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

[roomthreeseventeen]

With the way the race has grown I would not be suprised if this race closes at the 6month mark. It has grown in popularity and is expected to be larger this year too.

My guess is after the Food N WINE it will be closed, due to people running this race and going home and signing up for this half. After running the Princess, I can honestly say I would have come home and signed up for EVERY disney race.

It is truly is an empowering event, for anyone who has this as their goal!

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out. I don't think a lot of people who are running F&W will have the means and/or stamina to run both the January races and the February Princess, but I guess we'll see.

 

[Trudes]

It is truly is an empowering event, for anyone who has this as their goal!

I believe it this. This is part of why I want to run this event.

Three years ago, I was overweight and DID.NOT.EXERCISE. I restarted Weight Watchers for the last time, and I started the C25K running program. After I had been running awhile, I started toying with the thought of a half marathon. This past year, I told myself that I seriously wanted to run a half marathon. I turn 50 this year, I need to do this. And when I do, NO ONE can take that away. I sure hope I can make this happen.

 

[UGAFan0829]

It is truly is an empowering event, for anyone who has this as their goal!

I totally agree with this! It's hard to describe the emotion that you feel when you meet a goal that you never thought was obtainable--at least for me anyway!

 

[3girlsfun]

Hello everyone! It has been a long time since I posted, but I did want to come back on here and say that I am more excited than ever to do the Princess! I am 9 days from my first 5k, and I am excited!

Out of curiosity, is anyone on here doing the Food and Wine? I am considering it, although, I really want a partner!

Can't wait to break the "3 mile mark after my race next Saturday!

Also, I saw that someone is in North Georgia, so am I, just mins. south of Chattanooga!

 

[TandJMac]

Hi All! I am a newbie to the site and to the race. I have done a few 5k's as a walker and in doing research for a family vacation in November to Disney, I found the Princess race. I knew instantly I wanted to do it! I have asked my sister to do it with me, as I thought it would be a neat "sister" activity. Don't think I convinced her. I think my hubby is considering being my partner. I am really looking forward to it!

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

I haven't been on the DIS forever as I have been spending my time at sparkpeople.com ALL the time. I decided that I had better venture back over here...particularly on this thread...as I am going to do the Princess Half in 2011!! Woot! I am so excited!

 

[Trudes]

Could someone that has run the Disney Princess Half Marathon tell me a little bit about the route. I went to the website and saw the route. But I am wondering about things, like hills.

I have a route that I plan to run one day a week to help with my training, but I am curious what the route is like.

This will be my first half marathon. I wanted to get one under my belt this October, but now my nephew is getting married on that day. I will be 50 when I run the DPHM, and that thought alone is a little frightening.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

Could someone that has run the Disney Princess Half Marathon tell me a little bit about the route. I went to the website and saw the route. But I am wondering about things, like hills.

I have a route that I plan to run one day a week to help with my training, but I am curious what the route is like.

This will be my first half marathon. I wanted to get one under my belt this October, but now my nephew is getting married on that day. I will be 50 when I run the DPHM, and that thought alone is a little frightening.

There are only a couple hills and by hills, I mean very small inclines! The highway on ramps are the hills pretty much but if they are too painful or a challenge to run, just walk it! I trained almost entirely on a treadmill because many people had told me that doing that would allow you to better pace yourself and would end up being a bigger challenge. In my experience, it sure made running the route a bit easier. I liked the Hal Higdon Half Marathon Plan for Novices because it gradually worked up to the half so I was never overwhelmed. I know quite a few people that just repeat it over and over if they have more than 12 weeks to train. You are still young - 50 isn't old at all!! In fact, you will see that there are all ages there. From teenager to great grandmother! It is a great race and I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to run their first half marathon. Good Luck!

 

[mickeymom629]

You can do it!!

I am 50 and, even though I have been walking on average 3 miles everyday since college years, when I started "training" for this last fall, I finally worked up to 6 miles. I couldn't believe all the aches and pains I started feeling. But I kept doing 6 miles one day a week. I found where I would get blisters and started covering those areas before I walked. Toward the new year, I increased to 8 miles one day a week. Then 9. One day, I finally did 12 miles. I walk most of the time, but I try to jog maybe 50 feet (or less) occasionally - I have a bad back. I just tried to finish my miles in 14 minutes or so - didn't always. Don't forget to hydrate.

I do loops in my neighborhood and we have one hill that I have to walk up for each mile and it is soooo boring. The actual Princess course was a breeze - very flat compared to my usual walk and lots of people and characters to look at!

I loved that people had great things written on the backs of their T-shirts! It made for great reading along the way.

I have music that I walk to and that keeps me moving along.

