I’ve never done a rundisney event but considering Princess next year. I’m not a runner. I may jog some but mostly walk. I did the Susan G Komen 3 day (20 miles a day) pre COVID (2019). And did a 10k a month before COVID. Thinking about doing the 10k and half to make the trip worth while. Do you think that’s feasible with training?
Also when do you recommend booking hotel?
Book when you're ready. I own DVC so I do this early.
The Challenge is totally doable with training.
But DO train. And be sure you can keep the minutes per mile faster than the required level. There is usually an amount of fudging you can do with timing, but you never know when things will happen all at once and they'll be strict.
This isn't meant to sound scary. I've been doing Princess since 2016 and I'm going back for 2023, so this isn't intended to discourage you at all. I'm honest and open simply to show you why you want to train.
Princess 2020, going by official mileage and my Garmin's time, I had a 19:08 pace for the Half. No issues with finishing. This year's princess I did the 10K, and my Garmin shows I had 17:46 per mile (when I calculate it using just 10K and not the extra from weaving). I never even saw the "balloon ladies" who are the unofficial, visual representation of the people who will pull you from the race. Not in 2020 or years before, and not at the 10K this year.
I also did the Half this year, and my Garmin shows that I did 9.30 miles at a 16:50 pace. The extra .30 is from weaving, because I was pulled AT the 9 mile marker. That means my pace was actually 17:25 when you calculate it for 9 miles; faster than the 10K. I did only 9 because I was pulled from the course. I had been battling the balloon ladies for over 2 miles by mile 9. (me and many many other people with me; there was a line of buses that pulled up at mile 9 to get us all)
The events that piled up were: we had had a late start due to terrible bus transportation issues at MANY onsite hotels that morning which meant they were watching the time more, heat in the forecast (which means they want people done before the major heat shows up), and a possibly due to a medical emergency requiring CPR just beyond the mile 9 mark. Those things clumped up and caused them to close the course at that point.
My own personal issues, which had nothing to do with disney and I'm adding so you know I have a lot of responsibility for what happened, were... I didn't finish my training cycle or even get close, I'd been sick with you-know-what in January and couldn't try to finish my training last-minute once I realized I'd never gotten further than 4 miles in the training cycle, I'm too heavy for my frame and my knees REALLY suffer when I'm at this size, and I have NO heat tolerance. I had also been caught in the transportation snafu and was panicking which did unpleasant things to my heart rate and made it harder for me overall. And I started further back in my corral than I wanted to, which gave me less buffer. My cousin was in the same boat as me in terms of transportation and panic, and she did just fine, FWIW.
It all added up for me!
So make SURE you train for something faster than the requirement. Also remember that you might need bathroom breaks and waiting in line to take photos with characters.
I hope I haven't scared you off, since it isn't my intention. Knowledge is power, and I never want anyone else to be on the bus going back to epcot rather than making their own way across the finish line.
