Category Archives: RunDisney

RunDisney Race Recap – 2015 Frozen 5K

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Frozen-5K-PinThe runDisney Frozen 5K held on Friday, February 20th was quite appropriately named!  A very chilly 34 degrees at the race’s 6:15 am start time, it was 3.1 miles of Frozen fun!  As you’d expect from a runDisney event, this one was packed with magical Disney details that did not disappoint.  Since the Frozen 5K was not my main objective during the Princess Half Marathon weekend, I felt no pressure to run fast.  In fact, I took my time and soaked up every moment of my very first runDisney event.

I got up early enough to eat an energy bar and a banana (my pre-race meal of choice) and don my “Tribute to Donald” outfit.  I wore an extra shirt and arm warmers under my outfit, added a warm headband to cover my ears and some gloves and was out the door of Bay Lake Tower to catch the monorail in the Contemporary and get to the starting area in the Epcot parking lot in plenty of time.  Disney’s instructions on this are very specific – be on Disney transportation by no later than 5:00 am for this race.  I’d never done this before and wasn’t taking any chances – I arrived a full hour before start time.Frozen-5K-Start-2015

It was cold!  I can’t even begin to imagine how early people had to arrive to get a place near one of the several heaters positioned around the runners’ waiting area. The crowds around the heaters were huge!  I couldn’t get close enough to feel even the slightest warmth.  I concentrated on checking out the interesting variety of costumes and assorted outfits people were wearing and tried not to think about how much I was shivering.  At least I was in the first group (A), so once we moved to the starting area, I didn’t have much longer to wait.

Once the race began, it didn’t take long to feel less frozen and more able to enjoy the sights and sounds along the race course.  Basically, the 5K course takes runners through the parking lot, into Epcot, around the World Showcase (just as the sun was coming up!), through a bit of Future World, and out to another Epcot parking lot to finish.Frozen-5K-and-Enchanted-10K-Course-MapI did manage to take a few pictures – the one I really wanted of Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff in Future World, unfortunately didn’t turn out at all.  I searched for Donald Duck so I could stop and have my picture made with him (in my Donald outfit), but didn’t see him anywhere.  At about the two-mile mark I saw Goofy and decided I’d better stop or I wouldn’t get a picture with a character at all.  Goofy noticed my outfit right away and gestured his approval which made me laugh.RM-Frozen-5K-2015  I have to say, the sun rising over the World Showcase Lagoon was incredibly beautiful.Frozen-5K-Sunrise-Selfie-Epcot

In about 30 minutes from start to finish, I was freezing once more and, with a small handful of other runners, making the very long walk to the monorail.  At the Ticket and Transportation Center, we were informed that the monorail to the resorts was down and we’d have to catch a bus.  This added much more time to my return trip to Bay Lake Tower, but finally I was back at our room where Raymond was waiting, ready to go spend the day in Epcot – where I finally got to see Donald!RM-Fiesta-Donald

Have you entered a runDisney event?  What did you like most about it?  What lessons did you learn that could help readers who are considering their first runDisney race?

 

 

My First runDisney Events – An Overview

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RM-RunDisney-RoadYou might remember this post from last summer where I shared the story of why I run.  I didn’t start running until I was in my 30’s, so if you’ve been toying with the idea of giving it a try, it’s never too late to find your inner athlete.  If you think you don’t have one, you’re wrong…he/she is in there somewhere and it’s just a matter of patience and commitment to locate him/her.  In fact, if you’re a Disney fan, perhaps what I’m about to share might be just the motivation you need to stop thinking and start doing.  I’m not saying everyone should run.  I’m saying that if you love Disney as much as I do, there’s no better place to participate in an athletic event that in Disney parks!

I’d explored the runDisney site thoroughly and even then I was still completely unprepared for the reality (the magnitude & magic) of a runDisney event.  My friends, family and coworkers might have thought I was crazy (many of them were very verbal about it) to enter three races over three days, but I was highly motivated by both the entrance fees (on the expensive side & I planned on getting my money’s worth) and wanting to enjoy myself by training enough to be comfortable for all three events.  I chose the Princess Half Marathon weekend because of its February date which worked well with my schedule.  I chose the Glass Slipper Challenge (the combination of both the Enchanted 10K on Saturday and the Princess Half Marathon on Sunday) because I’d run several half marathons and thought the challenge of the two races would be, well, challenging (in a good way).  Raymond pointed out that if I was going to do the 10K and the half and we’d be at Walt Disney World anyway, I might as well add Friday’s Frozen 5K and get another medal.  Sure, sounded reasonable to me, so I added that too.

