Hershey Park Half Marathon

[orangejeepgirl]

Hi y'all ! Not sure if I should post this here or in the runDisney thread, so please let me know if this is incorrect. I was just wondering if anyone here has previously run or is running the Hershey Park Half Marathon this year???

 

[ohMom]

You'll get more response on the RunDisney board, be happy to move it for you!

 

[2Infinity&Beyond]

I ran the Hershey half last year!

Incredible race, one of my favorites! Such a good value for the money, especially with getting 2 park tickets. Really enjoyed running in the park as well as through the Milton Hershey School. All the students are out and extremely supportive! But...holy hills Batman! Haha

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Seems like the course would have to be really hilly given the local terrain (and the park itself). Is it?

 

[2Infinity&Beyond]

Seems like the course would have to be really hilly given the local terrain (and the park itself). Is it?

I remember it actually being quite hilly when you ran in the park itself. There is also a massive hill right when you enter the Milton Hershey School, but the good news is....you get to run back down it about 3 miles later...haha!

 

[orangejeepgirl]

You'll get more response on the RunDisney board, be happy to move it for you!

Thank you for moving it

 

[orangejeepgirl]

I ran the Hershey half last year!

Incredible race, one of my favorites! Such a good value for the money, especially with getting 2 park tickets. Really enjoyed running in the park as well as through the Milton Hershey School. All the students are out and extremely supportive! But...holy hills Batman! Haha

Seems like the course would have to be really hilly given the local terrain (and the park itself). Is it?

I'm doing it this year (on Sunday)! I've heard it's a great race but I'm super nervous about the hills ! I've been doing my longer training runs on the track due to feet/shin issues... OH well, no turning back now!

 

[Anisum]

I have another event! I want to run it during a year when I can do the Chocolate Town Challenge.

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

DW and I did this race last year, as a relay team. It was part of our Wine and Dine training plans.

First half (actually 6.7 miles). I volunteered to do this part, because it was the segment that went through Hersheypark. DW did not find running through HP to be to her liking. I would comment that the inclines within HP are steep and short, with some direction changes. I would prefer a long, straight, steep incline. These short twisting bursts were challenging at times.
Mile 1 (or so) heading towards Giant Center- flat except when you go under the road that brings cars onto the property. A teeming sea of humanity at that point. I stayed course right prior to it when we went around HP stadium, as it gave me some space as most headed to the inside of the left hand turn there
Mile 2 (or so) there is an incline heading onto Hersheypark Drive. Not too bad. HP Drive felt like a slow long uphill.
After HP exit- there were some decent inclines here. I remember passing people on several of them.
To the relay exchange- downhill (finally) to Rt 322 West.

Second half. DW did this, and reports that she would categorize it as hilly. But she enjoyed it tremendously. She said the support of the kids and staff from the Milton Hershey school made her feel so good. She also said that the running surface (roads) was fairly recently paved, and nice. Heading back to HP property, DW said there was a bit of downhill, which caused issues for her knee. Then I recall she said an uphill as you come onto property. I thought they posted a time-lapse video of the course, but am having trouble finding it right now. Here's their course map, with elevation.
http://www.chocolatetownchallenges.com/hershey-half-marathon/course-map.php

Until DW's knee really started to bother her a day or two post-race, she had proclaimed that we should both run the entire race this year. We chose not to, and are focusing on the Lumiere's Two Course Challenge, instead, this year. Perhaps in 2017.

 

[miztressuz]

I'm doing it this year (on Sunday)! I've heard it's a great race but I'm super nervous about the hills ! I've been doing my longer training runs on the track due to feet/shin issues... OH well, no turning back now!

Late to the game, but as you know now and could see from the elevation charts, there's not really much of a flat run that I can recall - just varying degrees of incline. How'd you do on it?

Not that I have loads of experience, but it's the only race that wrecks my legs. I've done the relay with hubby twice, I take the first half. First time was 2014, it was my very first race ever and my shins bothered me for close to a week. I chalked it up to first race ever and no training (yeah pretty stupid best laid plans and all). 2 years later with a couple 5k, 10k, and half's done (ok, ok, I'll be honest the Half's are really more like Thirds can't seem to break 10 miles) with no similar problems from any of those, with a small amount of training I was going for a better time this year. OMG, my shins hurt the same but added parts of my thighs into that. Didn't feel normal again until yesterday. Never had that problem with any of the others, or training around my house (which I thought was similar terrain, nothing's really flat just varying degrees of incline).

It's definitely an experience. I blame Derry St...

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Late to the game, but as you know now and could see from the elevation charts, there's not really much of a flat run that I can recall - just varying degrees of incline. How'd you do on it?

