Official 2012 Princess Half Marathon Thread!

[DisneyParrothead]

Now I understand how hard it is to taper. I am starting to feel guilty about resting before my race on Saturday, even though I know my legs will love the rest. Physically I like this, mentally, heck no! At least tomorrow's the first day I can pick up my packet so that'll be something to do, but today and Thursday? Ugh.

 

[HockeyKat]

I would definitely root you both on! After running an 8k this past weekend, I'm intimidated by the lack of flat roads anywhere here. I live 20 minutes from downtown.

Can you give me advice on the course? This is the url www.runcolumbiahalf.com. I was considering the holiday inn express downtown.

I am slow and afraid that it will be a fast field, too.

 

[LaurieG]

Hello All,
I am signed up the 2012 Princess half. It is going to be my first. I am not a runner by any means. I have done a few 5ks and have since just been trying to improve my distance. I live in NH and am DREADING the thought of running outside this winter,(I HATE the cold) but also know hat I can not train for a 1/2 on the treadmill.

 

[fashionista311]

Can you give me advice on the course? This is the url www.runcolumbiahalf.com. I was considering the holiday inn express downtown.

I am slow and afraid that it will be a fast field, too.

as long as you are within the course limits, who cares if most of the field is fast? i'm your "average" pace runner so most races it's jammed packed for me. ibut 've done a couple of local races where i've been bringing up the rear...and i kind of welcome it. as long as the aid stations are open, more room for me

 

[Mickey'sfriend]

Hello All,
I am signed up the 2012 Princess half. It is going to be my first. I am not a runner by any means. I have done a few 5ks and have since just been trying to improve my distance. I live in NH and am DREADING the thought of running outside this winter,(I HATE the cold) but also know hat I can not train for a 1/2 on the treadmill.

Welcome! It is my first 1/2, too. I just started running this past May and got it into my head that I could run a 1/2 marathon. I know what you mean about training in the cold. It will be getting cold here in PA soon, too. It's already dark by the time I get home from work, so that adds a new twist to my running. I do my long runs on Wednesdays, my day off, so I will plan to do them in the afternoon during the warmest part of the day. Grab a hat and some gloves and keep running.

 

[LaurieG]

Thanks, I just started running in January and never even thought about trying to run anything more 3 miles until like August!
It is dark when I get home as well, I am doing my long runs on Saturdays. I work 6:30 am-5pm so, no daylight running hours for me during the week. I am on the treadmill 3 days a week before work.
I have been sidelined the last couple of weeks the right ankle pain, tried to run through it but it got the best of me. I have been doing the elliptical and am felling better. I am going to try and start running again on Monday. I am in a panic now that I will have missed 3 long runs.I think the mental pain is worse then the physical!!
Are you following any sort of training plan? Or just doing it on your own?

 

[schmass]

Yes it was! Those hills were killer! The weather was perfect at least. How did your race go? Since it was our first race ever, we don't have a lot to compare to. I thought the 10k field was pretty strong-- maybe because there was a simultaneous 5k? Or everyone else just knew about the hills!

If I had known you were going to be there we could have said hi!

The hills were definitely rough. At least I knew this year that at the top of the really long one that there was another right after it, so I didn't push it too hard up the first one.

It went well for me 56:53 - almost 1 1/2 minutes faster than last year. I agree about the strong field - when I first started I was running a 7:45/mile, which is WAY too fast for me, but that is the pace everyone around me seemed to be doing.

Are you doing any other local races?

 

[kmchisholm]

So Richmond Half Marathon is this Friday - drinking water and slowly carbing up this week (my body can not carb up on Friday alone). For those who have run before, what's your recommendation for running this week? Was going to do 3 slow miles Tuesday and Thursday as I have Acupuncture on Wednesday. Any thoughts on this?

Oops - my bad, it's this Saturday! Thinking ahead as college basketball starts on Friday

 

[Cindyrella22]

I hope your estimates are right! Now I just have to figure out how to submit the time...

