The New *Official 2013 Disney Princess Half Marathon Thread*

[louloubelle84]

Hello everyone! Today my BF came with me and I went out for my walk earlier than yesterday, at 8:30 instead of 9:30. We were able to complete the mile in 18:03. That's better than yesterday, but we still have a long way to go! He made me breakfast afterwards, and I tracked it all into WW. I really think this summer break is what I needed to get back on track and establish a healthy routine.

Tinkerbell: Welcome! I am new also, and everyone here is very welcoming and encouraging!

 

[cantwaitvaca09]

Hello everyone! Today my BF came with me and I went out for my walk earlier than yesterday, at 8:30 instead of 9:30. We were able to complete the mile in 18:03. That's better than yesterday, but we still have a long way to go! He made me breakfast afterwards, and I tracked it all into WW. I really think this summer break is what I needed to get back on track and establish a healthy routine.

Tinkerbell: Welcome! I am new also, and everyone here is very welcoming and encouraging!

Great job getting out there today. Don't give up, just keep moving
When I started in Dec 2009 I could not even do a mile, my friends here on Dis will tell you that when they were posting doing 4, 5, 6 miles, I was like no way can I get past 2. I weighed over 200 pounds. I am down about 30-35 pounds and its been 2 years, I still have 20 to go to goal. BUT I have done the princess twice, many 5 and 10K's and I just did a 10 mile race a few weeks ago..

 

[Gryhndmom]

I would like to join this group. I am planning on doing the Princess 2013 half marathon too. I am a beginner with running. I am extremely nervous about this. I have about 70 pounds of weight to lose and have had a hard time with losing it. I set this goal with the hopes of finally getting healthy! I know I probably will not be able to run the entire race but plan on walking and running it. My sister is doing it with me. We have been training for about a month now. Can I be added to the facebook page too? A little about me: I am 41 years old and have 3 kids. I live near Cincinnati, Ohio. I work as a QC specialist for a medical transcription company. I look forward to getting to know the rest of you.

There are a really good number of us who will be running/walking the race. I am also in the over 40 crowd and have figured out by this stage in life that there will always be people who can do something better than me but at least I am out there trying and our goals may not be the same. Keep on plugging along !

 

[3DisneyDivas]

Hi all! I'm seriously considering the Princess Half in 2013 (a friend did it in 2010 & loved it!!) - I've done 2 half marathons (my 3rd is in November) & would LOVE to Run Disney! I just have to talk DH into a mini-Disney trip for the race. We've always stayed on property (Pop, All Star Sports & POR) but I have no idea what kind of price range I would be looking at for a 3-4 day trip for this... any suggestions? We've always gone to WDW in September during free dining...We're going this September (POR!) but I'm hoping DH will let the Princess Half be my graduation celebration - I'll finally have my degree in December after 8 years of part time classes (with work & 3 kids!)!!

 

[ColleenG]

Hi all! I'm seriously considering the Princess Half in 2013 (a friend did it in 2010 & loved it!!) - I've done 2 half marathons (my 3rd is in November) & would LOVE to Run Disney! I just have to talk DH into a mini-Disney trip for the race. We've always stayed on property (Pop, All Star Sports & POR) but I have no idea what kind of price range I would be looking at for a 3-4 day trip for this... any suggestions? We've always gone to WDW in September during free dining...We're going this September (POR!) but I'm hoping DH will let the Princess Half be my graduation celebration - I'll finally have my degree in December after 8 years of part time classes (with work & 3 kids!)!!

You definately deserve a graduation celebration! What better place than Disney!

 

[ColleenG]

I would like to join this group. I am planning on doing the Princess 2013 half marathon too. I am a beginner with running. I am extremely nervous about this. I have about 70 pounds of weight to lose and have had a hard time with losing it. I set this goal with the hopes of finally getting healthy! I know I probably will not be able to run the entire race but plan on walking and running it. My sister is doing it with me. We have been training for about a month now. Can I be added to the facebook page too? A little about me: I am 41 years old and have 3 kids. I live near Cincinnati, Ohio. I work as a QC specialist for a medical transcription company. I look forward to getting to know the rest of you.

