Princess Weekend 2020

[Girlworthfightingfor]

I wore my princess half race shirt this morning on a run and, in my opinion, it’s really awful material. Not breathable at all. I really wish they would have a name brand shirt, even the Champion ones were much better. The long sleeve ones from marathon weekend are the same, scratchy and hot.

 

[MRL214]

I agree completely, although I've decided that if I am going to continue to run at Disney (and I am) then I'm just going to have to put up with it. I run about 10 non-Disney races a year (250-15,000 runners) and runDisney runners have by far the worst etiquette / common sense. I think there are many factors, some the runners "fault" and some due to runDisney and the course. I've never run a Disney 5K, but the Disney 10Ks were worse the the HMs and the HMs were worse than the Marathon. Why is it so bad? In no particular order:

• There seems to be a higher percentage of new runners who have no concept or experience in in how to run with others.
• There are more walkers (not necessarily more run/walk interval runners).
• The course is narrow in places and has more sharp turns than many other races.
• People stop for photos thus mixing faster/slower people.
• Even with POTs, the pace of most corrals behind perhaps A and B is erratic. In the later corrals, the word is out to lie about your projected pace and move as close as possible to the front to allow more time for photos. You also have faster runners who do not submit POTs in later corrals.

The shorter races, especially during Princess, can be super frustrating. I was shocked at the Expo when my challenge bib was C/B (I'm always A/B). The person at Runner Relations basically said that my 10k PoT of 50:25 was useless for the Princess 10k because so many people had estimated a faster pace for themselves. They wouldn't correct my bib, or the bib of someone in front of me with a similar pace. I ended up running outside of the cones or on the grass for much of the first three miles and still finished top 6%. I started to notice A/B challenge bibs with a higher bib number than mine. I'll be emailing Track Shack to see why this happened and if there is a way to avoid it in the future.

 

[Tinker-belle23]

The shorter races, especially during Princess, can be super frustrating. I was shocked at the Expo when my challenge bib was C/B (I'm always A/B). The person at Runner Relations basically said that my 10k PoT of 50:25 was useless for the Princess 10k because so many people had estimated a faster pace for themselves. They wouldn't correct my bib, or the bib of someone in front of me with a similar pace. I ended up running outside of the cones or on the grass for much of the first three miles and still finished top 6%. I started to notice A/B challenge bibs with a higher bib number than mine. I'll be emailing Track Shack to see why this happened and if there is a way to avoid it in the future.

My challenge bib was E/D thought it was really odd to be placed in a later corral for the 10k than the half. I was seeing people with bibs such as B/H and C/F, did not make sense to me that they were in such a higher 10k corral but a lower half corral than me. I did a lot running on the sides of the course as well especially since I started with a lot of walkers. It was definitely a bit frustrating when the course got super narrow, I also didn't want people to think I was a total a*hole trying to run around them but I didn't have much of a choice besides that or slow to a complete walk.

 

[Kerry1957]

I was seeing people with bibs such as B/H and C/F, did not make sense to me that they were in such a higher 10k corral but a lower half corral than me.

You have correctly identified the problem! It's as simple as you need a POT for an early corral for the half, but not for the 10K. My guess is that most folks who had a B/H bib submitted very optimistic estimates of their 10K pace (i.e., they just lied) but without POTs for the half they were placed near the back where they belong. There are folks who are in fact very fast, but had not run a HM in the last year, but that is probably the exception.

My next guess is that you had a E/D bib because you submitted an honest estimate of your 10K pace, which put you behind all the liars. So should you just lie for the next runDisney 10K? That's your call but I understand the temptation.

 

[Tinker-belle23]

You have correctly identified the problem! It's as simple as you need a POT for an early corral for the half, but not for the 10K. My guess is that most folks who had a B/H bib submitted very optimistic estimates of their 10K pace (i.e., they just lied) but without POTs for the half they were placed near the back where they belong. There are folks who are in fact very fast, but had not run a HM in the last year, but that is probably the exception.

My next guess is that you had a E/D bib because you submitted an honest estimate of your 10K pace, which put you behind all the liars. So should you just lie for the next runDisney 10K? That's your call but I understand the temptation.

I don't recall having to select an estimated finish for the 10k, just submitting my POT in general for both races when I registered for the challenge which was a half marathon of 2:20 but maybe I'm incorrect it was so long ago lol. It seemed like the 10k corral placements were just a total crap shoot, it's a shame that people are basically encouraged to just pick the fastest finishing time because it screws others over. Oh well!

