Disney Princess Half Marathon 2012 Race Report

The big day has come. And gone. Uneventfully.

Disney Princess Half Marathon: February 26, 2012, 6:27am

Yesterday was the Disney Princess Half Marathon. Before you I get you invested and excited, I didn’t finish. We got to mile 5 and got swept for being 8 seconds behind the required pace.  Let me explain...

I had a toe injury for about 3 weeks before the race. I did some swimming and biking, but no running. On race day, it felt fine. There were no toe issues. But in those 3 weeks, I really lost a lot of conditioning and strength. I could have easily worked back up to where I had been if I had a few more weeks, but I just ran out of time.

My 2-mile run a few days ago left my legs sore for a day or two. I thought I was prepared, but I really should have prepared better.

I think what started my downward spiral, toe injury not included, was participating in the 30for60 challenge in December and January. It was a mental struggle for me, as I was more concerned with getting something in each day, that I didn’t focus fully on each running workout and didn’t give it my full attention. Not to mention, it was around the holidays and I started my own business, which I put 110% into and my workouts slacked because of it.

I’m glad I did the 30for60 challenge, though. I learned a lot about myself and I needed it to push me through the holidays. If I had to do it all over again, I’d probably still do it, I’d just be more structured about it and go into it with a better plan. I just played everything by ear and tried to fit things in wherever I could. I should have been more prepared.

I’m not at all using these things as excuses, just lessons to learn for my future endeavors. I knew there was a 16-minute mile and I knew I probably wouldn’t be able to keep up with that pace. But I tried. The 5 miles that we did seemed to go by pretty fast. It definitely didn’t feel like 5 miles. Maybe more like 3. Of course now, my legs tell me it feels like 10 miles. I had a good time. Good people, great entertainment and a positive atmosphere.

I planned this race early last year with two friends Gabbie and Amanda. They both live in Florida. We kept in touch as we trained throughout the year and were each other’s cheering squad during good times and motivation during hard times. I wish we lived closer because the training runs would have been a lot more fun as a group since we are all about the same pace.

We all went to the expo together on Friday morning and got some fun race stuff and listened to Jeff Galloway speak. I actually asked him during a Q&A how much conditioning one could lose with 3 weeks off. He told me I shouldn't do the half marathon and do the Royal Family 5K instead. Not an option. Then he said I should just walk the half marathon and jog when I saw the sweepers. Ha. I'd have been swept at mile 1! I appreciated his answer though, because he also stressed the run/walk method which is what we planned to follow.

Expo entrance

Jeff Galloway speaking

I finally got the Spibelt I’ve been wanting. As well as a t-shirt that says, “I did it” with the race course on the back. A little premature, yes, but I had high hopes. I plan to get a patch or decal to put over the word “did” that says “tried”, so it reads, “I tried it”. Then I plan to circle mile #5 on the race course picture and add another decal or lettering that says, “There’s always next year”. Or something to that effect. It was the experience that matters most to me, and it certainly was an experience, that’s for sure.

We all met up at my hotel at around 3 in the morning to board the bus over to Epcot.

Excited at 3am, even on little sleep.

When we got to the race area, we checked out the amenities and got the lay of the land. After checking a bag, we started our walk to the start/corral area. My friends were gracious enough to hop back a corral into H with me since they were all in G and I was in H. I appreciate that more than they realize. It wouldn’t have been as much fun by myself and I’m glad they were willing to stick with me, even if it meant that they got swept in the race because of it.

We used the bathroom about 3 times each – I could not stop peeing! The port-o-potties weren’t as bad as I thought they were going to be. We hung out in our corral for about 45 minutes before the race started. As the first corral took off, they counted down and shot off fireworks! Gabbie wasn’t a fan of them and tried to hide under my tutu.

Protecting Gabbie from the fireworks. My tutu was good for lots of things!

As each corral took off, we got to move up closer to the start line. Finally, it was our turn! It was very exciting.

The beginning of the end.

Each mile ticked by really quickly. By mile 2, we saw the lead runner on her way back towards the finish. Wow. She was quick!! I knew my mom was waiting to view us at mile 4.2 so I was constantly texting her letting her know where we were. I also had other friends texting

Hi Mom!!

