runDisney Announces 2021-2022 Event Lineup

runDisney 2021 2022 race lineup

After more than a year of virtual races, runners will return to racing at Walt Disney World Resort this fall, kicking off the runDisney 2021-2022 race season.

The 2022 runDisney season will include four race weekends:

  • Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend powered by AfterShokz: November 4-7, 2021
  • Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend: January 5-9, 2022
  • Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend: February 24-27, 2022
  • runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend presented by Otterbox: March 31-April 3, 2022

As COVID-19 guidelines may change before the return to on-site running at Walt Disney World, race weekends may not include every element from previous years; however, there will by some exciting new elements this season to enhance the runner experience. New runDisney offerings include:

runDisney Springtime Surprise 2022

runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend: Each race season, the fourth weekend will be the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend, featuring new and evolving race themes and distances each year.

runDisney Princess Weekend 2022

Disney Princess Sunrise Yoga: On the first morning of the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend, the new Disney Princess Sunrise Yoga, a professionally led yoga session in front of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park before the theme park opens to help runners gear up for their races, will debut.

Virtual Races: All races will have a virtual race option, allowing runDisney fans across the country to participate in their favorite races, even if they are unable to run at Walt Disney World. Runners are encouraged to complete their race on the same morning of the on-site events as part of the runDisney community and will receive the same finisher medal.

Just for Kids: The runDisney Kids Races during each event weekend will become runDisney Kids Adventures, focused on health, fitness, and fun for kids.

Along with these new offerings, runDisney will bring back many things that make its races magical, including running through Walt Disney World theme parks, unique race weekend themes, special entertainment, and Disney-inspired finisher medals.

To kick it all off, the 2021 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend, themed Wickedly Delicious, will celebrate beloved Disney villains and will feature the Disney Wine & Dine 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Disney Two Course Challenge (10K and half marathon), with in-person and virtual options available for all four.

The Post-Race Party will cap off the weekend, allowing runners to celebrate their accomplishments with family and friends at EPCOT with exclusive, after-hours access to the park and the International Food & Wine Festival.

The theme of the 2022 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend will honor the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World, and the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend theme will celebrate courage and kindness inspired by some favorite Disney princesses.

For more information about runDisney and the return of in-person running at Walt Disney World Resort, visit the official website

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Facing the Yeti at Expedition Everest Challenge 2014

On May 3rd, I ran in my fourth Expedition Everest Challenge. This race will always be special to me for a few reasons. First, it was my very first runDisney race back in 2011. My mom and I ran in a mother/daughter team and we had a blast. Of course I was hooked on races after that and have run in 11 others since then (plus I’m signed up for two more this year).

Meeting Pluto in 2011
Meeting Pluto in 2011

Also at that fateful race in 2011, I met some very special friends. I knew a bunch of people that I knew from Twitter were also running so I thought it would be a great time to meet some of them in person for the first time. One of those people is now my fiancé, Cliff! In fact, we got engaged at the Everest Challenge race last year. So, I guess you can see why this race is important to me. It’s one that I will always sign up for, even though they’ve significantly raised the price in recent years.

With Cliff back where we first met
With Cliff back where we first met

The Expedition Everest Challenge is a night race and features a 5k course through Animal Kingdom with a few obstacles along the way. After the 5k comes the scavenger hunt where you have to make your way back through the park while solving clues given to you at certain checkpoints. You can run the race in teams of two or as an individual. My mom and I always run this together and I think we make a pretty great team!

Course Map
Course Map

My bib. You may need to refer to this later on ;) *hinthint*
My bib. You may need to refer to this later on 😉 *hinthint*

Since this is a smaller race with an after party going into the wee hours of the morning, we like to drive ourselves to the start. We got there around 8:00PM because we always like to get to races early. Only problem with that this year is that it started raining pretty steadily. It was also a little chilly for us Floridians! So we sat in the car for a while. Once the rain let up we headed to the staging area to check our bag and hang out to people watch. There are always some pretty great costumes at this race!

Getting a view of the start line
Getting a view of the start line

When it was time to go to our corrals, we said bye to Cliff (mom and I were in H and Cliff was in E), and headed to our pens for more waiting. There were 6 minutes between corral starts so we had a lot of waiting….in the cool damp weather. The DJ and hosts did a pretty good job at keeping us moving though.

YMCA in the corrals
YMCA in the corrals

At 10;42, Corral H was off and we began the worst part of the race: running around the perimeter of the Animal Kingdom parking lot. Towards the end of this section, we hit our first obstacle: hay bales. You always have the option of running around the obstacles. Mom usually does because she injured her knee the first year.

 

Hay bale obstacle
Hay bale obstacle

Finally we made it to the park entrance and Mile 1! At this point we also merged with racers who had completed the 5k and were beginning the scavenger hunt portion. This was the only time we really ran into congestion because the scavenger hunt people were stopping on course to solve clues. Once we got more into the park, there were separate lanes set up for runners so it got better.

 

Donald meeting on the course
Donald meeting on the course

We continued through the park, past the Tree of Life and headed toward Africa. Once in Harambe, we turned right to go to Asia. Usually right after this point we head backstage, but this year we kept going through Asia and past Everest to backstage near the Nemo theater. Loved this change!

Tree of Life
Tree of Life

Running through Africa
Running through Africa

Running past Everest
Running past Everest

Once backstage, we soon hit our second obstacle: tires! (and mile 2!)

Trying not to break an ankle
Trying not to break an ankle

Running backstage is kind of a blur because there aren’t any familiar landmarks to orient myself with. About a mile later we rounded a corner and saw our final obstacle: a cargo net to crawl under.

Crawling under the net
Crawling under the net

Just after that was the finish line for the 5k and we received our first clue and a cool marker/flashlight combo!

Pen

The scavenger hunt brought us back into the park. There were 5 total clues. We had a little trouble with the first two, especially the second one. The last 3 we solved pretty quickly and we finished the hunt in about 30 minutes. I edited the pictures of the clues so you can see if you know the answers. I’ll post the answers at the end of the post. If you click on the pictures, you can see them bigger.

Clue1Clue2Clue3Clue4

You had to use clue 4 as a template for clue 5:Clue5

Once we received our awesome compass medals, we met back up with Cliff and headed back into the park for the after party!

Finished!
Finished!

Inside the medal
Inside the medal

Food was first on the agenda. Then we caught part of the awards ceremony in Dinoland where we were introduced to the yeti. We also paid a quick visit to our engagement spot!

Dinoland

Engagement spot!
Engagement spot!

Soon we decided we were tired and ready to head back to the hotel.

I would definitely recommend this race to anyone looking for a different runDisney experience. We always have a great time and being in Animal Kingdom at night is a treat itself. Also, each year it seems runDisney makes small changes that keep improving the experience. I will, of course, continue to run it as long as it is being offered. See you next year, Yeti!

