Princess Weekend 2022

[SheHulk]

So we're about 13 and a half hours on and nothing is sold out yet..... huh.

Yeah, now I'm feeling kind of sorry I had my DH sign me up right after registration opened, instead of just waiting til I was free and doing it myself. He texted me to tell me he got me in to the challenge and the very next thing he said was: "So, did you know how expensive this race is?" If I had just waited and done it myself I could have shielded him a little from the shock!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Princess Weekend Goals

I've done this for a few years now for Marathon Weekend and thought it was a good experience. Full disclosure, I am saving your responses to be revealed at a later time closer to race day.

Now that registration is out of the way for most of us, I'd love to hear your goals for Princess Weekend. Here's how I see goals. They're personal. You chose it because that goal means something to you. It's important to you. Which means your goal is important to me. No goal is too big or too small. The person's goal to finish their first 5K and another's to take down Disney World HM Record are equally important to me. So, I'd love to hear yours. And yes, even the super secret I don't want to admit it goals.

Here are some ideas if you haven't thought about it:

Finish my first: 5K, 10K, Half, Challenge
Finish with a time goal
Run a race with a family member
Overcome an adversity in your life
Parking lot Beer!
Beat a family member
Get as many character photos as possible
Get a character photo with a certain character
Do lots of park time and enjoy the races
Have fun
Run a World Record
Run a PB
Wear a certain character outfit

So, let's hear them! What's your goal? Remember yesterday you signed up for a race during princess weekend for a reason, so what is it?

My goals

-Make it to race day healthy and able to fully enjoy my first Princess Weekend.
-Run the 5k with my daughter in full blown Wanda and Vision costumes. It'll be her first 5k, and my first time wearing a costume in a runDisney race. Literally what dreams are made of, since this was the overarching goal nine years ago before she was even born.
-Finish Top 3 overall in the 10k. It's a lofty goal. I was initially disappointed that the Age Group awards were taken away. But I decided to turn that disappointment into motivation. The odds are against me, but if I reach greater fitness levels than my previous peak than it's possible.
-Finish the 10k in under 40 minutes.
-Finish the HM in under 90 minutes. Remains to be seen, but temps will need to be good to pull this off after the 10k.
-Meet new and old DIS'ers at meetups throughout the weekend.

 

[Naomeri]

Princess Weekend Goals:

1) finish all 3 races in one (functional) piece without getting swept
2) run all 3 races in some kind of costume/themed outfit
3) HAVE FUN!
4) get a picture coming out of Cinderella Castle
5) get lots of pictures during the 5K in case I don’t have a lot of time during the other races

 

[Wvujodie30]

Love this idea! My goals:
Train a bit harder this time as I feel like I'm in better shape than the last race.
Be more present during the race this time and enjoy the scenery, characters, etc.
Make it to the magic kingdom to see the castle before it is daylight (this is a big one for me)

 

[SheHulk]

My goals are to PR in fun, as they say. I have too many costume ideas and only 2 races (plus the two for Goofy in January)!
So my goals are
-awesome costumes
-all photo stops, even any villains which I never care to get a picture with. I think my plan for both races is to run pretty fast in between photo stops and just commit to stopping at all of them for a break
-go to some meetups
-maybe even cross the half finish line with an alcoholic drink? That may be too much for me. If not then definitely a parking lot beer.

 

[The Expert]

I'm doing just the 5K with my mom and aunt, so my only goal is to make sure they finish and enjoy it!

 

[patty22407]

First runDisney race, will be running with my new daughter in law - we've agreed to make it our family tradition. (tradition is the goal part)

 

[HangWithMerida]

My goals:
1. Complete my first challenge! I have never run races back to back days or even long training runs, for that matter. I am not worried about being able to physically finish the races as I will be on the back end of my race season and well trained. It's more that I have been debating a challenge for a while and this is my chance to actually do it!
2. Have a fun HM with my husband. He has started training and this will be his first race and HM in over 2 years.
3. Enjoy our first adults only trip in over 2 years!
4. Run past the castle! I can't wait for this. I have run through or past all the other parks but never MK!

 

[azrivest]

5k goal (because yes I caved): get as many photo ops as possible. I signed up to enjoy it as much as I can, going as slowly as possible

Challenge goal: run under 4h total so like @SheHulk I can fit in as many pictures as possible, while running as fast as I can in between stops. My HM race pace is usually around 6:25/k

Specific HM goal: most important for me, and why I'm doing my first runDisney race ever, to get that iconic castle picture.



