Official 2011 Princess Half Marathon Thread - Link to new thread Post 3703!

[dumbo_buddy]

all this talk about treadmill running has me a little nervous. i don't have a treadmill - i was planning on doing my runs outside. yes, it gets to be freezing, icy, and snowy here but i thought that i'd just suck it up and get out there as much as i could. now i'm questioning whether or not that will be possible. i really don't want to/can't afford to join a gym. i actually have an elliptical machine that is currently used as a clothes hanger. but that won't help me train other than my cross-train days. i'm just going to have to plan on dressing warm and praying that there isn't too much snow this winter.

i sort of figure that because i'm not starting 14 weeks before the race but instead i've been training since june that i'll have a pretty good base for running that if i need to skip a day here or there, i'll be ok.

i hope.

today is my rest day. sweet, glorious, rest day.

 

[MamaCrush]

I think I'll go on my trip right now & decide when I get back next week.

Esterhead: While you're there next week, as you pass by the castle, imagine running through it surrounded by sister "running princesses" while royal heralds play horns as you go by! THAT's what put me over the edge! Also, watching the video from last year's half gave me chill bumps and I knew I had to participate in that special brand of princess power!

 

[MeredithRX]

I have to admit, I much prefer being outside but I'm really thankful for my TM. I did 10 and 11 mile long distances on it the last 2 weeks because of commitments with the older kids and my need to be close to home for the baby. It was a pain, but at least I didn't have the excuse 'I couldn't go'. I have my laptop sitting in front of the TM and play DVDs or watch shows on Hulu. Anything to get me through. And, you have to realize that I'm mostly walking at a 15-16 min/mi pace, so 11 miles takes a LONG time on a TM.

I decided I was just going to consider that another part of my mental training.

 

[cewait]

all this talk about treadmill running has me a little nervous. i don't have a treadmill - i was planning on doing my runs outside. yes, it gets to be freezing, icy, and snowy here but i thought that i'd just suck it up and get out there as much as i could. now i'm questioning whether or not that will be possible. i really don't want to/can't afford to join a gym. i actually have an elliptical machine that is currently used as a clothes hanger. but that won't help me train other than my cross-train days. i'm just going to have to plan on dressing warm and praying that there isn't too much snow this winter.

i sort of figure that because i'm not starting 14 weeks before the race but instead i've been training since june that i'll have a pretty good base for running that if i need to skip a day here or there, i'll be ok.

i hope.

today is my rest day. sweet, glorious, rest day.

Based on this I would not recommend buying a treadmill. What you are willing to afford will not get a good machine and the fact you have a clothes hanger in the house ready - well it just doesn't make sense. You would be better off heading to a gym and pressing hard for a 6 month deal.

There are lots of other alternatives; depending on your area. Some moalls are walker friendly, I have run in while on travel. Trails, if cleared are always a great option. Fianlly, streets are an option. - but you really need to be aware if near dark. I know you can do it as I have several friends in the NEast who I meet every January and they are more than race-ready

Esterhead: While you're there next week, as you pass by the castle, imagine running through it surrounded by sister "running princesses" while royal heralds play horns as you go by! THAT's what put me over the edge! Also, watching the video from last year's half gave me chill bumps and I knew I had to participate in that special brand of princess power!

In fact - drag the troop in the front gate and when you pass Tony's on the right mention that this is where you will enter the MK on race day! Then walk down the right hand side of the road and feel the crowd on the left side of the tracks. Imagine the cheers and the excitement of hearing "When You Wish Upon a Star" playing on the sound system. As you come upon the hub make a right turn and feel the excitement of hearing the crowd echo in the background yet the path gets just a little quieter. You see characters on both sides of the path. Drag the troup around the bend left as you pass Stitch's place. The Indy track will be left. Hear the race announcer? He will be announcing on race morning. See the restrooms on path left as you work your way to the Carrousel. Veer left of the Tea Cups and you see the carrousel spinning – with no riders. Then left again and there are the trumpeters on the precipice above Cinderella Castle entrance. Drag the troop through the castle and take the right pathway doe to the park hub and then into Frontierland. Imagine just a few spectators and characters between there and the cast member exit. Finally, as you near Pecos Bill’s you see the cat member exit. Walk up to the railing and imagine running across the train track and seeing one of the locomotives setting at the crossing with the engineer and conductor setting there waving as you run by….

