In 2015 I ran my second RunDisney race, which was also my first half marathon, and I pretty much haven’t stopped since. Last year after the Fairy Tale Challenge, I thought I should take a break from running for a while. Well, that lasted all of six months because, in August, I signed up for my fifth Princess Half Marathon.
RunDisney is addicting. That runners’ high is powerful stuff.
I’m a little late in posting this. I pretty much drove home after the race, showered, and then went to the airport to head to Tennessee to visit my dog. That’s why you got to hear Jay’s side of things last week.
Last year during the Princess Half, it was so hot I literally chucked half my costume in a Tomorrowland bathroom and finished the race in a sports bra. With similar temperatures in the forecast this year, I was determined to avoid a repeat. I grabbed my Stitch running skirt and a matching sports bra, and that was it.
Ever since I ran the Star Wars Half Marathon in a RunPrincessRun skirt in 2017, I refuse to run anything longer than a 5K in anything but a skirt.
So, at a ridiculously early hour, Jay and I piled in the car and made our way to Epcot.
Even though it was already in the 70s, it was cooler than I expected without the sun, so I stole a throwaway t-shirt out of the trunk to wear until the race started.
We were later than I meant to be, and the character lines were already bad, so we didn’t have much time before I had to head for the start corrals.
I was in Corral F, which essentially is the first corral you can be in if you don’t have a proof of time. I picked my way as close to the front as I could without being completely rude, and stood there waiting as the clock ticked down.
RunDisney is a whole lot of hurry up and wait.
Closer to the actual start time, I found my way over to the edge to ditch my throwaway shirt. RunDisney actually collects all the clothes tossed on the race course and donates them to charity.
When I went to pull my shirt off, there was an older lady in front of me. I don’t know why, but apparently the fact that I was wearing just a sports bra was the most offensive thing ever to this woman. She wouldn’t stop glaring at me, and I had to keep myself from laughing.
Jay sent me a text that he could barely see the start line but he was all the way on the left, across from the marching band.
I was in the fourth wave of Corral F, and I hit the starting line hard, somehow losing my headband in the process. I was past the first mile marker when I got a text from Jay asking me to tell him when I passed him so he could move onto the next spot. The runner tracking hadn’t worked!
With as many runners and spectators as there are at the Princess Half, cell phone service isn’t great. A lot of our messages came in super delayed, and my watch couldn’t understand what I was saying to it.
The first characters were right around the two-mile mark, like clockwork, with Captain Jack Sparrow and Barbosa. Just past the Magic Kingdom Toll Plaza were the “heroes”: Phoebus, Flynn Rider, John Smith, and Prince Eric. I stopped for them last year, so I kept going.
I spotted the 5K marker in the distance, and I put on as much speed as I could until I crossed it, checking my watch to see what my time was. (I never time myself on the races because it interferes with Pokémon Go.) I realize an average of 12:56 per mile isn’t actually that great of a time, but the last time I went for a run was in December. Our home gym didn’t actually have lighting until about a week before the race.
As I rounded the corner into the Ticket and Transportation Center, I spotted the Witch ahead of me. I’ve actually met her before at the Wine and Dine Post Race Party, but I’ve also passed her many times on a race course. Her line was fairly short, so I figured why not.
Ten minutes later I was on my way, and encountered my new favorite running sign as I came through the TTC: “You Move More than the Yeti!”
If you don’t get the reference, the Yeti at Expedition Everest was designed to move instead of sit under a strobe light. It doesn’t, because it shakes the mountain too much.
As I approached the Magic Kingdom, Jay was just arriving at the TTC. The monorail he was on had technical difficulties, and now he was behind me. There was no way he could get to the park in time, unless I slowed down considerably, so he headed for the Polynesian Resort instead. (Apparently, it’s supposed to only be open to resort guests, but he made it somehow.)
As I came up on the park gates, a Cast Member I passed said to make sure to look at the train station because someone was out and he was dressed really cute. Dapper Dan Mickey had come to cheer us on!
I love running through Magic Kingdom. It’s my favorite thing about the Princess Half Marathon. I headed up Mainstreet and turned to run over the Tomorrowland bridge. I was hoping Stitch would be out, but instead it was Buzz Lightyear, so I kept going.
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum were out by the Teacups, and Belle and Gaston were hanging out in the village.
My number one pet peeve is when runners throw their arms out wide, or stop, for the photos in the middle of the course. The photographer was literally telling the two women in front of me to keep moving, and instead they stopped dead in front of me.
“Make sure no one else can get a photo, thanks!” I yelled as I kept going.
LOOK BEHIND YOU BEFORE YOU STOP!
Do NOT do this. I barely managed to avoid plowing into these people.
I’ve walked through the Castle probably hundreds of times, but there is something about running through it that is just magical.
I never stop for the Castle photo because I take those photos all the time, but slightly because I was annoyed my Fantasyland photo got ruined, I decided to.
