Official Tinker Bell Half Marathon Check-In ** May 5-8, 2016 ** 5th Anniversary

[ced140]

Hello everyone! Would love to get added to the list - I’ve signed up for the Tinker Bell Half. This will be my second half marathon and first time to Disneyland. I’m so excited to run through Anaheim!

Thinking about running as Rapunzel or Cinderella. I don't see myself getting too detailed with the costumes, though. It will probably be an Etsy skirt over my tights with a simple matching tank.

 

[Pinktink11]

Hi everyone! A friend of mine has asked me to do the Tinkerbell Half with her and I've come here for some advice. I'm not a runner, I've never done a race. Would it be crazy for me to sign up to do this? I do have 7 months to train and I plan to do more of a jog/walk. I have no idea what 13.1 miles feels like once you're in the thick of it. Is it doable for a complete novice like me? I'd love to do the 5K or maybe even a 10K but they're sold out . Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[kim3339]

I think a 1/2 in 7 months is totally doable. A lot of 1/2 training plans are 12 weeks and you can find longer training plans that give you more of a build up in the 1st couple of weeks before longer runs. Some places to look for plans are on the rD site, they have Jeff Galloway plans(his plans are really long and start w/ really low mileage), Runner's World, Cool Running, I've seen plans in Shape and Women's Health magazines as well. My suggestion would be to look at as many different plans and choose the 1 that works best for you, b/c if you like it, you'll stick to it better. Another thing is if you see two plans you like or parts of 1 w/ parts of another, combine them and make a super plan.

Some random tips ~ don't increase your weekly mileage by more than 15% each week, b/c you'll be more susceptible to injuries. Your long run shouldn't be more than the total of the rest of your runs for that week for the same reasons. You don't need to do the full 13 miles before race day, most plans top out at 10/11 miles; the adrenaline race day will carry you through the last 2 miles. Don't sweat it if you miss a couple of runs, life happens and it's not going to set you back. Play around w/ fuel on your long runs so you go into race day knowing what works, race day isn't the day to try anything new. Race day, don't start out too fast where it comes back to bite you in the butt the last few miles; run your own race.

 

[Pinktink11]

Thank you for the great tips, Kim! I love a challenge so I think that I'm going to go for it! I'll let you all know when I sign up so I can be added to the list.

 

[kirstie101]

Hi everyone! A friend of mine has asked me to do the Tinkerbell Half with her and I've come here for some advice. I'm not a runner, I've never done a race. Would it be crazy for me to sign up to do this? I do have 7 months to train and I plan to do more of a jog/walk. I have no idea what 13.1 miles feels like once you're in the thick of it. Is it doable for a complete novice like me? I'd love to do the 5K or maybe even a 10K but they're sold out . Thanks in advance for any advice!

Kim gave you excellent advice! I'll add that I too think 7 months is very doable! I actually started running in March 2012 and ended up doing my first half in October 2012 so that was 7 months for me too and I didn't even plan it that way. I stated out with couch to 5 K and just kept going from there. As long as you don't have any set time goals you want to meet you should be able to train to maintain the 16 minute mile pace that disney requires. Do a 5K in a few months and a 10K a few months after that and you'll be ready to take on your first half in May! Sometimes you never know what you're capable of until you're challenged to do it!

 

[Pinktink11]

Thank you Kirstie!! You've both made me feel SO much better about this!!

 

[Pinktink11]

Ok, I did it!! I signed myself and my husband up for the Half! I also booked our hotel (two nights in the Grand). Now I need to get some good running shoes and start training. I know that I have plenty of time but I don't want to get injured. So super excited about this! Thank you for pushing me over the edge; I can do this!!

 

[huggybuff]

Ok, I did it!! I signed myself and my husband up for the Half! I also booked our hotel (two nights in the Grand). Now I need to get some good running shoes and start training. I know that I have plenty of time but I don't want to get injured. So super excited about this! Thank you for pushing me over the edge; I can do this!!

Congrats!!! Welcome to the party! Have you decided what training plan you're going to use?

 

[Pinktink11]

Thank you!! I haven't yet, I'm still looking at all of the plans to see what's going to work best for me. DH and I are going to sit down tonight and make a game plan. At least we'll be training in the cooler months. It gets so hot up here in Northern CA in the summer/early fall.

 

[huggybuff]

Thank you!! I haven't yet, I'm still looking at all of the plans to see what's going to work best for me. DH and I are going to sit down tonight and make a game plan. At least we'll be training in the cooler months. It gets so hot up here in Northern CA in the summer/early fall.

Hah. Tell me about it. I'm in Sacto.