A friend of mine and former cast member put these together..

http://www.youtube.com/user/friendofvic#p/search/0/ZDD5ZEQ8M0c

http://www.youtube.com/user/friendofvic#p/search/1/FJhf0n1Pc7M

http://www.youtube.com/user/friendofvic#p/search/3/yfbdBP-o3q4

and the 5k
http://www.youtube.com/user/friendofvic#p/search/5/8_Cj0_X0wgs

 

[MamaCrush]

In fact - drag the troop in the front gate and when you pass Tony's on the right mention that this is where you will enter the MK on race day! Then walk down the right hand side of the road and feel the crowd on the left side of the tracks. Imagine the cheers and the excitement of hearing "When You Wish Upon a Star" playing on the sound system. As you come upon the hub make a right turn and feel the excitement of hearing the crowd echo in the background yet the path gets just a little quieter. You see characters on both sides of the path. Drag the troup around the bend left as you pass Stitch's place. The Indy track will be left. Hear the race announcer? He will be announcing on race morning. See the restrooms on path left as you work your way to the Carrousel. Veer left of the Tea Cups and you see the carrousel spinning – with no riders. Then left again and there are the trumpeters on the precipice above Cinderella Castle entrance. Drag the troop through the castle and take the right pathway doe to the park hub and then into Frontierland. Imagine just a few spectators and characters between there and the cast member exit. Finally, as you near Pecos Bill’s you see the cat member exit. Walk up to the railing and imagine running across the train track and seeing one of the locomotives setting at the crossing with the engineer and conductor setting there waving as you run by….

Oh my gosh, Coach, not only did I get chill bumps, I almost teared up! I'll be going to Disney twice between now and the Princess, so you can bet I'll be doing this both times!

 

[dumbo_buddy]

Based on this I would not recommend buying a treadmill. What you are willing to afford will not get a good machine and the fact you have a clothes hanger in the house ready - well it just doesn't make sense. You would be better off heading to a gym and pressing hard for a 6 month deal.

There are lots of other alternatives; depending on your area. Some moalls are walker friendly, I have run in while on travel. Trails, if cleared are always a great option. Fianlly, streets are an option. - but you really need to be aware if near dark. I know you can do it as I have several friends in the NEast who I meet every January and they are more than race-ready
.

i definitely am not going to buy a treadmill. i think if i just dedicate myself to running only outside then i will come up with places to run. worse comes to worse i will run IN the street (carefully, of course). maritime college will have to be plowed for the students to be able to get to class. i will just have to figure out the best cold weather running gear and layer layer layer!

oh, and your description of running through MK? yeah, i'll be thinking of that when i'm down there in 17 days!!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

i definitely am not going to buy a treadmill. i think if i just dedicate myself to running only outside then i will come up with places to run. worse comes to worse i will run IN the street (carefully, of course). maritime college will have to be plowed for the students to be able to get to class. i will just have to figure out the best cold weather running gear and layer layer layer!

oh, and your description of running through MK? yeah, i'll be thinking of that when i'm down there in 17 days!!

If you can get down to Central Park on the weekends, they usually do a good job plowing and de-icing for the runners.

 

[Swmr359]

all this talk about treadmill running has me a little nervous. i don't have a treadmill - i was planning on doing my runs outside. yes, it gets to be freezing, icy, and snowy here but i thought that i'd just suck it up and get out there as much as i could. now i'm questioning whether or not that will be possible. i really don't want to/can't afford to join a gym. i actually have an elliptical machine that is currently used as a clothes hanger. but that won't help me train other than my cross-train days. i'm just going to have to plan on dressing warm and praying that there isn't too much snow this winter.