Yeti
Yeti

Clue Answers: 1 – green flag (which is on the right side of our bibs “flag the right color”). 2 – one (in the word done) and three (combine the end of “both” and the beginning of “reenergizes”). 3 – things that keep you warm. 4 – punch out scarf, mittens, fire, blanket, boots, and coffee. 5 – hold up 4 fingers (1+ 3 from clue 2)Follow us for more updates: Facebooktwitteryoutubetumblrinstagram

Week In Review And News – January 3, 2014

With the start of a new year and with so much going on after the holidays, I thought it would be a great time to restart our Week in Review and play a little catch up on this week’s highlights and news from the Orlando and Central Florida Attractions and Venues!

Week in Review – December 30, 2013 to January 3, 2014

Walt Disney World Resort

The Disney Parks Blog announced a new contest where you can win a 5-day/4-night vacation for four to either the Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort.

We’ve just launched disney.com/resolutions where Disney celebrities are sharing how they plan to resolve to spend more time with family in 2014. A new video will be uploaded everyday in January.

 

On disney.com/resolutions, we are also awarding a vacation-a-day from December 31, 2013 through January 31, 2014! So enter every day for your chance to win because this is the year to spend more quality time with the people you love most. Good luck!

 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Open only to individuals, who are, as of Entry, legal residents of, and physically located within, the 50 U.S., D.C., Puerto Rico or Canada (excluding Quebec) and who are not Minors. Sweepstakes starts 12:01 AM (EST) on 12/31/13 and ends 11:59:59 PM (EST) on 1/31/14. Click here for Official Rules.

runDisney

With Walt Disney World Marathon weekend right around the corner, runDisney was everywhere when they released details about the Limited Edition runDisney 2014 New Balance shoes!

httpv://youtu.be/C8YXAZu9kCE

You can find out more about these shoes here.

Universal Orlando Resort

Harry Potter Diagon Alley Week in Review

With construction on Diagon Alley ramping up, A Celebration of Harry Potter drawing close, Cabana Bay opening reservations being taken, and CityWalk undergoing a HUGE transformation, the Universal Orlando Resort is buzzing with energy!

Diagon Alley Construction on December 29, 2013. Week in Review
Diagon Alley Construction on December 29, 2013.

Antojitos Update Week in Review

I don’t know about you, but I am so excited for everything that is coming to the Universal Orlando Resort!!!

SeaWorld Orlando

SeaWorld Orlando

January is Passholder appreciation month at SeaWorld Orlando, and they are offering some great deals!

Bring a friend for FREE! SeaWorld® Orlando Pass Members receive a friend for free ticket*. Online registration is required. Valid for one single-day admission by January 31, 2014. Register Now.

Double Your Discount**

  • Save 20% on dining in all of our cafeteria-style restaurants
  • Save 20% on merchandise in our gift shops

*Pass Member must be present for guest to gain admittance. Free ticket offer valid for active SeaWorld Orlando 1-Year, 2-Year and FL Platinum Pass Members. Not valid for Fun Cards, Teacher’s Study Passes or Friends & Family Passes. Free ticket is non-transferable, not for resale and may be revoked for misuse.

**Offer only valid between Jan. 1-31, 2014. Must present active SeaWorld Orlando 1-Year, 2-Year, or FL Platinum Pass to receive savings. Not valid with any other discounts or offers. Not valid on All-Day Dining offers. Merchandise offer valid for in-park purchases only.

Amway Center

The Circus is coming to town!

Ringling

Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus LEGENDS is coming to the Amway Center January 9-12, but Monday the circus train rolls into Orlando.  Fantastic photo opportunities will be available as the Ringling Bros. pachyderm performers parade to the Amway Center. 

The Ringling Bros. animal performers will unload at 8:00 p.m. and walk beginning at 8:30 p.m. Animals will unload at railroad tracks near 1035 W. Amelia,  then travel east on Amelia, south on North Hughey Ave., then west on West South St. and enter the GEICO Garage behind Amway Center. (Note: route and time are subject to change without notice.)

Tickets are still available and start at $16. Ticketmaster service charges and facility fees not included.  All seats are reserved. Tickets are available atwww.ringling.com or www.ticketmaster.com, at any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 800-745-3000, or at the Amway Center box office (phone:407-440-7900).  For group ticket sales and information, call 866-248-8740.

LEGOLAND Florida

If your house is anything like mine, you have watched the trailer for ‘The LEGO Movie’ four times daily and I was excited to see that they are going to be having a weekend of activities in February!

httpv://youtu.be/fZ_JOBCLF-I

LEGOclubweekend [3]

February 8 & 9, 2014 Enjoy fun for all with activities to celebrate “The LEGO Movie”, the first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO adventure featuring an all-star cast and set to open in theaters February 7. Guests will enjoy a special movie-themed building activity, movie-themed scavenger hunt in Miniland USA and meet and greet sessions with costume characters Emmet and Wyldstyle, who play leading roles in this epic movie.

Busch Gardens Tampa

BG Bring a friend for free Week in Review

January is also Passholder appreciation month at Busch Gardens Tampa!

Double the Fun – Bring a Friend for FREE

During January, Pass Members can bring a friend for free! Online registration required. Limit one free ticket per active Pass Member. Offer valid between January 1-31, 2014. Other Restrictions Apply. Log in now to register your friend’s ticket and learn more about this limited time offer.

Triple the Savings – 30% off merchandise, food, and beverages

All month long, Pass Members get 30% off merchandise, food and beverages when you visit the park! Offer valid between January 1-31, 2014. Other Restrictions Apply.

Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex

A Falcon 9 rocket is targeted to lift-off during a dramatic SpaceX launch scheduled for January 3, launch time is subject to change but the launch window of 5:05 p.m. to 7:17 p.m. EST. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex guests may view the launch from the Apollo/Saturn V Center, the closest possible public viewing area, or special areas at the Visitor Complex.

Launch viewing from the Apollo/Saturn V Center, located in Kennedy Space Center, includes live mission control commentary and is available for Visitor Complex guests for $20 plus the cost of admission. Admission to the Visitor Complex is $50 plus tax for adults and $40 plus tax for children 3-11. Bus boarding for the Apollo/Saturn V Center begins at 3:15 p.m.

Launch viewing, featuring live mission control commentary, also is available from Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and is included in regular admission.

Week in Review- Posts from On the Go in MCO

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Staycation

New Year’s Eve at the Walt Disney World Resort

Wordless Wednesday – Happy New Year

Merchandise Spotlight – Walt Disney World Resort

Thanks for joining us for this Week in Review, and if this is indication of how jam packed 2014 is going to be I am really excited!Follow us for more updates: Facebooktwitteryoutubetumblrinstagram

On the Go Gift Guide – Oakley Reducer Tank

Oakley Reducer Tank Jake and the Neverland Pirates Shipwreck Beach Treasure Hunt Disney Eye Found It LeSportsac Celebrate Minnie Doc McStuffins All Better Game

If you are anything like me you have two things on your mind as Christmas is less than a week away, how am I going to find the best gift for everyone left on my shopping list and how am I going to work off all these cookies!

