Official 2016 Princess Half Marathon Thread

[Luv2Run]

Can't remember if I have asked this yet. Do they release a list of expo vendors ahead of time so we can plan the attack?

There will be a layout of the vendors at the Expo in the Official Event Guide.

 

[sidrich]

Who else has all their fingers and toes crossed that bib#s get released this week? Come on rD!!!

I need them! I want to find out if my best friend and I will be in the same corral!

 

[IrishMel21]

So for those of you who are familiar with treadmills, are there any tips you can provide for running on one for training? The treadmill at my house is generally the bane of my existence but given the impending storm I may be driven to train indoors.

I did both my runs on the treadmill this weekend due to snow. While I know people don't mind running in cold weather - for me it's the worst. I'd rather know I'm dry & safe and not adding on potential ankle injuries due to snow/ice other than what I could already do to myself.

I did my 6.3 on Saturday on the treadmill and then I ran 12.25 yesterday on the treadmill. I split it up - I ran the first 6.3 (60 mins) and then I took a small break for water (surprisingly didn't have to pee) and then got back on to do the other half. I watched tv, had my music playing and just focused on the end result. It went pretty well as I was refusing to get in my head about how long I'd be on a treadmill.

 

[IrishMel21]

I ran 12.5 miles on the treadmill today. After 60 minutes I had to give up the machine and then had to wait a little while for another to open up. The gym got packed! But after a little wait I was able to get on another machine and finish. I even jacked up the incline at mile 10 to simulate the on ramp! Right at about 12 miles I started to get that cramp where your lower abs feel super tight and it gets a little hard to breathe. I was able to run through it but it was pretty uncomfortable. I downloaded Shaun of the Dead to watch during my run - obviously inspired by all the zombie talk on this thread!

Good reminder about the incline at Mile 10 - I'll have to remember to do that on the treadmill on the next (last) long run!

 

[pixarmom]

then I took a small break for water (surprisingly didn't have to pee)

Yay - this means it was a good running day! On the Disney marathon and half marathon course, I've enjoyed the camaraderie of those of us who stop at the TTC bathroom just a few miles into the race.

 

[pigletcanrun]

Anyone catch those prices for the Disneyland half - $205 and the challenge is $350 (YIKES).... that is quite a jump. It looks like we will be shelling out more if we want to do this race in 2017!

I did 11 miles on the 'dread'-mill yesterday. Started at like 11, so I only had breakfast on my stomach. Learned my lesson... must not do that on an almost empty stomach ever again! Happy I got it out of the way we are getting so close y'all!

 

[pixarmom]

Also, for the poster asking about a photo in front of the castle, I wanted to mention that the level of congestion seems to vary quite a bit with corral placement. When I ran the 2014 PHM, I was expecting a super crowded course based on reports. I was in one of the earlier corrals and didn't experience any congestion on the course at all - more clear than most local races. I didn't stop or pose for photos, but in my photo running through the castle, I'm completely alone (and it's not like I'm super fast or anything - we were just spread out at that point.) On the way back from MK, a fellow runner mentioned that the later corrals looked like a different event based on the crowds.

So even though I'm running for fun and not time, I always try to get in my best proof of time possible. When our oldest son said he wanted to run the GSC with me, I was happy to drop back corrals to run with him. But we ran a local 10K so that he could update his proof of time and improve our chances of having a less crowded race experience.

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

Question about wearing medal(s) in the park: I plan to spend the evening after the half in Epcot and will definitely be sporting my medal. We then have two days at Universal and will be back at MK on Wednesday. Is that too long of a wait to wear my medal again? I want honest opinions! I want to squeeze as much fun out of this race weekend as possible, and honestly part of the fun will be getting congratulations from CMs haha I don't want to look like a total dork though wearing it way after the fact!

 

[DVCFan1994]

Also, for the poster asking about a photo in front of the castle, I wanted to mention that the level of congestion seems to vary quite a bit with corral placement. When I ran the 2014 PHM, I was expecting a super crowded course based on reports. I was in one of the earlier corrals and didn't experience any congestion on the course at all - more clear than most local races. I didn't stop or pose for photos, but in my photo running through the castle, I'm completely alone (and it's not like I'm super fast or anything - we were just spread out at that point.) On the way back from MK, a fellow runner mentioned that the later corrals looked like a different event based on the crowds.

So even though I'm running for fun and not time, I always try to get in my best proof of time possible. When our oldest son said he wanted to run the GSC with me, I was happy to drop back corrals to run with him. But we ran a local 10K so that he could update his proof of time and improve our chances of having a less crowded race experience.