You've come to the right place! You can totally do the PHM. I did it for the first time this year and had a blast. The great thing about is there is every runner, walker and combo of the 2 here and princesses of all shapes and sizes! Everyone here is so supportive and friendly! Kudos for making the decision to live a healthier lifestyle!

 

[DeerIsleDisney]

I'll friend you - I'm Amy A from Roswell, GA. And I'm laughing - I think they should just rename this the Princess Amy Half Marathon - that seems to be the name du jour here!

Thanks! I found your blog via last year's Princess Half thread (didn't end up getting to run) and love it. Nice to connect on dailymile. Too funny how there are so many Amy's here!

 

[DeerIsleDisney]

I'm trying to pick a training plan. Anyone have thoughts on Hal Higdon vs. Train Like A Mother vs. Jeff Galloway?

I'm in the middle of a nutty work week and last week of school activities on top of that. Haven't run since Saturday and feeling twitchy! Hoping to get out for a few miles tomorrow evening.

 

[longhorns2]

Hi all! I'm seriously considering the Princess Half in 2013 (a friend did it in 2010 & loved it!!) - I've done 2 half marathons (my 3rd is in November) & would LOVE to Run Disney! I just have to talk DH into a mini-Disney trip for the race. We've always stayed on property (Pop, All Star Sports & POR) but I have no idea what kind of price range I would be looking at for a 3-4 day trip for this... any suggestions? We've always gone to WDW in September during free dining...We're going this September (POR!) but I'm hoping DH will let the Princess Half be my graduation celebration - I'll finally have my degree in December after 8 years of part time classes (with work & 3 kids!)!!

You get a race weekend discount in the rooms during this time, so it may be more affordable than you think. Plus the park tickets are discounted for racers and their families. I don't remember the numbers for the All Stars, but it was somewhere around $149/night I think for room. The week before is the Presidents holiday week so prices may be a bit more, but if you come in Sat and leave Mon or Tues it should get a little cheaper for you. There are also host hotels that provide transpo to the race- if you are not bringing a car, then you really want to stay at one of the host hotels.

Congrats on graduating!

 

[tinkeramy]

Thanks! I found your blog via last year's Princess Half thread (didn't end up getting to run) and love it. Nice to connect on dailymile. Too funny how there are so many Amy's here!

Thanks! I'm a little wonky about posting since summer break is here - hard to spend more than a few snatches of time on the computer with 3 kids running around!

DailyMile is great - actually met up with 2 other DailyMilers who were in the same corral as me and Julie, so we all ended up starting the race together.

 

[Mommy to Two Princes]

Hi all! I'm seriously considering the Princess Half in 2013 (a friend did it in 2010 & loved it!!) - I've done 2 half marathons (my 3rd is in November) & would LOVE to Run Disney! I just have to talk DH into a mini-Disney trip for the race. We've always stayed on property (Pop, All Star Sports & POR) but I have no idea what kind of price range I would be looking at for a 3-4 day trip for this... any suggestions? We've always gone to WDW in September during free dining...We're going this September (POR!) but I'm hoping DH will let the Princess Half be my graduation celebration - I'll finally have my degree in December after 8 years of part time classes (with work & 3 kids!)!!

Congrats on graduating! That is a huge accomplishment!!!

 

[kaj1436]

Does anyone know if free dining has ever been offered over the Princess Half Marathon weekend? I researched the promotions but I could not find the black out dates so I cannot tell if that weekend was included or not.

 

[runmommyrun]

I've used Hal Higdon and I have found it always worked for the races I'm doing. His programs are relatively simple to understand and get you to the finish line. That's usually my goal! Good luck.

 

[runmommyrun]

I think all of your goals are not only realistic but very attainable! Keep the faith and remember there are soooo many of us that are doing the PHM for the first time and our main goal is to finish in the time allotted for the race. We can all celebrate our accomplishment at the finish line !

