Princess Weekend 2023 (Feb 23-26, 2023)

[azrivest]

I know this has been covered, but I don't remember the answer.
Can any of this be bought beforehand so that it is waiting for us? As opposed to whatever is left on Sat when I get there?

Not anymore, pre-order is closed. And most of the merch posted today wasn't included.

 

[lzimm13]

My opinion, don't do the 13/14 mile run this weekend. We're too close to race day at this point. It takes 7-10 days to fully realize the benefits of a single training run, and about 4-6 weeks to fully realize the gains of training week. The 13/14 mile run you would do this weekend will cause more physical harm than it will physical benefits. Assuredly there could be some mental gains from it, but my opinion is those mental gains would be outweighed by the recovery necessary from it. You may still be feeling some aftereffects from the 13-14 mile run physiologically by the time race day comes up. If you've been doing your training runs around a 15 min/mile, then the 8 mile run has taken you about 2 hours. That's a sufficient endurance run to prepare the body aerobically for completing a HM.

Presumably the 15 min/mile pace is not all out effort either if the Garmin has been suggesting an appropriate training pace for long runs. So if you attempt to run at a 15 min/mile pace on race day, then you should be more than fine to cover the 13 miles. This assumes that the 15 min/mile long run pace is appropriate. Have you done any other races recently that would be a good judge of current fitness?



This is the most recent POT and estimate corral assignment educated guess.

Your corral assignment depends on what you put for the estimated finish at registration. If you put 2:15-2:30, then you'll be in Corral C. If you put 3:00-3:15, then you'll likely be in Corral F. I just went into my race registration for Princess 2023 and can see what I put. So you should be able to log in to your runDisney account and see what you put for your estimated finish. Then use the chart above to get a pretty good idea where you'll be slotted.

Thank you so much for dropping this science on me I feel a little better! I don’t remember what I put for estimated finish

 

[lzimm13]

Dittos to what DB said. If you are/have been doing 8 miles, then in terms of a half-marathon you are more than halfway there (cue the Bon Jovi) and have built up the needed endurance. (Spoken as the poster child for under training). And if you do any photo stops, then factor those in as running breaks instead of what the watch says.

My additional 2-cents worth:
1. Scoot at best pace possible at race start to build up some buffer. If in the early miles you can keep going without a walk break, then IMHO stay with the faster pace knowing that you'll do the walk break while in a photo line
2. Pick and choose your photo stops so that a character with a long line doesn't get you swept
3. Use the watch as a guide of keeping an eye on pace, but primarily rely on eyeballs to check your six for balloons.
4. Your 14-15min/mile pace is more than sufficient to stay in front of the balloon ladies even if they get right on your bumper (for instance as you finish a photo stop). If you see them come into view while in a photo line, you probably want to forego the photo and get back to running/walking (unless you are at the front of said line)
5. You got this

Thank you so much!! I feel like I’m more nervous than when I did my first in 2014

 

[lzimm13]

@lzimm13 here is a reminder on logistics if you are aiming to get towards the front of your corral at the HM (link). Also, come to the HH meetup on Saturday, and/or the meetup pre-HM and we can all help be your support system mentally going into the race (link).

Thanks so much!!

 

[Nessats]

Why is the crown on the ears off center tho

Exactly what I thought when I saw them.

 

[Naomeri]

Why is the crown on the ears off center tho

Right?!

 

[Livelovedance]

Does anyone recall seeing phone cases at past Expos? When I'm at the Expo, I generally have blinders on looking for shirts and magnets and haven't bothered to really look at the other items being offered.

Phone cases are typically sold on demand at MaDe at Disney Springs or I believe
they have kiosks at AK and DHS now (MK one is closed at Space Mountain gift shop).

They usually display those items in the expo, and you can buy them at a DTech location. The MK one is now in the Big Top souvenir shop (by Dumbo).

 

[jpeterson]

*Sigh*. I was all set to go next week, was going to have to take it easy but was still going to be able to do the races. Doctor just wanted to do one more MRI with a more powerful magnet, "just in case". Unfortunately, that MRI showed the start of a stress fracture in my femur. Crutches for 6 weeks, obviously won't be doing Princess weekend. If everything goes well I should be able to walk springtime surprise, but no running for that.

 

[azrivest]

Crutches for 6 weeks, obviously won't be doing Princess weekend.

That really sucks, so sorry

 

[bumbershoot]

Y’all, I’m freaking out a little. This is my first HM in 6 years. In the past I followed Jeff Galloway plans. This time I decided to use a plan on my garmin watch and this thing hasn’t had me run more than 8 miles yet. I’m going to bump it up this weekend and try to do the full 13/14 but I’m also pacing pretty slow: 15:30/14:30 depending if you’re looking at my watch or Runkeeper. I didn’t have a time to submit so God only knows what corral I’ll be in! Is there a “safe” point where they don’t sweep anymore? Like no sweeps after 11mi?

I don't know the mileage you've been running during the weeks, but I bet it's more than what Galloway has you do during the weekdays, and IMO that's the difference. FWIW Higdon's plan only gets to 10 as a long run.

My cousin has only EVER gotten to a 10K in training, and she completes the Halfs just fine.

It may also be worthwhile to setting your watch to "manual lap" and pushing the lap button at each mile marker

Ooh. This info is exactly what I need.

So if I do that, what will I be looking for on my screen to keep me on pace between the manual mile laps? Average pace or just Pace?

Unfortunately, that MRI showed the start of a stress fracture in my femur.

I am so sorry. Glad they caught it with an MRI rather than you figuring it out on the course.