Right after we passed her we noticed a bathroom with no line. At this point in the race we were one minute ahead of pace and we figured that it would be the best opportunity we’d have to go to the bathroom with little to no line. All of the other port-o-potties that we passed had crazy long lines and I was getting to the point where I couldn’t hold it any longer. So we stopped. By the time we finished, the dreaded balloon ladies marking the back of the pace pack had passed us and we were now a minute behind pace. A 2-minute bathroom break was our downfall.

There were people on bikes riding near us letting us know that we had 5 minutes to get to the next mile marker or we’d be picked up. I appreciated their warnings because I knew how much I needed to pick up the pace to get to where we needed to be. But we just couldn’t do it. We went from one minute behind pace to 8 seconds behind pace by the time we got picked up. If we had just a little bit more distance, we’d have been able to catch up.

We were RIGHT outside the gate entrance to Magic Kingdom, missing our chance to run through the castle by a half mile. Sad. I’m grateful that my mom at least got to see us once on the course. She had originally been planning to wait outside the entrance of Magic Kingdom to see us enter the park, then go back to the finish to wait for us. Instead she decided to go to the spectator view point at mile 4.2, and then walk a 10 min path to see us again at mile 7 near the Polynesian Resort. I’m glad she decided to see us before the park!!

We got onto a bus where they took our names and bib numbers so they could keep track of us and drove us back to the finish area. They gave us our medals and we took a few “non-finisher” pictures.

Nice try.

I didn’t put my medal on. I just carried it around. I don’t feel right wearing it. I may have registered, trained for and started the race, but I didn’t finish it. They gave us finisher medals. I didn’t finish, and I certainly didn’t earn a medal. I’m grateful they still gave us a medal because it’s going on my wall at home as a reminder to keep trying so I can earn that medal another year. It’s hard to see other people walking around the resort wearing their medals, knowing that I got one too, but I can’t wear it because I didn’t finish. Hopefully the disappointment will turn into more motivation for my future races and challenges.

Better luck next time!

Throughout this entire half-marathon experience, I have discovered that I really appreciate the sport of triathlon – sprint triathlon, that is. My sprint triathlon last year was a total of 13.63 miles. Just over the distance of a half marathon, yet there are 3 sports to break it up instead of constant running, which for the record, I still hate. I haven’t yet signed up for the Title 9 Sprint triathlon again for 2012, but I think I will now. I was turned off by all of the horrid hills on the bike ride, but I think if I continue to train and work on more strength training, I can do better than last year!

As far as the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I don’t doubt that I’ll do it again. I didn’t reach my goal – to finish. So I have to keep trying until I finish. I won’t lie; it was disappointing not to finish. I would have loved to cross that finish line. I would have loved to even get to Magic Kingdom and run through Cinderella’s castle. But this time, it just didn’t workout. I don’t know if I’ll do it next year or not, but eventually, I will. I want to make sure I can be under the time limit and know confidently that I will finish the race, not just hope for the best.

Despite the disappointment of being swept on the course, I’m proud of myself. I’m proud of myself for having the guts to try it. I’m proud that I kept up with my training plan the entire time (minus the 3 week injury period), I’m proud of myself for not quitting. I’m proud of myself for thinking those 5 miles that I did complete, were easy. I’m proud of myself for doing my best. And I’m so lucky to have so much support in my friends, family, and those who read my blog. I appreciate each and every one of you and thank you so much for cheering me on throughout my journeys. 

Winter Classic 5K Race Report - My first DNF

Back in September I registered for the Winter Classic 5K road race in Cambridge, MA. I was really excited about it because not only did they boast a long sleeve t-shirt, they were also giving away a fleece hat for runners that signed up for the race before a certain deadline. You know me and fun gimmicks like that! Sign me up!

Two previous races in the past 2 months, I had gotten lost on the course due to poor organization on the race’s behalf. There was no support out on the course for runners towards the back of the pack. I asked a few volunteers if they had a race course map. They didn’t know what I was talking about. I asked them if the race director was around so I could ask him what his plans were for support out on the course. They said he was busy somewhere but they didn’t know where he was. I understand that. When I volunteered at the Oktoberfest Cambridge 5K, the race director was being pulled in 10 different directions. He was busy. So I went out there and hoped for the best. I hoped I didn’t get lost.