Yes it was! Those hills were killer! The weather was perfect at least. How did your race go? Since it was our first race ever, we don't have a lot to compare to. I thought the 10k field was pretty strong-- maybe because there was a simultaneous 5k? Or everyone else just knew about the hills!

If I had known you were going to be there we could have said hi!

Oh wow.. Good for you ladies running this one!! I was thinking of doing this race too, but then I read it was longer than a 10k and HILLY and chickened out I saw on coolrunnings that there is a 10k this Saturday in Wakefield at the lake. I am thinking of doing that one to get a time to send in.. I know the area and it's flat!! Hopefully the weather continues here.. What a day today!! Again congrats on your 10k times

 

[HockeyKat]

as long as you are within the course limits, who cares if most of the field is fast? i'm your "average" pace runner so most races it's jammed packed for me. ibut 've done a couple of local races where i've been bringing up the rear...and i kind of welcome it. as long as the aid stations are open, more room for me

No offense intended here, but you do a 2 hour half, right? For slower runners, a fast field may mean no water left at the aid stations (if they are even still , no medal, no finish line, no refreshments left, anything. Not to mention the feeling bad part, and the faster folk who offhandedly say things like, I could *walk* that pace.

I did a local race where my friend and I were close to last, we didn't see anyone in front or back of us after about mile 4-5, and it was lonely and quite frankly, didn't feel good. I don't want to repeat it.

Everyone is different, though, so some people might be okay with that. I'm just, well, not.

Now that I got that out, for anyone reading who is a back-of-the-packer, Disney races are *awesome* for that. Tons of support, aid stations, and you will not be alone at the finish at all. I have done the Princess both of the last two years with friends that finished 3:40+, too, so I have been there to see it.

 

[joan4mickey]

Hello All,
I am signed up the 2012 Princess half. It is going to be my first. I am not a runner by any means. I have done a few 5ks and have since just been trying to improve my distance. I live in NH and am DREADING the thought of running outside this winter,(I HATE the cold) but also know hat I can not train for a 1/2 on the treadmill.

Training for a half can be done, not fun, but possible. I did all my training for the 2010 Princess on the TM and this year did all my shorter/tempo/speed runs on the TM and was able to get out once a week for my LR. I would look ahead at the weather and plan to get that LR in during decent weather. I run 3x's a week. Hope that helps.

 

[TiggerAllie]

Oh wow.. Good for you ladies running this one!! I was thinking of doing this race too, but then I read it was longer than a 10k and HILLY and chickened out I saw on coolrunnings that there is a 10k this Saturday in Wakefield at the lake. I am thinking of doing that one to get a time to send in.. I know the area and it's flat!! Hopefully the weather continues here.. What a day today!! Again congrats on your 10k times

Ha-- I read those reviews too, but a noon start less than 30 mins away on a non-working weekend was too good to pass up!

Too bad I didn't see the Wakefield race earlier... have to work Sat morning.

The hills were definitely rough. At least I knew this year that at the top of the really long one that there was another right after it, so I didn't push it too hard up the first one.

It went well for me 56:53 - almost 1 1/2 minutes faster than last year. I agree about the strong field - when I first started I was running a 7:45/mile, which is WAY too fast for me, but that is the pace everyone around me seemed to be doing.

Are you doing any other local races?

Some of the people we were running with were talking between miles 1-2 about the "big hill after the turn", so I had at least some idea what was coming. (I at least knew that the worst hill was ~ mile 3 from pre-mapping the course.)

That's a great time, especially given the course! I'd love to get under 1 hour.... maybe soon!

I definitely am looking into more local (Boston-area) races. There is a Thanksgiving 10K in Lowell that we could use to get a better time (I think I can take 3-4 minutes off 1:06 just by having the course be .16 mi shorter (1 min) and the 2-3 minutes we lost walking up the hills.) There is also a Jingle run in Boston that is a holiday/costume 5K that I remember seeing last year... it somewhat depends work schedule.