I'd also like to meet some of you if we can organize a meetup

 

[HangWithMerida]

Expo hours:



Nothing early enough for yoga, so they must have a different plan in place for that. Like a ticketed event kind of thing, a la after hours parties.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

Goals:
1. My first 1/2 marathon, so completing and not getting swept.
2. First challenge, so running back to back without getting swept.
3. Cross the finish line in at least one of the races with a drink in my hand.
4. Get down to my pre pregnancy weight. I started running again to help lose weight. I have so far lost 30 pounds.
5. Have cool fun pics in my costumes while running.

 

[patty22407]

So, I've watched a few Princess 5K videos on youtube and notice the mylar-type blankets (not a blanket!) that have the run disney logo on them - are those for purchase at the expo?

 

[camaker]

So, I've watched a few Princess 5K videos on youtube and notice the mylar-type blankets (not a blanket!) that have the run disney logo on them - are those for purchase at the expo?

I’ve never seen them available for purchase. They’re handed out at the end of races in cold (for FL) weather. Many people save them and use them as a throwaway for warmth on subsequent mornings. I buy them cheaply in bulk on Amazon (without the rD logo) and always have a couple on hand just in case it turns out to be chilly the morning of a race.

 

[patty22407]

I’ve never seen them available for purchase. They’re handed out at the end of races in cold (for FL) weather. Many people save them and use them as a throwaway for warmth on subsequent mornings. I buy them cheaply in bulk on Amazon (without the rD logo) and always have a couple on hand just in case it turns out to be chilly the morning of a race.

Thanks, i'm doing Princess for my first runDisney and was curious

 

[The Expert]

I’ve never seen them available for purchase. They’re handed out at the end of races in cold (for FL) weather. Many people save them and use them as a throwaway for warmth on subsequent mornings. I buy them cheaply in bulk on Amazon (without the rD logo) and always have a couple on hand just in case it turns out to be chilly the morning of a race.

For the record, I've done probably 10 rD race weekends between MW, Princess and Star Wars over the last 5 years, and have never once been offered one of these at the finish as it has never been cold enough. If you think you may need one, I highly suggest bringing your own.

 

[Nessats]

My daughter and I have done the 5k and 10k for Princess weekend from 2017-2020. I think 2020 was the only time we have been offered the mylar blankets at the end of a race.

 

[Spikester]

Where would you get a drink at the end for the HM? I'm trying to picture the course through EPCOT and thinking about what is open. Anyway, that sounds like an awesome plan!

My goals are to run/walk the whole half. (I'm only a walker now and starting to add in running intervals)
Get a lot of pictures, and also one at the castle, I never stop for them usually.

And of course have a fun time!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

So, let's hear them! What's your goal? Remember yesterday you signed up for a race during princess weekend for a reason, so what is it?

My professional life is much too busy to run at Disney World in February. However I found this year that training virtually for Princess helped my mental health during a very trying time due to pandemic related law changes and the demands that placed on me professionally.

Accordingly, I think I'm going to register for one of the virtual races as that will help me resume running after marathon weekend instead of taking the easy route and not running after Dopey recovery. Currently leaning towards the 5K based on which of this year's race themes is my favorite within those available. May add the 10K because I can get lazy and that distance requires more work from me, which is really the purpose of this.

So here are my goals for the weekend:

1. Actually do the race(s) on race weekend. For 2021 virtual races, I had to adjust my race schedule due to various personal life commitments during actual race weekend that were not even on my radar when I signed up. This does not necessarily mean that I run the distance(s) on their actual days.

2. Continue my tradition of some sort of Disney Princess and Star Wars mashup for the virtual races even if that only involves using Mandalorian armor tech shirts in princess colors from this year because they're just cool and make me laugh.

 

[SaludosPenguinos]

I’ve never seen them available for purchase. They’re handed out at the end of races in cold (for FL) weather. Many people save them and use them as a throwaway for warmth on subsequent mornings. I buy them cheaply in bulk on Amazon (without the rD logo) and always have a couple on hand just in case it turns out to be chilly the morning of a race.

Added note about the mylar: I remember in the pre-race announcement prior to princess 2020 to make sure to toss those prior to crossing the start as they can interfere with the timing chip in the bib...so a throw-away sweatshirt might still be a good idea if you think you'll need it. I think I tossed my sweatshirt at mile 3 that cool morning!

 

[Spikester]

I have running skirts with pockets, so kept my Run Disney ones, and on race morning folded up my mylar blanket and put them in my pocket (away from the bib) so I have a collection of Run Disney ones.