The Princess Half Marathon is 13.1 miles through Walt Disney World — one of the most iconic runDisney events and, for many runners, the most ambitious race they've ever attempted. The combination of the theme park setting, the entertainment on-course, and the finisher medal makes it worth every training run to get there.
The good news: 19 weeks is enough time to go from minimal running base to a confident half marathon finish, as long as you follow a structured plan and don't skip the long runs.
How long does training take?
The Half Marathon training plan in Glass Slipper Run is 19 weeks and 56 sessions (57 if you add the 5K as well), with the race in week 18 and a recovery week after it. That includes easy weeks to build base fitness, progressive long runs, regular Magic Miles, and a taper week before race day. If your race is in late February — when Princess Weekend typically takes place — training begins around late October.
What does a typical training week look like?
A standard week has three runs:
- ✓Two easy 30-minute runs midweek (e.g. Tuesday and Thursday): building your aerobic base, with optional drills if you want to work on form
- ✓A weekend session (e.g. Saturday) that alternates: a long run one week, a Magic Mile check-in the next
- ✓The long runs build every other week, from 6.4 km in week 2 to a peak of 22.5 km in week 16
Rest days are deliberately built into the plan — they're as important as the runs. Training adaptation happens during recovery, not during the runs themselves.
Do I need back-to-back runs?
Not for the Half Marathon on its own. The long runs are the most important sessions in this plan: each one builds the endurance and confidence to keep moving for 13.1 miles. Back-to-back weekends — a shorter run on Saturday followed by a long run on Sunday — are only needed if you are running the 10K and the Half Marathon on consecutive days, and they are built into the 10K + Half Marathon multi-race plan.
Do I need to already be a runner?
Some base fitness helps, but the 19-week plan starts at an accessible level. If you can walk for 30 minutes without difficulty and have done some occasional running, you're ready to begin. Complete beginners with no running experience at all are better served starting with the 5K plan first to build base fitness before stepping up to the half marathon.
What pace will I run?
The run-walk-run method means pace is less critical than in a continuous-running plan. Your Magic Mile times — periodic one-mile time trials built into the plan — help you understand your current pace and calibrate the right walk-break timing for each session. Most first-time half marathoners using run-walk-run training finish between 2:45 and 3:20.
The runDisney time limit for the Princess Half Marathon is 3 hours 30 minutes (16 minutes per mile). Runners using run-walk-run training typically finish well inside this window.
The most important thing to remember
The biggest mistake first-time half marathoners make is skipping the long runs. The midweek sessions build fitness and form, but it's the long run that builds the mental and physical endurance to sustain 13.1 miles. Don't swap long runs for shorter sessions. They are the sessions the plan is built around.
Getting started
Glass Slipper Run is free to use and requires no download. Create an account, choose the Half Marathon as your race and add your race date, and the 19-week Half Marathon plan is built around your timeline. Log every run as you go and watch your Magic Mile times improve across the programme. Our guide to running drills covers simple drills you can add to your easy midweek runs.