Princess Weekend 2022

[Sleepy425]

Wait.....what's a chute????????? I have calmed down learning/seeing the barriers and def plan to hug a side of one of those. My heart is racing - I'm picturing a chute like an enclosed water slide!

You start in a corral, and then they move your corral to the starting line. For some races, you simply move up to the next corral. For others they take you from your corral, into what I would call a chute. It's more narrow and leads you to the starting line. It has the same types of barriers as the corrals.

 

[JJ2017]

I'm so happy for you!



Remember she's talking about 2020, not 2022. Nothing is enclosed like a water slide.

They have to send us in the right direction without us roaming all over the place. So they'll narrow the pathway a bit for some turns. It's just fencing. Nothing enclosed. Stick to the outside barrier.

Have you watched the various videos from events?

I have! Thanks to this group! Just hadn't really focused in on the word "chute!" Thank you!

 

[SaludosPenguinos]

https://guide.rundisney.events/ brings me to princess.



As you now know, they have transportation.

If you're in the Beach Club area, I will have a car. If the other person from this thread (whose name I don't recall) joins, you're welcome to the last seat in the car to get to yoga. (it would be nice to meet you ahead of time)

You're so kind! I'm happy to nab my bus at POFQ at 3:30 am. I'm still shocked (and grateful) they added transport this late in the game. I had a feeling that survey they sent out a few weeks back might have been trying to suss out transportation needs, but expected they would be using that info for future event planning. I don't imagine this is something I'll repeat if they offer it in the future as I had to add 2 nights onto my stay to do it...I sure hope be have a beautiful morning!

 

[azrivest]

Boy did I get lucky!

So happy you got it!

I'm flying in Wednesday night, so yoga was always a no-go for me.

 

[sandam1]

As everyone starts their taper and taper madness starts to set in, I have one recommendation based on my experience from Marathon Weekend.

Instead of worrying about the "what happens if" scenarios, this is the best time to think about "what comes next." I got hit - HARD - by post-race letdown after MW. The best thing I did before I left was to have that next week planned out for me. I literally had my work outfits out before I left and knew that I had lunches and dinners in the house. So when I was exhausted, I didn't have to make any decisions.

What I wish I had done was to have another small goal on the horizon to work towards. Something to get me moving forward so as to not lose all of the momentum that I had created. Just something to think about...

 

[HangWithMerida]

I know it’s still 2 weeks out and weather can change on a dime, and all that. I’m not banking on this forecast but that doesn’t keep me from weather stalking as my races come up. It’s a part of my process. I know, be prepared for anything.
Ok, so it‘s looking toasty guys. Lows about 60 and highs of 80. Honestly, not bad park weather and warm enough that I will be willing to get into a pool but man, that‘s warm running weather. For the HM in particular. The 10k I expect to be done before the sun really even comes up.

 

[HangWithMerida]

I got hit - HARD - by post-race letdown after MW. The best thing I did before I left was to have that next week planned out for me. I literally had my work outfits out before I left and knew that I had lunches and dinners in the house. So when I was exhausted, I didn't have to make any decisions.

What I wish I had done was to have another small goal on the horizon to work towards. Something to get me moving forward so as to not lose all of the momentum that I had created. Just something to think about...

You know, I have never experienced post-race letdown but I can see how it might be pretty common after events like MW, especially for those doing things like Goofy, Dopey where the training is a long haul and the weekend is so centered around those races. I LOVE the week after a race where I have a few days of no extra early wakeups to squeeze runs in before work and my weekends feel more open for a couple of weeks.
The suggestion to a have some goal on the horizon to work towards is a great one. I do this usually, so I wonder if that is part of why I haven’t felt the letdown as much. I have little things on the schedule and I am a hyper-planner so I have a training plan ready to go for after my races. Right now, I have a loose plan for training through MW 2023 and a firm plan for the next few months. As for races, I have a friend who wants to run her first 5k, so I am doing that with her in early April. Not really training specifically for that, but helping her prepare is sort of giving me that same feeling.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

As everyone starts their taper and taper madness starts to set in, I have one recommendation based on my experience from Marathon Weekend.