I firmly agree that your goals are realistic. You would be surprised how quickly your body adapts once you start training. My words of advice: TAKE IT SLOW. Work up to walking a mile. Then jog a tenth of the mile and walk the rest. Then extend that a bit. You will be able to do a 5k within a couple of months. Then you gradually extend it. Hal Higdon has GREAT plans online for the REALISTIC runners. The goal is to cross the finish line. You may not win your age group, but who cares?! This is about having fun and doing something for ourselves! You can definitely go from non-runner to running a half in 8 months. And THERE IS NO SHAME in run/walking. There have been races I could only finish if I did the run/walk combo (Disney Marathon being one of them!). If you love Disney, you should do a runDisney race. They are some of the best around. Best of luck. We will all be there to cheer one another along!

 

[niclodn]

Hello ladies! It's been a while since I posted because I've been busy with work, but today is the first day of summer break, so I hope to be able to participate more!

Months ago when I first set the goal of walking/running the PHM next year I mapped a 1 mile route around my house using mapmyrun.com. Today I walked it for the first time, and it took me 18 mins and 42 seconds. Am I kidding myself thinking I can get this under 15 minutes?

MY boyfriend and I are planning to do the 5k associated with the Food and Wine Festival in November, and I'm hoping to be able to walk that in 45 minutes. Please tell me if I am being unrealistic!

My plan is to walk 5 days a week, and continue walking just this mile until I can get it under 15 minutes, and then begin walking 2 miles until I can get that under 30 mins, and then increase to 3 miles and try to get that under 45 minutes. Does that sound like a good plan?

ETA: I forgot to mention that I am also 100 pounds overweight and am on WW. I haven't been following the plan closely, but I'm trying to fix that now since I don't have work as an excuse!

You can definitely do this! When I first started running about 5 months ago, I could barely run for 30 seconds and was huffing and puffing the entire time. Since then, I've lost 30 pounds and am now doing 3 min run/1 min walk intervals on the treadmill (13.5 min/mile) and 30 sec run/30 sec walk intervals outside (14.5 min/mile). I still have about 60 pounds to lose, but have seen a tremendous increase in my endurance! In the beginning, it was all I could do to run/walk for 2 miles -- it seemed like an eternity. Now, I do about 4 miles at least 3 times a week with a longer one once a week and don't feel like I'm about to die when I'm done! Once you get your endurance up to 3 miles, I highly recommend Jeff Galloway's training plan. It has worked wonders for me

 

[tinkerbellfriend]

Welcome to the group! I am in exactly the same boat as you -- weight to lose, and never run a day in my life. We can do this together!

Thanks for the nice welcome. I am always second guessing myself every day if I can really do this, so it is nice to come on to this thread and read such positive motivation. It really keeps me going. But yes, we are both definitely going to do this!!

Hello everyone! Today my BF came with me and I went out for my walk earlier than yesterday, at 8:30 instead of 9:30. We were able to complete the mile in 18:03. That's better than yesterday, but we still have a long way to go! He made me breakfast afterwards, and I tracked it all into WW. I really think this summer break is what I needed to get back on track and establish a healthy routine.

Tinkerbell: Welcome! I am new also, and everyone here is very welcoming and encouraging!

Thank you! Great job on the walking. Every little bit helps!!

There are a really good number of us who will be running/walking the race. I am also in the over 40 crowd and have figured out by this stage in life that there will always be people who can do something better than me but at least I am out there trying and our goals may not be the same. Keep on plugging along !

I totally agree with you. I am definitely not in this to be first place but rather to get healthy, have fun and set a good example for my kids. I feel so bad that I let myself gain weight over the last few years.

You've come to the right place! You can totally do the PHM. I did it for the first time this year and had a blast. The great thing about is there is every runner, walker and combo of the 2 here and princesses of all shapes and sizes! Everyone here is so supportive and friendly! Kudos for making the decision to live a healthier lifestyle!

Thank you! This is very comforting. I am nervous about running with very experienced runners.