Today for our On the Go Gift Guide we look at a product that helps answer both of those questions, the Oakley Reducer Tank.

I know that I feel awkward going to the gym or out on a run when I don’t feel comfortable and confident in what I am wearing, and the Oakley Reducer Tank is designed with a little extra room to help you focus on your workout.

Oakley Reducer Tank

The O-form fabric is comfortable to wear, because it stretches four ways for complete mobility. The tank maintains its shape and is supportive for every step, bend, and jump without riding up or shifting. It was so great to have a tank that I wasn’t constantly tugging at!

The Oakley Reducer Tank also has a generous built in bra and crossback design that is flattering to any shape.

All of these great details combined with super reflective logo details, UV protection built into the tank’s fabric, a mesh overlay for ventilation, anti-bacterial action fabric, and more make the Oakley Reducer Tank my new go-to workout favorite!

If you are looking for a great last minute gift, you can order the Oakley Reducer Tank online or you can head to their store to pick one up!

If you are headed to the Florida Mall Oakley Store, which is my favorite, you are in luck because they have some great deals for last minute gifts for your list or for yourself to help kick off your New Year’s resolutions!

Oakley Reducer Tank
Oakley Reducer Tank in Georgia Peach

  • O–Form fabric maintains your shape and stretches four ways for superb mobility
  • Built–in bra with molded cups supports and controls bounce
  • Mesh overlay in back provides excellent ventilation
  • O Hydrolix fabric reduces the effects of sweat
  • Anti–bacterial action reduces odor–causing microbes
  • Reflective features stand out during early morning and night regimens
  • 86% Nylon, 14% Lycra

Oakley Reducer Tank

Disclosure: I received a Oakley Reducer Tank courtesy of the Oakley Store at the Florida Mall. All opinions, thoughts, and enthusiasm are my own. Follow us for more updates: Facebooktwitteryoutubetumblrinstagram

runDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Meet-Up

On Thursday, November 7, runDisney held their first nighttime meet-up leading into the Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend. Previously, meet-ups had always been held on weekday morning and I wouldn’t have been able to attend due to work. As soon as I saw that this one would be held at night, I jumped at the chance to sign up. Luckily, I got my email in quick enough and I made the list of 125 attendees!

 

Check-in began at 7:00, but the meet-up didn’t officially start until 8:30 where we were to be in place at Mexico Vista for Illuminations. I got there around 7:30 and received my admission ticket, a runDisney shirt made specifically for the meet-up that we were asked to change into, and a fastpass for Test Track to be used that night. With some free time on my hands, I wandered around World Showcase for a bit.

 

Soon it was time for the first part of the evening – Illuminations! This is my favorite nighttime show at Walt Disney World so I was especially excited to have a prime viewing spot.

Illuminations

After waiting for some of the park crowd to thin out, we made our way over to the America Gardens Theatre. There were a couple food stations set out, one with the Trick’n Chick’n Curry from the Terra booth at the Food and Wine Festival. I hadn’t had the chance to try that yet so I was happy to have that opportunity and ended up really liking it! They also had samplings of chardonnay from The Vegan Vine. I can honestly say that I had no idea that there was vegan wine. It was really good too!

 

Chef Mickey was also available during this time for pictures. I also took the opportunity to meet Jeff Galloway, whose run-walk-run method I follow. He was so nice and was genuinely happy to hear from everyone about how they were doing in their training.

Chef Mickey Jeff Galloway

Soon it was time to hear from a few speakers. First up, sports media director Darrell Fry and Faron Kelley, Director of Marketing and Communications for Disney Sports, came up to give out some prizes. I was really hoping to win one of the certificates for a future runDisney race entry! Next up was Jeff Galloway and nutritionist Tara Gidus. They spoke about how great runDisney has been in making running accessible to so many people. I, for one, probably would not be running if it wasn’t for volunteering for one of their races and seeing how fun it could be. Tara also gave some advice on fueling up for a night race.

Giveaways
Giveaway time!

We also heard from a couple of Epcot chefs who told us about foods that might be good for us to try during the party after finishing the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. One excellent suggestion was the salmon from the Scotland booth. My friends and I definitely enjoyed that one after the race!

chefs

Representatives from New Balance spoke a bit about the shoes that were designed for runDisney. They have been wildly popular with long lines to purchase at the race expos. They let us know that the current versions would only be available through Wine and Dine Weekend and the 2014 design would be available at Marathon Weekend in January. Sneak peeks will be coming so keep an eye out on Twitter! Other new merchandise next year will include race specific shoe inserts and lace charms. We got to see the race inserts and they looked great!

NewBalance
Ali from New Balance shows off the new shoe inserts. Photo courtesy of runDisney

Next up – time to run! There were two running groups: one for straight running and one for run-walk-run. I went with the latter and off we went through an empty World Showcase. The torches and countries had remained lit after Illuminations, which was pretty cool. We ran one and a half times around the lagoon, ending up by the Fountain of Nations for some group photos.

runDisney Group Shot
Photo courtesy of runDisney

After photos, we headed to the front of the park for a toast. The meet ended around midnight and was a great start to a fun Wine and Dine Weekend! If you ever have the chance to attend a runDisney meet-up, I would definitely recommend it!

Cheers
A toast under Spaceship Earth
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Running Mickey’s Jingle Jungle 5K at Animal Kingdom

Up at 5am to get ready
Up at 5am to get ready

This weekend I was able to participate in my second runDisney race this year in the Mickey’s Jingle Jungle 5K. I’ve done little actual running this year, but I’m going to be doing the inaugural Minnie 10K during marathon weekend in January so I figured I would try to do this as a warm up race. This wasn’t my first 5K, but I decided ahead of time I was going to take it easy since I am on antibiotics and medication for sinusitis.

I mostly wanted to do this race for the absolutely adorable Christmas medal (read: rubbery plastic medallion) that all finishers get. Training as a warmup for the 10K was a bonus too since I’ve just started running 2 – 3 days a week again in the last three weeks since my last 10K in August that didn’t go as planned. You can read about that adventure here. More training can only be a good thing.

The course was through Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which I’ve run through in three other 5Ks, but this was a slightly different course than what they had setup before. For those who have done the Expedition Everest Challenge or any other 5K races through Animal Kingdom, you may recall the first mile through the parking lot almost exclusively, then heading through the Oasis towards Africa before going towards Conservation Station for a switchback. After that you would run through Asia by Everest and Finding Nemo, then out by Dinoland and backstage to exit back into the parking lot. Instead of Conservation Station, we skipped that and had a switchback backstage almost just before exiting the park. This is where there were a few parade floats and character meet and greets setup. Previously on the Conservation Station section there would be floats with characters, but also some live animals with handlers, which I kind of missed to be honest. I’m not sure what the reason for the change was other than possibly avoiding running over the train tracks where Cast Members were always setup to warn those running of the potential hazard.

