Official all things Princess Half Weekend 2015 thread! DOoneY and offical mErcH on DisneyParksBLOg

[appleorchard]

I just wish I had seen the balloon ladies pass me. I must have been applying Biofreeze or something, I never saw them until they said we were 30 seconds behind them and needed to catch up. I normally do a 15 minute mile, but my leg just wouldn't go yesterday. Naturally, today it feels just fine lol.

Nobody's fault, just bad luck. I felt so terrible calling my daughter and granddaughter waiting on the Boardwalk with their Go Grandma signs. Last year I did all three races and never saw the balloon ladies, but my pace was fine last year.

Maybe next year, but I'll be 65, I don't think this is going to get easier....

 

[DIS-OH]

I just wish I had seen the balloon ladies pass me. I must have been applying Biofreeze or something, I never saw them until they said we were 30 seconds behind them and needed to catch up. I normally do a 15 minute mile, but my leg just wouldn't go yesterday. Naturally, today it feels just fine lol.

Nobody's fault, just bad luck. I felt so terrible calling my daughter and granddaughter waiting on the Boardwalk with their Go Grandma signs. Last year I did all three races and never saw the balloon ladies, but my pace was fine last year.

Maybe next year, but I'll be 65, I don't think this is going to get easier....

I'm sorry to hear you had a difficult race.

But hearing that you are still out there giving it a go, gives me hope that I still have some running years ahead of me!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

appleorchard - Sorry you had a difficult race but I'm glad you posted about it on the board. I feel sometimes people that don't have good races don't speak up as much as those that do have good races.

 

[Slogger]

I just wish I had seen the balloon ladies pass me.
Nobody's fault, just bad luck. I felt so terrible calling my daughter and granddaughter waiting on the Boardwalk with their Go Grandma signs. Last year I did all three races and never saw the balloon ladies, but my pace was fine last year.

Maybe next year, but I'll be 65, I don't think this is going to get easier....

Sorry to hear you didn't fare as well as you had hoped. We've all had bad days. Hope that you will stick with it.....better days ahead.

 

[appleorchard]

Thanks, everyone. Last year I did all three races and had such a great time, I'd encourage anyone to go out there and do it. This year, I was plagued by injuries, including hip bursitis, tendinitis and two days before, a car door to my face!

 

[Keels]

I just wish I had seen the balloon ladies pass me. I must have been applying Biofreeze or something, I never saw them until they said we were 30 seconds behind them and needed to catch up. I normally do a 15 minute mile, but my leg just wouldn't go yesterday. Naturally, today it feels just fine lol.

Nobody's fault, just bad luck. I felt so terrible calling my daughter and granddaughter waiting on the Boardwalk with their Go Grandma signs. Last year I did all three races and never saw the balloon ladies, but my pace was fine last year.

Maybe next year, but I'll be 65, I don't think this is going to get easier....

I'm really freaking proud of you, though!! I'm sorry this race didn't go your way, but you are an inspiration.

You've done more races than people half - or even a third! - of your age have done - like me!

I know you would've crushed it if everything would have been working for you. And I hope you find it in your heart to move past this singular sad moment and try again.

 

[susall]

It was my first HM and well, 21km are really much! After 15 km I was like: what am I doing? why keep running? lets just walk home... the 2:45 pacer saved my run! Must have started one corral behind me. I had someone to follow and it made the run really easier. Unfortunately I could not thank her :-(
As soon as the sun got up it became so hot! I really pitty all who started in the last corrals, they must have had the worst conditions!

 

[susall]

Did you hear the announcement about Disney Run 2016 Paris? It will be HM at end of September. Hopefully they have also a 5k - HM will probably stay a once in a life time for me

 

[Mil leech]

That makes me sad There are going to be a lot of princess with tears in their eyes when the find out Disney sold out on the first day.

I was so sad. If anyone has an extra satchel they want to sell please PM me... I would rather buy through a runner.

 

[Eeyore2142]

I managed to finish the glass slipper challenge. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but I loved every minute of it. My knee is messed up (was prior to the race), and I have an MRI on that tomorrow. I also managed to sprain my foot. It was fine after the 10, but hurt the morning of the half. My husband also managed to fall off the bed when checking the top of the armoire and sprained his ankle. He already told me I can do this again next year.

 

[Ariel484]

I was so sad. If anyone has an extra satchel they want to sell please PM me... I would rather buy through a runner.

I hear they are going to sell that print again soon! It would just be without the PHM tag...so hopefully they will start popping up!

 

[PrincessV]

Did the 10k this AM. This was my first Princess race and my third rD race. A few thoughts:...

-I was surprised by the total absence of princesses on the course!

Ditto that! I remember there being more in the 10K last year and I was so surprised by their absence this year.

It was an awful race for me...

Not a fun experience, don't know if I have the heart to do it again next year.

I am so, so sorry. It sounds like things just weren't lining up for you this time around, but please don't count yourself out! Bad race weekends happen; BT/DT. But coming back and making it through a great one feels soooo good!

 

[PrincessV]

CONGRATS to all who raced this past weekend! I'm happy to have finished my 3rd PHM and 2nd GSC feeling stronger than ever - a happy surprise, as I was NOT feeling it going into the weekend. This was my last Princess for a while and my goal was just to have fun... mission accomplished!

It was such a weird race weekend with the weather - this Floridian stayed pretty warm for the 5K... in my 3 layers of running gear plus a down jacket, lol! Dropped down to 2 layers for the 10K and was comfortable, and absolutely thrived in the warmer half weather - that was pretty much perfect conditions for me! I managed to get all the pics I wanted and had an absolute BLAST with friends all weekend. I really couldn't ask for better to end my PHM run.

