Official 2012 Princess 1/2 marathon thread part 2

[ColleenG]

Hello Princesses! Just back last night. I wasn't sure if I would actually do the running, I was diagnosed with pneumonia last Tuesday. My lungs were feeling good on Saturday and I wasn't coughing anymore so we got up in the morning and decided to at least START the race. We were Corral G and we got off to a good start. I was feeling pretty good. I was going to decide if I would keep going at the 5K marker. My mom stopped for a potty break right before the TTC. LONG lines-probably a good 5+mins but whatever, we were not there for time!
At that point I checked my 5k time-13.3min/mile ave. Oh-too fast for how I was feeling! We slowed a bit and made it through MK. At 10k we were averaging 15.3min miles-better!
I was still feeling ok so we kept this pace and made it to mile 10. I gotta say-I was not prepared for miles 10-12 being quite to hilly and uneven. I heard about the overpass but that begining ramps seemed to go on forever!
Once we made it up the overpass we saw mile 12 and knew we'd finish. Officially we did it in 3:23. Not to bad for a 62yr old and a princess recovering from pneumonia running their first race!
Thanks for all the support and encouragment. Princesses ROCK!!

So glad to hear you were feeling well enough to give it a try and kudos for being able to finish! Hope you are still feeling well!

 

[rocio]

Wow DisneyChix! That's amazing. How are you feeling now? Glad you were recovered well enough to make it through. I was thinking about you and mentioned you to my friend when she was asking how people could not get refunds if they got sick or injured.

I got a sparkly bondiband too Heather, but not like the one you posted. I bought the official Princess Half Marathon one but I saw bondiband made them. I can't wait to wear it to my Zumba class tongiht!

 

[Disneychix]

So glad to hear you were feeling well enough to give it a try and kudos for being able to finish! Hope you are still feeling well!

Wow DisneyChix! That's amazing. How are you feeling now? Glad you were recovered well enough to make it through. I was thinking about you and mentioned you to my friend when she was asking how people could not get refunds if they got sick or injured.

Thanks ladies! I am feeling ok. Finished all my antibiotics and it seems to be gone.
I was texting my DH during the race to keep him informed and he was yelling at me for going too fast. I was like, "I'm texting so I can't be going that fast!"

 

[stitchfan18]

Wow DisneyChix! That's amazing. How are you feeling now? Glad you were recovered well enough to make it through. I was thinking about you and mentioned you to my friend when she was asking how people could not get refunds if they got sick or injured.

I got a sparkly bondiband too Heather, but not like the one you posted. I bought the official Princess Half Marathon one but I saw bondiband made them. I can't wait to wear it to my Zumba class tongiht!

I have a pink sparkly band like the ones in the official race area. I love wearing it, it's so much cuter than the traditional sweatband when working out!

 

[Dr.Girlfriend]

The "balloon people" are the last participants in the race.
Behind them will be the bicycles and the vans awaiting to pick up anyone that doesn't meet the time limits.
If you see them, then you need to get going.
Last year I took a picture of the "balloon lady" as I was coming back out of the Magic Kingdom.

This year I took another picture.
But the ladies did not have balloons hooked onto them. But they were the last people because I saw the vans behind them.

The "pacers" are there if you want to keep a specific time. I saw several different ones as I was running.

Ahh, gotcha!! I saw the pacers with balloons and signs with times on them, so I assumed that is what everyone meant.

Would you mind posting a pic of the sweeper balloon people?

 

[StarGirl11]

Photos are up! Though two photos I should have are missing. Looks like I am going to have to go lost and found hunting. As soon as I get my photopass CD and my brightroom photos I will start on the TR.

 

[rocio]

They're up!!!

 

[rocio]

And Brightroom got me in a short video too!!! Awesome!

 

[stitchfan18]

Photos are up! Though two photos I should have are missing. Looks like I am going to have to go lost and found hunting. As soon as I get my photopass CD and my brightroom photos I will start on the TR.

You might also check some pictures from bib numbers similar to yours if you can't find your pictures in the lost and found section. I had a picture of someone who had bib 924, and mine was 934. They were in a hurry to get them on the web I'm sure, so there could have been some typos when categorizing them. I doubt this ladies picture will come up in the lost and found since they marked it as being me, it's too bad too because it's a cute picture!

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

I've been peeking in here and there and wanted to wish everyone congrats on finishing (or at least trying to finish) the race.

My awesome, awesome DH stayed with me the whole time, coaching me and pushing me to my limit. I'm not particularly proud of my time. I wanted to finish in 3:00 or under even with pictures but finished in 3:19:51. I am very proud of myself for finishing so I can't be too upset with myself.

One thing I will say is they should put p/o/p's in the corral area. I kept going as I walked to the corral and didn't think that lovely bottle of Vitamin Water I had for breakfast would fill up my bladder at the last second. I ran the first 1/2 mile thinking I would pee my expensive compression tights and found the first p/o/p; unfortunately, so did 15 other princesses. I was one of the naughty ones running across the street to do it in the bushes, not only because of the line, but because I just couldn't hold it anymore! That didn't work out well because the bush I ran into had jagged leaves and it took forever trying to "go" because I was tearing my tutu off the bush . Hubby and I escaped with minor scratches and continued on.