This is very true. Before PHM 2014, I read so much about the congestion at the castle. I kept waiting for it, and ran right through, a few runners around me, but not crowded and need to slow down. Same in 2015. I started in F the first year and dropped back to I to be with my sister last year. So, I think the crowds must just ebb and flow.

 

[pixarmom]

Question about wearing medal(s) in the park: I plan to spend the evening after the half in Epcot and will definitely be sporting my medal. We then have two days at Universal and will be back at MK on Wednesday. Is that too long of a wait to wear my medal again? I want honest opinions! I want to squeeze as much fun out of this race weekend as possible, and honestly part of the fun will be getting congratulations from CMs haha I don't want to look like a total dork though wearing it way after the fact!

Particularly because this is Disney, I think you should wear your medal whenever it makes you happy! I usually just wear my medal the day of the race (and sometimes not all day if it's uncomfortable.) But I've seen runners wearing medals after race day. And again, it's Disney so we all do/wear things that might otherwise make us look like total dorks.

 

[princessluna14]

The cute tags you got with your bands are just for fun. There is no need to use them at all. Or do use them. Up to you. You got them because you booked a package. Not everyone gets them.

The yellow sticky luggage tags from your magical express packet go on checked bags at your home airport. They are what the DME employees look for behind the scenes to know what bags to put on the trucks to get the bags to the resorts.

Thank you so much!

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

it's Disney so we all do/wear things that might otherwise make us look like total dorks.

This is true! Thanks for the response

 

[pixarmom]

Just one more thing! For those on the treadmill, I've mentioned earlier that chrome casting Lee Hoedl's Disney marathon and half marathon videos helped me through many marathon training runs. I mean 20-milers and 21-milers on the treadmill. These are great videos, but the newest are from 2014. (Martin Miguel also has a great 2014 Dopey Challenge video on youtube.) In any event, that means same videos for a long time. Until now! So excited to see Lee Hoedl's 2016 5K, 10K and half marathon videos on youtube . . . hoping for a 2016 marathon video shortly! Seriously, these are outstanding for treadmill running!

 

[SarahDisney]

Question about wearing medal(s) in the park: I plan to spend the evening after the half in Epcot and will definitely be sporting my medal. We then have two days at Universal and will be back at MK on Wednesday. Is that too long of a wait to wear my medal again? I want honest opinions! I want to squeeze as much fun out of this race weekend as possible, and honestly part of the fun will be getting congratulations from CMs haha I don't want to look like a total dork though wearing it way after the fact!

We did the 5K and 10K marathon weekend ... our last race was Friday, and we were wearing our medals until we left on Tuesday. If we had stayed longer, we'd have worn them longer. Wednesday is definitely still fine!

 

[MyFavEeyore]

Question about wearing medal(s) in the park: I plan to spend the evening after the half in Epcot and will definitely be sporting my medal. We then have two days at Universal and will be back at MK on Wednesday. Is that too long of a wait to wear my medal again? I want honest opinions! I want to squeeze as much fun out of this race weekend as possible, and honestly part of the fun will be getting congratulations from CMs haha I don't want to look like a total dork though wearing it way after the fact!

I've seen many wear their medals the day after. Though it was Everest and the race was at night.

 

[Luv2Run]

Funny thing about wearing medals in the parks: I would have never known about the PHM had I not seen runners sporting their medals at MK when I was there with my mom & stepdad for my mom's birthday in 2011. I kept seeing people in their race t-shirts wearing medals around their necks, and I thought they were part of some special group or something, until I was behind a few of them while we were in line for Splash Mtn and I finally read what their race shirts said. I was astonished. I had no idea they even held races at WDW. I vowed to sign up as soon as registration opened for the next PHM, and have run every one since 2012. So, if anything, it's good advertisement to promote the races so we can continue running them in the future.

We're taking a break from WDW in 2017 so we can honeymoon in Ireland that year, but we are hoping to go back for my mom's 60th birthday in 2018, which will most likely be during PHM weekend again.

 

[Keels]

I went and took pictures with my Dopey medals a little over a week after race weekend (I went on a cruise right after, and then I wanted a day with decent weather - it was rainy and dreary when I got back in town). I was the only person I saw with medals - BUT, I did see A TON of race weekend/I Did It shirts and quite a few people wearing Dopey medal pins at MK and EPCOT. It was cool.

 

[preciouspups]

Opened my email and there was one from Run Disney that said "registration information" so I got excited thinking it was our bib numbers and all that good stuff. Nope! They need to stop getting people's hopes up like that!

 

[sidrich]

Opened my email and there was one from Run Disney that said "registration information" so I got excited thinking it was our bib numbers and all that good stuff. Nope! They need to stop getting people's hopes up like that!

I did the same thing

 

[Ariel484]

I'll just leave this here.