Some things I had to do between registration and the actual events:RM-Donald-costume

  • Submit a proof of time for the half marathon or start in one of the last corrals.  I chose the only event near home that I could do by the December 1st deadline which ended up being a cold and rainy East Texas Half Marathon on my 50th birthday.
  • Figure out some sort of outfit or costume to wear for each race.  A tutu for me would be too-too much, so I was committed to dressing up in my own way and style.  I decided on a Donald Duck themed outfit for the 5K, a Minnie tribute for the 10K, and my favorite, an Evil Queen ensemble for the half marathon.  I picked up pieces for the outfits here and there over the months leading up to our trip.
  • Book Advance Dining Reservations for dinner (ADRs) bearing in mind that I’d be getting up incredibly early the morning of each race.  Sadly, I’d have to go to sleep between 8:00 and 9:00 each night or I’d be too tired to function.  Thursday:  Kona Café, Friday: Le Cellier, Saturday: Il Mulino (at the Swan).  Sunday we planned to celebrate with our last dinner of the trip at Yachtsman Steakhouse and it was fantastic, but turned out to NOT be our last dinner of this Disney visit.  More on that another day.
  • Plan park days with careful consideration about the amount of walking that would be required and select some attractions for relaxation rather than thrills.
  • Run a lot of miles.  That’s the downside (or upside depending on how you look at it) for choosing February races – a bunch of mileage had to happen throughout the holiday season.  It was hard to fit in all the time I needed, but the happy side effect was that I did not gain a single pound over Christmas.  I’m fortunate that Raymond loves to bicycle and was willing to go with me and ride while I ran my long runs every weekend in my favorite place to train, the Vicksburg National Military Park.RM-Disney's-Wide-World-of-Sports

I will do actual (shorter) posts on each race because they each had their own charm.  Today l want to share my overall impressions from my very first runDisney experiences:

I’m hooked!  I plan to be back again next year to do it again.  This was, without a doubt, the most fun I’ve ever had in any event anywhere.  From the volunteers to the medical and security teams, to the Cast Members, photographers, and characters – everyone was kind, caring, and professional.  I’ve never been congratulated so many times for crossing a finish line before.  The races are not just well-organized, they’re overflowing with magical Disney details far beyond anything I’d imagined.RM-Half-Corral-Walking

RunDisney events are designed to delight both first-time racers and long-time runners.  Also, these races are great for families.  There are also kids’ races held during the weekend.  Mothers and daughters, sisters, couples, groups of friends – there were a lot of people participating together and all of them were having a wonderful time.  It’s hard to get “swept” – there’s a very generous time limit so more people will be successful in finishing.  That’s the goal – simply finish and have a blast along the way!  There’s no pressure to be fast, in fact, runners are encouraged and enticed to stop many times along the way for a variety of unique and very special photo ops with a variety of characters – some of whom are rarely seen together.

Check back for more details about my adventures in the 2015 Frozen 5K, Enchanted 10K and Princess Half Marathon.

Are you a runDisney fan?  Do you want to be?

 

Just Back From Disney World – 10 Things I Learned

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RM-WDW SignWhat an amazing, surprisingly unusual trip to Walt Disney World we just had!  I knew it was going to be different because I was participating in my very first runDisney events, but so many wonderful and unexpected things happened that have forever earned this vacation a special place in my heart.  I’ll be writing individual reviews on restaurants, attractions, and activities over the next couple of weeks, but if you read anything here and you have questions or want more information – shout it on out in the comments section and I’ll do what I can to oblige.

Just Back From Disney World – 10 Things I Learned

1. The Walt Disney World sign still makes my heart beat faster – Even after all these years, there’s nothing more thrilling that visual proof that you have arrived at your favorite place to be (away from home).RM-Frozen-5K-2015

2. It can be freezing in Florida in February – I live in Louisiana, I know we get an occasional cold snap, but in Florida?  I honestly wasn’t expecting wind chills in the 20’s.  Luckily, we packed for just about every possible weather and were prepared.  I only wished my homage-to-Donald “costume” for the Frozen 5K (appropriately named, for sure) had included a bit more coverage for my knees.RM-Flag-Retreat

3. The Flag Retreat in Magic Kingdom makes me cry – I’ve heard about it for years and have never found myself in the right place at the right time to experience this unbelievably touching, patriotic ceremony.  I tried to sing along to God Bless America with the Dapper Dans, but I was too choked up to croak out even a few bars.  This is a must-see and you should put it on your Disney to-do list right now.RM-Lisa-and-Glass-Slipper-Sign

4. The hype you hear about runDisney events is well-deserved – I have participated in dozens of races over the past 17+ years and some of them were pretty amazing and well organized.  Nothing – not even in my wildest imagination – could have prepared me for the truly magical execution that makes a runDisney experience far superior to any other event.  Unless you have your heart set on a personal record, then you should know, that goal would be very challenging during a runDisney race.RM-Fiesta-Donald

5. Donald Duck is still my favorite Disney character.  And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.

6. Il Mulino at the Swan is an absolutely fantastic restaurant – This place was so special – everything about it was perfect to us and a full review of our dining experience will be written very soon.