 

[kps7795]

*Sigh*. I was all set to go next week, was going to have to take it easy but was still going to be able to do the races. Doctor just wanted to do one more MRI with a more powerful magnet, "just in case". Unfortunately, that MRI showed the start of a stress fracture in my femur. Crutches for 6 weeks, obviously won't be doing Princess weekend. If everything goes well I should be able to walk springtime surprise, but no running for that.

That sucks. I hope that you feel better soon!

 

[FanforDisney]

Looking at the weather forecast, its going be a warm one. Not what I was hoping for. At least there is no rain in the forecast!

 

[Naomeri]

Looking at the weather forecast, its going be a warm one. Not what I was hoping for. At least there is no rain in the forecast!

Well, now there will be! You totally just jinxed us all

 

[Bree]

*Sigh*. I was all set to go next week, was going to have to take it easy but was still going to be able to do the races. Doctor just wanted to do one more MRI with a more powerful magnet, "just in case". Unfortunately, that MRI showed the start of a stress fracture in my femur. Crutches for 6 weeks, obviously won't be doing Princess weekend. If everything goes well I should be able to walk springtime surprise, but no running for that.

I had the same thing happen to me days before 2019 Princess. It totally sucks. I was sidelined for 10 weeks from running. My sports ortho allowed me to use a stationary bike, pool run, swim and do upper body strength training as long as I was seated. Everyone’s case is different, but I hope there are ways you can stay active.

I really wish RunDisney would sell race insurance. It’s usually through a third party so it’s not like there’s that much work for them

 

[jpeterson]

I had the same thing happen to me days before 2019 Princess. It totally sucks. I was sidelined for 10 weeks from running. My sports ortho allowed me to use a stationary bike, pool run, swim and do upper body strength training as long as I was seated. Everyone’s case is different, but I hope there are ways you can stay active.

I really wish RunDisney would sell race insurance. It’s usually through a third party so it’s not like there’s that much work for them

I can do upper body but nothing else . Because of the location of the fracture they don't even want it swinging too much because of the force that creates.

10 weeks sounds similar to what they told me before I could start running again. And I'm certain it will be a slow ramp up...

 

[Herding_Cats]

Ooh. This info is exactly what I need.

So if I do that, what will I be looking for on my screen to keep me on pace between the manual mile laps? Average pace or just Pace?

What I do is use the lap average pace on my watch, so it "resets" after each mile (or when I "lap" it manually.) I use 80 or 90/30 intervals, so it "stabilizes" after about 0.25-0.333mi. That way I can see what pace I'm running in that mile, and then if it's a "long" mile for me, I know by how much since it'll show on my screen for like 5 sec after I push the lap key.. I don't use JUST average pace because my character/bathroom stops would throw it all off, and I use my watch in conjunction with the tracker texts to know how much cushion I have, but if you don't want to do math, you could just use average pace (as long as that won't make you anxious.) I know that character/bathroom stops for me ended up being ~20min miles, and if one of those happens early, it could really throw off your avg overall pace for awhile. (And depending on your garmin, you could probably customize your screens so you had overall avg pace, lap avg pace, and instant pace all available if you really wanted.)

An example of of this is during the half for MW my first 3 miles were in the mid/upper-13s. And then at mile 4 I stopped for a pic with Max, and that mile took just over 18min. But my goal was to maintain pace in the 13s to try to catch up with TheExpert somewhere around GF/Poly, so by using lap avg pace, I can keep an eye on things and know that I'm still running in the 13s (when I'm not making stops) but if I had been using overall avg pace, it would have put my overall avg pace in the high 14s after that character stop, and I probably would have overran things trying to make that number go down to where it was "supposed" to be.


And the tracking side of things, for if I'm having a bad day, or planning to slow down at the end....for MW Half, they only had timing mats at the 5/10/15k points. We got our texts within seconds of crossing the timing mats, and since we tracked both ourselves AND the pacers we would just compare the time stamps to determine our buffer.
The tracking chips showed that I had started around 22min ahead of the 3:30 pace group, so I had plenty of cushion to start. At the 5k mat, it was a 29min gap. At the 15k mat we were still 13min ahead (thanks, character and castle pics!) but also, there are only like 4mi left at that point; that's around 3min/mi difference, which meant we could have walked 19min/mi to finish and been absolutely safe from being swept. So runner-math while using the tracking is also an option.

 

[Bree]

I can do upper body but nothing else . Because of the location of the fracture they don't even want it swinging too much because of the force that creates.

10 weeks sounds similar to what they told me before I could start running again. And I'm certain it will be a slow ramp up...

Oof. Yours must be more severe than mine was

I ran Dopey on that stress fracture. The first ortho I saw told me it was bursitis I switched to a sports ortho that specializes in hips and knees right after Dopey. He knew it was a stress fracture, but my insurance wouldn’t approve an MRI. The insurance rep actually had the audacity to tell me that six weeks of physical therapy and exercise might do me some good. I lost my shiznit on the phone with her and asked if she’d like to see my marathon finish photo and that I could send her my Garmin files for the past year My MRI was approved right after that incident.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Looking at the weather forecast, its going be a warm one. Not what I was hoping for. At least there is no rain in the forecast!

As someone whose lungs don’t handle the cold very well, the temps look nearly ideal (for me) for the span of time that we’ll be out there.
(Yes, I could do with less than 90 for being in the park later)

 

[RoseGold]

The Figment shoes finally went on sale! If you see me in them, come say hi!

https://www.adidas.com/us/ultraboost-22-bca-running-shoes/HP9553.html

 

[The running raven]

Odd question, but does anyone have experience using the pressed penny machines during a race? I also run past them and regret not bringing money. As long as I have enough buffer from the ballon ladies, I should be fine