On the day of the race, I took an Advil 30 minutes before our corral start time.

There's people cheering along the way and music and it is just very exciting!

(I hope this made sense)

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Is the music Disney songs?

 

[Trudes]

Thanks Shelby and Debbie. I appreciate your input. Glad to hear the hills are much at all. I am going to keep believing that I can do this.

 

[wtpclc]

Is the music Disney songs?

In MK, it's Disney music. Seems like some mile signs had Disney music. Start music and some on course music is more girl power type music or general pump yourself up music.

Trudes - You can do this!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

In MK, it's Disney music. Seems like some mile signs had Disney music. Start music and some on course music is more girl power type music or general pump yourself up music.

Shoot, guess I'm using my own playlist.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

Shoot, guess I'm using my own playlist.

You really won't need a playlist. Most of the music you hear just running by (so for a few seconds) It is such a great experience with tons of people cheering you on, meeting new people, etc. that believe me, the last thing you will really need is your music. I did have my earbuds in and the volume low on mine, but it was mainly because I was so cold for most of the race. I would really recommend if you are going to have music that you do keep it on low. The course is so crowded, and you have people trying to get past you that it is helpful to them and to you to be able to react right away to requests. I think one of my pet peeves is that people would block the entire roadway and even with saying behind you or excuse me, some had their music on so loudly that there was no way they could hear you. So, a lot of the time, I had to run in the grass which was kind of dangerous. Don't depend on your music. In other races, you will need it, but not this one!

 

[Swmr359]

Shoot, guess I'm using my own playlist.

there are very few places on the course you will need your own music. I don't run with an mp3 normally. Disney keep me so entertainted while I was running. The only place you might need on is after you leave the magic kingdom.


I still don't know if I can come yet...I figure I should have a job before I decide, and then of course hope that I can get the time off. I was also hoping to run the Disneyland 1/2, but it's too late for that...maybe next year!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

You really won't need a playlist. Most of the music you hear just running by (so for a few seconds) It is such a great experience with tons of people cheering you on, meeting new people, etc. that believe me, the last thing you will really need is your music. I did have my earbuds in and the volume low on mine, but it was mainly because I was so cold for most of the race. I would really recommend if you are going to have music that you do keep it on low. The course is so crowded, and you have people trying to get past you that it is helpful to them and to you to be able to react right away to requests. I think one of my pet peeves is that people would block the entire roadway and even with saying behind you or excuse me, some had their music on so loudly that there was no way they could hear you. So, a lot of the time, I had to run in the grass which was kind of dangerous. Don't depend on your music. In other races, you will need it, but not this one!

I run in Central Park regularly. I'm used to hearing people over my music.

 

[wtpclc]

Shoot, guess I'm using my own playlist.

I'm used to runnign with dh and I run solo fro Princess. I still didn't need to plug into my mp3 unitl mile 9 or 10.

Maggie - Hope you can go next year! Then again, hope I can too! It was so nice meeting you and your mom!

 

[mickeymom629]

My son recorded peppy songs for me (removing the beginning and ending repetitions) and saved them on my mini ipod as one song. It lasts for 50 minutes and I know what songs are playing when I should be at mile 1, 2 and 3. Then I have to restart the "song" and continue.

It is true that I could not hear my music during much of the race due to the music that was playing for the racers, but I really enjoyed having my music during the quiet times. It helped me keep my pace, like it does at home.

 

[Poohlove]

Hello everyone! I have been reading up on this board and I have to say that I am now even more determined now to run this race! I have some doubt but I know that if I work hard I can do it. It's the working hard that I need to get moving on. I am in week 3 of the C25K program and I am moving right along. I am going to do our local 4th of July run - it's 4 miles - just to try and gauge myself physically and on time. I was going back and forth about the 4th of July run but I think that it is something that I need to suck it up and do.

Thank you all for the inspiration and I am looking forward to reading along about everyone's progress. Good luck!!!

 

[haleofafamily]

Hello everyone! I have been reading up on this board and I have to say that I am now even more determined now to run this race! I have some doubt but I know that if I work hard I can do it. It's the working hard that I need to get moving on. I am in week 3 of the C25K program and I am moving right along. I am going to do our local 4th of July run - it's 4 miles - just to try and gauge myself physically and on time. I was going back and forth about the 4th of July run but I think that it is something that I need to suck it up and do.

Thank you all for the inspiration and I am looking forward to reading along about everyone's progress. Good luck!!!

You have given me encouragement!!

After reading that most other people are way ahead of me in the training I started to get discouraged, but I am at the same spot you are in the C25k. I am planning on a 5k Labor Day weekend and a 10k in mid Nov.

Keep Running!!