You can definitely do this! When I first started running about 5 months ago, I could barely run for 30 seconds and was huffing and puffing the entire time. Since then, I've lost 30 pounds and am now doing 3 min run/1 min walk intervals on the treadmill (13.5 min/mile) and 30 sec run/30 sec walk intervals outside (14.5 min/mile). I still have about 60 pounds to lose, but have seen a tremendous increase in my endurance! In the beginning, it was all I could do to run/walk for 2 miles -- it seemed like an eternity. Now, I do about 4 miles at least 3 times a week with a longer one once a week and don't feel like I'm about to die when I'm done! Once you get your endurance up to 3 miles, I highly recommend Jeff Galloway's training plan. It has worked wonders for me

Great job on your weight loss. It is always good to hear stories like this as it makes my goal seem obtainable. Keep up the good work! Right now, my sister and I are running for 1 minute and walking for 4 minutes. We are starting very slow, but next week, we are planning on running for 2 minutes/walk for 4 min.

 

[tinkeramy]

I'm trying to pick a training plan. Anyone have thoughts on Hal Higdon vs. Train Like A Mother vs. Jeff Galloway?

I'm in the middle of a nutty work week and last week of school activities on top of that. Haven't run since Saturday and feeling twitchy! Hoping to get out for a few miles tomorrow evening.

Forgot to respond to this - I've done all 3 plans, at any one given time! I used Higdon's absolute beginner plan, but then modified his beginner half plan with a Galloway twist - I did all the mileage / training days Higdon suggested, but I used a Galloway walk interval - one minute at the end of every mile. I'm currently doing the Train Like A Mother Own It 10K plan for the Peachtree on July 4th.

The main diff. to me in Higdon / Galloway plans is the mileage for the long runs. Higdon has you continually adding miles while Galloway has you add, then take a step back down every 2 weeks before you add again. I think if you are injury prone, Galloway might be the "gentler" plan. I followed the Higdon plan to my first princess, but the summer after that I got shin splints. I think it was more due to the way I was running and not how much I was running, but it's a consideration.

I really like Train Like A Mother b/c it has a variety of work outs. I needed something to shake up my routine and focus on strength and speed workouts, so this fits. I'm enjoying it. I"m not following it to the letter (as in, haven't run once this week b/c I've been busy with the kids) but I do like the variety. I'll definitely be using their half plan for my fall half marathon - once the kids are back in school and I have more of a set schedule.

 

[Tfaze]

I'm planning on it!

 

[DeerIsleDisney]

Forgot to respond to this - I've done all 3 plans, at any one given time! I used Higdon's absolute beginner plan, but then modified his beginner half plan with a Galloway twist - I did all the mileage / training days Higdon suggested, but I used a Galloway walk interval - one minute at the end of every mile. I'm currently doing the Train Like A Mother Own It 10K plan for the Peachtree on July 4th.

The main diff. to me in Higdon / Galloway plans is the mileage for the long runs. Higdon has you continually adding miles while Galloway has you add, then take a step back down every 2 weeks before you add again. I think if you are injury prone, Galloway might be the "gentler" plan. I followed the Higdon plan to my first princess, but the summer after that I got shin splints. I think it was more due to the way I was running and not how much I was running, but it's a consideration.

I really like Train Like A Mother b/c it has a variety of work outs. I needed something to shake up my routine and focus on strength and speed workouts, so this fits. I'm enjoying it. I"m not following it to the letter (as in, haven't run once this week b/c I've been busy with the kids) but I do like the variety. I'll definitely be using their half plan for my fall half marathon - once the kids are back in school and I have more of a set schedule.

Thanks! This is very helpful. I'm thinking I may try the Novice 2 Higdon for a Sept. 30 Half here in Maine (it's already a little too late to start the Train Like a Mother or Gallaway) and then use Train Like a Mother for the Princess. I'm glad to know it works to keep in some walk intervals even if not using the Gallaway. Right now I can go much further (and finish happier) with some walk intervals... and it doesn't seem to drag my pace down much.

 

[annabanna]

I just finished my first 5K this morning. There were a couple moments there where I was asking myself "can I really do this?". But I finished!! And with a little more than a 15 minute pace.

Now it's time to start training for the half marathon at the end of september!