Princess Weekend 2023 (Feb 23-26, 2023)

[Naomeri]

I’ve carried my little handheld water bottle for each of my Disney races longer than a 10K (all 3 of them ) and I never use it, except maybe one sip out on the highway miles. I’m going to try going without for the Princess Half next weekend.

I do use it on long training runs though (unless it’s so cold that the spout freezes closed ), since my neighborhood doesn’t have wonderful volunteers handing me water every couple miles.

 

[Bree]

I can’t stand things in my hands when I run. I have gone through so many variations of belts with water bottles over the years and a vest too.

I now alternate between the UltrAspire Synaptic (one bottle) and the UltrAspire Speedgoat 3.0 (two bottles). I mostly use Tailwind for fuel. The belt I use depends on the distance I’m running and access to water to mix more tailwind on the go.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

I often use a Nathan handheld bottle during races as well. I will say that I ran without it during the marathon and was fine with the on-course water (I just picked up two cups at each station). However, I'm also really bad at drinking from a cup while running, so I had to walk for a bit after the aid stations. If I had been really racing, I'd definitely have wanted to carry my own water so I could run and drink at the same time.

 

[Beachmom0317]

Wow so many recommendations for the Nathan handheld! I have a Nathan waist pack with one bottle but it's gonna mess up my costume haha I wish I had thought of trying the Nathan handheld during my training! I'm ambivalent to add something so soon to racetime but I'm going to order one because maybe I'll prefer it in the future! I can echo that I do like the waist pack zippered pouch for car keys, snacks, etc

 

[DopeyBadger]

I'm a fish out of water when it comes to drinking water when running. I consume about 40oz of water per hour in training. I've raced with a water bottle belt and a handheld water bottle. I had hip issues when I ran with a water bottle belt, and I prefer not to run with the handheld. So I just use what is available on course. I assume 3 oz of water per cup, and depending on the number of aid stations drink as many cups as I need. One of the reasons I like Disney races is because of the number of aid stations and length of them. So I can get away with not carrying anything during Disney races. I do still carry a 5oz Hammer Nutrition bottle with concentrated Tailwind.

On a semi-related note, for my northern brethren living in the cold it's time to start thinking about heat acclimation training. While you can't be fully prepared for the increased temps and higher humidity/dew point, you can better prepare yourself compared to doing nothing. It takes about 2 weeks or 10 workouts to fully acclimate. A good strategy is to dress about 20-30F warmer than the actual temperature. So if it is 40F outside, then dress like it is 10-20F instead. Wearing a poorly venting jacket is a plus. You want to sweat, and then have no where for that sweat/heat to go. Creating a micro-climate around your skin. Even if we end up getting cooler temps at Princess, the use of heat acclimation training can still be useful. Just be mindful to cut your cool down short because as soon as you stop running hard, you'll cool off quickly.

 

[bumbershoot]

it hit home how much further I was running by not running the tangents. I now do so diligently.

I wish I could, but I'd get in everyone's way.

You want to sweat, and then have no where for that sweat/heat to go.

Or as I said the other day while doing 9...I'm going to make this unpleasantly warm for myself. And it was.
HOW do you drink that much per hour? If I did that I would be in the restroom every 20 minutes!

 

[camaker]

I can’t stand things in my hands when I run. I have gone through so many variations of belts with water bottles over the years and a vest too.

I now alternate between the UltrAspire Synaptic (one bottle) and the UltrAspire Speedgoat 3.0 (two bottles). I mostly use Tailwind for fuel. The belt I use depends on the distance I’m running and access to water to mix more tailwind on the go.

I'll throw in another vote for this pair. I dropped bladder-based backpacks entirely to go with these belts. They're very comfortable and don't bounce or spin. The dual bottle Speedgoat is especially nice for the ability to have one bottle of water and a second of Tailwind. Also, as someone who runs in a hat all the time, headlamps just don't work well for me. Ultraspire has an option to swap the front panel of the belt for a waist light holder.

 

[Tall Todd]

So what's the countdown for free race shirts, I did it shirts and other general merch? Less than ten days now. Let's go!!!

 

[Nessats]

So what's the countdown for free race shirts, I did it shirts and other general merch? Less than ten days now. Let's go!!!

I believe that last year, the merch preview for Princess was released on Friday 2/18, so hopefully we will have a preview by Friday.

 

[keahgirl8]

Does anyone know how many corrals there are for the 5k? I’m worried about being stuck at the very back and not being able to stop for photos. I plan on being on the first bus and trying to get towards the front of the corral. I’m traveling with 3 other women and when I signed us up I chose the slowest time for all of us because 2 of the women had never done a 5k. We’re now all comfortably under 15 minute/mile.

The 5K is untimed. I walk the whole thing to save my legs and I stop at every character. It takes me over an hour.