Instead of worrying about the "what happens if" scenarios, this is the best time to think about "what comes next." I got hit - HARD - by post-race letdown after MW. The best thing I did before I left was to have that next week planned out for me. I literally had my work outfits out before I left and knew that I had lunches and dinners in the house. So when I was exhausted, I didn't have to make any decisions.

What I wish I had done was to have another small goal on the horizon to work towards. Something to get me moving forward so as to not lose all of the momentum that I had created. Just something to think about...

I have a half marathon called Colfax Marathon in late May to think about after this run so that should help. It is the biggest denver run. It includes a 5k, 10 miler, 1/2 marathon and marathon. The half marathon is the only race that gets to run through our Denver Zoo, so I am really excited to do it. Last year I did the 10 miler which is the 2nd half of the marathon and runs through the Denver Bronco Stadium which I loved. Then in the summer I will start training for my first marathon the Disney's Marathon 2023. So I think that should be good.. in theory. I also I have 2 more disney trips planned because we had so many banked points. So I have a Aulani July trip to plan and WDW Thanksgiving trip to plan.

 

[SheHulk]

As everyone starts their taper and taper madness starts to set in, I have one recommendation based on my experience from Marathon Weekend.

Instead of worrying about the "what happens if" scenarios, this is the best time to think about "what comes next." I got hit - HARD - by post-race letdown after MW. The best thing I did before I left was to have that next week planned out for me. I literally had my work outfits out before I left and knew that I had lunches and dinners in the house. So when I was exhausted, I didn't have to make any decisions.

What I wish I had done was to have another small goal on the horizon to work towards. Something to get me moving forward so as to not lose all of the momentum that I had created. Just something to think about...

I've got this covered... Princess Weekend is a 'B' race weekend on the way to an 'A' race half for me in May. Sign up for something! You'll be so psyched come spring to get out and do a local race, when the weather gets nicer!

 

[azrivest]

Last long run done!!

All that's left is two weeks of heat acclimatation...


I've got 4 local races planned for '22, including 3 deferrals from cancelled races, so I'll have plenty of races to train for. I'm actually eager to slow down for a few weeks post-Princess. I've been training hard for months and will appreciate having a lower training load for a while.

 

[striker1064]

Procrastinating on my last long run today (15 miles!). It's been unusually warm the last several days, and of course this morning it's back in the 30s and rain/snow mix. Go figure. Weirdly enough, my last 3 or 4 long runs have had sub-optimal weather - most have been very cold, colder than today - so I guess I've just been practicing for this without realizing it!

 

[HangWithMerida]

@DisneyMountainWoman The Colfax races look so cool! I’m filing that one away for a future destination race. My husband has a friend near Denver so maybe I can coordinate a trip with a run weekend.

 

[HangWithMerida]

I've got this covered... Princess Weekend is a 'B' race weekend on the way to an 'A' race half for me in May. Sign up for something! You'll be so psyched come spring to get out and do a local race, when the weather gets nicer!

For me, Princess is the end of race season victory lap! Not doing the HM for time but will probably try to race the 10k.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

@DisneyMountainWoman The Colfax races look so cool! I’m filing that one away for a future destination race. My husband has a friend near Denver so maybe I can coordinate a trip with a run weekend.

It is, u should soo come out!

 

[bellanotte10]

So ended up in the hospital on Thursday and my chances of being able to finish the challenge are getting very close to 0. How will I be able to leave the half should I choose I’m done? I can’t remember

 

[Suz333]

So ended up in the hospital on Thursday and my chances of being able to finish the challenge are getting very close to 0. How will I be able to leave the half should I choose I’m done? I can’t remember

Do you mean start and not finish?
Here’s our experience from our last 10K. We started knowing we wouldn’t finish (one of us was recovering from a sprained ankle).
For the 1st time ever, we stood in line for photos. We heard other runners calling out the location of the balloon ladies while we were waiting for our picture with Beauty and Beast. Some runners hopped out of line, we stayed.
We also stopped to get a photo with Stitch- I think it was around then that the balloon ladies passed us.

We received multiple call-outs from people on bikes, letting us know that there was a sweep point, and if we could get ahead of the balloon ladies before a certain point, we wouldn’t be swept. Someone even rode up and talked to us specifically. We explained that we knew we wouldn’t finish, and would keep walking while we could. I think we got swept at the 5k mark. (We wouldn’t have minded being pulled sooner, but we weren’t going to stop on our own.)