I did all my running outside last winter, I worked a gym so I could have used a treadmill if I wanted to, but I just don't like them. It actually wasn't that bad most days. On a few days I put yaktraks on my shoes so I wouldn't slip on ice.

 

[cantwaitvaca09]

Nancy, I was going to say to see if you have gym that you can pay month to month we have Cardinal Fitness here and it $19.99 a month, you may only need it for Dec & Jan.


Coach, Thanks for the video's I was teary just watching. I so want to do this race.

 

[jenelope]

I don't like the idea of running on a treadmill because I have scoliosis and a leg length discrepancy, which leads to a somewhat uneven gait. I have been known to literally trip on my own two feet because I didn't pick up my longer leg high enough. I can recover without falling on most surfaces, but those surfaces weren't also moving! In bad weather, I run on the indoor track at my gym. It's only 1/16 mile and it seems like it's getting smaller and smaller the more that I run. But I just pretend I'm a NASCAR driver and keep turning left!

I can't imagine always doing just the track when I get into my longer runs this winter, though, so I'm going to try to run outside whenever conditions are safe. And I'm going to suck it up and run on the treadmill to work on running hills. Pray for me, people, 'cause I don't want to get road rash from a treadmill!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I don't like the idea of running on a treadmill because I have scoliosis and a leg length discrepancy, which leads to a somewhat uneven gait. I have been known to literally trip on my own two feet because I didn't pick up my longer leg high enough. I can recover without falling on most surfaces, but those surfaces weren't also moving! In bad weather, I run on the indoor track at my gym. It's only 1/16 mile and it seems like it's getting smaller and smaller the more that I run. But I just pretend I'm a NASCAR driver and keep turning left!

I can't imagine always doing just the track when I get into my longer runs this winter, though, so I'm going to try to run outside whenever conditions are safe. And I'm going to suck it up and run on the treadmill to work on running hills. Pray for me, people, 'cause I don't want to get road rash from a treadmill!

I have scoliosis, too. I never thought of it, but maybe that's why I hate the TM so much.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

i haven't run in a race since i was 17 doing high school cross country (i sucked). i used to run the races with my friend and we just goofed off the whole race. watching coach's videos, i'm wondering what it's like while you're actually running - are the runners all quiet? do people talk to each other? it seemed awfully quiet in those videos. there were the people cheering of course but i'm wondering about the actual runners. what is that like? just people huffing and puffing? anyone talking to each other? cheering each other on?

just trying to figure out what to expect on race day!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

i haven't run in a race since i was 17 doing high school cross country (i sucked). i used to run the races with my friend and we just goofed off the whole race. watching coach's videos, i'm wondering what it's like while you're actually running - are the runners all quiet? do people talk to each other? it seemed awfully quiet in those videos. there were the people cheering of course but i'm wondering about the actual runners. what is that like? just people huffing and puffing? anyone talking to each other? cheering each other on?

just trying to figure out what to expect on race day!

In the NYC races I've done, it's pretty quiet. I've never heard people talking to each other. Might be a different story at Disney.

 

[poppinspal]

what is that like? just people huffing and puffing? anyone talking to each other? cheering each other on?

just trying to figure out what to expect on race day!

I've never done the Princess but I ran the tower of terror all three years. There are times you're just running and I find there are times I get caught up in the entertainment or the costumes people are wearing. But I will say all two of the years I ran solo and people would talk to me and encourage me. The third year my friend and I befriended a couple of people who we laughed and danced along with.

I find I love the atmosphere at Disney races.

 

[MamaCrush]

I've never done the Princess but I ran the tower of terror all three years. There are times you're just running and I find there are times I get caught up in the entertainment or the costumes people are wearing. But I will say all two of the years I ran solo and people would talk to me and encourage me. The third year my friend and I befriended a couple of people who we laughed and danced along with.

I find I love the atmosphere at Disney races.

I may be wrong (but don't tell DH if I am ) since I've not yet ran a race, much less one at Disney-- but I think the whole Disney thing binds folks together with a common interest, so it's more of an open atmosphere with higher levels of comraderie. I would guess that if anyone is willing to spend the money to race at Disney when they could do the same distance elsewhere for less expense, they are definitely Disney people. And I believe that Disney people like being with other Disney people! So I'm hoping I won't be disappointed!

