How runDisney is to Blame For my Racing Addiction

I have a slight addiction to running and racing. If we were to root cause this passion of mine, we would find runDisney largely to blame. Though my first race was NOT runDisney, it was largely motivated by it. Cut to now and I have been racing for over five years from 5k races to the Full Marathon!

Running when I was a kid was TOUGH! I started “running” my senior year of High School as a way to exercise, and I would only run casually on treadmills and sometimes outside. When I heard a few of my friends were running the Disneyland Half Marathon I was first shocked, a half marathon is a long race! And I was jealous, I love Disney and I already run, this sounded like the perfect excuse to get me to commit to training for a Half Marathon!

NOTE: As of now (2023), the Disneyland location runDisney races are slotted to start again in 2024!

Training for runDisney

I looked around and ended up joining a run group. I highly suggest this for all runners looking to train for a race! For me, the financial commitment was enough to get me very dedicated to my run group. It was more expensive than I would usually spend on a fitness-related activity, thus I felt very motivated to not waste my money! The support of the group and planned workout runs were also indispensable when training and building fitness.

My training started shortly after the Disneyland half marathon that year, so I decided not to wait and to get my first race done before the Disneyland race the following year. I ended up running the Austin Half Marathon in February. It went decently well and I was shocked (like many runners) how quickly I got over the “that’s the last time I do that” mentality to “ok… so when’s my next race?”. Medals are PRETTY and there is something addictive about racing! You could say I definitely drank the cool aid, I was hooked! I knew I obviously had to run the Disneyland Half with my buddies later that year!

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So here’s the thing with runDisney races, they are EXPENSIVE! This is a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. As I said before, financial commitment is definitely a motivator. Clearly, it isn’t great if you can’t afford the sticker shock of somewhere in the area of $200.00 for a half marathon. And it gets more expensive from there if you want to do any of the challenges which include various race combos (half and 10k. etc.).

Disney does organize races well, plus the swag is pretty sweet. And let’s be honest, getting to run through the castle in the wee hours of the morning is pretty freaking amazing. I got to run through Cars Land as my first ever experience seeing the new land at the time. It was seriously magical, and running through the castle gave me all the feels!  

As far as the weekend goes, the expo was great. I love many of the vendors they get for the runDisney races. Combining my two favorite things, running and Disney makes for some serious spending at the Expo. Budget accordingly if you are like me! Some of the vendors do offer online shopping as well, so some of the loot may be available later (no guarantees though!).

Race!

On the morning of the race, we got there early. Like so early that it doesn’t feel like you slept at all early. The Disneyland races weren’t as bad as the Disneyworld races. You really need to make sure you can logistically get to the corrals and be situated with plenty of time. This is important because there are A LOT of corrals. This is nice considering runDisney races are great for ALL levels of fitness! From the speedy racer to the run-walk crowd, you will find a place at runDisney! Just be aware of the time limit and train to stay ahead of the limit to ensure you have an amazing experience.   

Post Race

Post-race there were plenty of snacks and some characters to take photos with. I took my time and enjoyed my victory! For me that involved sitting on the ground, eating random snacks from my snack box while attempting to stretch my beat-up legs. For those of you with a little more class, this might entail treating yourself to a post-race massage or spa experience. I went into the park later that day, though I suggest you don’t plan a huge day of park touring. You are likely going to be sore (you just ran a race, duh!) and tired from the early morning. Wear your medals around no matter what you do, and commiserate with your fellow runners as you hobble around giving each other knowing looks of pain and pride!

After that first experience I have now run the Disney Princess Half Marathon (I actually did the Glass Slipper Challenge which was the 10k and the Half Marathon) and the Disneyland Half Marathon twice. The Princess races were really cute and fun (the medals were some of my favorites!), though for me the early mornings two days in a row were too much. I know plenty of people who love the multi-day challenges and even run the whole gambit of races for Marathon weekend called the Dopey challenge! Four days of early mornings and running might not be for everyone (like myself) but there really is a race for all Disney fans!

Thanks to runDisney I ran my first race, and since then have run six half Marathons and six Marathons (along with an assortment of 10ks and 5ks). It’s crazy to think about my running journey and how I used to be one of those people who could barely run a mile! I guess you can say I just needed the right motivation to get addicted! I am planning my next Marathon to be the Walt Disney World Marathon in 2020. It’s a bucket list race for me and I know it will be a magical experience! 

So to recap:

• runDisney got me to run a Half Marathon because… well, it’s Disney.
• They are EXPENSIVE races, but totally worth it if you are a fan of the Disney parks!
• Budget accordingly if you think you will spend ALL THE MONEY like I do at the Expo.
• Get to the start line early, and take time to enjoy your victory post-race!
• runDisney is a great starting point for any level of runner wanting to try their hand at racing, just get out there and enjoy the magic! You can totally do it! =)        

Need some more running inspiration? Check out 13 Excellent Reason to LOVE Running!