I knew this was going to be the first race for my friend Doug, so I got there early to support him and so we could hang out before getting in the corrals to start. The race start was at 7am and there were only four waves for this race. I was in the last corral for this one, but surprisingly was crossing the start line at 7:08, just about 10 minutes after the wheelchair participants started. I also found out that morning that my friend Scarlett was running too, which was a nice surprise. Several of our friends came out nice and early to come cheer for us and even made some signs. I especially appreciate those who came to cheer who were running in the Wine and Dine Half Marathon later that night.

With Scarlett and Doug before the race
With Scarlett and Doug before the race

Sign I missed in the dark on the way out the door
Sign I missed in the dark on the way out the door

Sign Shalon made me
Sign Shalon made me

Sign Shelley made me
Sign Shelley made me

For some reason, this race felt much more relaxed than some others did previously. I don’t know if this is because I put no pressure on myself knowing I was going to walk most of it, or what. Others also commented it felt like there were fewer people in this race and the corrals weren’t as crowded. It was a nice chill vibe where I didn’t even enter my corral until 5 minutes before the race started.

In the corral
In the corral

Start
Start

Mickey and Minnie waved to me at the start
Mickey and Minnie waved to me at the start

Christmas tree
Christmas tree

As I mentioned, the start was in the parking lot at the Animal Kingdom and the first mile marker was just before the turnstiles to enter the park. A little before the mile 1 point was a spot where I saw friends cheering, and then the Christmas tree lit up at the entrance. I was hoping for some nice Christmas theming with this race and I wasn’t disappointed. Spread out along the course were characters, almost all of whom were in Christmas costumes, mostly their outfits from Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade. Also, towards the end of the course, just before mile 3 was my favorite photo op, and my new avatar thanks to Scarlett’s insistence I get in the picture with her.

Running into Mike working was a bonus
Running into Mike working was a bonus

King Louie
King Louie

Selfie with a dino skeleton wearing a Santa hat
Selfie with a dino skeleton wearing a Santa hat

Donald with some guests running in Christmas sweaters
Donald with some guests running in Christmas sweaters

The race itself wasn’t bad. The temperature was just below 70 at start time, which wasn’t too warm. I tried out a 30 second jog and a 15 second walk interval for the first 10 minutes and was on a better pace than what I’d been doing on the treadmill recently, so that was nice. I was having a little trouble breathing since I forgot to use my inhaler ahead of time, so I walked for longer periods for most of the rest of the race. I was passed by Doug and ran into Scarlett waiting in lines for characters. Scarlett and I finished the race walking together which was nice, since I normally run alone.

Don't do it kid!
Don’t do it kid!

Favorite race picture yet thanks to Scarlett
Favorite race picture yet thanks to Scarlett

Finish
Finish

I got my Christmas medal
I got my Christmas medal

We had a fun time, which is ultimately what we set out to do. None of us, other than Doug, were out to set a personal record, and he did great in his first race! I got my medal and enjoyed the course, even running into one of my mom’s friends who was running in her first race. For those who are looking to just get started in running or walking even, a 5K at Disney is a great place. They say there is a 16 minute pace requirement, but that is very loosely enforced. I know people who were finishing at closer to an hour and 30 minutes from the race start time by the time they waited in lines for characters.

Have you found yourself running in a runDisney race before? What is your favorite course? Or your favorite medal? This was my ninth 5K and I enjoy them so I’ll keep at it. Next schedule race is the 10K in January and another 5K in February for Princess Half Marathon weekend. Still looking for another 5K next month as a warmup.Follow us for more updates: Facebooktwitteryoutubetumblrinstagram

RunDisney Tower Of Terror 10 Miler With @kchristine

While I have had the amazing experience to complete the runDisney Princess Half Marathon, Tower of Terror Inaugural 10 Miler, Dumbo Double Dare Challenge (Disneyland 10K and Disneyland Half Marathon), and earned my Coast-To-Coast Medal with Kelly, I have never been so proud of her as when she completed this year’s Tower of Terror 10 Miler! We are beyond excited to have her share her recap of this year’s race! Thank you Kelly for being a great inspiration and friend who wouldn’t let me quit!

I’m not a runner and I don’t like running. That being said, I’ve spent a fair amount of time training and running Disney races this year. I don’t regret a minute of the pain, sweat and tears that has gotten me to where I am today.

Tower of Terror 10 Miler
Kelly after completing the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge

My first big race and RunDisney experience was the inaugural Tower of Terror 10 miler and looking back, I’m not quite sure how I ever agreed to run more than a 5k after that race. It was miserably hot and the course was frustrating in both terrain and entertainment which led to a frustrating experience…and somehow I blocked that all out when I signed up to race it again. To sweeten up this race, I used dvc points to get a treehouse for the weekend so other friends who were also running would have a place to relax together.

 Tower of Terror 10 Miler Treehouse Villa

As I got close to this race, I started to remember all of the misery I felt on the course and that I had a new issue to deal with. While I train alone, I’ve run every Disney race with one person who is a family member to me, a sister I chose. She had decided after the Dumbo Double Dare that she was retiring from running and I would be going it alone from here on out. The thought of not having someone to yell at me to keep up my pace for those first few miles sent me into a teary panic but it was time for me to pull up my big girl compression socks and move it.

 Tower of Terror 10 Miler

I made it to the expo and quickly picked up my bib and race packet with minimal lines. The expo itself was rather minimal, less exhibitors and crowds. A welcome addition to this weekend was the warnings from RunDisney regarding the weather at the expo and online. Their twitter account was regularly encouraging runners to hydrate heavily due to the heat/humidity. While I appreciated hearing these warnings, they did freak me out a bit since the course was extremely hot last year.

 Tower of Terror 10 Miler Expo

Before I knew it, it was time to head out. I arrived at Hollywood Studios and caught up with friends who were also running and tried to shake out some of my nerves. I expressed some of my nerves to Deanna, particularly my issue of crossing the start line alone. We decided to start together as her regular pace is near mine. If one of us needed to slow down, we could separate and see each other at the finish line. The separation never happened, and I’ll be forever grateful for this.

Tower of Terror 10 Miler

We started comfortably with a game plan. We kept a decent pace with intervals and enjoying the enhanced entertainment on the course. First three miles were pretty smooth…. and then came the cramps. I got a stomach cramp and pushed through it with a few extra walk intervals. We laughed, danced and sang our way to mile five. Mile five was mainly off road and was not comfortable to run on due to the lack of flat surface and light. Along with these issues, a new set of cramps hit that made me want to quit then and there. I tried to push through it with some jogging, but I didn’t make it very far. We stopped for a picture with the Haunted Mansion gravediggers, but the cramps persisted. We hit Champion Stadium and were welcomed by friends with signs, and cheers. I turned to Deanna at this point and told her that I knew I was able to finish at that point but I didn’t think I had any running left in me as it was a bit of a struggle to walk quickly. She didn’t leave me though, and we continued on.

Tower of Terror 10 Miler

We created a “mile of truth” and spent more time enjoying the entertainment and sights on the course, which were significantly better this year. At mile 9.5 we had another welcome surprise: snacks for us both! Deanna’s husband Neil and our friend Cindy had popcorn and beer for us to enjoy as we finished the course and crossed the finish.