I’ve never tried a jump photo before. I need more practice.
I encountered Jessie from Toy Story just over the line between Frontierland and Liberty Square, and Cowboy Goofy was up ahead.
The Princess Half course exits Magic Kingdom behind Splash Mountain, which is also where parade storage is. Normally they have floats out with various princesses, but this year it was a group of villains! They had the Chernabog float from Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party out with Maleficent, the Queen of Hearts, the Evil Queen, and Cruella.
It was a long line, but no way was I passing that up. Cruella left right as it was my time. I sent Jay a photo to let him know where I was, but apparently it never came through either.
I headed for the 10K marker hard, trying to make up for lost time. Now I was up to a 21:56 mile, and my estimated finish time had been pushed back an hour.
Oh well. What’s the point of a Disney race if you don’t stop for characters?
I started down the long stretch behind Magic Kingdom, looking forward to seeing Jay at the Polynesian. I absolutely hate this part of the race. It’s too tight and congested, and just plain boring until you reach the resorts.
Tinkerbell and her Fairy Friends were hanging out at the Grand Floridian. They usually have guys out near the wedding pavilion with a Glass Slipper, but this year there were three female singers instead.
I reached the Polynesian and started eagerly looking for Jay. I found him at the end of the resort, with a street barricade between us, so I couldn’t even get a hug.
Also, he was sitting and had his headphones in.
I had to yell his name twice to get him to notice me.
“Jay! JAY! You do not get to sit!”
The girls around me all laughed, and Jay sheepishly stood up. I think he wanted to take a picture, but there was nowhere for me to stop without blocking other people.
As we got back to the open road area, there were construction workers out commentating on the race. I never understand this type of entertainment on the course, but at least this year there was a female construction worker.
Just past mile eight was the jelly bean stop. I don’t like them, but you better believe I ate every one of them. I’ll take extra energy anywhere I can get it.
I passed the pirates again, and though their line was shorter, I kept going. I already had the characters I wanted.
Somewhere around mile ten they were handing out wet sponges, and I was so grateful. That heat is no joke, even when it’s overcast.
At the top of the stupid ramp to Epcot was the Green Army Man barking orders at everyone. I couldn’t run up that thing if I wanted to. My bad knee does not like uneven ground.
One of my favorite moments in the race is when you get to the top of said stupid ramp, and you can see all the runners stretching back behind you. Suddenly you’re not as worried about time!
I got a text as I was coming up on mile eleven that one of my friends was in the park, waiting to cheer me on.
Last year they threw me off when they changed the Magic Kingdom part of the course; this year they changed the Epcot part of the course. Normally it takes you backstage after you cross through the buses and you come out right next to Spaceship Earth. This year I found myself running backstage through Epcot all the way to the Imagination Pavilion, and I found myself desperately hoping to see Figment. (You used to be able to meet him!)
No Figment, but the Incredibles were hanging out backstage.
I made my way through Future World, looking for my friend. I came across her right next to Spaceship Earth. She gave me a high-ten and yelled “Finish strong ma’am!”
Seeing one of your friends and getting that kind of encouragement kicks you into high gear, and I went charging for the finish line. Well. Almost.
The course goes backstage and I got a real good look at the Guardians of the Galaxy construction. It took everything I had not to take photos since there was a Cast Member there, but I did slow down to look.
Once I passed the construction, then I hit my high gear again and went racing for the finish line.
Normally they have Mickey on one side and Minnie on the other, but they were off to one side and I was almost past them when I noticed. Rather than try to cross in front of everyone, I just kept going.
Someone handed me my medal, and I am still annoyed by them not presenting them to you, but apparently, it’s not going to change. I put it around my own neck and chugged on towards the cooling towels and the Powerade.
I asked Jay to get in line for characters instead of meeting me in the reunion area so we wouldn’t have to wait as long. However, I had told him to wait for Minnie and she wasn’t there, so he didn’t know who to choose. We got in line for Aurora since she was on the medal.
I also dragged Jay to meet Pocahontas since he wouldn’t get in the Aurora picture. I had to promise him that I wouldn’t post it, but at least I have it for me!
The Princess Half is my favorite race. It was my first Half Marathon, and it will always hold a special place in my heart for that. I know I will be running it next year unless something unforeseen happens, and now Jay will too! I promised him this would be the last race I run without him.
Cost: Registration for the Princess Half Marathon is $199 plus tax.
Duration: It’s a whole weekend honestly.
Value: 10/10. This is my fifth time running the Princess Half.
Add Ons: I didn’t do the Fairy Tale Challenge this year, mostly in order to save money. The Fairy Tale Challenge results in two races, and three medals instead of one. They also offer a race retreat package that includes extra characters, and they’re usually rare. This year it was Clopin and Esmerelda, and Tarzan and Jane.
