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

[HockeyKat]

My understanding is that you get placed in a corral by finish time, i.e. Corral A has the fastest, B the next, etc., and then at some point everything becomes "open".

Based on last year, anyhow, I believe that corral A and perhaps B are for faster runners. We had two runners in our group that had proof of time, both in the 2-2:30 range, and they were both in corral A. One was assigned to it, and the other had hers changed to it on packet pickup day, with her proof of time.


That is an awesome time! I believe that you can email in Proof of Time after registration, so I would bet that with a Wine N Dine proof of time of 2:15, that you would be assigned to A initially or at least could get moved up during packet pickup time.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

My understanding is that you get placed in a corral by finish time, i.e. Corral A has the fastest, B the next, etc., and then at some point everything becomes "open".

Based on last year, anyhow, I believe that corral A and perhaps B are for faster runners. We had two runners in our group that had proof of time, both in the 2-2:30 range, and they were both in corral A. One was assigned to it, and the other had hers changed to it on packet pickup day, with her proof of time.


That is an awesome time! I believe that you can email in Proof of Time after registration, so I would bet that with a Wine N Dine proof of time of 2:15, that you would be assigned to A initially or at least could get moved up during packet pickup time.

Thanks, Kat. My estimates are only based on my 1:01 10k time. Wine & Dine is my first half, so hopefully it'll go well.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Kat, I want to again THANK YOU for sharing all of this info with us. I truly appreciate it!!!

 

[cewait]

Adding to supplement some of the uncertainties....

• Corrals are seeded acording to estimated finish times.
• If you have an expected race time quicker than 2:45 (or what every time the entry now has) you must submit proof from a 10k race or longer.
• McMillan is a good calculator for estimating times.
• Note that if you claim a finish time quicker than 2:45 but do not or cannot provide proof to support the time, you will be placed in the last corral.
• If you are not certain of your finish time and have not yet enetered put 2:46 as your estimated time. It will put you in the first corral behind the faster runners. No proof required and maximum no-proof beffer. Shhhh! don't tell anyone.
• And yes the sweep clock starts when the very last runner in the race crosses the start line.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Adding to supplement some of the uncertainties....

[*]Note that if you claim a finish time quicker than 2:45 but do not or cannot provide proof to support the time, you will be placed in the last corral.
[*]If you are not certain of your finish time and have not yet enetered put 2:46 as your estimated time. It will put you in the first corral behind the faster runners. No proof required and maximum no-proof beffer. Shhhh! don't tell anyone.

[/LIST]

Well, as Kat noted above, Corrals C, D, and E are all free-for-all, for all intents and purposes.

 

[Jeter02]

Kat if you don't mind me asking, you said the princess half last year was your first marathon? Did you run the whole course, run/walk or walk/run?

Your information has been AWESOME! Thanks again!

 

[saysay]

I am dying to do this race. I would NOT say I am a runner, but I did complete 2 1/2 marathon 10 years ago....it just takes the right training. Trying to convince my friend to sign up with me - husband said go for it!

10 years ago I trained for the Atlanta 1/2 with a Jeff Galloway run/walk program. Having a group run helped me with the long runs. I would not consider myself at all athletic and I did it twice.

 

[Jeter02]

Thats fanatastic....you should definetly sign up for the race

 

[MeredithRX]

Man! I wish I would have thought to put 2:46 as my estimated time. I was a bit more honest than that *laugh* but I'm dreading the sweepers breathing down my neck the entire time!

Hopefully I'll get randomly assigned to C or D....I think last year they may have started filling those 'free for all' corrals from the first registrations on? I read somewhere that someone suspected that, but it may not have been true. That would be nice though! I signed up within minutes of registration opening.

 

[Jeter02]

Man! I wish I would have thought to put 2:46 as my estimated time. I was a bit more honest than that *laugh* but I'm dreading the sweepers breathing down my neck the entire time!

Hopefully I'll get randomly assigned to C or D....I think last year they may have started filling those 'free for all' corrals from the first registrations on? I read somewhere that someone suspected that, but it may not have been true. That would be nice though! I signed up within minutes of registration opening.

I am with you on this one....I too hope they will put in a further up corral....all fingers crossed

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Do the corrals start at different times, or do they collapse the corrals prior to the start?

 

[cewait]

Do the corrals start at different times, or do they collapse the corrals prior to the start?

They collapse the corrals about 5 minutes pre-race.

Further explanation - the start area is fenced from start line back through the last corral. Pre-race there is temporary fencing between each corral to keep each corral seperate. The about 5 minutes pre-race they pull the fencing out from between each corral. From that point the entire race start area collapses an compacts towards the front of the start area.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

They collapse the corrals about 5 minutes pre-race.

Further explanation - the start area is fenced from start line back through the last corral. Pre-race there is temporary fencing between each corral to keep each corral seperate. The about 5 minutes pre-race they pull the fencing out from between each corral. From that point the entire race start area collapses an compacts towards the front of the start area.

Thanks. That's the way we do it in NYC, too, but it's never taken me more than five or six minutes from a later corral to hit the starting line. (A 9:55 pace in NYC is considered "crawling, LOL).

 

[cewait]

Well, as Kat noted above, Corrals C, D, and E are all free-for-all, for all intents and purposes.

Actually not - coralls are assigned based on expected finish time. You will not be allowed to enter the D corral if you are assigned the E.... There is some shuffling once the corrals are collapsed - and of course those who choose to 'cheat' and hop fences. (Guess that is a pet peeve of mine).

 

[joan4mickey]

At the Princess this year Corral a start 6am-Corral B was moved up and started 6:07 then C, D etc every 7 min.

 

[Jeter02]

How many do you estimate roughly are in each corral?

 

[joan4mickey]

No idea how many are in a "corral"-just imagine herding 11,000 women on a small stretch of road-

 

[Jeter02]

LOL Yea I know, like everyone else trying to figure out roughly the possiblity of how many other people may be behind me.....first race, and I'm neverous and very excited

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

I am not going to fret and stew over the corrals and just run the pace that I have been training hard for. I have my first HM end of September and will learn from that experience. I will then apply that knowledge, continue my HM training and simply trust the process. I am VERY confident that no matter what corral placement that I am assigned, I will have NO problem finishing successfully in plenty of time. That is what training is for. Most importantly, I am not going to put too much pressure on myself and enjoy the entire experience!!!

 

[grammynelliebelle]

I haven't read the whole thread, but is anyone such a beginner that they are thinking of the 5K?(Like me). I will be 64 at the time of the Princess and am not in any kind of shape and never was. For some reason, I really would like to do this. Right now I only walk about a mile in 20 to 25 minutes, and only go for a mile, so I really would have some work to do to get up to speed. I have a question for you runners. Can you walk the 5K as long as you can make the time? TIA Grammy