disney princess half marathonRunning like a princess starts long before the race opening fireworks. If you’re going to get your tiara on, you might as well start before you board the plane. If you, like me, hate running then this post is for you. Always wanted to do a run? But don’twant to, well, run? This is your itinerary:

Register for the Disney Princess Half Marathon:

Next year it is February 21-23. This gives you almost an entire year to pretend to train. Register as a team so you can make up your own awesome team name. My daughter and I were “Shake and Bake” – made famous by Talladega Nights

Then you get your team name printed on your race bib, and you have an excuse to shop for awesome outfits.

Book your room at the Ritz Carlton, Orlando:

It’s what a real princess would do. Princesses need high thread count sheets and concierge service. Also access to a spa and nightly chocolates.

Schedule a limo service to the race:

The race starts stupid early. As in you have to be there by 4:00am. I know. We left at 3:30 and made it in good time. Racers who chose to leave later were stuck in traffic. It takes a lot of time to get 25,000 racers in their corrals and ready to go. A private car service with drop off takes away a little of the pain.

Pay up for the Race Retreat:

You get a tent with chairs and coffee, that’s enough to make it worth it. But there’s more: food, massages, and private bathrooms.

As Long as you Can Walk a 15 Minute Mile-you can Finish

The race is filled with more than just athletic princesses. There are also grandma princesses, trying to get in shape princesses, and “I hate running” princesses. My story of “Disney Princess Half Marathon-Yes You Can” is my most viewed article, ever.

Don’t think you can do it? Um, yes, you can.

Book your massage and pedicure for race day:

A multi-hour run can leave your toenails feeling as if they’ve been punched repeatedly. A pedicure is enough to make a grown woman cry with joy. A massage is just flat out a necessity. Can you say tight hip flexers and achy calf muscles? Wear your finish line medal and tiara with your spa robe, you’ve earned it girl.

I was hosted by the Ritz for our inaugural Disney race, they also treated me and my daughter to the spa. I paid for my own registration but the Race Retreat package was a gift from Disney. The medal I earned by running 13.1 miles. Yes, I would do it again.