 Tower of Terror 10 Miler Sign

So where do I go from here? Well, I found out something new in this race: I am a runner. I don’t always like running, but I’ve now found that there are times that it is exactly what I need to do. I have grown closer with Deanna and we do have some races planned in the future. Most importantly, I’ll be running my 3rd Tower of Terror 10 miler in 2014.

Tower of Terror 10 Miler

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Running My First Non-Disney Race

Beach to Beacon 10K
Beach to Beacon 10K

Recently I participated in my first race outside of Walt Disney World. I don’t consider myself a serious runner, but have done eight 5Ks previously, so this wasn’t my first race either. My running adventures started after I had major knee surgery five years ago. I set a goal for myself to do a race two years after I was up on two good legs again. I completed this goal by participating in my first runDisney race in October of 2010, doing the Mickey’s Halloween 5K through the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

Since that first race, I have completed several more 5Ks, all at Disney, and even did all of the 5Ks that they offered in 2011. This secondary goal was challenging, especially since I ended up running a couple not knowing I had bronchitis at the time. I thought at some point I should continue to test myself by increasing my distance and that I should do a 10K. When I lived in Cape Elizabeth, Maine there was a race that was founded there by Olympic marathon runner Joan Benoit Samuelson who was from the town. In the back of my mind I planted the seed that I wanted to do this race sometime as my first 10K. I had cheered before and seen friends from high school return home to participate in the race as it passed just blocks from my dad’s house.

Fast forward to 2013 and I decided to follow through with this goal and registered for the Beach to Beacon 10K. I have subsequently registered for the inaugural Minnie 10K at Disney during marathon weekend of January 2014. I knew Beach to Beacon was the biggest race in the state of Maine, but didn’t know exactly what I was getting in to. I tried asking friends who had run the race before or knew someone who had. I tweeted at the race account on Twitter and wrote on their Facebook wall to find out things I couldn’t see on their website. I verified that they do not sweep runners and that there was no required pace to participate. This helped assuage my fears a bit.

The race registration is rather insane, even more so than Disney races from what I’ve experienced. It filled up in 4 minutes for the over 4,000 slots that were available and then another 1,950 went to lottery winners. Fortunately, I set my alarm and was up early in March when registration opened around 6am. I’ve gotten up early for races before and even to cheer, but never before just to register. Within a minute I had confirmation of my entrance in the race after I paid the $45 fee. This is one of the major differences between Disney and non-Disney races: the fees. I usually pay in excess of $50 just for 5Ks at Disney, and I think I paid $110 for the 10K coming up in January.

I’ll skip over my training, because I didn’t really do enough of it to say the least. My work schedule has me unavailable from 1:30pm – 12:30am including commute and I’m not much of a morning person. I suffered for this, trust me. I got to Maine the Thursday before the Saturday race. That afternoon the expo and packet pickup were held from 4-8pm at the high school I attended. It was also on Friday from 2:30 – 8pm. This was a similar setup to what I was used to at Disney races in that you got your bib and pins based on your bib number. Based on bib numbers it appeared that over 6,800 runners eventually registered. The odd thing to me at the packet pickup and expo was that I didn’t have to show photo id or present a waiver.

Race packet pickup
Race packet pickup

Picking up bibs
Picking up bibs

Race expo
Race expo

Bib
Bib

Race shirt front
Race shirt front

Race shirt back
Race shirt back

The expo was familiar with shoe and clothing vendors, Cabot cheese, Gatorade gel blocks, massages, people getting taped up, etc. Shirts were picked up in the expo when you presented your bib and they marked on the back that you got your tech shirt. ESPN Boston had a booth present and there were several local news crews there during the expo, which was a little different. Outside the expo a local Italian restaurant was making free small plates of choose your own pasta for anyone who wanted to wait in line. My brother tried this and said it was really good.

When I was at packet pickup I asked if they had the finisher’s medal on display. This is where I learned there was no medal for the race participants, only prize money for the winners in each category. I had spoken with friends who ran last year and got medals, but didn’t find out til this point that the medal was a special thing just to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the race. I have to admit I was more than a little upset/disappointed. Many runners will admit that they continue to run for the bling. While I was doing the race to achieve a new personal distance goal, I was also doing it for the medal.

I tried to rest the day before the race and get to bed early. I woke up every hour pretty much because I was making sure I wouldn’t get dehydrated. Just the week before the temperatures in Maine were in the 90s and had crazy humidity. There had been a half marathon in Portland the previous week where numerous participants were hospitalized for dehydration. I wasn’t going to end up in the hospital on this trip (been there, done that).

Gear ready to go
Gear ready to go

The race didn’t start until 8am, but they recommended that everyone be at the start between 6:30 and 7am, so I was up at 6am ready to go. Like most races, I had all of my gear and clothes out and ready to wear the night before. Start line was a bit before Crescent Beach State Park and the finish line was at Portland Headlight at Fort Williams (hence the Beach to Beacon title). Most runners park at the high school or get dropped off there, and then are shuttled by school buses to the start line a couple miles away. I was warned that the high school parking lot fills up quickly, so I opted to park at the adjacent middle school and walk a few blocks to the buses.

Now, I knew going into this race that it was usually won by elite runners from Kenya who were often Olympic medalists or marathon winners from prestigious races like Boston. I was not prepared for what I encountered on the bus or at the start. While riding from the high school to the start I heard a few ladies in front of me discussing how they were upset at 9 minute miles on their recent training runs. Several of my friends are capable of this, but I typically train at a 15 minute mile. This is when I started to get apprehensive that I was way in over my head. Then we got to the start.

At the start I saw the typical line for bag check, portapotties galore, and then the signs for the corrals, which were self placing. I walked toward the front, since I had over an hour and 15 minutes before the race, and saw the last corral for the slowest time was a 10 minute mile. This did not help my nerves. Like Disney races, the wheelchairs started about ten minutes before everyone else. As I got closer to the start line, I saw that the corral behind the elite runners was for a 5 minute mile. It isn’t that there aren’t elite runners in the Disney races, but this was almost exclusively elite runners. There were no Sunday joggers in this race.

The race was started by a runner who was injured in the Boston Marathon, and we were off. There were no fireworks, which I’ve grown accustomed to, but there was a DJ that I could hear as I approached the start line. I had driven the course the day before and knew it well from living in the town for years. I was on pace for my 15 minute mile, but towards the end of the first mile I pulled my left hip and felt a pinch. I tried jogging some more, but the uneven plane of the road only aggravated it, so I slowed to a walk.

