You all convinced me to start running as an excuse to plan a birthday trip to WDW - I started Couch to 5k in July, ran my first/only 5K in October, took me 36:20. I still don’t love running so I decided not to push myself to train for the half, figuring I’ll have a mostly-relaxing birthday weekend but kick it off with the 5K Friday morning. My boyfriend is going with me, we’re staying at the Dolphin, and I’m frantically getting my PhD in Genie+/ILL in anticipation.
Very excited but want to make sure I’m not crazy - if I run the 5K in the same time or less (I hope it’s a bit less!) than my October time, will we have time to get back to Dolphin so I can rinse off before walking over to rope drop HS during ETPE? I know we don’t have the course maps yet, but I’m assuming there will be a bus we can hop back to Dolphin/Boardwalk area? I’m figuring even if the corral I’m in doesn’t get started until 5:30 (no idea how those work for 5K), I should be able to get on transportation back to the hotel by 6:15ish, time for a rinse & change (and buy ILL for ROTR and make first G+LL for SDD…) and then head out…right??
I hope I’m asking this in the right place I just feel so unfamiliar with what the race day will look like, what walkways might be blocked off, etc. and suddenly worried I’m over-estimating my ability to properly schedule our first day in the parks. Reassure me or tell me to rearrange my park days! We’re doing AK Saturday and then Epcot Sunday (my actual birthday).
Probably?
Keep in mind that Disney races are very packed events and running at your desired pace could prove challenging depending where you are in the pack.
Thank you!! When I poke around the runDisney site, I just see “check back closer to the event” for the guides, where did you see the maps? I saw on a Touring Plans blog that the 5k is around Epcot, should I just walk back to Dolphin?
Thanks! I knew I wouldn’t be able to get through the park but wasn’t sure if there was a walkable way around from the front entrance - figured it was unlikely.
No sorry, you’re quickest option will be to take the bus. The other option is to user Uber/Lyft, and I don’t have experience with that so can’t speak to it. If you drive yourself, that may provide a quicker exit than the buses, but not necessarily. There is a chance the bus will leave as soon as you board, but you may also have to wait 10-15 minutes while it fills up.
For anyone running or spectating the princess half and driving yourself there, there was some discussion in a FB group I’m in about needing to park at HS and take a bus to the start at Epcot. There will be NO SELF PARK available at Epcot that morning and you must be on a bus from HS to EP no later than 4am
I guess it is in the event guide but could be easily overlooked
Thank you all, this is so helpful!! I did finally experience runner’s high for the first time on my last run (thought it was a myth this whole time) so I’m finally understanding why people actually get into it. If I can keep it up I may try to start training for longer distances
You can totally do it! I started off running in my mid 30’s as a way to fill the void of quitting smoking (hardest but best thing I’ve done!). I started with 5Ks and thought that’s all I’d ever do. But after a couple of years of doing 5Ks, my sister convinced me I could do a half-marathon. I was extremely skeptical, but thought I’d try it and I put no pressure on myself at all about the race. My only goal: finish the 13.1. I followed a training plan I found online. And come race day I did it! I will say that my first half was not the best race experience I’ve ever had, but I finished and it motivated me to try again. Since then I’ve done 11 half marathon races. Then this year I ran my very first full at WDW at 45 y/o. I told myself I’d NEVER do a full, but I did it and it was amazing! So from smoker, to 5K runner, to full marathoner in 10 years! You can totally do it!
That is awesome!! I’m also in my mid-thirties and quit smoking at 30. It’s so funny, I have always hated running and truly only started as an excuse to plan this trip, but just this week have finally started understanding how people can actually enjoy it. Now I’m thinking maybe I’ll try for the half next year! You folks who do marathons are really amazing, congratulations on completing it. Can I ask what was less-than-good about your first half?
I think it was two things that made my first half-marathon not my best experience. First, I did not hydrate myself well in the days leading up to the race (total rookie move) and I ended up getting a horrible Charlie horse in my left calf. I ran through the pain, but it hurt! It was such a bad cramp in my calf that I ended up having a bruise the size of my fist right in the middle of my calf. Second, it was my very first Disney race and I did not have a qualifying time. So I was all the way in the back, back, back. I was not ready for the crowds and I had a really hard time finding space to set my pace and stay in it. For the first several miles it was a loft of weaving around people and slowing down and speeding up. It was frustrating and then add the pain in my leg - Ugh!
BUT my second Disney half marathon, I had a qualifying time so I was in a corral in the middle-ish. I hydrated wisely and I had an amazing time.
Do you take salt tabs? I discovered them during marathon training and they were absolutely key for me avoiding muscle cramps.
This was my one (major) complaint about marathon. I really couldn’t find space to get into my groove until around mile 7. It was incredibly frustrating.
I had some pretty wicked calf cramps back in my first WDW Princess Half Marathon in 2018. It was definitely related to hydration. There was also the fact that we spent the previous 10 days going commando in the parks from rope drop until they kicked us out of the parks.
It happened around the Army man from Toy Story where you are climbing on the exit ramp. I was stubborn as well and continued on with the pain. I had to change my running style so that I did not use my calves. For the next week, I could not walk normally.
Since then I have made sure I drank more than enough during the races. I make a point of walking through each water stop and taking a minimum of two cups of Powerade and two cups of water. No water stop is skipped.
I originally thought that all that fluid would make we want to stop at every port-a-pottie during the race, but that is not the case.
