Official 2016 Princess Half Marathon Thread

Question for you outdoor runners... what do you do when you have to go to the bathroom? Now that the weather is cooling, I would like to get in more outside runs but it never fails that I have to go about halfway in!

Any run that is longer than 4 miles will take me past a couple of drugstores or (surprisingly nice!) gas stations. I usually use my bathroom break to refuel too. I drink a lot out of my water backpack on long runs, so a potty break is a must for me! ;)
 
Speaking of bathrooms...I don't recall this being asked before, if it has forgive me I don't remember. How is that handled for the race. I'm asking specifically for the 10k since that is what I'm running, but would be nice to know for the half too. Are there port-a-potty stations set up along the route or are you kind of on your own? Thanks!
 
Speaking of bathrooms...I don't recall this being asked before, if it has forgive me I don't remember. How is that handled for the race. I'm asking specifically for the 10k since that is what I'm running, but would be nice to know for the half too. Are there port-a-potty stations set up along the route or are you kind of on your own? Thanks!
Porta-potties and in-park bathrooms are available. :)
 

Honestly...I sweat so much, it's not an issue! lol

Same here.

For outdoor long runs, I always make sure to give myself at least an hour and a half between my last bit of food/coffee/water before heading out the door. I don't think I've ever had to go mid-run during my outdoor long runs.

On race day for the PHM, it never fails, I usually have to pee as soon as I get into Magic Kingdom, so I usually stop at the restrooms in Tomorrowland or Fantasyland. I also use this as an opportunity to freshen up a little bit (as much as I can since I sweat like a pig, lol) since I know that there will be lots of photographers as I pass through the castle. I'm vain like that, haha.
 
Question for you outdoor runners... what do you do when you have to go to the bathroom? Now that the weather is cooling, I would like to get in more outside runs but it never fails that I have to go about halfway in!
I usually run around the block repeatedly for short runs which is a 1/2 mile so if I need the bathroom I go back to my house. For longer runs I run around a park with bathrooms or my town. I usually sweat most of it out though or don't drink a lot before my run, just during so it's not a problem.
 
Question for you outdoor runners... what do you do when you have to go to the bathroom? Now that the weather is cooling, I would like to get in more outside runs but it never fails that I have to go about halfway in!

Parks, gas stations, fast food restaurants, Starbucks, and other similar places are usually pretty accommodating to runners.
 
Question for you outdoor runners... what do you do when you have to go to the bathroom? Now that the weather is cooling, I would like to get in more outside runs but it never fails that I have to go about halfway in!

I try to not have anything within a half-hour of heading out. Only one of my routes has a port-a-potty along the route. Everything else is bathroom free. So far I've never had an issue. The night before long runs I try to make smart choices about food/fluids. In the morning I either have nothing or something small and then wait an hour before heading out.


Honestly...I sweat so much, it's not an issue! lol

This is me too! Maybe that's why I never have a bathroom issue:)
 
Question for you outdoor runners... what do you do when you have to go to the bathroom? Now that the weather is cooling, I would like to get in more outside runs but it never fails that I have to go about halfway in!
For my long 13 mile training run recently, I mapped my course to run a figure 8 twice in a nearby neighborhood that would end at my house so I could stop for a bathroom break after the first figure 8 and then I did the figure 8 again. It was good knowing that I had a place to go if I needed one.

Speaking of bathrooms...I don't recall this being asked before, if it has forgive me I don't remember. How is that handled for the race. I'm asking specifically for the 10k since that is what I'm running, but would be nice to know for the half too. Are there port-a-potty stations set up along the route or are you kind of on your own? Thanks!
For the 10k last year, they had so many port-a-potties. First in the staging (waiting area), then again right before you go into your Corral. Then they have a small bank (2) right at mile 1 (which I desperately had to use not knowing when the next ones would be), but then there were many more along the course before you got into Epcot. I honestly can't remember any in the park but I imagine the actual restrooms in the park may have been open. Someone else may have the answer to that part.
 
For my long 13 mile training run recently, I mapped my course to run a figure 8 twice in a nearby neighborhood that would end at my house so I could stop for a bathroom break after the first figure 8 and then I did the figure 8 again. It was good knowing that I had a place to go if I needed one.


For the 10k last year, they had so many port-a-potties. First in the staging (waiting area), then again right before you go into your Corral. Then they have a small bank (2) right at mile 1 (which I desperately had to use not knowing when the next ones would be), but then there were many more along the course before you got into Epcot. I honestly can't remember any in the park but I imagine the actual restrooms in the park may have been open. Someone else may have the answer to that part.


