Official 2016 Princess Half Marathon Thread

[IrishMel21]

I'll be back next year (providing registration goes well) for the 5k & and GSC. Last year I did my first runDisney event at PHM and did the 5k and the 10k. This will be my first half-marathon, and it also falls on my birthday. Couldn't pass that up! I'm super excited for the weekend and anxious for registration as it was pretty stressful last year.

Can't wait to get to know all of you!

 

[Gryhndmom]

I'll be back next year (providing registration goes well) for the 5k & and GSC. Last year I did my first runDisney event at PHM and did the 5k and the 10k. This will be my first half-marathon, and it also falls on my birthday. Couldn't pass that up! I'm super excited for the weekend and anxious for registration as it was pretty stressful last year.

Can't wait to get to know all of you!

Welcome to the thread ! Lots of great information will come from fellow thread followers !

 

[DisneyBee]

This will be my first PHM Weekend, and I can't wait! Hoping registration goes smoothly - after reading all the posts, I've nervous about it! I'll be doing the 5K and 10K - not quite ready for a half yet...maybe in 2017, though! This is a great thread, and all the posts are really informative!

 

[Gryhndmom]

This will be my first PHM Weekend, and I can't wait! Hoping registration goes smoothly - after reading all the posts, I've nervous about it! I'll be doing the 5K and 10K - not quite ready for a half yet...maybe in 2017, though! This is a great thread, and all the posts are really informative!

Welcome ! Don't be scared about doing the half ! When I signed up for my first princess half I had never done a race before...no 5k, no 10k...heck no racing at all! Had a mid life crisis/bucket list to do a race at disney so I was a go all in for the princess ! Now during the training I did do some 5k's, 10k's to get "practice" but don't let the half scare you just because you haven't done one yet. I am living proof (as many others on the thread!) that you can do it!

 

[DisneyBee]

Thanks for the encouragement, Gryhnmom! It's funny, because this is kind of my mid life crisis bucket list thing, too! I've only ever done a couple of 5Ks and thought a 10K might be pushing it. I have a month to consider the half - I may just give it a go!

 

[Gryhndmom]

Thanks for the encouragement, Gryhnmom! It's funny, because this is kind of my mid life crisis bucket list thing, too! I've only ever done a couple of 5Ks and thought a 10K might be pushing it. I have a month to consider the half - I may just give it a go!

Just wanted to let you know many of us have/had never done a big race and jumped in all at once. Yes, training will be longer/more intense but it can be done. I even walked part of my PHM and remember you have 16:00 min per mile

 

[Schucraig]

Hi all,

I want to sign up for the 1/2 marathon and my 16 year old son is interested in doing it with me. Do other men run the race and do they get a men's shirt? I think we would have a ton of fun! TIA

 

[Ariel484]

Hi all,

I want to sign up for the 1/2 marathon and my 16 year old son is interested in doing it with me. Do other men run the race and do they get a men's shirt? I think we would have a ton of fun! TIA

I think they will have the option to pick a men's cut shirt, yes.

 

[drlaurafsu]

Men definitely run...they just aren't allowed in the first group or two so a woman finishes first. They do have a men's cut for the shirts.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

The men's cuts will still be in the same color as the female shirts though.

 

[keahgirl8]

The men's cuts will still be in the same color as the female shirts though.

Yeah...he could still end up with pink or purple, but it will fit! Women can get the unisex version as well. Someone in front of me said she was trading, because the women's cut wouldn't fit her properly.

 

[bumbershoot]

Men definitely run...they just aren't allowed in the first group or two so a woman finishes first. They do have a men's cut for the shirts.

Oh, I bet a fast-enough man COULD win; he just won't be recognized for it in the Half. (one of the reasons I've never felt called to do this race, and I'm kind of feeling happy that my cousin still hasn't responded with a "yes"...)

 

[FFigawi]

Just wanted to let you know many of us have/had never done a big race and jumped in all at once. Yes, training will be longer/more intense but it can be done. I even walked part of my PHM and remember you have 16:00 min per mile

Unless you're the very last person across the start line, you actually have more than 16 min/mile. That gives you some additional breathing room for photo stops with characters.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Oh, I bet a fast-enough man COULD win; he just won't be recognized for it in the Half. (one of the reasons I've never felt called to do this race, and I'm kind of feeling happy that my cousin still hasn't responded with a "yes"...)

Sure, but most men respect these types of races for what they are meant to be. I have run in a few "Diva" series races and they are great, but as a man I recognize that I am there to support women, not "race" women.

All that said, the women's race events movement has changed racing in America. Races used to be mostly men - in fact, the vast majority of these runners were men. Now almost every event in America has more women runners than men, and the numbers show that as the number of women in these events rise, the number of men has begun to fall. I understand the rise in the number of women, but I don't understand the fall in the number of men. Younger men just don't seem to be pulled into running at the same rate.

 

[FFigawi]

All that said, the women's race events movement has changed racing in America. Races used to be mostly men - in fact, the vast majority of these runners were men. Now almost every event in America has more women runners than men, and the numbers show that as the number of women in these events rise, the number of men has begun to fall. I understand the rise in the number of women, but I don't understand the fall in the number of men. Younger men just don't seem to be pulled into running at the same rate.

For races like Disney that can only accept a certain number of entries, the rise in entries by women contributes directly to the fall in the number of men. In general, though, you're right. There seem to be a lot more novice female runners than novice male runners. The group I coached in Houston was probably at least 60% women every year, and many of them stuck around for more than one year. Not many of the guys did the same.

 

[kpooh]

I'm in for the GSC!! This will be my 2nd PHM. I've done the wine and dine too.

Does anyone know if you can pre order the dooney bags this year??

 

[Ariel484]

I'm in for the GSC!! This will be my 2nd PHM. I've done the wine and dine too.

Does anyone know if you can pre order the dooney bags this year??

I don't think we'll know until way closer to race weekend. But I'm guessing after this year's mess with no pre-order, they'll work hard to have one in 2016.

 

[Ariel484]

Registration is 1 month away!

 

[zefyr]

Any rumors for the theme? Usually there's some sort of hint as we get closer to registration time. Can't wait to start planning my costume.

 

[Ariel484]

Any rumors for the theme? Usually there's some sort of hint as we get closer to registration time. Can't wait to start planning my costume.

Nothing yet, as far as I know. runDisney MIGHT give clues on the Galloway training plans (which would have training start in late September), but I feel like with Princess they've been sticking to the generic tiara/Cinderella carriage art over the past few years, which won't help much.

For the Disneyland races (which take place in September) they just released Facebook "In Training" cover photos on June 2, which shed light on the themes but didn't definitively confirm them. So it's possible we won't know for sure what themes they have picked for Princess weekend until late fall...maybe even November.