If the princess half route takes close to the same route for the one time we did it, the last sweep point is around mile 10. (I know because I regretted not putting myself on the sweep bus almost as soon as I passed it - that exit ramp was brutal!).

In your case, I think if you feel done, just walk/limp to the side and wait for someone to check on you. Tell them you have to stop. If you don’t feel you can walk to whatever distance the bus is, tell them. I’m guessing they’ll have a golf cart or van or similar.

I hope your health improves soon, but don’t risk it for the challenge medal. Have fun accomplishing what you can do safely, and maybe enjoy some photo stops.

 

[sandam1]

So ended up in the hospital on Thursday and my chances of being able to finish the challenge are getting very close to 0. How will I be able to leave the half should I choose I’m done? I can’t remember

First off, hugs to you! I know how devastating it is.

I had to pull myself from the marathon in January and the actual process is very simple. You can either stop at a medical tent (they are marked on the course map) or flag down someone on a bike (they are everywhere) and tell them that you are done. If you feel that medical attention will help your recovery (ice, meds, water, etc.), getting to a medical tent might be preferable. Note that it might take a bit of time for them to actually get you to the finish since they have to work around the runners on the course.

As @Suz333 mentioned, since I knew that I was going to pull myself at the med tent at mile 1, I stopped at the first two character stops (Pluto and ????) because why not?

Now, if you decide to see what you can do, it is impossible to not know where the balloon ladies are. The people on the bikes will tell you how far you are ahead of them.

If the princess half route takes close to the same route for the one time we did it, the last sweep point is around mile 10. (I know because I regretted not putting myself on the sweep bus almost as soon as I passed it - that exit ramp was brutal!).

For Marathon Weekend, you had to enter Epcot ahead to the balloon ladies. If not, they were going to sweep you - and that criteria was made 100% clear. Once you hit the Epcot gates, they weren't going to pull you unless, of course, you wanted it. The approach to Epcot is up and down an overpass that leads you right into Epcot. I was literally even with the balloon ladies as we were going up the incline. I used the ladies' advice to take advantage of the downhill momentum. I just threw any sort of interval plan out the window and went as long as I could, caught my breath, and then used the rest of the hill to carry me into the park. I walked from that point on (there were a couple of Disney employees and a run coach that were with me on and off).

One thing to keep in mind is that everyone involved with the race wants to see you succeed. They don't want to sweep you. There is NO ONE who is going to shame you or make you feel bad if things don't work out the way you want. Things happen - life happens - and they understand that.

 

[bellanotte10]

thank you guys for the tips and support. Unfortunately? Fortunately? It’s not an injury stopping me. I’m going to try to get as far as I can for the half and I’ll keep you all posted. If I can do the 10k for marathon weekend with pneumonia in the rain a few years ago…. Just kidding I’ll be smarter this time. Starting to think I’m cursed for runDisney races and weird illnesses popping up right before them though.

 

[striker1064]

Woke up with throbbing soreness on the ball of my foot. Don't love that. It's not the first day I've felt something there, but I guess the 15 miles yesterday triggered it and it's significantly worse. I guess fortunately, most of the next two weeks is tapering, so I can rest/ice the entire time if necessary. But dang, these injuries are so frustrating.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Still a little early, but we're starting to get our first weather predictions from Weather Underground:

Historical Weather

5k - (5am to 7am) - T+D of 125-125; 64F with 61F dew
10k - (5am to 8am) - T+D of 123-124; 63F with 60F dew
HM - (5am to 10am) - T+D of 119-127; 61F with 58F dew

Ideal (T+D of <100) = 3/20 (15%)
Good (T+D 100-120) = 8/20 (40%)
Ok (T+D 121-130) = 3/20 (15%)
Not great (T+D of 130-140) = 5/20 (25%)
Bad (T+D >140) = 1/20 (5%)

The forecasted conditions for each of the races are currently "ok". Let's see how close this forecast 11-13 days out ends up being.

Never a bad idea to consider some heat acclimation training. Especially if you're coming from a Northern climate. I know for me, I just did 2.5 hrs at -10F. So being in the 60s is going to be a dramatic change.