 The MC announced the start of the race and stated, "All runners and walkers please make your way to the start line". I also heard a few people talking about being walkers. I figured everything would work out.

All smiles before the race!

Gathering at the start

I started out and, although I was running, I was slower than most people. I always have been. But I'm a runner nonetheless. As we turned the corner onto Albany Street, the cop car following the race almost hit me as it passed by me to keep up with the other runners. By the time I turned onto Mass Ave, I was alone and there was no more traffic control. I saw one of the cops who was directing traffic get back into his car and drive away. I was still behind him. The course looped around passed the finish area within the first mile. As I got to that area, there were about 5 police officers waiting for the racers to come back into the finish area. As I got to them, I said, "Where did every one go?" He laughed at me. I said "No, really. I'm in the race, which way did they go?" He laughed again and pointed towards the finish and said, "The finish is over there". I said, "I can see that, but which way did the racers GO? What direction?" He pointed over his shoulder and said "Up that way". I asked if he knew which streets or had an idea of the course directions. He was useless.

Since this was the 3rd race in a row where the race didn't leave volunteers or directions out on the course to let runners know where to go I was annoyed at the lack of respect I was getting from this race as well as the others. I paid my money to participate in this race. There was nothing on the website stating that this was for runners only and only runners who can finish faster than the cop car behind them can drive. And I certainly didn't pay money to be laughed at.

I went back to the start and asked for the race director. A volunteer said that she didn't know where he was and asked if I really needed to talk to him. I said yes and she immediately turned to her left and said to the man standing about 10 feet away from her, "She needs to talk to you". Amazing. I told him what had happened and he argued with me saying that the event was only for runners because they had a time constraint. I asked why it wasn't specified on the website and why the MC had welcomed "runners and walkers" to the start not even 15 minutes earlier. He said that they were only allowed 45 minutes for the race. That doesn't explain why a cop car passed me within the first 6 minutes of the race when we had just passed the half-mile mark. I asked about course directions and letting people know where to go for the route. The race director said it was clearly marked. I informed him that it wasn't. He said that he went out that morning and did it. I asked him where or if the volunteers had maybe brought the directions with them as they finished. He told me that it was spray painted on the street. It was nowhere on the street that I saw. He said that I should have been able to just follow the pack of runners for my directions. I tried. I really tried. But I'm not as fast as "the pack".

As a paying participant, I should have been given the same opportunity to finish the race as everyone else. I may not have been the winner of the race, and I probably never will be, but I paid my $28 just like everyone else. They still got my money and I didn't get to race because there was no support for me and no one directing me where to go like there was for the lead runner or anyone else running. That's not fair to me or anyone else who gets left behind in races.

I sent an email to the e-mail address listed on their registration website explain what happened at the race and I asked for a full refund since I was unable to complete the race. In the e-mail I informed them that I spoke with the race director, and although he avoided answering my request for a refund 3 times, he finally said that if I emailed, they'd give me a refund. I told him I appreciated it and said thank you several times and he said "Yeah, ok" and went back to getting ready for the lead runner to arrive at the finish. Did I feel like he was brushing me off? Yes. Do I think he told me I'd get a refund just to get me away from him? Yes. Do I think I'll ever get my refund? No. 

But I'd like to hope that there is someone in that organization that will actually do the right thing. [EDIT - 2 hours after sending an email requesting a refund, I received an email back:

Hi Sara,
We have just processed your refund with the online registration company racewire. They said it takes 2-3 business days to clear on their site. We are sorry you were dissatisfied with your experience at today's event and appreciate the feedback you gave us on race day. It will help us to continuously improve our event.
Thanks!

I'm impressed with their professionalism and I appreciate their prompt response. I apologize to them for being quick to assume that they wouldn't be receptive to my request.]


I came home and started a campaign for No Runners Left Behind to help prevent this from happening again. Please go like the Facebook page and tell everyone you know! It happens all the time and it's a shame that race directors only think about the winners and the records that might be broken during their race. We all pay the same fee for the race. Why don't we all get the same treatment?