7.  Being Stranded at Walt Disney World induces euphoria – I’m sure for some people, being iced-in and unable to get home, even from Orlando, would be a major inconvenience.  For us, at this particular time, it was the gift of not one, but TWO extra Disney days to enjoy – and enjoy them we did!  Ferris Bueller-style, we packed so much extra happiness into those two days, you won’t believe it…story to follow, so check back.RM-Polynesian-Village-Resort-Lobby

8. The Polynesian Village Resort’s renovated lobby is gorgeous – I’m not insensitive to the long-time Polynesian fans who are heartbroken by the changes to their favorite resort, but to me, the new Poly is a beautifully improved Poly.  I think the colors, furniture and décor, and overall feeling of welcome is lovely.RM-Hat-Shopping-Downtown-Disney

9.  Disney Springs is coming right along.  Sure, the construction walls are a big ugly pain to maneuver around, but something in the atmosphere has changed – there’s now an air of expectation and excitement.  We can tell the Downtown Disney area is going to be better than it ever was before.  The new hat shop’s a gem – of course I’ll write a post on that too.RM-New-Tree-of-Life-Roots10.  Animal Kingdom is starting to reveal what the future holds – and if the new details to the Tree of Life are any indication, this park (that I love SO much) is going to be even more incredible.

Please let me know what you want to hear most about in greater detail.  Check back over the next couple of weeks for more scoop on what made this latest visit to Walt Disney World a truly extraordinary Disney vacation.

Shortest, Strangest Visit to Walt Disney World

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Epcot-StatueWith just a couple of weeks to go and a whole lot to accomplish between now and then, I can already tell you that we’re about to make our shortest, strangest visit to Walt Disney World.  I almost can’t imagine how different it will be from all our other Disney vacations.  I’m beyond thrilled to finally get to combine two of my favorite things, running and Disney, but I’m murky on some of the details – for an obsessive planner like me, this is making me nervous.

I’ve been pouring over information about what to expect for my first runDisney events and, after exhaustive research, still feel like I’ll have to experience it to understand how it all works – I’m certain the 5k and Glass Slipper Challenge will be amazing experiences (even if I don’t dress like a princess).  I am a little concerned by how early I’ll have to go to bed to be up and ready to catch a bus to the race site each morning – I’ve never been a person who can get by on little sleep.  I tend to completely run down my battery everyday (surprised?) and need an 8-hour recharge to function!  I don’t want Raymond’s mini-vacation completely ruined by my race schedule – though he is and has always been my biggest fan for every event I’ve ever raced (and there have been dozens).  I know he’ll be there for me, same as always, but I want him to have a great time, too.RM-Running-Clothes

Here’s what’s the most difficult for me – I have no idea realistically what time I’ll be finished running, back to Bay Lake Tower, cleaned up and ready to do some Disney activities.  We have booked fastpasses each day and also at least one ADR (Advance Dining Reservation).  I know I’m supposed to try to rest my legs and feet as much as possible, so we wont be touring each park in our usually manner.  I’m counting on the fact that I’ve been a runner for 17+ years – hoping my legs will just do their thing without much complaining.  5k, 10k, half-marathon = 22.4 miles, spread out over three days.  Plus, I’m not concerned with race times, that’s the one big lesson I’ve learned in all my research – I’ll be concerned with having fun!

So, as I’ve done in the past, here are our plans for each day – see if you’d change anything and let me know if this all sounds do-able to you.

RM-7DMT-Train2Thursday (arrival day) – Magic Kingdom in the afternoon, FastPasses for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  Catching the monorail to the Polynesian Village Resort for dinner at Kona Café (first time for us!).

Friday (Princess 5k) – Epcot in the afternoon, FPs for Spaceship Earth, The Seas wit Nemo & Friends, and Soarin’.  Dinner at Le Cellier.  (See how I’m trying to minimize walking so far?)

Saturday (Enchanted 10k – I like that name, makes it sound easy!) – After Raymond and I had that fantastic experience with the massage for two at Senses back in October, he suggested I book another massage between the 10k and half-marathon to help reduce any pain and muscle tension.  Naturally, he volunteered to come with me and keep me company.  So we have an appointment in the early afternoon for another massage forRM-Grand-Floridian-Senses-Sign two and this time, we’re adding the reflexology session (hands and feet).  Then we plan to hit Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  We’ve got FPs for Tower of Terror, Star Tours, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.  Dinner at the Swan’s Il Mulino, which is another first for us.  I’ll need carbs, it’s Italian, we’ve been wanting to try it – this is working out well!

Sunday (Princess Half Marathon) – I’m pretty sure I’ll be starving after 13.1 miles, so we’ve booked an ADR at Yak & Yeti in Animal Kingdom to try the table service for lunch.  Since Animal Kingdom is so huge and requires a lot of walking, I thought it best to save it until after I was finished running all the events.  We’ve got FPs for Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, and Dinosaur.  Our final dinner ADR is at the Yacht Club’s Yachtsman Steakhouse.  I want to compare it to our Le Cellier dinner and see which one we like best.  We’ve been to Le Cellier many times, but Yachtsman will be another first for this trip.

That’s it!  Does it sound doable?  Am I crazy?  Our dinner ADRs are all really early (around 6 pm each day) – I’m hoping to be asleep by 8-ish each evening.  What pitfalls exist in my plan?