Sun rising before the race
Sun rising before the race

Noticed increased police presence
Noticed increased police presence

Dropped off at the start
Dropped off at the start

In the corral
In the corral

Waiting to start
Waiting to start

Start line
Start line

Mile 1 with the inn I worked at in high school behind
Mile 1 with the inn I worked at in high school behind

I was so discouraged and realized I was in dead last place only 18 minutes and a little over a mile into the 6.2 mile race. Tempted to quit, I came around a bend to people cheering me on. The other runners closest to me were already out of sight, so they were all cheering for me. Dozens of people outside their homes were there waiting just for me. I was completely overwhelmed with emotion since I’ve never been close to a position of being last in a race with my Disney fun runs. Then I went by one of my high school friend’s houses and she and her mom were out there cheering. Her mom, who was our high school nurse, came running out to me and gave me a big hug saying how proud she was of me. It was at that moment that I knew I wasn’t going to quit. No matter how long it took me, I was going to finish.

Shortly after this, I passed my old neighborhood and kids came running up to me wanting to give me high fives as I passed by at my walking pace. I’ve participated in eight races prior to this and never before have spectators and people cheering along the course meant so much to me. Unlike Disney races, which often take place in a park or places where most people can’t cheer, this race is through neighborhoods and through the center of town. There are literally hundreds, if not more, people along the race route standing in groups of dozens at a time at the end of their street or on their front lawn. To have people there still when I was a good 10-15 minutes behind everyone else at this point was so incredible. More than a few times I cried, completely touched by everyone’s support.

There was a truck following me to indicate the end of the race and I slowed up between mile two and three to make sure he wasn’t going to pull me from the course. I knew that I would make it before the road closures listed were scheduled to open back up, but again, I’m used to Disney sweeping on longer races if you don’t keep pace. He said he was there as long as I was moving, so don’t worry. This was reassuring, but I was still in a lot of pain and wasn’t even to the halfway point.

My dad, his wife, and my brother were waiting for me just after the 3.1 mile marker and they asked if I wanted to quit or if I wanted them to walk the rest of the way with me. I was not quitting. I was in pain, but that wasn’t going to stop if I did, plus I’d have to deal with the failure. I declined their offer to accompany me and I kept on moving. As I kept on, the crowds continued to be extremely supportive and called out my name as I neared. Around mile 4 I started seeing runners heading back towards me since it was quicker for them to run back to the start than to wait for the buses.

There is something about the acknowledgement wave or nod of the head from another runner that is some of the best encouragement one can ever get. No matter how slow I was going up and down the winding hills, I was still moving and people seemed to be impressed that I hadn’t given up yet. Between mile 5 and 6 a police officer pulled up beside me to let me know that I could keep going, but to stick to the right lane since they were going to open traffic from the other direction. One of the paramedics jumped out of her ambulance and asked if she could walk with me for a bit, and I let her for about half a mile before I entered Fort Williams and left her behind. As I climbed the last hill, I knew my friend Cindy was still amazingly waiting for me at the finish. She had driven over from Vermont for the weekend for a getaway, but also to cheer me on. She got there around 6am, and was now there at the finish with a homemade medal for me after 10am.

Mile 6
Mile 6

Finish Line
Finish Line

Race photo
Race photo

Medal Cindy made me
Medal Cindy made me

There were literally no other spectators other than Cindy. The photographers were there to capture my finish, along with the medical tent staff just to make sure I didn’t need any medical attention. I didn’t feel the sense of accomplishment that I had hoped, but more perseverance. I had been off of twitter and facebook since mile 1, but had been texting with Cindy to let her know I was still alive. When I finished I was completely overwhelmed by the amazing support from friends near and far who had been cheering me on. I took my time walking almost another half mile or so to get to the bus back to the high school I stopped and had a breakfast of orange slices, watermelon and a lime popsicle.

Portland Press Herald with race coverage
Portland Press Herald with race coverage

Dead last finish, but I did it
Dead last finish, but I did it

This was one of the most humbling and emotional experiences of my entire life. I didn’t know what I was getting in to. I didn’t train well enough, and I suffered for it. I did it, and I don’t ever need to do it again. I finished, but barely. My time of 2:17.34 was a personal record, and I ended up doing about 8 miles all in with getting to start everything. What I think meant the most to me was later that day and the next day getting messages from two friends in particular that said I inspired them. I don’t know that I have ever been an inspiration to anyone before, and this made me feel incredible that I helped them not give up. Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way. It was an amazing experience I don’t ever care to duplicate. I do look forward to doing better in January and breaking my PR, but with a lot more training under my belt. If I can hobble through this race, anyone can do it! Train properly and reach your goals.

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RunDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend News

runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

Adds New Race, New Challenge and New Medals

RunDisney

Women-focused event to offer 10K, new challenge and special edition medals fit for a Princess; Special Princess and Tinker Bell half marathon registration available June 11

Annual Passholders and DVC Members are able to register for these runDisney Princess Half Marathon races on June 6th!

Building on the success of its women focused events, runDisney is broadening the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort next year by adding a 10K and a new two-race challenge.

The Princess 10K gives runners of various levels more opportunities to run through Disney theme parks and receive a specially-designed finisher medal. And runners looking for an even bigger challenge can sign up for the 10K on Saturday and the Half Marathon on Sunday (19.3 miles total) to earn the inaugural Disney Glass Slipper Challenge Medal to go along with medals from each individual race.

The Princess Half Marathon Weekend, scheduled for Feb. 20-23, is one of two women focused runDisney events. The other is the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend in January at Disneyland Resort in California. Both races are among the largest womenspecific running events in the country and focus on healthy active lifestyles for women and girls.

For instance, after nearly 7,500 runners ran in the inaugural Princess Half Marathon event in 2009, the popularity of the race has grown considerably with more than 26,000 registered runners for last year’s race.

Some enhancements are being made to this year’s runDisney Princess Half Marathon, and they include:

  •  Lowering weekend capacity by 2,000 runners, mostly in the half marathon
  • Proof of time required from runners anticipating a finish time of 3:15 or less
  • More corrals allowing runners with similar abilities to be grouped together and therefore spreading out the field on the course
  • No corral changes based on proof of time will be made after December 1, 2013.
  • The three-Day Disney’sFit For A Princess Expo will return to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Also new in 2014 is a special edition runDisney Coast-to-Coast Race Challenge Medal for runners participating in the 2014 Tinker Bell Half Marathon at Disneyland in January and the 2014 Princess Half Marathon five weeks later at Walt Disney World. Finishers receive the coveted medal featuring the likeness of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse with a pink overlay and lanyard.

RunDisney
New Coast to Coast Medal

Registration for the 2014 Princess Half Marathon opens to the public on June 11 at www.runDisney.com, however Annual Passholders and DVC Members can register June 6.

A limited number of runners will have the opportunity to register for both the Princess and Tinker Bell Half Marathon at that time. Those not securing an early registration for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon will have a second chance when on-line registration officially opens on July 9.

Both the Princess and Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekends include signature runDisney events including a health and fitness expo geared towards women, kids races, a family fun run 5K, as well as featured half marathons for both weekend.

For more information and to register for runDisney events, visit www.runDisney.com.

