Official 2016 Princess Half Marathon Thread

[disneydaydreamer33]

So I FINALLY decided on half marathon costumes with my running DBF. She is going to be Maleficent and I will be Aurora. Aurora is actually my least favorite princess, but I wanted to go "as a pair" and she was really excited about being Maleficent. I'm just very excited about finally making a decision! I've been pinning simple Aurora costume tutorials on pinterest or I am thinking about buying an adult Aurora costume (that is short, not long) on amazon and then altering it a bit to make it more runner friendly . . . still not sure. I can't believe we are only 3 1/2 months out!!

 

[MousekaMama]

Perfect illustration of how each person is different. I would never try eating raw veggies on race day, but it works for MousekaMama!

So true! You have to learn what works for you!

 

[purplekicks]

Sooooo...my 10K basically SUCKED.

It was pouring rain constantly. It was raining sideways from miles 4-finish. Plus I thought we were running over a different bridge than the one we ran over. This one was much steeper and a mile in length. It was an out and back so I had to run that monster twice! It got the best of me.

I still pushed and finished in 1:27 which is 14:03 pace. The same thing I put when I registered.

There aren't any more races close to me to run before the 17th so I will just have to go with that and submit it.

 

[Ariel484]

@purplekicks definitely sounds like a tough race. Be proud of yourself for getting through it!!

 

[preciouspups]

@purplekicks that really sucks!

Just finished my 5k. Well, actually it was 3.31 miles. Seriously can people not figure mileage? My Fitbit says I had a 13.30 pace and that was with stopping for a rollover accident right behind me. Yep! The other side of the road was not closed and somehow a guy hit a median and flipped his car. We all ran to help but thankfully a cop was right there and some big guys who could break the windows and get him out.

Here is what I learned at this race... When racing after dark and you can't see what is in the drink cup handed to you, don't assume it is water! Big surprise that it was nasty, watered down Gatorade! Don't assume your path will be well lit. Don't assume that starting in the middle guarantees the people behind you will be walking! I was nearly trampled! Carrying your iPhone in your hand for three miles really sucks. Bring your own drinks for after the race because that little bottle of water goes really fast when it is 85 and humid!

 

[SarahDisney]

@purplekicks - sounds like a really rough race, but you did awesome!

@preciouspups - wow, that accident sounds like a pretty scary thing to see during a race. I'm glad people were able to help the driver! Thanks for sharing the lessons you learned - I always appreciate being able to learn from the experiences of others!

 

[bumbershoot]

Poor Wine&Dine folk, having a delayed start and shortened race.

Well, actually it was 3.31 miles. Seriously can people not figure mileage?

When you have a longer run on the watch than the course, it's b/c of weaving, and because we aren't running like the elites whose job it is to know the course and run it perfectly.

The other side of the road was not closed and somehow a guy hit a median and flipped his car. We all ran to help but thankfully a cop was right there

January Half at WDW, coming out of MK the other side of the road is open, and so the same thing *could* happen. Haven't looked at the Princess course to see if it's the same. And at Disneyland Half 2014, not long after the start but before we headed into the backside of DCA, DH and DS had found a spot to stand on the median (on Harbor and Katella). They said that while waiting, they saw the worlds slowest head-on collision. A car was stopped at the light in the lane created b/c half the road was closed, and another car was following her light, but was NOT noticing that "her" lane wasn't open b/c of the road closure. She just slowly slowly ran right into the stopped guy. Cops were *right there*. It was super-early, so we assume she was coming home from something at that hour.

Don't assume your path will be well lit.

Absolutely. Thinkin' of TOT 2013 on the path!

Don't assume that starting in the middle guarantees the people behind you will be walking! I was nearly trampled!

Oh definitely. Lots of people end up in a corral that's slower than they are. Lots of people get into corrals faster than they are, too, like walkers up in the first couple corrals. Scary for all!

 

[preciouspups]

Does anyone know why they shortened the course for W&D?

 

[FFigawi]

Does anyone know why they shortened the course for W&D?

Weather. They had to delay the start due to lightning in the area. I assume that they chose to shorten the course once the delay was over rather than have people out there longer than the time they had planned for.

 

[preciouspups]

Weather. They had to delay the start due to lightning in the area. I assume that they chose to shorten the course once the delay was over rather than have people out there longer than the time they had planned for.

Ok. I knew about the weather and the evacuation to the WWoS stadiums but couldn't figure out why they would shorten the course. Plus I guess they had to start and end the after party within a certain time to be sure the parks opened on time this morning.

