small point and shot camera. There is water on the course, gels around mile 8 or 9 and first aid tents if you need a tissue.

 

[paxsarah]

Hello everyone! Excited to be joining in on the princess fun for my first half and first solo visit... eek!
Looking for some advice, encouragement on my training plan please I ran the WDW 10K earlier this month with 1:12 finishing time. I also got bronchitis right after and spent the following week sick but still touring the parks and not training. Started meds the following week and took that second week off training also.

Finally got back on track last week with 6.5 mi and two 3 mi runs. My plan is to increase the long runs by 2 mi each week to get up to 12.5 mi before PHM. This goes against the whole tapering idea, is this a bad idea? Don't want to risk an injury but need to get my milage up. One last question, are gels and such needed for a half? I haven't experimented with that yet.

Thanks in advance and good luck and safe training.

If it were me, I would peak at 10.5 two weeks out from the race, and drop to maybe 8 for the last long run a week out. To me it's less about not tapering properly - I'm a big fan of the taper, and a week can be enough for some athletes tapering for a half marathon - but more about recovering properly from the illness and time off training. Add that all up, and I don't see much benefit to running 12.5 miles a week out from the race. It might take more out of you than you want it to, too close to race day. I know going the full distance (or close to it) helps with confidence, but I'm a firm believer in "race-day magic" for that last 3 miles.

In terms of gels or other in-race fuel, you should probably test using them during your last long runs. Most people find they do need some sort of fuel during a half marathon distance run. Disney uses Clif gel products, I think, so if you try those and they work for you, you can live off the course, at least in part. Or you can bring your own (which I tend to do in races). Or you can drink powerade at each of the water stations, the caveat being that the mix will probably not be the same as what you'd get out of a bottle if you trained with that.

 

[sunnygal041]

Hi All. I gotta tell ya that last year this thread pulled me through my first PHM. The support was awesome and I made some lifelong friends. To all the newbies out there, just remember to have fun and take it all in. The feeling you will have when you cross that finish line is remarkable. Keep calm and plod on!! See everyone in a few weeks! I'm bib # 24414-GSC

Cindy

 

[PrincessV]

BTW, this asthmatic's up to 12 miles. (run/ walking 30:30, but still happy about that)

No "but" allowed - 12 miles is a whole lotta distance! WTG!

Does anyone have experience with this? This is my first half marathon, but I plan on running the entire thing (been running for years and am also training for it), but was wondering if anyone attempted touring the park the day before the race. If so which one is the smallest? MGM?

I try to stay off my feet as much as possible before races, but that's based on personal experience; my feet like a good rest before running. I find the least amount of in-park walking to be MGM, followed by MK... MK itself doesn't entail all that much, but it always feels like a long walk to/from transportation and a lot of back-tracking in the park.

I think the GSC number start at 20000. I got some pretty crazy numbers.

Agreed - form what I've been seeing, it seems like GSC may be 20000-27000ish. 10K 30000s? I haven't seen any straight PHM numbers yet. 5K is perplexing me - I've got the highest number I've seen yet, 61xx, but I should be corralled mid-pack, based on time. I don't much care where I am for that, since I plan to take it very easy, so it doesn't really matter - I just like knowing how the numbers run, lol!

Was is the weather/temperature likely going to be like for the race? Will I be too cold in a tank top and capris?

In a word - maybe. FL winter is totally unpredictable this far out; could be low 70s and humid, or 30s and frigid. I'd plan an outfit that can be layered up or down and save final decisions for a day or two out.

Any bets on when corrals are coming? Maybe sometime at the end of this week/beginning of next week?

I hope SOON!

Finally got back on track last week with 6.5 mi and two 3 mi runs. My plan is to increase the long runs by 2 mi each week to get up to 12.5 mi before PHM. This goes against the whole tapering idea, is this a bad idea? Don't want to risk an injury but need to get my milage up. One last question, are gels and such needed for a half?

I'd be leery of ramping up mileage that quickly - could be okay, or could be a recipe for injury. I think I'd go by feel and be prepared to cut back if anything starts feeling off. As others have said, you don't really need to get up that high for a half, and it's always better to go in a little undertrained than injured or exhausted.

But you do want to go long enough to experiment with fuel - what works for one can be another's undoing, so it's best to find out ahead of time! I can't do the gels/chews without scewing up my blood sugar, so I stick with fig newtons and salted pretzels.

To all the newbies out there, just remember to have fun and take it all in. The feeling you will have when you cross that finish line is remarkable. Keep calm and plod on!! See everyone in a few weeks!

Well said, well said!