 

[ErinC]

Having been there done that, you have no idea what co dictions they were just dealing with that caused them to be side by side. You likely have little idea of if they were all together (since you’re coming up on them quickly). And...which etiquette to follow? On the right? On the left? (I’ve been at a race where “runners pass on the RIGHT” was the rule) Simply on the side?

Races when you’re not in elite corrals are difficult things, with interval people moving back and forth as they transition, and sometimes encountering others who are transitioning, and runners who are being erratic (something I’ve encountered FAR more than the actually-purposely-rude walkers). I’ve been stuck in conditions that cause ME to look like the jerk, when it’s been a series of events that got me to where I am but I’m desperate to move over.



Where does it say that? I haven’t seen mention of it in rundisney info for a few years.

And before that, it said runners on the left, and I promise you runners didn’t follow that even when walkers were. (TOT 10 miler 2013 it said that, and I was nearly smashed while walking as far to the right on the path as was possible in the trail to wwos by a reckless runner going through the grass on my right)

Carissa (?) usually makes some halfhearted announcement of some sort like it well into the corrals being released for one of the races, but there’s nothing I’ve seen in the official info for a couple years. And if they don’t write it, we have no place saying they do.

I don’t recall seeing anything about runners in the middle either?? I just wish they would make announcements during the race. They have all those speakers that warn about speed bumps ahead, why not “walkers move to the right”. Sorry about your half not going well bumbershoot. I hope you can get it straightened out, so you can run comfortably again. I always appreciate all your comments and help on this board.
I meant to comment earlier that we went to the expo Friday morning. Got our bibs right at 10:00 when they opened. I made DH let me go to merchandise first because there were two things I wanted. I wanted the hot pink challenge pullover, and a 19.3 magnet from this race. Both were already gone by then.

 

[SunDial]

Good afternoon all,.

Quick question. Has anyone who had pictures taken by PhotoPass in front of the castle, received them yet? I know it takes a little time but I have not seen any new ones appear in a couple of days. I got the Cinderella one I was waiting to appear

 

[Fire14]

I a nb d friend gave castle pics.

 

[SarahDisney]

Good afternoon all,.

Quick question. Has anyone who had pictures taken by PhotoPass in front of the castle, received them yet? I know it takes a little time but I have not seen any new ones appear in a couple of days. I got the Cinderella one I was waiting to appear

We 2 of our 3 castle pictures. Still missing one.

 

[SunDial]

We 2 of our 3 castle pictures. Still missing one.

Thanks. They took 2 of my daughter and I and neither one has appeared. Plenty of them from both sides of the castle though.

 

[rteetz]

Thanks. They took 2 of my daughter and I and neither one has appeared. Plenty of them from both sides of the castle though.

I’d try emailing photopass with you bib numbers, what you were wearing and what not so they can help locate the photos.

 

[Disney316]

Forgot to post the numbers here!

View attachment 476303

Has anyone ever done the math on Run Disney’s revenue? Using these registration numbers and rough estimates of the fees I come up with ~$1.9M for the 10k (12,572 x $150) and ~$4.9M for the half (20,492 x $200).

Estimating the 5k at around the same number of registrants as the 10k, that is another ~$1.25M (12,572 x $100). All together, $7M for the weekend.
I know these events are more expensive than any local races but arguably provide more support and resources but WOAH that was a lot more than I was expecting.

 

[rteetz]

Has anyone ever done the math on Run Disney’s revenue? Using these registration numbers and rough estimates of the fees I come up with ~$1.9M for the 10k (12,572 x $150) and ~$4.9M for the half (20,492 x $200).

Estimating the 5k at around the same number of registrants as the 10k, that is another ~$1.25M (12,572 x $100). All together, $7M for the weekend.
I know these events are more expensive than any local races but arguably provide more support and resources but WOAH that was a lot more than I was expecting.

Those numbers are finishers so the number registered should be even higher. Disney doesn’t release those numbers though.

 

[Kazrak]

Those numbers are finishers so the number registered should be even higher. Disney doesn’t release those numbers though.

The total bib counts given for the half were 25,568, so that seems like a reasonable estimate for the total registrations.

 

[Livelovedance]

Where does it say that? I haven’t seen mention of it in rundisney info for a few years.