About runDisney

runDisney is a series of seven event weekends providing runners unique opportunities to run various distances through Disney theme parks. Race participants earn Disneythemed medals, experience legendary Disney entertainment and guest service and ultimately celebrate their accomplishments with a Disney vacation. The original event in the series, the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna, takes place in January followed by the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend in February, Expedition Everest Challenge in May, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler in October and the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend in November. Disneyland hosts the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend in January and the Disneyland Half Marathon in September during Labor Day Weekend. More than 125,000 running enthusiasts participate in runDisney events each year.

For more information, visit RunDisney online and follow us on Facebook , and Twitter.

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ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Overview

Many of us see the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and think of it as the place where we pick up our RunDisney Race Packets or where the Atlanta Braves hold their Spring Training each year, but this often overlooked part of the Walt Disney World Resort plays home to much, much more!

ESPN Wide World of Sports

Walking past the globe and up to the gates, you find yourself immersed into a world of sports…no pun intended. But it is really amazing to see so many talented kids and adults in one place playing the games they love!

When you first walk up to the complex, you will notice that there is a large Box Office where you can purchase your tickets for events at the complex. It is important to note that guests, who are not athletes or coaches participating in an event, require paid admission for entrance.  General admission prices for Adults (Ages 10+) $16.00 and Children (Ages 3-9) $11.00, and for many events length-of-event admission tickets are available. Also Premium and Special Events may require additional charges. If you are planning on visiting the complex for a specific event, you can go to the ESPN Wide World of Sports site, and search by event for ticket options.

The one thing that totally blew my mind when I visited the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is just how many venues they have for almost any sport imaginable!

ESPN Wide World of Sports
The Hess Fields were busy with the Disney Memorial Day Soccer Shootout

The first thing I think of when I think of ESPN Wide World of Sports, is their fields, all 28 of them, that feature surfaces for signature sports. For baseball, there is the Baseball Quadraplex which is home to four professional sized fields and one practice field. Fields 7 and 9 are more versatile grass playing surfaces for soccer. In Diamondplex 10-15 you will find baseball and fastpitch softball fields. While the Hess® Fields 16-30 feature versatile grass playing surfaces for sports including soccer, baseball, field hockey, and lacrosse.

Champion® Stadium is Disney’s Big League Stadium, and is home to the Atlanta Braves Spring Training. This stadium is also used for baseball and fastpitch softball. It is a great stadium! It’s just the right size to make you feel like you are at a big-time game, while still having the fun and intimate feeling that is so unique to MLB Spring Training!

ESPN Wide World of Sports
The HP Field House is where you will also find the larger spectator sports.

The HP Field House is a multi-sport facility; they have even laid down ice for ice skating competitions and ice hockey games! But mostly you will find the HP Field House playing host to cheer, basketball, and volleyball competitions.

The Jostens® Center is another multi-sport facility, and where the RunDisney Expo and Race Packet Pick-Up are usually held. The day I visited ESPN Wide World of Sports, it was host to 6 basketball courts for the AAU Basketball Tournament. It is a HUGE facility that is also home to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill and Custom Tee Center by Champion®.

The New Balance Track and Field Complex is a Premier competition and training facility for state, national, and international events. If you ran in the Run Disney Tower of Terror 10-miler, this is where the Haunted Mansion Grave Diggers were waiting for us.

And finally, at the Tennis Complex you will find ten clay courts, including a stadium court! These courts can accommodate anything from a youth clinic to a professional tournament.

If you think that getting around the ESPN Wide World of Sports would be confusing and overwhelming you would be wrong!

ESPN Wide World of Sports

With the Welcome Center conveniently located in the heart of the complex, you are never far from help! In the Welcome Center, you will find Cast Members who are extremely knowledgeable about not only the Complex but all of the Walt Disney World Resort. You can do anything from finding event information to purchasing tickets (even for La Nouba) to help scheduling large group reservations and activities. And if you happen to be far away from the Welcome Center, there are several mobile units and Cast Members deployed to fields around the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

ESPN Wide World of Sports

ESPN Wide World of Sports also makes use of video displays throughout the complex. There are also four screen hubs, where four large LED monitors show you event highlights, information, weather, and general information about the complex. These hubs are soooo useful, and if you are lucky you might even catch your team featured in the highlights!

Also, for events you will find maps where you least expect to find them…on the ground giving you an easy way to find your field or venue!

ESPN Wide World of Sports

If you want to grab a bite to eat, you have a ton of options!

The most fun option is that you can have pizza delivered to your field. Seriously…how cool is that???

You will also find a mobile ESPN Food Truck where you can buy anything from a snack to a beer, and when the Complex is really busy you will even find local food trucks!

Also, inside of the HP® Field House there is an almost mini-food court with several options available.

But if you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle, you may want to visit the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill. You’ll find Burgers, Salads, sandwiches, and even a full service bar to relax in after a fun event. They have coke freestyle machines inside the Grill, which is always a fun bonus!

ESPN Wide World of Sports
The full service bar at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill.

There are also three really unique offerings at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

ESPN Wide World of Sports

The first is the Custom Tee Center by Champion® where you can customize an event T-shirt with more than 50 designs available to commemorate your accomplishment or you can design your own shirt, like I did! This is a really cool area of ESPN Wide World of Sports, and one that you definitely don’t just want to pass by! I opted to make a shirt that was perfect for training for my upcoming RunDisney races, but there were tons of other shirt styles and designs I could have chosen from. For me, the best part is that the shirts are ready in a snap (mine was ready in about 30 minutes) and if you can’t pick up your shirt until the next day they make sure it stays safe until you can come and get it from the Tee Center.

ESPN Wide World of Sports

The second really amazing service offered at ESPN Wide World of Sports is the Gameday Photo Experience. Here you can view your Gameday Photos, create custom photo keepsakes, and take amazing green screen pictures. You can even make posters and fully personalized ESPN The Magazine covers. The quality of these photo products are incredibly high and they are produced with little to no turnaround. It really is perfect for the hectic schedule of sporting events.

ESPN Wide World of Sports

Also, you will find the PlayStation Pavilion where athletes between and after games can wind down by playing the ultimate PS3® gaming experience. There is an additional charge to use this area, but it is a great way to bring a team together or celebrate a big win!

As you can see, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is much more than what meets the eye and I can’t wait to share more about teams can make the most of their time at the Complex and how to make sure you don’t miss any great opportunities to visit.

ESPN Wide World of Sports

 

 

 

 

 

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RunDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend Adds New Race, Challenge, And Medals!

RunDisney
New Coast to Coast Medal for those completing the Princess and Tinker Bell Half Marathons

RunDisney Princess Half Marathon New Additions For 2014

Women-focused event to offer 10K, new challenge and special-edition medals fit for a Princess;

Special Princess and Tinker Bell half marathon registration available June 11

Building on the success of its women-focused events, runDisney is broadening the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort next year by adding a 10K and a new two-race challenge.

The Princess 10K gives runners of various levels more opportunities to run through Disney theme parks and receive a specially-designed finisher medal. And runners looking for an even bigger challenge can sign up for the 10K on Saturday and the Half Marathon on Sunday (19.3 miles total) to earn the inaugural Disney Glass Slipper Challenge Medal to go along with medals from each individual race.

