Official 2016 Princess Half Marathon Thread

[IrishMel21]

My mind is all over the place this morning. I'm so excited for PHM weekend and want it to be here soon! Here are my crazy thoughts:

• I wondering if I call my TA and see if I change my reservation from room only to dining plan and what will be more cost effective, because I also booked us several ADRs. Hmmmmm.
• I have a 10k this weekend that I'm hoping to do better than the 10k I submitted to help with POT and better corral placement. I ran 3.1 yesterday and really pushed myself so I'm hoping I can do the same on Sunday
• I found a super cute shirts for me & my boyfriend to wear during the 10k, so now I just want to order them
• For no reason, I'm itching to buy new sneakers. However, I think I want to get them closer to December to help break them in but also not put too many miles on them before GSC

Thanks for letting my mind wander & blabber

 

[SherryinBA]

Rate wasn't available for a standard room at CSR - but I rebooked into a water view for the same price. So, upgrade!

I had the Disney Visa discount, so I was able to call on Thursday. I waited and waited on the phone. I'm staying a week at the POFQ, Wed to Wed. I originally booked a standard view room. My discount was applied and saved $100 total and also got upgraded to a garden view room. Now if only my training was going as well. Keep trying for those discounts!!

 

[bumbershoot]

For no reason, I'm itching to buy new sneakers. However, I think I want to get them closer to December to help break them in but also not put too many miles on them before GSC

You have a shoe that works for you already? Why not buy two of them? Rotate them from run to run, so they are broken in but don't have too many miles on them.

If you don't have a shoe that works yet, buy NOW and see if that's the one you like. Then buy another closer in.

Either way, I'm urging you to buy at least two pairs of shoes.

(I should get a job at RoadRunner Sports, ha ha)

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

Ran 7 miles this weekend. Excited that I'm half way there.

Congrats! I think anything over 5 constitutes "long distance running." I know over 6, I bring fuel and water, so that's heavy duty to me!

• For no reason, I'm itching to buy new sneakers. However, I think I want to get them closer to December to help break them in but also not put too many miles on them before GSC

I had this same exact thought this morning as well! I think I will wait until December though. I get the same type of shoe each time, but because my size is "different" (I need wide width), I don't have as many options for cute colors! I hope there is a new color out in December. I am going on the EXACT same shoe for 5 consecutive times!

 

[Anisum]

Congrats! I think anything over 5 constitutes "long distance running." I know over 6, I bring fuel and water, so that's heavy duty to me!
I had this same exact thought this morning as well! I think I will wait until December though. I get the same type of shoe each time, but because my size is "different" (I need wide width), I don't have as many options for cute colors! I hope there is a new color out in December. I am going on the EXACT same shoe for 5 consecutive times!

Thanks! I usually bring fuel and water after 4. Also, I know that feeling. I don't need the width but my feet are so big that some stores stop carrying the half size I need (womens 10.5) and those that do are often sold out of cute colors because they only carry one or two pairs to begin with.

 

[jwjulie]

Looking for advice! I planned on using the Dorney Park Run & Ride 10k on Sunday as my proof of time for Princess. It'll be my first official 10k, and the only one I can get to before the POT cut off. The forecast is calling for tons of rain due to the tropical storm coming towards the northeast this week. Does anyone have any suggestions / advice for running in the rain? I've been very lucky with dry training runs this far and I'm pretty nervous.

 

[Ariel484]

Looking for advice! I planned on using the Dorney Park Run & Ride 10k on Sunday as my proof of time for Princess. It'll be my first official 10k, and the only one I can get to before the POT cut off. The forecast is calling for tons of rain due to the tropical storm coming towards the northeast this week. Does anyone have any suggestions / advice for running in the rain? I've been very lucky with dry training runs this far and I'm pretty nervous.

Let's see...

1. Try not to freak out about it too much! I can totally understand why you would, but if it's your POT race you want to focus on doing your best, and not panicking about the weather
2. Wear a hat or a visor - very helpful for keeping the rain off of your face (the one thing I did not have for Wine & Dine 2014 when it poured almost the entire time )
3. Take garbage bag (put holes in it for your head/arms) or poncho - something disposable - to wear while you are waiting for the start. You don't want to be waiting around with it pouring and be soaked before the race begins...then you can rip it off and toss it to the side of the course/in the trash closer to the race start
4. (and this will potentially break the "nothing new on race day" rule if you don't already have this) - wear any moisture-wicking clothes that you can, especially socks. That should help prevent you from getting blisters

This last point won't help you for your upcoming race, but I would highly, highly recommend to everyone reading this - get used to running in all kinds of weather. I see posts from people saying that they can't do a training run because it's raining out, or it's too cold, or whatever, but the reality is (as you are finding out), weather is not always perfect on race day. So it is helpful to do training runs in rain, snow, etc. to know that you can handle it.