Not that I have loads of experience, but it's the only race that wrecks my legs. I've done the relay with hubby twice, I take the first half. First time was 2014, it was my very first race ever and my shins bothered me for close to a week. I chalked it up to first race ever and no training (yeah pretty stupid best laid plans and all). 2 years later with a couple 5k, 10k, and half's done (ok, ok, I'll be honest the Half's are really more like Thirds can't seem to break 10 miles) with no similar problems from any of those, with a small amount of training I was going for a better time this year. OMG, my shins hurt the same but added parts of my thighs into that. Didn't feel normal again until yesterday. Never had that problem with any of the others, or training around my house (which I thought was similar terrain, nothing's really flat just varying degrees of incline).

It's definitely an experience. I blame Derry St...

About 5 years ago I needed to rush in a proof of time half marathon, so I ran one in Westchester, NY. The course wasn't quite as bad as Hershey, but close. I fell about 4 minutes short of my goal for the race and felt fortunate that I came that close. My legs were wrecked for about 2 weeks afterward.

I love running hills, but hate racing hills.

 

[orangejeepgirl]

Late to the game, but as you know now and could see from the elevation charts, there's not really much of a flat run that I can recall - just varying degrees of incline. How'd you do on it?

Not that I have loads of experience, but it's the only race that wrecks my legs. I've done the relay with hubby twice, I take the first half. First time was 2014, it was my very first race ever and my shins bothered me for close to a week. I chalked it up to first race ever and no training (yeah pretty stupid best laid plans and all). 2 years later with a couple 5k, 10k, and half's done (ok, ok, I'll be honest the Half's are really more like Thirds can't seem to break 10 miles) with no similar problems from any of those, with a small amount of training I was going for a better time this year. OMG, my shins hurt the same but added parts of my thighs into that. Didn't feel normal again until yesterday. Never had that problem with any of the others, or training around my house (which I thought was similar terrain, nothing's really flat just varying degrees of incline).

It's definitely an experience. I blame Derry St...

I loved it!!!! My goal time was 2:15 and I did it in 2:09!!! The hills weren't that bad and I actually prefer the slight change in elevation as opposed to a half I ran last June on a rail trail. My legs actually felt okay afterwards.. we even walked the park in the afternoon. I rode my bike on Wednesday and ran for the first time today and felt great. Next half I'm really going to push for under 2:00!! Do you have any more coming up? Are you in the PA area?

 

[orangejeepgirl]

About 5 years ago I needed to rush in a proof of time half marathon, so I ran one in Westchester, NY. The course wasn't quite as bad as Hershey, but close. I fell about 4 minutes short of my goal for the race and felt fortunate that I came that close. My legs were wrecked for about 2 weeks afterward.

I love running hills, but hate racing hills.

Where did you run in Westchester??

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Where did you run in Westchester??

A half along the Sawmill parkway, I believe.

 

[Anisum]

A half along the Sawmill parkway, I believe.

Probably safer than driving the Sawmill.

 

[miztressuz]

I loved it!!!! My goal time was 2:15 and I did it in 2:09!!! The hills weren't that bad and I actually prefer the slight change in elevation as opposed to a half I ran last June on a rail trail. My legs actually felt okay afterwards.. we even walked the park in the afternoon. I rode my bike on Wednesday and ran for the first time today and felt great. Next half I'm really going to push for under 2:00!! Do you have any more coming up? Are you in the PA area?

That's good to hear! Some people just do awesome on the course, it's my nephew's personal best (cuz I think the 1 and only time he beat his dad!) and he just does much better there than his hometown courses. I did improve my time over first run, but I think there was more sheer will than actual training involved in that
I've got the Wine & Dine half coming up in a couple weeks, this was supposed to be my "am i ready?" race before it. I'm going with a solid "not really ready but going to do it anyway!" response
I'm in the Philly burbs but have family in the Hershey and Pittsburgh areas that like to run so we mostly travel for events.

 

[orangejeepgirl]

Probably safer than driving the Sawmill.

Especially today ... lol

 

[orangejeepgirl]

That's good to hear! Some people just do awesome on the course, it's my nephew's personal best (cuz I think the 1 and only time he beat his dad!) and he just does much better there than his hometown courses. I did improve my time over first run, but I think there was more sheer will than actual training involved in that
I've got the Wine & Dine half coming up in a couple weeks, this was supposed to be my "am i ready?" race before it. I'm going with a solid "not really ready but going to do it anyway!" response
I'm in the Philly burbs but have family in the Hershey and Pittsburgh areas that like to run so we mostly travel for events.

That's awesome! Wine & Dine would have been my first half last year, but they shortened it because of a weather delay so we only ran 7 miles! lol. I live in NY, about an hour and a half north of the city, but I want to try to run half marathons in different states!