Official Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend 2015 Thread ** May 7-10, 2015

[Where'sPiglet?]

Off topic, but I finished the Hot Chocolate 15k yesterday! It turns out they only had up through corral L, so I didn't have much extra time, but I was still able to finish the entire course. Some people at the back had to make a turn early to catch up a bit.

It was a hilly course, which I knew going in; it's Seattle. My gps on my phone with Map My Run app shows an overall elevation gain of 949 feet. The lowest point was -21 feet and the highest was 270. I'm looking forward to the much flatter Disneyland course!

 

[Miranda]

I hope Anaheim is pretty flat! All my training so far has been on the treadmill due to the awful NH winter!

 

[kim3339]

Off topic, but I finished the Hot Chocolate 15k yesterday! It turns out they only had up through corral L, so I didn't have much extra time, but I was still able to finish the entire course. Some people at the back had to make a turn early to catch up a bit.

It was a hilly course, which I knew going in; it's Seattle. My gps on my phone with Map My Run app shows an overall elevation gain of 949 feet. The lowest point was -21 feet and the highest was 270. I'm looking forward to the much flatter Disneyland course!

Congrats on the race! I didn't know Seattle had areas below sea level. Is it common up there like New Orleans?

I hope Anaheim is pretty flat! All my training so far has been on the treadmill due to the awful NH winter!

Pretty flat! We start on an overramp, turn on to another, turn on to yet another and then an underpass to start, all Mile 1. After that flat, throughout until mile 11.5 or so, going up Manchester right before we turn onto Harbor, there's a slight increase, but nothing big at all. Then we do the underpass to the backside of DCA again onto the finish.

 

[VickiHD]

Pretty flat! We start on an overramp, turn on to another, turn on to yet another and then an underpass to start, all Mile 1. After that flat, throughout until mile 11.5 or so, going up Manchester right before we turn onto Harbor, there's a slight increase, but nothing big at all. Then we do the underpass to the backside of DCA again onto the finish.

Personally.. I'm not a fan of the underpass from DL to DCA. I'm always afraid I'm going to slip. It seems a little slick to me.

 

[Chiomaca]

I'm not a fan of that area either.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Congrats on the race! I didn't know Seattle had areas below sea level. Is it common up there like New Orleans?

It's not common, but we did go through a tunnel after passing mile marker 2, so maybe it was below sea level in the tunnel. Or maybe my gps was a little off; I don't know. We were near the waterfront for a bit at the beginning while going downhill, so it could have been there too.

 

[Keels]

A Travel Agent still has Pixie Dust Challenge bibs ... I need someone to talk me out of this.

 

[kim3339]

A Travel Agent still has Pixie Dust Challenge bibs ... I need someone to talk me out of this.

Pros and cons ~

Cons - wait until next year, it'll be the 5th anniversary; new weekend so we can be your test subjects for weather and park crowds; and if you don't like the PdC medal they might tweak it for next year.

Pros - fave course and most park/resort time out of all DL races; Tink has the red hat ladies and they are the best; and if you like the medal it's an inagural year which is always cool to have.

 

[Keels]

Pros and cons ~

Cons - wait until next year, it'll be the 5th anniversary; new weekend so we can be your test subjects for weather and park crowds; and if you don't like the PdC medal they might tweak it for next year.

Pros - fave course and most park/resort time out of all DL races; Tink has the red hat ladies and they are the best; and if you like the medal it's an inagural year which is always cool to have.

All great points. I also missed Proof of Time deadline, which means I'll be in the back. That concerns me.

 

[kim3339]

All great points. I also missed Proof of Time deadline, which means I'll be in the back. That concerns me.

But if you enter through a travel agent would you still be able to put a time on the registration info since you aren't registered yet?

 

[Keels]

Yeah - it has a spot for me to check if I will finish under 3:15.

 

[Keels]

Ugh, and now I just check flights and I can use points for THE PERFECT flights still. And I can get all the Marriotts in the area for $138/night. I just don't know that the husband will want to take another trip - he's in Vegas for the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight the weekend before. Grrrr.

 

[kim3339]

Ugh, and now I just check flights and I can use points for THE PERFECT flights still. And I can get all the Marriotts in the area for $138/night. I just don't know that the husband will want to take another trip - he's in Vegas for the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight the weekend before. Grrrr.