I’ve carried my little handheld water bottle for each of my Disney races longer than a 10K (all 3 of them ) and I never use it, except maybe one sip out on the highway miles. I’m going to try going without for the Princess Half next weekend.

I do use it on long training runs though (unless it’s so cold that the spout freezes closed ), since my neighborhood doesn’t have wonderful volunteers handing me water every couple miles.

I have started carrying a Nathan handheld in the last several months of training because I was running longer and making bigger loops. I never use it at Princess though. The water stops are always enough for me. I may go ahead and bring it, just in case it will be really hot.

 

[Novatrix]

Adding to the hydration conversation, I rarely drink wile training and tend to stick to the aid stations for the Disney races.

For non-Disney races that I'm running for time, however, I have a Nathan Vaporair 2L hydration bag I'm quite fond of. It doesn't really bounce, I drink more if I just have a bite valve to sip from rather than something handheld to fuss with, and I like utilizing all the pockets on the front to sort out various snacks, salt tabs, ect.

Pretty certain @DopeyBadger is consuming more fluids in one hour training than I do in a typical day...

 

[DopeyBadger]

HOW do you drink that much per hour? If I did that I would be in the restroom every 20 minutes!

I time my pre-run water consumption, such that my bladder is essentially empty when I start running. I usually have my last drink about 2 hrs before the run starts. Then my first 20oz drink is after 25-30 min or so, and then continues from there every 25-30 min. I rarely get the urge to use the restroom when running, but I commonly use the restroom maybe 20-30 min after arriving home.

Pretty certain @DopeyBadger is consuming more fluids in one hour training than I do in a typical day...

I drink probably about 80oz of water a day not including when I'm running. So add in a 2.5 hr run like this past Sunday, and I'm probably at 150 oz of liquid by day's end.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Princess Weekend Goals Revisited

Hey Royals! Way back on June 22nd after we had just registered, we all put our goals out into the world (link). How are you feeling about them now that we're about a week away!

-Fulfill my daughter's imagination on her Ms. Marvel costume. She had so much fun dressing up as the Scarlet Witch during the 2022 Princess 5k (link) that she convinced my wife that we weren't going to Hawaii in 2023 and rather going back to Princess 2023. She wanted to go bigger and better. So I've boughten loads of cosplay instruction manuals and we're well on our way to making her imagination a reality. I've added the follow-along in my training journal (link).

I'd say this one has been a resounding success. G is very excited to show off her Ms Marvel costume. In addition, I ended up making a Maui costume for the HM.

-Have loads of fun with my daughter during the 5k. It was literally what dreams are made of, and I want to experience that with her again.

Remains to be seen, but I anticipate this one will be a success.

-Last year's goal was a Top 3 placement in the 10k, but the top runners were in the 34 min range which is outside my wheelhouse. If the weather is good, I'd like to see a sub-40. But you take what you get, and so we'll see.

I don't think the weather is going to be cool enough for a sub-40. Although, even though I'm not quite in the shape I was last year, I'd still like to see if I can beat the 42:11 on the same course. I feel I have a decent shot at that. And if the Top 3 AG awards do come back unadvertised, then I'd like to snag a Top 3 in the 10k.

-For the HM, I ran the first half continuously, and then once I got to the castle, I started stopping for pictures. I actually kind of like how it felt in the moment to run really fast, take a picture, and then hunt down the other runners around me that didn't stop. So I might do that again. It felt more like a workout then a race with really short rest breaks (like 5-10 sec). We'll see. This time around I'm making Princess Weekend a middle point in training rather than the end goal of the training plan. I missed out on some prime spring racing season, and in 2023 I'd like to get that back.

Still the plan to take the HM by ear. I'm dressing up as Maui and my daughter and I have been working on poses and phrases for me to "stay in character". Depending on how I feel, if things are going well I'd like to try and be around a 1:32 HM or so to be on the fringe of a Top 3 AG. Again, we'll see what the weather says though.

-Be the first person to stop for a castle photo during the HM like I was in 2022.

I'll do my best.

 

[Naomeri]

My goals for Princess 2023:

1) Run all 3 races in costumes that are slightly more costume-ish than 2022’s Disney-bounding in running gear
2) Get better sleep so I’m less miserable during the first half of the half (I contemplated giving up as I was going down Main Street)
3) Stop for more characters! Starting in the CrD corral should cut down the waits a bit for me

1) my 5K costume is definitely more costume-ish, the 10K and half are slightly more than Disneybounding, I guess.
2) we’ll see how this goes. I’ve got an early morning flight in one Tuesday, and then Wednesday I’ve got After Hours at HS, but I need to get up early for the expo on Thursday, so I’m hoping that will put me on a path to falling asleep earlier Thursday night.
3) based on how I did for the W&D half, this should be a lock. But I need to try to get forward in my corral for the 5K so I can get ahead of more people for those long 5K lines because I want more pictures with my awesome Maleficent staff

 

[kps7795]

Princess Weekend Goals Revisited

Hey Royals! Way back on June 22nd after we had just registered, we all put our goals out into the world (link). How are you feeling about them now that we're about a week away!