 

[joan4mickey]

Hi All. I gotta tell ya that last year this thread pulled me through my first PHM. The support was awesome and I made some lifelong friends. To all the newbies out there, just remember to have fun and take it all in. The feeling you will have when you cross that finish line is remarkable. Keep calm and plod on!! See everyone in a few weeks! I'm bib # 24414-GSC

Cindy

And she back….I know you said not again just hours after last year HOT race day….but I knew you would be back! Hoping for 2010 weather over last year.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I have never done the retreat. This will be my 6th PH. Last year I got off the bus (resort to race) and walked right into a porta-bathroom…no line! And they were calling each corral so walking to corrals was much easier. And once in your corral there is still a long wait and the best place "to go" is in the bushes…just jump the fence and use nature.

i don't think so! like joan4mickey said, there are plenty of port-a-potties outside, and always the bushes (which my DA has used in the past too). i think there are p-a-ps by the corrals too, but i've not seen them. it just makes my DA much more comfortable to know the ones in the race retreat are there with minimal waiting. i wouldn't have bought it if i weren't going with her.

besides, waiting in line for the p-a-p is one of the best times to get to know your fellow racers!

Thanks for the input. I think I will skip it for now, but I'll know more after this race if I need it in the future if I decide to do this again.

Finally got back on track last week with 6.5 mi and two 3 mi runs. My plan is to increase the long runs by 2 mi each week to get up to 12.5 mi before PHM. This goes against the whole tapering idea, is this a bad idea? Don't want to risk an injury but need to get my milage up. One last question, are gels and such needed for a half? I haven't experimented with that yet.

Thanks in advance and good luck and safe training.

I use the honey stinger waffles, I like those. I also have the chews but I haven't tried them on a long run yet.

Agreed - form what I've been seeing, it seems like GSC may be 20000-27000ish. 10K 30000s? I haven't seen any straight PHM numbers yet. 5K is perplexing me - I've got the highest number I've seen yet, 61xx, but I should be corralled mid-pack, based on time. I don't much care where I am for that, since I plan to take it very easy, so it doesn't really matter - I just like knowing how the numbers run, lol!

I got mid 25,000 for my GSC number. DS17 picked the under 7 mm pace for the 5K and his bib number is in the 100's. I picked the 13:00-16:00 pace for the rest of us and we are all in the 9500's.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Note to self:

you put the waivers in a folder in the drawer with all your running gear!!!

If I come asking, y'all are my witnesses!! Help me remember!

 

[joan4mickey]

PrincessV
I don't know how to do all that multiple quoting..anyway the numbers are strange. I have a number in the 300's for the 5k??? and 20xxx for the GSC. I was looking at the corrals for WDW goofy, but thinking that probably won't work for our weekend. I didn't think they did corrals for the 5k. The last princess 5k I went to was 2010 and my daughter ran.

You are so good with all the encouragement to each poster.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I am ridiculously happy to report that I did a back-to-back mini GSC this weekend... with no pain!!! 4 miles Saturday: mostly walked, with some 30-sec runs tossed in here and there for an avg pace of 14:25/mile. 10 miles Sunday with a good amount of walking, too, until the halfway point - with no pain then, I began putting in more running each mile and, including a bunch of stops to refill my water bottle, re-tie shoes, use a restroom, watch a hawk, etc., finished with an avg of 14:18/mile. My legs didn't feel at all tired on the 10-miler, so I'm no longer worried about the back-to-back-to-back.

I'm very happy with that! I know now I can either walk most of all 3 races if my knee needs it, or walk most of the first two and run a lot more of the half if I feel up to it. That's a big relief.

That's awesome -- congrats!! The TOT 10-miler was my first long race, and you and others here were a tremendous help to me!! I boldly (stupidly??) had signed up for the 5K in the morning followed by the 10-miler that night. Incidentally, wish I got an additional something for that!! To my surprise, even after walking around WDW for 9 days right prior to it, I did the total of 13 miles in a day without a problem. I was shocked! If I could do a back-to-back my first time around (with some prior knee and IT band issues and asthma), you've got this covered!!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

You're welcome!

The pilot and the first episode of season 1 got me thru my 10 miles on Sunday! I actually went a little longer because I wanted to see the end of the first episode!

Now I can't stop humming the theme song...

I want to give a HUGE thank you to you!!!!!

With the weather being wholly uncooperative last weekend, I completed 12 miles on the treadmill -- without going completely -- thanks to my new China Beach DVDs!!

Only one problem... a little tough to run when you get all choked up... I that show!!

Looks like the weather might cooperate for my 13 miles this weekend... fingers crossed... but if not, back to China Beach I go!! THANKS AGAIN!!!