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

[gretchnh]

Remember - You are still a beast out in the weather. Devour the quotes as it seems like they were either in their warm car or on Facebook bravo! I am dreading a run in the cold tomorrow.

My take on this? They can be snarky all they want, but you didn't see them out running OR walking in cold weather. So there.

 

[gretchnh]

Hello all!
I have a few questions to ask.
I religiously work out 3x per week. It's a mix of cardio an weight lifting. I've been so busy with my kid's activities that I've gotten very few runs in. The weather has been terrible to boot. I'm going to make myself get outside this weekend and run.
So now to my questions...
Should I start cutting back on my workouts and run instead?

Another question, once you arrive at WDW, do you go on any runs or do you just hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and take it easy?

I'm doing the GSC and staying at Coronado Springs. This will be my 3rd half and 2nd 10K.
I'm hoping that my adrenaline will give me a good push!
Thanks,
Gretchen in Ks

 

[joan4mickey]

Hello all!
I have a few questions to ask.
I religiously work out 3x per week. It's a mix of cardio an weight lifting. I've been so busy with my kid's activities that I've gotten very few runs in. The weather has been terrible to boot. I'm going to make myself get outside this weekend and run.
So now to my questions...
Should I start cutting back on my workouts and run instead?

Another question, once you arrive at WDW, do you go on any runs or do you just hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and take it easy?

I'm doing the GSC and staying at Coronado Springs. This will be my 3rd half and 2nd 10K.
I'm hoping that my adrenaline will give me a good push!
Thanks,
Gretchen in Ks

I would spend more of my time running and skipping some of the strength. In fact I have been doing more running the last two weeks and less core work.
I do not run once at WDW. I am flying in Thursday so I have the 5k the next day and then the GSC..but in the past I have not run past Tuesday or Wednesday the week of the race and even those were short easy runs.

 

[charmed1212]

Honestly, I don't think it is any worse to stay offsite versus onsite assuming you have a car. I have always driven to the expo for marathon weekend at WWoS. And as for race day, I think it's a wash. Your get up, drive over (people will debate early versus late) and hang in the the car.

Thanks! I will have a car so that will not be an issue.

 

[nervous1sttimer]

I am doing the GSC but running the 1/2 with my mom, who did not submit a proof of time and says she will most likely be run/walking. I said no problem, since it's more important for me to do it with her than set a new PR, but suddenly I'm having terrible anxiety about being in the last corral. I guess the good news is that we can sleep in and take a later bus? But the crowds, the lines for photos, the delayed early morning start in the potentially cold weather? I'm not used to that! I'll probably have an A bib and be starting back in P.

 

[jbish]

Pasta in the Park - has anyone does this?

Now that I know when I'm coming (finally got flights) and since DH and I have decided not to buy any park tickets (to help offset the ridiculous airfare), now I'm wondering if maybe this pasta even would be worth it. $52 per person for entry at 7 pm - DH and I will still get to wander around WS. He doesn't love pasta - do they have a good variety of food at this buffet? Will the park be jammed with people?

 

[DVCFan1994]

So, so far it am not enjoying FP+ planning. But I am wondering, for scheduling purposes, what time do kids races normally end? I have 1 in 200m and 1 in 400m.

 

[charmed1212]

Possibly a stupid question but I am afraid to screw it up.

If you buy the chEAR package for someone, do you register them or under the runners name?

 

[pixarmom]

So, so far it am not enjoying FP+ planning. But I am wondering, for scheduling purposes, what time do kids races normally end? I have 1 in 200m and 1 in 400m.

I've been checking the runDisney site every day just to get a sense for when they will start! We have a TT FP+ on Saturday from 11-12 after the 400m. Hope it's not like the DL Kids' Races last year!

 

[capeseal]

I asked this question of RD the other day. The corrals were set for a certain number of people based on their submitted times. All of the last minute corral changes were making it too crowded in the corrals closer to the start because most people were trying to move up. It was becoming a safety issue. People were also providing some questionable proof.

Thank you! That completely makes sense. It astounds me that people would make up times to get placed in an earlier corral.

 

[charmed1212]

Thank you! That completely makes sense. It astounds me that people would make up times to get placed in an earlier corral.

It kind of makes sense. If you are in an earlier corral, you have more time for the run as well as stopping for pictures. People in the last couple of corrals will have to keep on pace fairly strictly. I personally would never fake a time I couldn't do, but I see why people would. Doesn't make it right though.

 

[DVCFan1994]

I've been checking the runDisney site every day just to get a sense for when they will start! We have a TT FP+ on Saturday from 11-12 after the 400m. Hope it's not like the DL Kids' Races last year!

I have no experience with these races at all, so no idea what to expect. I'll be headed to Epcot early with my parents, my dad is walking the 5k. My husband will bring the kids over for the 8:45 listed time for the kids races. Will we get a better sense if the race timing in the program? Once that's done, we all need to be at HS for a 12:10 Sci-Fi dine-in lunch. I think that is fine, but didn't know if I could squeeze a ride in before lunch...is it possible we can be to HS by 11? We will walk through Epcot and take the boat from the IG.