 

[kirstie101]

Thank you!! I haven't yet, I'm still looking at all of the plans to see what's going to work best for me. DH and I are going to sit down tonight and make a game plan. At least we'll be training in the cooler months. It gets so hot up here in Northern CA in the summer/early fall.

Hah. Tell me about it. I'm in Sacto.

Yay I'm glad you signed up! I hope training goes good for you! Make sure you go to a good running store to get fitted for shoes
I'm in Elk Grove!

 

[Pinktink11]

That's my next step, Kirstie! My DH runs and he's familiar with a good running store. I'm in Vacaville, not too far from you ladies!

 

[ThumperWabbt]

Tell me the good running store...I'm in Dixon!

 

[Pinktink11]

Wow, lots of us Bay Area/Sacramento folks here! DH swears by Fleet Feet in Vacaville. They're downtown. I guess that they will watch you run and ask questions, etc and then recommend a running shoe for you. DH had plantar fasciitis and since visiting them, he no longer has issues with it. He has to run for his job so he needs good shoes. They're not cheap though!

 

[wehrengrizz]

This just kind of hit me to ask in this awesome group... I live in North Dakota...outdoor training is...rough haha in almost all the months leading up to the TB1/2 --anyone have good training tips for indoors? I am not a huge fan of treadmills (thank you shin splints and bad knees), and tracks are boring but get it done...elliptical? Will that be an okay substitution? I'm doing the 10K. Thanks everyone

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Some friends and I have signed up for the 1/2 marathon. Great advice Kim3339.

Hoping to hear some help with the treadmill training too. I'm near Toronto in Canada and the snow usually stays until early April.

 

[Chiomaca]

Hi everyone! A friend of mine has asked me to do the Tinkerbell Half with her and I've come here for some advice. I'm not a runner, I've never done a race. Would it be crazy for me to sign up to do this? I do have 7 months to train and I plan to do more of a jog/walk. I have no idea what 13.1 miles feels like once you're in the thick of it. Is it doable for a complete novice like me? I'd love to do the 5K or maybe even a 10K but they're sold out . Thanks in advance for any advice!

We all had to start somewhere! Congrats on signing up. Kim gave great advice. Remember that we all have bad days, and some runs are going to stink and make you question yourself. Find yourself a mantra to use to get you into a rhythm if that sort of thing helps you (mine is "Pain in inevitible, suffering is optional"...used more in full marathons than halfs now, but absolutely during my first two halfs!) I'm a big proponent of finding a running group. No matter how slow or fast you are, you can nearly always find someone who is at or near where you are. A lot of the good running stores have beginning running programs you could check out, too.

This just kind of hit me to ask in this awesome group... I live in North Dakota...outdoor training is...rough haha in almost all the months leading up to the TB1/2 --anyone have good training tips for indoors? I am not a huge fan of treadmills (thank you shin splints and bad knees), and tracks are boring but get it done...elliptical? Will that be an okay substitution? I'm doing the 10K. Thanks everyone

The elliptical will give you the cardio you need, but you really need to run to get your legs used to the motion and the impact that comes from running for several hours at a time. I know tracks and treadmills are boring but there are ways to make things better - doing intervals and different workouts to change things up so that you aren't just hitting a button and/or running mindlessly running in circles. I'd say to do as much outdoors as you can, my lower limit is somewhere around 15 degrees - with the right clothing it still hurts for the first few miles but then it gets better. I did have some pictures of my water bottle dripping icicles at the end of my long weekend runs this winter but I never completely froze. Hand warmers inside your gloves, lots of layers with extra over your core and yak trax or other additions to your shoes if it's icy. Once you can't do that anymore, I'd try a treadmill/track/elliptical rotation. How soon does that happen in South Dakota? In Vermont I managed to run outside until mid December some years.

Belle Ella - I'm in for PDC. My mom has decided to run the Half after telling me post-San Francisco Half this year that she was sticking with 10ks...so we'll see how that goes. At least the Anaheim courses are flat compared to SF.

 

[wehrengrizz]

Edit to remove the quoted part that clearly quoted incorrectly :-/

Thanks for the advice! ND it can be anywhere from SEpt-Dec before it's horrid haha. Pretty mild thus far, so that's lucky. I'm hoping it stays nicer until the 1st week of Dec so we can drive to/from Minneapolis for flights to WDW

 

[hiroMYhero]

Here's the 2017 runDisney schedule:

 

[kirstie101]

Here's the 2017 runDisney schedule:
View attachment 127476

Thanks!!!! Off to fill out my calendar!!!!