Something you have to look forward to (assuming the forecast holds and it DOES rain during your race) - you will feel like a total bada-- after running in the rain! (At least I do.)

More good info here: http://www.disboards.com/threads/what-is-it-like-to-run-in-the-rain.3407785/

 

[IrishMel21]

Looking for advice! I planned on using the Dorney Park Run & Ride 10k on Sunday as my proof of time for Princess. It'll be my first official 10k, and the only one I can get to before the POT cut off. The forecast is calling for tons of rain due to the tropical storm coming towards the northeast this week. Does anyone have any suggestions / advice for running in the rain? I've been very lucky with dry training runs this far and I'm pretty nervous.

I ran a 10k in June (BAA 10k) and it was pouring rain! What I learned from that race is wear things that will help. For example: wear a hat to help keep the rain out of your eyes. Wear running pants vs shorts if that will make you feel more comfortable (and help minimize chaffing). Wear a hoodie you don't care about in the beginning so if you need to remove it (you get too hot or too wet), you don't mind discarding it but will provide some level of protection before the race. Bring a poncho you can discard. If you run with your phone, put it in a plastic baggie.

For after the race, have a change of clothes & shoes in your car. Bring a towel to help dry off and sit on in the car (if necessary).

Good luck & enjoy the experience. Initially I was worried about running in the rain and I learned to go with it and soak it all in! (pun intended).

 

[kpooh]

Looking for advice! I planned on using the Dorney Park Run & Ride 10k on Sunday as my proof of time for Princess. It'll be my first official 10k, and the only one I can get to before the POT cut off. The forecast is calling for tons of rain due to the tropical storm coming towards the northeast this week. Does anyone have any suggestions / advice for running in the rain? I've been very lucky with dry training runs this far and I'm pretty nervous.

I second everything thing that @Ariel484 says!!
I always wear compression capris or shorts with a fitted top. If you wear a loose fitting cotton shirt or shorts they absorb the water and get very heavy!!

 

[keahgirl8]

Let's see...

1. Try not to freak out about it too much! I can totally understand why you would, but if it's your POT race you want to focus on doing your best, and not panicking about the weather
2. Wear a hat or a visor - very helpful for keeping the rain off of your face (the one thing I did not have for Wine & Dine 2014 when it poured almost the entire time )
3. Take garbage bag (put holes in it for your head/arms) or poncho - something disposable - to wear while you are waiting for the start. You don't want to be waiting around with it pouring and be soaked before the race begins...then you can rip it off and toss it to the side of the course/in the trash closer to the race start
4. (and this will potentially break the "nothing new on race day" rule if you don't already have this) - wear any moisture-wicking clothes that you can, especially socks. That should help prevent you from getting blisters

This last point won't help you for your upcoming race, but I would highly, highly recommend to everyone reading this - get used to running in all kinds of weather. I see posts from people saying that they can't do a training run because it's raining out, or it's too cold, or whatever, but the reality is (as you are finding out), weather is not always perfect on race day. So it is helpful to do training runs in rain, snow, etc. to know that you can handle it.

Something you have to look forward to (assuming the forecast holds and it DOES rain during your race) - you will feel like a total bada-- after running in the rain! (At least I do.)

More good info here: http://www.disboards.com/threads/what-is-it-like-to-run-in-the-rain.3407785/

So true about the last point! You literally never know what it will be like on race day. This year, PHM weekend was FREEZING (literally)! If I wasn't used to running in the cold, I never would have made it. In 2014, a lot of people really struggled in the heat. I try to run in heat, cold, or rain, just so that I am accustomed to it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Looking for advice! I planned on using the Dorney Park Run & Ride 10k on Sunday as my proof of time for Princess. It'll be my first official 10k, and the only one I can get to before the POT cut off. The forecast is calling for tons of rain due to the tropical storm coming towards the northeast this week. Does anyone have any suggestions / advice for running in the rain? I've been very lucky with dry training runs this far and I'm pretty nervous.

Body glide and maybe even Vaseline everywhere. If wearing shorts expect them to ride up to unimaginable heights and put antichafing stuff up high on the thighs. Also all over the feet even on the bottoms of the feet.

Have a towel or two and a change of every clothing item.

Wear your lightest shoes bc even my Nike Frees got soooo heavy with all the water from last year's W&D rainfest. I can't remember if I wore my smartwool running socks but it would have been a good idea if I did.

 

[jwjulie]

Thanks everyone for your advice! I knew I could get some tips here - you're all wonderful!

 

[preciouspups]

I think I need to change my costume for the race. I had ordered a pink capri skirt from runningskirts.com and I'm having the hardest time getting my order. I think I may order a skirt from sparkleskirts and then order pink compression socks to wear in case it is cold. But I can't decide on a top.