I was trying to keep a run 5/walk 1 pace but there were times when DH just wanted me to keep running so I think I burnt out a little. By the time we got to the castle I got a second wind but that died down around mile 7! Around mile 9.5 I was EXHAUSTED but DH kept yelling out to just keep moving, you can do it, etc. One lady grabbed his shoulders and said "I'll hold him, you hit him". that made me laugh so I kept going. The ramp to the bridge was excruciating so I walked it. Once we got to mile 12 I tried doing a real run for the last mile but really burnt myself out. At this point I was running (if you can call it that) 1 minute, walking 2 minutes.

I never thought I'd be so happy to see a finish line! DH was so happy and hugged me tight before we got our medals.

I'm happy to announce that I have earned my D/B bag and my "I Did It" tee. DH kept saying I was going to jinx myself but I kept my receipt in a safe place just in case I had to return it. DD said the bag was my motivation (it was ). LOL

I thought this was a great experience and a good way to get my first 1/2 in. I want to do the Warrior Dash in August with DH and will start training for that. DH has mentioned something about carrying truck tires up a hill so I'll be doing lots of strength training. I want to run a "serious" race next year so I hope to sign up for the NYC 1/2. I figure it will take me about 2 years to totally be ready for a full marathon. I honestly don't think I was as prepared as I could have been for this half so I want be sure that I'm prepared for a full. When I'm ready, runDisney will be the first place I look.

The CM at OKW mentioned how her 44 y/o DD runs the marathon every year so I'm inspired by that.

P.S. My children said a husband carried his wife across the finish line (DS said that was romantic, but cheating, LOL) and a guy proposed to his girlfriend at the finish line. Awwww.

 

[HockeyKat]

DH, DD, and I walked to start corrals from POFQ...it was so easy! We left at 4:30 and reached the start area before any of the runners coming from the staging area. The walk took maybe 10 minutes.

There was a steady stream of walkers coming over the bridge...we even saw some walking up the road from Old Key West. Also saw a large group in the parking lot of POFQ...suspect they drove there and parked just for the race as they were parked in the section closest to Bonnet Creek Parkway and furthest from the resort buildings.

Do you pass OKW when walking from POFQ? We were staying at OKW and wished we had walked. The walk from gear check to the corrals was absolutely insane.


Sorry that I missed you, Julie/Amy! I would up moving up a corral with my friends (who were all in A or B), as evidently my PR from Nov was good enough to move up, and so I wasn't in C after all. It was such a crazy, busy weekend that I didn't have time to look up your number on the dis and text you. I didn't bring my laptop.

We were very, very thankful to have been in B as one friend got quite ill at mile 8/9 and we had to make a long stop and slow it down. With my recovering injury having kept us at a 15mm up to that point, if we had started in a later corral, I am not sure we would have made it.

Oh, and we were very mindful of runners and started at the back of the corral, and went out of our way to move aside for anyone faster.


I completely agree that there were a lot fewer characters, and less race entertainment in general. I was also disappointed in both the race shirt and the swag (or lack thereof).

 

[Disfan11]

Ahh, gotcha!! I saw the pacers with balloons and signs with times on them, so I assumed that is what everyone meant.

Would you mind posting a pic of the sweeper balloon people?

Here's the balloon lady from 2011.

Here's who I interpreted to be the balloon ladies (w/no balloons) from 2012.

These were the vans after the ladies in the photo above.

 

[Mickey'sfriend]

And Brightroom got me in a short video too!!! Awesome!

There's a video of me at the castle and at the finish. Too cool. I look pretty good coming across the finish line; however, the picture of me with my medal is looking a little rough. I guess that's what a very tired princess looks like!

 

[DIS-OH]

Do you pass OKW when walking from POFQ? We were staying at OKW and wished we had walked. The walk from gear check to the corrals was absolutely insane.

POFQ is "around the corner" from OKW, so you don't pass by it when walking from POFQ.

To walk from OKW...go out the front entrance and turn left on Vacation Club Way. Cross over Bonnet Creek Parkway and continue straight across the canal bridge. The start corrals are on Epoct Center Drive, just past the bridge.

 

[joan4mickey]

There should be two videos...one at castle and one at finish line. There were more photographers on course than I have ever seen and these were the best photos I have ever seen. They must have brought there best for the weekend. I paid for one photo back in 2008 from the Minnie Marathon (a discontinued race) and broke down and brought one last month of my son at Chip and Dale as he didn't carry a camera.

 

[rocio]

I just ordered the whole CD as I want the two videos! I did not look to happy at the finish line. I look fabulous 10 steps before the finish line and then I'm done.

 

[TMcDwyer]

I just ordered the whole CD as I want the two videos! I did not look to happy at the finish line. I look fabulous 10 steps before the finish line and then I'm done.

I want to order the whole CD, but there are some pics of me that are under friends numbers or the Lost & Found area. How do I move them to my number so they are included on my CD?

 

[TMcDwyer]

Heather - What does "Half Fanatic" in your siggy mean? I have already done two this year and I am already registered for three more...I may fit the mold!

 

[rocio]

I want to order the whole CD, but there are some pics of me that are under friends numbers or the Lost & Found area. How do I move them to my number so they are included on my CD?

In their FAQ is says to email them with the numbers of the pictures to be added to your collection before ordering it.

 

[TMcDwyer]

In their FAQ is says to email them with the numbers of the pictures to be added to your collection before ordering it.

THANK YOU!!! I wish you could just tag them like on FaceBook!