He's going to the fight!! So jealous, I'd love to go to that.

I know you want to be talked out of it, but do you have an AP? Because if you do, coming out for Tink would make your AP cheaper if you break down what you paid and how many days you go. But also, if you do, you'd have the park tix that come w/ the travel agent that wouldn't go to use unless you sold them.

 

[Keels]

He's going to the fight!! So jealous, I'd love to go to that.

I know you want to be talked out of it, but do you have an AP? Because if you do, coming out for Tink would make your AP cheaper if you break down what you paid and how many days you go. But also, if you do, you'd have the park tix that come w/ the travel agent that wouldn't go to use unless you sold them.

Yeah - for "work". He has the best job in the world!

I don't have an AP for Disneyland. I was going to break down and get one for WDW when I'm there for Wine & Dine, since we'll be there for Wine & Dine, WDW Marathon and Princess. I just don't know that I can justify doing APs at both parks ... or can I? Hmmm ...

 

[kim3339]

Yeah - for "work". He has the best job in the world!

I don't have an AP for Disneyland. I was going to break down and get one for WDW when I'm there for Wine & Dine, since we'll be there for Wine & Dine, WDW Marathon and Princess. I just don't know that I can justify doing APs at both parks ... or can I? Hmmm ...

I got the Premium at the end of last year for the same reason; the only thing that sucks is that there isn't a monthly payment option like at DL. I just figured out how many days I'd be using is to see if it was cheaper than buying individual tix w/ the race discount. For me, the individual tix were cheaper by $50, but then when I added in all the discounts and discounts at the expo, it made up for the difference and then some... or more. The nice thing is that the discount is more at DL ~ on retail, 20% and we get discounts on food, 15%.

 

[Keels]

I got the Premium at the end of last year for the same reason; the only thing that sucks is that there isn't a monthly payment option like at DL. I just figured out how many days I'd be using is to see if it was cheaper than buying individual tix w/ the race discount. For me, the individual tix were cheaper by $50, but then when I added in all the discounts and discounts at the expo, it made up for the difference and then some... or more. The nice thing is that the discount is more at DL ~ on retail, 20% and we get discounts on food, 15%.

That was my thinking for WDW (plus, we still own a house there so I believe we qualify for Florida Resident status by virtue of that mortgage - which makes a big $$ difference, and I was only looking at a Seasonal pass which is like $355 ... ). I can probably justify Disneyland as well IF I do Tink this year (not planned), DLH (registered) and Tink next year (planned).

All that said, after talking with my running buddies, I think I'm going to make the final decision if 1) I feel good enough after my Half on the 14th and 2) there are still bibs left. I REALLY want to do it, but I don't want to do too much too quickly ...

 

[Belle Ella]

Just reading through, and good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

[Keels]

Just reading through, and good luck with whatever you decide to do!

Thanks! I also gotta keep my ole friend Credit Card in mind. Two entries to W&D, plus another $436 for Pixie Dust within days of each other won't be too friendly to the poor little guy ...

 

[Chiomaca]

All great points. I also missed Proof of Time deadline, which means I'll be in the back. That concerns me.

I have dropped back to start in the last corral with friends and we never had a problem with timing. We tried to start relatively close to the front of the corral, be even so as long as we kept moving, we were good. I'd really only be concerned if your average is hovering right at or above the 16 min/mile. The credit card...well, that pain can't be avoided.

BTW, if you have the DL AP you may be able to upgrade to the Premier Passport, although that might be more than you're looking for. I did that for this year since I ran Goofy, and am planning to run Tink and Avengers. (Trying to decide about Wine and Dine, too.)

 

[Keels]

I have dropped back to start in the last corral with friends and we never had a problem with timing. We tried to start relatively close to the front of the corral, be even so as long as we kept moving, we were good. I'd really only be concerned if your average is hovering right at or above the 16 min/mile. The credit card...well, that pain can't be avoided.

BTW, if you have the DL AP you may be able to upgrade to the Premier Passport, although that might be more than you're looking for. I did that for this year since I ran Goofy, and am planning to run Tink and Avengers. (Trying to decide about Wine and Dine, too.)

I'm hovering right around 11-12 minutes right now, but would like to cut that time down even more. I think the sizes of the corrals towards the back is what makes me nervous.

That's good to know about the last corral, though! Thanks!!