 

[estherhead]

I've never done a Disney race but I've done many 5 & 10ks and people always talk to each other. The spirit of friendship and comraderie is always great. So I can only imagine one at Disney. I for one (if I sign up) will be chitchatting for sure. I chitchat with strangers at WDW when I'm NOT racing. But I won't talk for all 13 miles. And for that long stretch 7-10 mile I'll wear my headphones & play Shakira if I need to get a kick in the booty. But don't tell anyone!

 

[cewait]

i haven't run in a race since i was 17 doing high school cross country (i sucked). i used to run the races with my friend and we just goofed off the whole race. watching coach's videos, i'm wondering what it's like while you're actually running - are the runners all quiet? do people talk to each other? it seemed awfully quiet in those videos. there were the people cheering of course but i'm wondering about the actual runners. what is that like? just people huffing and puffing? anyone talking to each other? cheering each other on?

just trying to figure out what to expect on race day!

Disney as in most other long races is pretty much quiet. There are pockets of entertainment but that is such a small part of the race. There are friends running who chat back and forth, folks calling out their intentions to pass left or right and the crowd yelling when you are in areas where there is a crowd. You probably would know if you were running next to me....

I tend to talk with folks in my immediate area. I may or may not have an ipod on but will rarely use it. I just find that idle conversation makes the miles go by quickly. I am quick to get the hint if you are not a talker, maybe. It is fun to just point out things in the race. I am the runner who will go through a crowd and work the crowd if quiet. Dang, if you are out there in the freezing cold and not moving and yelling you probably should have stayed in bed… I really love to get the charity spectators to yell. They are on the lookout for jerseys of a particular color but I try to engage them.

I am also a coach on the road, even if you are not one of my runners. I do this as much to pay it forward as anything. I find that in most any race runners a good percentage of the runners start to need a little push around half way. I tend to really focus on runners with issues or who look like they just need a kind word. You can tell as you come up. Some of it is an attempt to see if they need medical assistance but more because that little jolt of kindness can snap a runner out of that dreary I just cannot go further state. I am one who will notifiy the med tent observers of a runner in need as I go by… simple jersey color and bib #. I know these folks are not happy about this but this is all about fun, right. Most of the time they let the runner pass, but I know from my volunteer efforts we will grab a few.

The pay it forward part came clear in 2007 at the WDW full. It was hot, real hot and the course was running out of drink quickly. I came upon a gentleman who was not doing well. I touched his shoulder and yelled keep being strong and went on. About four miles later I hit a tough stretch and felt this hand touch my shoulder. It was the same guy. I had popped him back into a good run and he just thought I needed the same. I got back on stride after he passed. We passed a lady who had iced bottled water around mile 19. We shared that bottle for the next mile and both finished within a few strides of each other 7 miles later.

I am also the gremlin who will act as the pied piper near the finish and get folks back up on stride. It helps keep me from falling off but also helps those in the area to keep pushing. There is something about being in a group that keeps you honest and focused on the game. Kind of like training with friends, you just feel accountable to the group (or maybe afraid to be singled out if you fall off).

But then I am kind of a ham as well as a coach

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Also, a really nice thing that you can do is to not leave immediately after you're done racing. If there's a spectator area at the finish line, stay and welcome other runners behind you in. They worked hard!

 

[cantwaitvaca09]

Coach, that is wonderful that you do that

In my run club I have had 2 people that have done a WDW race and they both say its the best place to do your first long race!!

Coach,I am one of the people that would need a friend like you on the course to push me. Thanks!

 

[dumbo_buddy]

Also, a really nice thing that you can do is to not leave immediately after you're done racing. If there's a spectator area at the finish line, stay and welcome other runners behind you in. They worked hard!

you're assuming someone will come in after me! ha!

i hope i find people like coach running near me! and even if there are people talking to me that annoy me, that'll give me another push to get away from them! hahahah