And before that, it said runners on the left, and I promise you runners didn’t follow that even when walkers were. (TOT 10 miler 2013 it said that, and I was nearly smashed while walking as far to the right on the path as was possible in the trail to wwos by a reckless runner going through the grass on my right)

Carissa (?) usually makes some halfhearted announcement of some sort like it well into the corrals being released for one of the races, but there’s nothing I’ve seen in the official info for a couple years. And if they don’t write it, we have no place saying they do.

I don’t recall seeing anything about runners in the middle either?? I just wish they would make announcements during the race. They have all those speakers that warn about speed bumps ahead, why not “walkers move to the right”. Sorry about your half not going well bumbershoot. I hope you can get it straightened out, so you can run comfortably again. I always appreciate all your comments and help on this board.

I don’t remember if it was in the event guide, and of course now I can’t go back and look because it’s mostly gone, but I know for sure Carissa said walkers “stay to the sides” more than once. Not that that is entirely helpful, because not everyone is listening or can listen depending on where you are in the corrals, but I specifically listened for it because I wanted to make sure I wasn’t in the way! I’m no runDisney expert by any means, but I was just so disheartened to watch this person be so rude to people that were following what we were told to do. I understand an “on your left” or “excuse me,” but yelling and pushing in my opinion is crossing the line, especially when (like @bumbershoot stated) you don’t know what conditions brought these people to where they were that morning.

 

[Livelovedance]

Back again to say I just found conflicting information on the RunDisney twitter page. I have no problem admitting when I’m wrong! This doesn’t match what Carissa announced. All the more reason why information like this should be posted clearly in the guide and/or announced during the course, especially in the narrow sections!

 

[SarahDisney]

Radical idea: Separate runner and walker lanes in Cone Alley (with more cones to separate them). With an easy way to transition between the two for run/walk intervals.
I know, not gonna happen, but that was probably where the mixing of runners and walkers was worst for us. We were trying to do our intervals and there was just no concept of where we needed to be to safely run and transition.

 

[kleph]

Back again to say I just found conflicting information on the RunDisney twitter page. I have no problem admitting when I’m wrong! This doesn’t match what Carissa announced. All the more reason why information like this should be posted clearly in the guide and/or announced during the course, especially in the narrow sections!

View attachment 477398

This sign as well as some other tips were also posted on a column runners passed entering into the staging area prior to gear check.

 

[Kazrak]

I was, at one point early on, walking on the extreme left side, and had somebody complain that I should be walking on the right.

 

[bumbershoot]

Had a bunch of stuff written. Deleted it. I can tell from my words that I’m just so over rundisney right now lol. I’m still hurting quite a bit and I have Hot Chocolate 15k tomorrow.....


The “runners in the middle” thing is old. When I started doing rundisney in 2013 it was runners on the left. Then it shifted to runners in the middle. The last few years it’s been nothing until Carissa feels like saying something. Which is useless and she needs to stop it because it’s too late by then and only a smattering hear it.


IMO the biggest bit of advice that I have, and the thing that could save a lot of troubles, is if we ALL looked around often. If you’re going to change pace in any way, look around beforehand.

Putting a hand up means NOTHING to runners, nor should it. Runners aren’t “trained” in intervals, and don’t need to know what that means. Same for plain-walkers, actually.

Putting a hand up AS you stop is useless.

But turning your head to see if you’re about to impact someone, and having the ability to keep on at that pace until things clear, makes things better. I’ve gotten a lot of thanks from people because I do that, and I’ll wave people through before I change my pace.

Gotta practice it, though. High right shoulders and a head on swivel make for a ghastly headache!!! Been there done that for the first event when I started it.


Lastly...my cousin actually had the pace we both estimated. We both started in an early wave in F. She had a terrific run. The further ahead you are, the better the event you have. But it’s also about mindset and flexibility.

As much as I despise the concept (because it’s ugly to those slower people and they have NO idea what it’s like to be slower), the “dead last start” people show that you can start last and still have a good race.

A few went by me (and I had some hand gestures to their backs because I think their behavior is vile) and they were nimbly picking their ways through the group without an issue.

My cousin actually sped up for most of the Half And again we started at the same time.

(I’ve invited the DLS people to pace with me, to see what it’s like to have your plans crash down and to not have a 7 minute mile capability when starting further back. They haven’t accepted my offer. The FB group they run and moderate is great but I quit it because I just can’t be part of that)