 

[pixarmom]

I have no experience with these races at all, so no idea what to expect. I'll be headed to Epcot early with my parents, my dad is walking the 5k. My husband will bring the kids over for the 8:45 listed time for the kids races. Will we get a better sense if the race timing in the program? Once that's done, we all need to be at HS for a 12:10 Sci-Fi dine-in lunch. I think that is fine, but didn't know if I could squeeze a ride in before lunch...is it possible we can be to HS by 11? We will walk through Epcot and take the boat from the IG.

At least at Disneyland last summer, they gave specific start times for the 100m, 200m, 400m and mile in the final race instructions. So the 100 was supposed to start at 9:15, 200/400 at 9:30, etc. I think they instructed runners and parents to check in and line up around 1/2 hour in advance. That did NOT go well - we arrived at the check-in spot at 9am and were finally heading out around 11:30am. Long waits for little kids in tight spaces, very hot, no entertainment and very unclear instructions. After the race, I read that this is very unusual and that DL had trouble because they scheduled so many races in one morning for the first time.

So we're trying the WDW version during PHM and hoping it goes more smoothly! The DL Kids Races were sold out, and PHM Kids Races are not, so that should at least help a little. I'd hope we would all be finished in less than 2 hours after the official start time! Would love more information from someone who has experience with the WDW Kids' Races in the Epcot parking lot.

 

[DVCFan1994]

At least at Disneyland last summer, they gave specific start times for the 100m, 200m, 400m and mile in the final race instructions. So the 100 was supposed to start at 9:15, 200/400 at 9:30, etc. I think they instructed runners and parents to check in and line up around 1/2 hour in advance. That did NOT go well - we arrived at the check-in spot at 9am and were finally heading out around 11:30am. Long waits for little kids in tight spaces, very hot, no entertainment and very unclear instructions. After the race, I read that this is very unusual and that DL had trouble because they scheduled so many races in one morning for the first time.

So we're trying the WDW version during PHM and hoping it goes more smoothly! The DL Kids Races were sold out, and PHM Kids Races are not, so that should at least help a little. I'd hope we would all be finished in less than 2 hours after the official start time! Would love more information from someone who has experience with the WDW Kids' Races in the Epcot parking lot.

Thanks for the information. I have been reading the Marathon race reports this weekend in the hopes someone there this weekend can give a sense of how it is working there this weekend. I was not expecting specific kids race report, but wondering if perhaps someone would mention it in conjunction with a report on their own race (5k, 10k, 13.1). Hopefully we'll get more info from someone here

 

[nervous1sttimer]

So, so far it am not enjoying FP+ planning. But I am wondering, for scheduling purposes, what time do kids races normally end? I have 1 in 200m and 1 in 400m.

I have kids running those distances too. I also want to know because we have a Chef Mickeys ADR at 11:25 and I don't know if we can make it. Because this is the first year for the GSC, and because the kid races at DDD weekend were such a disaster, I'm waiting to hear how things run this weekend. I think they probably changed things after the DDD kid races with some lessons learned.

 

[nervous1sttimer]

At least at Disneyland last summer, they gave specific start times for the 100m, 200m, 400m and mile in the final race instructions. So the 100 was supposed to start at 9:15, 200/400 at 9:30, etc. I think they instructed runners and parents to check in and line up around 1/2 hour in advance. That did NOT go well - we arrived at the check-in spot at 9am and were finally heading out around 11:30am. Long waits for little kids in tight spaces, very hot, no entertainment and very unclear instructions. After the race, I read that this is very unusual and that DL had trouble because they scheduled so many races in one morning for the first time. So we're trying the WDW version during PHM and hoping it goes more smoothly! The DL Kids Races were sold out, and PHM Kids Races are not, so that should at least help a little. I'd hope we would all be finished in less than 2 hours after the official start time! Would love more information from someone who has experience with the WDW Kids' Races in the Epcot parking lot.

Also there are kid races on both Friday and Saturday for PHM, and I think the DL races were only after the 10K?

 

[JamieLM]

I know I read somewhere, do we get food or some sort of box of food after we complete the half? Just wondering if I need to pack something to eat when I am finished with the race.

 

[capeseal]

I know I read somewhere, do we get food or some sort of box of food after we complete the half? Just wondering if I need to pack something to eat when I am finished with the race.

Yes, you can grab bottles of water, bananas, and a box of food. I actually recommend, if you can, stuffing a plastic grocery bag into the pocket of your running shorts. Nothing like stumbling across the finish line, utterly exhausted, possibly a little weak, and then having to weave around to get out of the finish line area while juggling water, a box, and a banana. At least, that's what I have found works best for me post race.

 

[pigletliz]

Thank you! That completely makes sense. It astounds me that people would make up times to get placed in an earlier corral.

I know what you mean. I would be afraid of the faster runners blowing by me like I was standing still. I like to be surrounded by people running my same pace. Go middle-of-the-pack people

 

[charmed1212]

My friend ran the half this morning and she said there had to have been 30,000 people there. She said it was hard to move a bit because there was a TON of walkers. She is a relatively quick runner so I know she was a bit higher in the corrals. I am wondering how she got stuck behind walkers. Overall she had a blast.

There was also a guy complaining on rundisney that so many people got swept in corral m-p. this just brings my fears to a whole new level. Ugh. Anyone else still stressed about getting swept?