 

[Ariel484]

I didn't get it at first either, but a friend pointed out that the race still needed to end "on time," for the sake of the volunteers, medical, CMs working, roads opening back up, etc.

The terms we agree to during registration indicate that the Race Director can change the course at any time...this is the first that I have heard of them actually doing it. I'm sure it was a tough call for them to make and I totally get people being disappointed, but some of the reactions on Facebook are pretty over the top. It would probably help if rD released a statement explaining why they shortened the course but I can't see them doing that.

 

[MaMa3Princess]

oops wrong thread!

 

[bumbershoot]

I've also read that the wind blew down things in the AK area and there wasn't time to make it safe for runners.

 

[DVCFan1994]

I feel bad about what happened to the Wine and Dine runners. I absolutely agree with the sentiment that we sign a waiver and need to know they can shorten or close the course at any time for any reason, but I totally understand the disappointment of those who went through the experience. The training is a big part of one's daily life leading up to the event, and its tough not to experience what all the training was leading too. But safety has to be paramount in the decision making process.

In other news I was finally able to run a POT 10k today. Illness and unexpected work travel for DH have changed my plans a couple of times earlier this fall. I ran fairly well. I have all three Avengers races next weekend, and I have been fighting an IT band issue for a month or so, so I wanted to get a time I'd be happy with, but not chance running so hard I'd aggravate the IT band or cause some other injury. My goal was to start slow and run each mile a little faster and I accomplished that. I finished in 59:49, which gave me a 2:12 anticipated finish when I entered it into the POT submission form. Hoping that keeps me in F or better, should according to the last couple of years corrals.

 

[keahgirl8]

I've also read that the wind blew down things in the AK area and there wasn't time to make it safe for runners.

Interesting. That's the first I've heard about that. Most of what I heard was that no explanation was given at all.

I feel bad about what happened to the Wine and Dine runners. I absolutely agree with the sentiment that we sign a waiver and need to know they can shorten or close the course at any time for any reason, but I totally understand the disappointment of those who went through the experience. The training is a big part of one's daily life leading up to the event, and its tough not to experience what all the training was leading too. But safety has to be paramount in the decision making process.

In other news I was finally able to run a POT 10k today. Illness and unexpected work travel for DH have changed my plans a couple of times earlier this fall. I ran fairly well. I have all three Avengers races next weekend, and I have been fighting an IT band issue for a month or so, so I wanted to get a time I'd be happy with, but not chance running so hard I'd aggravate the IT band or cause some other injury. My goal was to start slow and run each mile a little faster and I accomplished that. I finished in 59:49, which gave me a 2:12 anticipated finish when I entered it into the POT submission form. Hoping that keeps me in F or better, should according to the last couple of years corrals.

Me too. Just because we know it could happen, that doesn't make it any less disappointing.

That's a great time. Congrats! I am both relieved and disappointed that with no half for me next year, I don't have to worry about POT.

 

[SarahDisney]

Interesting. That's the first I've heard about that. Most of what I heard was that no explanation was given at all.

From what I've heard ... runDisney didn't explain anything. People have been speculating based on known information (like which roads are public roads and may need to be open by a certain time) and information from CMs.
I don't know that runDisney will ever release any official reasoning. But people's speculations seem to make a lot of sense.

 

[keahgirl8]

From what I've heard ... runDisney didn't explain anything. People have been speculating based on known information (like which roads are public roads and may need to be open by a certain time) and information from CMs.
I don't know that runDisney will ever release any official reasoning. But people's speculations seem to make a lot of sense.

They won't, but it would have been nice for the people who paid $200 for a 10K to get some kind of explanation.

 

[bumbershoot]

Interesting. That's the first I've heard about that. Most of what I heard was that no explanation was given at all.

It was on the FB page. I got the impression that they were talking palm fronds, etc. Stuff that you'd slip on and is hard to clean up in the dark and in a hurry. Also, remembering how wet and slippery it was going into, through, and out of AK for last year's W&D, I wouldn't have *wanted* to run through there with the weather they'd been having yesterday. And since that's just about 6 miles of W&D if I'm remembering correctly, it makes sense that that is what they cut.

 

[Luv2Run]

So, Wine & Dine-ers: did you happen to get pics of the medals at the W&D Expo???

 

[DVCFan1994]

So, Wine & Dine-ers: did you happen to get pics of the medals at the W&D Expo???

Good question! If no one did, I will look at the Avengers expo this weekend.