I'd say this one has been a resounding success. G is very excited to show off her Ms Marvel costume. In addition, I ended up making a Maui costume for the HM.

Remains to be seen, but I anticipate this one will be a success.



I don't think the weather is going to be cool enough for a sub-40. Although, even though I'm not quite in the shape I was last year, I'd still like to see if I can beat the 42:11 on the same course. I feel I have a decent shot at that. And if the Top 3 AG awards do come back unadvertised, then I'd like to snag a Top 3 in the 10k.



Still the plan to take the HM by ear. I'm dressing up as Maui and my daughter and I have been working on poses and phrases for me to "stay in character". Depending on how I feel, if things are going well I'd like to try and be around a 1:32 HM or so to be on the fringe of a Top 3 AG. Again, we'll see what the weather says though.



I'll do my best.

I wish that we were able to do the 5K to see you and G in those amazing costumes! Perhaps Merida and Fergus will be able to spot Maui before the HM.

We're flip-flopping on our race goals and strategy. For now, our loose plan is to push ourselves (within our limits) until the castle unless we see Merida, Moana or Maleficent. Then, after my daughter hopefully gets to run through the castle, we're going to take it easy and stop for all the pictures that we can.

 

[azrivest]

1) Enjoy the 5k as much as I can, seeing as this is a family run

Well on track The kids are psyched and so am I. The hardest part will be to get them out of bed at 2 am. I wanna be on the first bus so we can have at least 1 or 2 pre-race character pictures. I'm gonna let it go for the on-course pictures.

2) Finally break 1h00 for the 10k. I was close with 1:01;37 last Feb.

Not gonna happen. My hamstring is feeling much better and I'm itching to go out today even though I shouldn't push it, but the injury is still there. The predicted T+Ds are not in my favour either.

 

[nancipants]

I wasn't around to post goals for the 10k, but my main goal is to not get swept. Barring any huge setbacks, I'm not worried about this. I'm well above 16mm pace while training.

My secondary goal is to finish above 1:30. This should be attainable as long as I don't stop for photos or multiple bathroom breaks. But I'm most worried about not getting swept.

 

[nancipants]

I drink probably about 80oz of water a day not including when I'm running. So add in a 2.5 hr run like this past Sunday, and I'm probably at 150 oz of liquid by day's end.

I drink a ridiculous amount of water. I have a 64 oz bottle I fill morning and afternoon to drink while I'm working. Then I have a 20 oz bottle to carry around that I fill several other times per day.

When I was pregnant, I used a water tracker app because I had to remind myself to drink even more water than I usually do. We attended a Galaxy's Edge preview when I was about 6 months pregnant in the sweltering August heat and I logged about 250 ounces that day.

 

[superchime]

I think I was mostly lurking back when goals were set, so I didn't post any. But I do have some now:

1. As always, finish on my own two feet (with a smile on my face).
2. Stop for a character. This one's going to depend on my ankle, which is feeling pretty ok right now but I haven't been pushing my luck lately. We'll see.
3. I'm only doing the 10k for Princess weekend, so I'm going to use this as an opportunity to try a different race morning fuel strategy, because what I did for the half marathon in January left me feeling sick for a good 24 hours. Nothing new on race day, of course, so my new plan will only use things I've tried at home, but there's nothing that can quite replicate the nervous energy of a 2am Disney race morning.
4. Be a little more relaxed before the race so I have time to hang out with people.

 

[kps7795]

Princess Weekend Goals Revisited

Hey Royals! Way back on June 22nd after we had just registered, we all put our goals out into the world (link). How are you feeling about them now that we're about a week away!



I'd say this one has been a resounding success. G is very excited to show off her Ms Marvel costume. In addition, I ended up making a Maui costume for the HM.

Remains to be seen, but I anticipate this one will be a success.



I don't think the weather is going to be cool enough for a sub-40. Although, even though I'm not quite in the shape I was last year, I'd still like to see if I can beat the 42:11 on the same course. I feel I have a decent shot at that. And if the Top 3 AG awards do come back unadvertised, then I'd like to snag a Top 3 in the 10k.



Still the plan to take the HM by ear. I'm dressing up as Maui and my daughter and I have been working on poses and phrases for me to "stay in character". Depending on how I feel, if things are going well I'd like to try and be around a 1:32 HM or so to be on the fringe of a Top 3 AG. Again, we'll see what the weather says though.



I'll do my best.

BTW, how is it running while holding Maui's hook? My daughter has plans to run the HM while holding Merida's bow. She knows "nothing new on race day," so we're practicing with a three mile run on Thursday.