The Princess Half Marathon Weekend, scheduled for Feb. 20-23, is one of two women-focused runDisney events. The other is the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend in January at Disneyland Resort in California.  Both races are among the largest women-specific running events in the country and focus on healthy active lifestyles for women and girls.  For instance, after nearly 7,500 runners ran in the inaugural Princess Half Marathon event in 2009, the popularity of the race has grown considerably with more than 26,000 registered runners for last year’s race.

Also new in 2014 is a special edition runDisney Coast-to-Coast Race Challenge Medal for runners participating in the 2014 Tinker Bell Half Marathon at Disneyland in January and the 2014 Princess Half Marathon five weeks later at Walt Disney World.  Finishers receive the coveted medal featuring the likeness of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse with a pink overlay and lanyard.

Registration for the 2014 Princess Half Marathon opens June 11 at www.runDisney.com.  A limited number of runners will have the opportunity to register for both the Princess and Tinker Bell Half Marathon at that time.  Those not securing an early registration for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon will have a second chance when on-line registration officially opens on July 9.

Both the Princess and Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekends include signature runDisney events including a health and fitness expo geared towards women, kids races, a family fun run 5K, as well as featured half marathons for both weekend.

For more information and to register for runDisney events, visit www.runDisney.com.Follow us for more updates: Facebooktwitteryoutubetumblrinstagram

Discovering Disney Crafters!

I love crafting, and when I find Disney Crafters it is even more exciting!

I am on the look out for Disney Crafters to showcase here on the blog!!!

To start the series, I thought I would start by showcasing the work of one our awesome contributors who has started her own business Beth’s Bowtique!

Beth makes amazing bows, tutus, and bags that Zoe and I absolutely love!

A bow and tutu are a really fun way to jazz up a RunDisney Race, and I have now run 2 races in Beth’s Bowtique creations!!!

And to share a little bit of the Beth’s Bowtique fun, we are giving away two Disney inspired bows!!!

Congrats Cathleen on winning the Bows!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you are a Disney Crafter who would like to share their creations, if you have an ETSY shop or just make your crafts for fun, or know of one you would love and would like to share, please let me know by leaving a comment or dropping me a line shelley@onthegoinmco.com!!!

 

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2014 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Gets An Upgrade

dopeyRunDisney

For years, the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend combination of receiving medals for the 5K, Half Marathon, and Marathon was a 42.4 mile challenge unofficially dubbed the “Dopey” by fans.  Now with the addition of the new Walt Disney World 10K, the name “Dopey” becomes official with an additional new medal for the Dopey Challenge, but with one small change.  Instead of being 42.4 miles, Disney is including the 10K into the mix for a grand total of 48.6 miles.  That’s right, the old fan based Dopey was only 4 medals (5K, Half, Full, and Goofy), but now Dopey challengers will receive 6 medals total adding 1 for the 10K and 1 extra for doing all 4 races.

The cost to participate in this new challenge? $495 for participants who register before June 18, 2013.  This price includes all 4 races.

The new 10K will cost $95 for registrants by the same date.  With the 5K being $60, the Walt Disney World Full & Half Marathons costing $160 each, and the Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge weighing in at $340.

Price increases for the Walt Disney World Marathon races will occur on June 19, 2013 and again on August 14, 2013.

Additional information can be found at runDisney.comFollow us for more updates: Facebooktwitteryoutubetumblrinstagram

runDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend Half Registration Open

Registration Opens for Runners’ Ultimate Night Out at runDisney

Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend

Field of 20,000-plus runners expected to push runDisney to record year of more than 175,000 registered runners in 2013

 

All runDisney runners can now register for this year’s Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort, Nov. 8 – 9, by going to www.rundisney.com.

More than 20,500 runners are expected to register for weekend races, including 14,000 for the nighttime half marathon, increasing the number of registeredrunners for runDisney races in 2013 to more than 175,000 – a single-year record for runDisney, which has seven event weekends.  Last year more than 125,000 runners competed in runDisney’s seven event weekends at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.

The 13.1-mile Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon course takes runners through Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot.  After crossing the finish line runners can join family and friends for a special ticketed post-race party inside Epcot until 4 am (friends and family must purchase party ticket for entry).   The Finish Line Party features more than 25 kiosks offering fine cuisine and wine from the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, plus Disney characters, music and the opportunity to ride various attractions such as the newly reimagined Test Track Presented by Chevrolet and Soarin’.

New this year is the Disney Wine & Dine Pre-Race Taste on Friday, Nov. 8, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  This special ticketed event offers runners and fans a private reception on the set of Lights, Motor, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, featuring food and beverages from the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, music and Disney characters.

In addition, Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend features the runDisney Kids Races, Mickey’s Jingle Jungle 5K and the half marathon which starts at 10 pm at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

There’s also Disney’s Health and Fitness Expo on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 8 – 9, at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.  The expo offers the latest in running apparel, technology and a speaker series featuring running experts such asrunDisney official training consultant Jeff Galloway and runDisney nutritionist Tara Gidus.  Disney’s Health and Fitness Expo is free and open to the public.

To register for Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend races and to purchase tickets for the Disney Wine and Dine Pre-Race Taste and Finish Line Party at Epcot, visit www.runDisney.com.

 

Schedule of Events

Disney’s Health and Fitness Expo

Nov. 8 – 9

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

 

Disney Wine & Dine Pre-Race Taste

Nov. 8, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

 

Mickey’s Jingle Jungle 5K

Nov. 9, 7 am

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

 

runDisney Kids Races

Nov. 9

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

 

Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon

Nov.9, 10 pm

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

 

Finish Line Party

Nov. 9, 10 pm – 4 am

Epcot

 

About runDisney

runDisney

runDisney is a series of events providing runners unique opportunities to run various distances through Disney theme parks.  Race participants earn Disney-themed medals, experience legendary Disney entertainment and guest service and ultimately celebrate their accomplishments with a Disney vacation.  The original event in the series, the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna, takes place in January followed by theDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend in February, Expedition Everest Challenge in May, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler in September and the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend in November.  Disneyland hosts the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend in January and the Disneyland Half Marathon in September during Labor Day Weekend.  More than 125,000 running enthusiasts participate in runDisney events each year. For more information, visit www.runDisney.com and follow us on Facebook (runDisney) and Twitter @runDisney.Follow us for more updates: Facebooktwitteryoutubetumblrinstagram

Wordless Wednesday – RunDisney #Run3rd

Wordless Wednesday – February 27, 2013

RunDisney Run3rd
For this week’s Wordless Wednesday I wanted to share something a little more personal. This year when I ran my second RunDisney Princess Half Marathon, I wasn’t alone. I dedicated my run to two special people and carried them with me from start to finish. It definitely added a new perspective to a solo sport.

For more information about #run3rd visit their site.

Please take a second to really look at the Mission Statement, because it is definitely something that means a lot to me.

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