Run, Karla, Run!

Boston Marathon training along the Charles River in Boston.

The 2018 Boston Marathon is just five weeks away. As my runs get longer and the race gets closer, the reality of what I’m about to do is hitting me: run my first marathon since having a baby. Gulp.

Last weekend, I ran 15 miles. It was my longest run since the Honolulu Marathon in December 2015, the month before I started IVF and this crazy baby journey. I paced a friend at that one (read about it at Shape.com). The last marathon I actually raced? The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2013, when I was sick and bonked big time. I ended up taking the 2014 marathon season off thanks to a pre-cancerous mole removal and 2015 off due to plantar fasciitis. In 2016, I toyed with the idea of a pregnant marathon, but just didn’t feel up to it. In 2017, I had delusions of running of fall marathon, but my baby had other ideas—namely, sleep torturing me.

So here we are. It’s 2018, and I kind of feel like a newbie all over again. And it’s really exciting.

Yes, I realize that anytime I mention I’ve run the Boston Marathon it will require an asterisk: *No, I didn’t qualify. I got a media entry, and raised money for charity.

The 2017 New Balance Boston shoes

I get it. I know so many people who have worked incredibly hard to qualify. My husband is one of them. Read the rest of this entry →

The 2018 Walt Disney World Marathon celebrates 25 years. (Photo: runDisney)

The 2018 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna from January 3-7 at Walt Disney World in Florida marks the 25th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Marathon. The four-day Dopey Challenge celebrates its 5th anniversary.

The racing extravaganza is the largest running festival in the U.S., according to RunningUSA, with five main events: Walt Disney World Marathon, Walt Disney World Half Marathon, Walt Disney World 10K, Walt Disney World 5K and runDisney Kids Races. That includes runners doubling, tripling, or quadrupling their fun with the Dopey Challenge, Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge, and Castaway Cay Challenge for runners taking a Disney cruise after the race weekend.

It all adds up to one big event. Nearly 69,000 finishers completed races in 2016. So take a look at Mickey Mouse’s favorite race weekend by the numbers. All stats provided by runDisney prior to the start of the races.

The first Walt Disney World Marathon starting line in 1994. (Photo: runDisney)

2018 Walt Disney World Marathon By The Numbers

Participation

808,000—runners have participated in Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend events since 1994

363,000—runners have tackled the Walt Disney World Marathon alone

187,000—runners participate in runDisney races each year

100,000—runners and spectators expected at the 2018 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

97,000—registrations for the 2018 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, with many runners completing multiple races

26,000—runners registered for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon

25,500—2018 Walt Disney World Marathon registrations

15,000—runners registered for the Walt Disney World 5K

14,700—registations for the Walt Disney World 10K

9,000—Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge registrants, who complete both the half-marathon and marathon

4,000—kids registered for the runDisney Kids Races

7,800—Dopey Challenge registrants, who complete all of the 5K, 10K, half-marathon and marathon. *Ed. Note: This is an estimate. runDisney provided 2,800 as a number, but based on the number of Dopey finishers and the 2017 registration number, 7,800 is likely more accurate. Thanks to readers for catching the mistake!

600+—runners have completed every 48.6-mile Dopey Challenge since 2014

88—countries represented

76—”Perfect” runners, who have finished every Walt Disney World Marathon since 1994, are registered in 2018. 45 of them are from Florida. Read the rest of this entry →

The 2017 Walt Disney World Marathon kicked off with a 5K (Disney Sports)

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UPDATE: 2018 Walt Disney World Marathon By The Numbers Is Here!

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The 2017 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna kicked off January 4 and runs, literally, through the title event on January 8 at Walt Disney World in Florida. The Walt Disney World Half Marathon celebrates its 20th running this year.

The five-day extravaganza is one of the largest running festivals in the U.S. with five main events: Walt Disney World Marathon, Walt Disney World Half Marathon, Walt Disney World 10K, Walt Disney World 5K and runDisney Kids Races. That includes runners doubling, tripling, or quadrupling their fun with the Dopey Challenge, Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge, and Castaway Cay Challenge.

New Balance released their 2017 runDisney Collection of shoes at the 2017 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, with designs that pay homage to iconic Disney parks rides Space Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, Mad Tea Party, and Toy Story Mania.

It all adds up to one big event. So take a look at Mickey Mouse’s favorite race weekend by the numbers.

7,800 runners will take on the Dopey Challenge in 2017. (Disney Sports)

2017 Walt Disney World Marathon By The Numbers

Participation

323,000—runners who have registered for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in its 20 years

230,000—runners who take part in runDisney events each year

100,000—runners and spectators expected at Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

78,000—registrations for the 2017 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Read the rest of this entry →

“Mad Tea Party” New Balance Disney shoes

The 2017 New Balance runDisney Collection of running shoes makes its debut at Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna from January 4 to January 8, 2017 at Walt Disney World in Florida.

The collection features shoes themed to iconic Disney rides like Space Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, Mad Tea Party, and Toy Story Mania. Space Mountain and The Haunted Mansion are Vazee Pace v2 neutral running shoes; Mad Tea Party and Toy Story Mania are 880v6 cushioned running shoes.

Want to snap up a pair? They’re only available at runDisney Health & Fitness Expos during race weekends at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California (and not online). Check NBvirtualqueue.com before each race weekend for up-to-date instructions on how to get your hands on a pair. Here are the details.