What other local races are you doing, if any? Do you have any good suggestions?

 

[fashionista311]

No offense intended here, but you do a 2 hour half, right? For slower runners, a fast field may mean no water left at the aid stations (if they are even still , no medal, no finish line, no refreshments left, anything. Not to mention the feeling bad part, and the faster folk who offhandedly say things like, I could *walk* that pace.

I did a local race where my friend and I were close to last, we didn't see anyone in front or back of us after about mile 4-5, and it was lonely and quite frankly, didn't feel good. I don't want to repeat it.

Everyone is different, though, so some people might be okay with that. I'm just, well, not.

Now that I got that out, for anyone reading who is a back-of-the-packer, Disney races are *awesome* for that. Tons of support, aid stations, and you will not be alone at the finish at all. I have done the Princess both of the last two years with friends that finished 3:40+, too, so I have been there to see it.

true - i do about a bit over two hours now if i'm racing (not quite sub-2 hour...still chasing that one) - but i haven't always done that. i started at around 2:18 - and before, i did a few with my mom at well over 3 hours. so believe me, i know what it's like to be on your feet for that long. i get it.

there's a tiny half in my town - by tiny, i mean under 500 finishers, roads still open to traffic, etc. i used it as a training run for two years (so was looking at 2:15ish finish) and the course was so spread out, i was definitely alone or close to it most of the race. it honestly did not bother me. i've run so many races where it's so crowded, it was a bit refreshing. plus - i'm there to run my own race, and really could care less what others think of me. there's always going to be someone slower or faster out there then you. and if you ever have met a truly elite athlete - they are never, ever snobby towards slower runners. it's more than fast-than-average-but-fast-enough-to-be-elite crowd that tends to get that way.

i agree not having aid stations open is probably horrible. but doesn't a race usually advertise its course limits? if they close the course before the advertised time...that's pretty awful of the rd.

but seriously, never, ever, ever, let anyone make you feel inferior for your race times. each and everyone of us are pretty damn awesome to get out there. and who is anyone to judge? It's all about giving it your all, and doing the best to your abilities.

 

[ColleenG]

but seriously, never, ever, ever, let anyone make you feel inferior for your race times. each and everyone of us are pretty damn awesome to get out there. and who is anyone to judge? It's all about giving it your all, and doing the best to your abilities.

Amen to that! I feel pretty slow most of the time and just tell myself, at least I'm out here doing it and not on the couch!

 

[HockeyKat]

Most races do advertise their limits, but sometimes the volunteers get antsy, or the race isn't well organized and they run out of water and just pack it up.

The one I mentioned above had about 150 total, and I finished just under 3 but my friend and I were third and fourth from last. Two of the water stops were out of water, and the finish line was long gone when we got there (although, to be fair, Hurricane Irene had blown it down!). They did give us an official time and a medal, though.

Some of my fellow back-of-the-packers have been part of races where there was no water left as well, and they packed up the finish line and the medals before they finished even though it was before course time limits.

I guess I am a little sensitive to it, too. My first few races were RnR and Disney races, and then one where the full and half ran together, so being part of such a small one was a different (and unpleasant) experience for me.

 

[fashionista311]

Most races do advertise their limits, but sometimes the volunteers get antsy, or the race isn't well organized and they run out of water and just pack it up.

The one I mentioned above had about 150 total, and I finished just under 3 but my friend and I were third and fourth from last. Two of the water stops were out of water, and the finish line was long gone when we got there (although, to be fair, Hurricane Irene had blown it down!). They did give us an official time and a medal, though.

Some of my fellow back-of-the-packers have been part of races where there was no water left as well, and they packed up the finish line and the medals before they finished even though it was before course time limits.