Yup, all the park ones are open. For the Frozen (literally and figuratively) 5k last year I used the one by Norway, and many people were actually just standing there for a minute warming up. For once I was glad to see a line for a restroom - because it was heated.
 
Thanks for all the great responses! I've been running at the canal and there is a bathroom at the start but last week it smelled so bad there was no way I was going in there! I don't like to run in my neighborhood because there are no sidewalks and people just fly down the road. Our city isn't terribly runner friendly when it comes to sidewalks. Even the track at the ymca has closed its bathrooms (not to mention going in a circle 20 times is boring as hell!). I'm starting to think I should just wear depends while training!
 
I live in very rural Arkansas. Back roads, no sidewalks, people drive 55+ past my house. I would not run very far from my house due to those and other reasons (wildlife, loose dogs, etc.). So my path is VERY boring - a 1/2 mile out and back, through a stand of pines that does offer great shade when it's ridiculously hot here in summer. One downside I discovered the other day after a storm blew thru was that it gets littered with pine needles, pine cones and branches after a strong wind blows. I was super careful not to trip or slip! The plus side of the route is that every 1/2 mile I am near my bathroom, lol, although I haven't run a long enough long run to need it yet! :)
 
I live in very rural Arkansas. Back roads, no sidewalks, people drive 55+ past my house. I would not run very far from my house due to those and other reasons (wildlife, loose dogs, etc.). So my path is VERY boring - a 1/2 mile out and back, through a stand of pines that does offer great shade when it's ridiculously hot here in summer. One downside I discovered the other day after a storm blew thru was that it gets littered with pine needles, pine cones and branches after a strong wind blows. I was super careful not to trip or slip! The plus side of the route is that every 1/2 mile I am near my bathroom, lol, although I haven't run a long enough long run to need it yet! :)
Are you possibly in NWA??
 
Oh man! I feel like there were SOOOOOO many mistakes! First, during training last year, I never tried to push myself past the 10 mile mark. I use the Galloway method and was doing his training program that's on the runDisney web site. The week that I was supposed to do an 11 mile run/walk, I only went 10 miles and then I pretty much started making up my own training plan after that. I never increased my mileage beyond 10 miles. I should have stuck to the original training plan.

Next, I never followed or even tried to develop an actual hydration and running nutrition plan. Learned my lesson the hard way on race day....

I also did not get enough sleep the night before the race and ended up being nervous and not eating or drinking anything before the race (I had a pre-race meal planned but I was so nervous that I felt I was going to be sick if I ate). I hardly drank at the water stations because I was concerned with needing to use the restroom during the race. I got so many cramps during the race that it hurt just to walk! And I felt it for the next few days!

I didn't stick with my timed intervals during the race at all! This totally messed me up. I got all freaked out and didn't follow my plan at all.

Basically, I didn't properly train to go 13.1 miles and I didn't fuel before or during the race and didn't stay hydrated at all. Ugh. But now I know not to cut any corners and I'm preparing better to tackle this race!

You'll love doing runDisney! Just make sure you follow your training and fuel and hydrate properly! :)
Thank you. I am in it for the long haul now the our weather is cooler. I can see myself making up my own training plan after 10 miles like you do. I will certainly remember that bit of advice. Being diabetic, I know I absolutely need to have a hydration and nutrition plan.
 
I've been known to make a pit stop in the woods in a pinch. :-) My long run usually takes me by my place of work on the way out and the way back, so I stop there sometimes. I try to judge my fluid intake so that I don't have to stop, but sometimes it happens.
 
Thank you. I am in it for the long haul now the our weather is cooler. I can see myself making up my own training plan after 10 miles like you do. I will certainly remember that bit of advice. Being diabetic, I know I absolutely need to have a hydration and nutrition plan.

Cooler? You are lucky. It is currently 103 in California.
 
Cooler? You are lucky. It is currently 103 in California.
90's here in Georgia. The other day it was misting as I hit the trail and I thought it would make things cooler. Nope. The mist stopped and left us with nothing but icky sticky.
 





New Posts










Save Up to 30% on Rooms at Walt Disney World!

Save up to 30% on rooms at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels when you stay 5 consecutive nights or longer in late summer and early fall. Plus, enjoy other savings for shorter stays.This offer is valid for stays most nights from August 1 to October 11, 2025.
CLICK HERE













DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest

Back
Top