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

What great running in the rain advice! Also I completely agree with @Ariel484 about training in all sorts of weather (though I don't always take this advice like I should!)

Looking for advice! I planned on using the Dorney Park Run & Ride 10k on Sunday as my proof of time for Princess. It'll be my first official 10k, and the only one I can get to before the POT cut off. The forecast is calling for tons of rain due to the tropical storm coming towards the northeast this week. Does anyone have any suggestions / advice for running in the rain? I've been very lucky with dry training runs this far and I'm pretty nervous.

My 10K I ran in May is the one I'm submitting for POT. It was POURING rain, but was very cold as well. Is this storm coming through more like a hot, humid, really wet storm, or a drop in temps too? Honestly I was so miserable, that I wanted that race OVER WITH and it really improved my time haha A couple of things that did help me were 1) a lightweight rain jacket with a hood that could cinch around my face, and 2) yes, a hat really helped to deflect the onslaught of rain trying to drown me. I had on bootleg Nike running pants, and I really wish I had running tights that were tight around my ankle.

Good luck!!!

 

[MyFavEeyore]

Evening all. This question might be redundant, but I can't seem to find it on the boards its probably so old. But here goes, are the infamous, "Balloon Ladies" participating in the 5k and 1ok runs during Princess Weekend, and if so how much time elapses from the last runner crossing the start line until they begin, and how much time is between corral releases?

 

[Ariel484]

Evening all. This question might be redundant, but I can't seem to find it on the boards its probably so old. But here goes, are the infamous, "Balloon Ladies" participating in the 5k and 1ok runs during Princess Weekend, and if so how much time elapses from the last runner crossing the start line until they begin, and how much time is between corral releases?

Not sure about the 5K but I am pretty sure they do the 10K. They start WITH the last runner, from what I understand. And if the Princess 5K and 10K is corralled like the January races were, it would be 8-10 minutes between corrals with F corrals.

 

[preciouspups]

Can someone help me understand this... last weekend I did a 3k race (was supposed to be just 1 mile!), my gun time was 16:56 and my chip time was 17:08.9 with a pace of 9:12. If I divide either the chip time or the gun time by the 1.86 miles, neither one comes out to a 9:12 minute mile pace. Do they average the two times?

And let's further add to it that my fitbit shows me doing 1.2 miles with a time of 20 minutes.

 

[Ariel484]

Can someone help me understand this... last weekend I did a 3k race (was supposed to be just 1 mile!), my gun time was 16:56 and my chip time was 17:08.9 with a pace of 9:12. If I divide either the chip time or the gun time by the 1.86 miles, neither one comes out to a 9:12 minute mile pace. Do they average the two times?

And let's further add to it that my fitbit shows me doing 1.2 miles with a time of 20 minutes.

Not sure what is going on with the times - I would think your chip time should be less than your gun time so that is confusing to me.

As for your FitBit...my FitBit is not super impressive to me when it comes to accuracy with distances.

ETA: Because I had a brain fart and hadn't had coffee yet when I initially responded to this!

 

[kathleen27]

Evening all. This question might be redundant, but I can't seem to find it on the boards its probably so old. But here goes, are the infamous, "Balloon Ladies" participating in the 5k and 1ok runs during Princess Weekend, and if so how much time elapses from the last runner crossing the start line until they begin, and how much time is between corral releases?

I've never seen the balloon ladies at the 5k, and I was in the last corral in 2014 & my knee was bothering me, so I took it pretty slow, think I was below pace that year. The 5k has been pretty lenient on pace, most of miles 2 & 3 are in the park, so it really doesn't involve closing roads, that need to reopen for park guests.

 

[SarahDisney]

Evening all. This question might be redundant, but I can't seem to find it on the boards its probably so old. But here goes, are the infamous, "Balloon Ladies" participating in the 5k and 1ok runs during Princess Weekend, and if so how much time elapses from the last runner crossing the start line until they begin, and how much time is between corral releases?

I don't know anything about the 10K, but I did the 5K last year. I was in the last corral (corral E), and we started around 6:45ish - it was about 6-8 minutes between corrals. I didn't see any Balloon Ladies, but I was also at the front of the corral and didn't see everyone behind me. I didn't see them pass me while I was waiting for Minnie Mouse (which is when most of the rest of the runners passed me). They also didn't seem to be enforcing the pacing requirement, as I finished in 1:11 (and 16:00 min/mile for a 5K is 50 minutes ... so even if the last person started 10 minutes after me, 50 minutes after that was still before I finished).
From what I've seen/read, the balloon ladies are not actually employed by runDisney (or Track Shack, who runs the events), so they have to start with the runners. They are usually the last ones to cross the start line, at the back of the last corral. My understanding is that the official pacers start right after the balloon ladies.