I guess I am a little sensitive to it, too. My first few races were RnR and Disney races, and then one where the full and half ran together, so being part of such a small one was a different (and unpleasant) experience for me.

oh wow..150 is *tiny*. i've never run such a small race before. i would think the whole field would be pretty spread out though? and running when irene was hitting you must of been toughto begin with! i tried to get in a long run the sat am before irene hit us in ct, and the humidity killed me...i made it 8 miles before i called it quits.

yes - if you you are used to rnr and disney, the fields for local races can be a shocker. i remember first discovering my local club and thinking i was pretty great for running a 10:30 min/mile..boy was i shocked when that got me to the last corral

i also totally understand how it's easy for a young, healthy, 20-something like me to say "well just work harder to run faster." not so easy for others. my mom is so strong cardiovascularly - but she is so arthritic, she will never, ever run. at all. it's just not in the cards for her at this point in her life. it's kind of amazing she can do what she can through all of her everyday pain and she worked just as hard for her 6:39 marathon or 3:10 half as "fast" runners. it's all relative.

which puts me back to my original point...you are all awesome for getting out there and if anyone says "oh i can walk that" lets see how they do for being on their feet for 3 hours+ for 13 miles. because it's *hard*.

and i do think you'll find more often than not that most "fast" runners share my attitude, too. and i don't even really consider myself a fast runner....i still think i am pretty slow, actually! again, it's all relative.

 

[tinkeramy]

I am considering one Dec 17th in Columbia, SC... wanna come?



It's probably not too far from me! However, spending more cash on an out-of-town race before Christmas? Probably will not go over well with my financial manager (DH) !

As to the whole "back of the pack" thing - sounds like that was a pretty miserable experience. I've been lucky enough to be somewhat "middle of the pack" for most of my races, but then again the majority have been 10K where there weren't that many water stations to begin with and no medals. What I like about the half I ran last week was that it was mostly an "out and back" loop, meaning we got to see the slower runners coming to the turnaround point while we were heading toward the finish. I liked that because there were a bunch of runners around me cheering for them and yelling encouragement. It was also fabulous to see so many spectators still along the end of the course yelling for participants - I was 1053 out of 1546 participants, so it was nice that there were still folks cheering for us bringing up the last third!!!

 

[lifeasiseeit]

The weather in the NE was beautiful-- perfect running weather! Even though most of the runners seemed pretty serious (we were kind of near the end of the finishers), it was great! I'm so happy with the time!

I agree - Sunday's weather was amazing! Almost made me wish I like running outside...although if someone could promise that exact weather every day, I'm sure I would like running outside!

Also, awesome time on the 10k+! My guess is that will probably be corral B.

 

[stitchfan18]

Based on my experience - I say you have to do a full at least twice. Almost everyone falls apart on their first full (myself included. Ran a "time trial" at the time of a 2:08 half and ran a 5:03 full. ouch.) I spent a year picking up the pieces, improved my half by 5 minutes but really just worked on just building my base and running lots of easy miles, read up as much as i could...and ran a smart race to finish in exactly 30 minutes faster this past Sunday in New York, with 4:33 a finish. I am singing a much different tune now about full vrs half marathons now!

I've done 3 fulls now, and had the classic first marathon crash experience. I ran with a pace team for my second and had a 23 minute PR. My full time is still no where near my half PR, (5:13 full, 2:10 half) but the time it takes to train for a full vs. a half is what attracts me more to the half distance.

 

[LaurieG]

Training for a half can be done, not fun, but possible. I did all my training for the 2010 Princess on the TM and this year did all my shorter/tempo/speed runs on the TM and was able to get out once a week for my LR. I would look ahead at the weather and plan to get that LR in during decent weather. I run 3x's a week. Hope that helps.

Thank you for the advice. Yes, it does help. I think that I may be able to handle one long run outside very week. Did you actually run 13.1 or 14 before you ran the half? I have people telling me not to worry about running that distance before the race. That if I can do 10 I can do 13. WELL, let me tell ya I am totally whipped by 10 and the thought of pushing myself to 3 seems impossible, granted I have only done 10 once and have now been on the elliptical due to an injury. I just don't get it