 

[AThrillingChase]

I hear they are going to sell that print again soon! It would just be without the PHM tag...so hopefully they will start popping up!

I was in line to pay for the crossbody when the woman behind me got the very last of the larger bag. And a couple of people right behind us were not happy at all and started yelling! I did see a lot of people with 2 or 3 of things (like, their hubby had the 3rd) and one lady with 3 was complaining about people putting them on ebay. I have no idea what she'd need 3 for if not to ebay them! I do feel bad for runners who were shut out though. I had no intention of buying the bag but it was the first thing I saw when I walked into the expo and I just got caught up - and now I am in love with it! As well as this cute little drink tumbler I am currently using.

Ditto that! I remember there being more in the 10K last year and I was so surprised by their absence this year.

I definitely thought this for the 5k. We did not have many characters at all, and the only princesses we got were Anna and Elsa, who were on a stage and unavailable for pictures. I want to say maybe only half a dozen characters total! But, they were all just the classics like Mickey and Pluto, etc. Made me think it was too cold for face characters?

And congrats @PrincessV ! We will miss you out there!

 

[Neoflynn]

It was an awful race for me. My GPS watch took forever to get a signal and then inexplicably died in the first mile. My phone was gobbling up the battery so I couldn't switch to a running app there. I was really slow, could not find a rhythm with my hip and whatever muscle goes down the back of your leg(I'm a nurse, I should know these things) and not knowing how fast I was going made it difficult to pace myself. Long story short, I got swept between miles 10 and 11.

I never even saw the balloon ladies pass us and I never stopped anywhere, I must have been applying Biofreeze or something. The only warning we got was a few minutes before, that we were 30 seconds behind. My pace was very slow, 18 minute/mile, but starting at the beginning of M, I thought I had enough cushion. They pulled the police car over about 20 seconds in front of my, just near the overpass. I was devastated, I just stood there and cried.

I did learn a few lessons--one, don't travel with family for a family vacation in conjunction with this. Obviously, this doesn't apply to everyone, just to people like my who traveled with a granddaughter who demands a lot of my attention and a daughter with no interest in running (although she's very supportive). My granddaughter did the kid's race and fell halfway and really banged up both knees and her elbow, so we had lots of drama that day and little sleep the night before the half. If I were fast enough not to have to worry about being swept, none of this would be a problem, but I've been battling this hip for months and really wasn't as well trained as I was last year.

There were tons of people behind me, so I can't imagine how many people got swept. Two buses full at my stop.

Not a fun experience, don't know if I have the heart to do it again next year.

So sorry this happened to you, its the worst fear of every runner, don't let it discourage you for future races though...one bad run that's all it was, get back out there and crush your next race

 

[PrincessV]

I definitely thought this for the 5k. We did not have many characters at all, and the only princesses we got were Anna and Elsa, who were on a stage and unavailable for pictures. I want to say maybe only half a dozen characters total! But, they were all just the classics like Mickey and Pluto, etc. Made me think it was too cold for face characters?

Your thought is much nicer than mine, lol! I'm convinced it's $$$. I was shocked at how few photo stops there were for the 5K! I heard another guess that maybe they want to cut down on how many people are stopping for pics... but isn't that the whole point of it being a DISNEY race? IDK - it was strange.

And congrats @PrincessV ! We will miss you out there!

Thank you! I'll probably tag along on the 2016 thread in case I can be of any help to new folks. It's a little bittersweet saying goodbye to this one, as it was my first race, first half, first challenge. But I'm ready to try some new adventures!

 

[Gryhndmom]

CONGRATS to all who raced this past weekend! I'm happy to have finished my 3rd PHM and 2nd GSC feeling stronger than ever - a happy surprise, as I was NOT feeling it going into the weekend. This was my last Princess for a while and my goal was just to have fun... mission accomplished!

It was such a weird race weekend with the weather - this Floridian stayed pretty warm for the 5K... in my 3 layers of running gear plus a down jacket, lol! Dropped down to 2 layers for the 10K and was comfortable, and absolutely thrived in the warmer half weather - that was pretty much perfect conditions for me! I managed to get all the pics I wanted and had an absolute BLAST with friends all weekend. I really couldn't ask for better to end my PHM run.

Noooo....Princess V it won't be the same without you as I do my last PHM/half marathon next Feb ! I will look for your OUTSTANDING help on the 2016 thread.

Btw...has someone started the official 2016 thread ?!

 

[Disneyland_emily]

For the 5k I'm about 90% sure it was the weather that kept the princesses away vs 'design' but I can see the whole 'gotta keep peeps moving' as we stopped for minnie and 35 min later had the pic, had we stopped for all 4 it'd have been almost a 1.5-2 hr 5k.. The runners in front of us didn't see them as a 'hug n shove' meet but a lets take every combo of pic we can think of (solos/groups etc) even with the handlers telling people to go go go..

 

[AThrillingChase]

Anyone else here going to do wine and dine?? I was waiting to see how PHM shook out before finalizing my decision, but I had a good race for my first half and now I'm pumped for it!

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

Back in the snow and cold this morning. I was in line for the Dooneys around 11:00 am on Thursday. I saw multiple people buying more than the limit of two per bag. The cashiers would just ring them up in separate transactions. The ladies at the display tables were telling people the limit, but one lady said people were walking out with more at 10:00 am. I saw families where everybody had the limit on them. Also, one CM was restocking the bags by the handful. On a bus to MK, I heard they only had 5,000 bags. I bought the cross body, because I didn't want to spend a fortune. I wanted the special tag. After spending near $60 on race merchandise, I thought for $60 more I could buy the smaller bag. Which my family agreed with, because they know I like Dooney. The purse should be around longer than a shirt. I returned the $35 shirt I bought, but kept the magnet and trading pin.