Glow-in-the-dark “Space Mountain” Vazee pace v2 New Balance shoes

Read the rest of this entry →

Jason Simpson set a race record at the 2016 Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon. (runDisney)

The Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon 2016 presented by MISFIT from November 3 to 6 at Walt Disney World in Florida hosted 31,000 runners tackling food-themed races.

The three-day extravaganza featured the new Disney Wine & Dine 10K along with the inaugural Lumiere’s Two Course Challenge, which had runners feasting on the 10K and half-marathon on back-to-back days. The weekend also included Mickey’s Holiday 5K, runDisney Kids Races, the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo, and the weekend’s signature post-race party where Epcot and the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival stayed open into the wee hours for runners and ticket-holders.

Take a look at the numbers behind Disney’s tastiest race weekend.

Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon 2016 By The Numbers

For the first time, the half marathon took place in the morning. (runDisney)

225 million—dishes will served during the 62-day 2016 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

266,000—cups of water given to runners during race weekend

250,000—runners who take part in runDisney events each year

31,000—registered runners for the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon 2016 Weekend 

14,000—runners registered for the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon

12,651—finishers at the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon

10,000—runners registered for the Disney Wine & Dine 10K 

9,260—finishers at the Disney Wine & Dine 10K

6,000—runners registered for the Disney Wine & Dine 5K Read the rest of this entry →

Paula Radcliffe joins Mickey Mouse at Disneyland Paris Half Marathon (Disneyland Paris)

The inaugural Disneyland Paris Half Marathon Weekend is finally here! From Friday, September 23 to Sunday, September 25, I’m here to catch all the action as a media guest of runDisney.

The Disneyland Paris Half Marathon Weekend, runDisney’s first event outside the U.S., includes the title half-marathon, Disneyland 5K, runDisney Kids Races, and ticketed parties the night before each event.

The Castle to Chateau Challenge medal (Disney)

The courses tour runners through Disneyland Park, Walt Disney Studios Park, Disney Village and environs, including jaunts down Main Street, U.S.A. and through Sleeping Beauty Castle. And like all runDisney races, runners will find Disney characters and entertainment all along the way.

In true runDisney fashion, the race will be part of the new Castle to Chateau Race Challenge. Runners who complete the half-marathon at Disneyland Paris and a half or marathon at either Disneyland Resort in California or Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in the same calendar year will earn a special medal for the occasion.

What else? Here’s a look at just some of the stats behind the first Disneyland Paris Half Marathon.

Disneyland Paris Half Marathon By The Numbers

230,000—people participate in runDisney events each year

Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2017 registration opens soon. (Disney)

Registration for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2017 Weekend presented by PANDORA Jewelry opens Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at 12 p.m. Eastern. The women-focused race weekend takes place from May 11-14, 2017 at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The race is the third largest women’s running event in the U.S. with 11,435 finishers in 2015.

In addition to the title half marathon, the Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2017 Weekend also includes the Pixie Dust Challenge presented by PANDORA Jewelry, Tinker Bell 10K presented by PANDORA Jewelry, Never Land 5K presented by PANDORA Jewelry, and runDisney Kids Races.

The runDisney Health and Fitness Expo is free and open to the public Thursday, May 11 through Saturday, May 13. That’s where runners pick-up their bibs and race gear, find official runDisney merchandise, along with the coveted runDisney New Balance shoes, other retailers showcasing running apparel and products, and more. Read the rest of this entry →

Donald Duck cheers on runners. (Disney)

The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna celebrates its 11th anniversary over Labor Day Weekend with more than 32,000 runners. From Sept. 1 through Sept. 4, 2016 in Anaheim, Calif., runners will take on everything from a Diaper Dash for the littlest among them to 13.1 miles in the main event on Sunday.

The weekend’s races include the Disneyland 5K, Disneyland 10K, Dumbo Double Dare, runDisney Kids Races, and the Disneyland Half Marathon with a flat and fast course through Disney California Adventure theme park, Disneyland theme park, the streets of Anaheim, and Angel Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Angels.

Here’s a look at the 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend by the numbers.

Runners at Sleeping Beauty Castle (Disney)

2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend By The Numbers

Read the rest of this entry →

R2D2 greets runners at The Dark Side Star Wars Half Marathon. (runDisney)

Registration for The Dark Side Star Wars Half Marathon 2017 Weekend at Walt Disney World opens at 12 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, August 9, 2016. The Disney half marathon race weekend themed to The “Dark Side” will take place April 20-23, 2017 in a galaxy far, far away. OK, it’s really in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, but you get the idea. I ran the inaugural race in 2016, courtesy of runDisney, and had a blast(er)!

More than 18,180 runners finished The Dark Side Star Wars Half Marathon and another 12,173 flew through the Star Wars 10K in 2016. Among them all, 6,795 runners completed the Star Wars Dark Side Challenge by finishing the 10K and half-marathon on consecutive days. All those races will be back for 2017, along with the Star Wars 5K, runDisney Kids Races, and free runDisney Health and Fitness Expo—the only place where you can buy shoes in the coveted New Balance runDisney Collection.

Star Wars Half—The Light Side runs at Disneyland (runDisney)

The Walt Disney World race weekend also has a companion event at Disneyland. The Light Side Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend will take place January 12-15, 2017 in California. Runners who complete both Star Wars Half Marathons receive an extra medal for completing the Kessel Run Challenge in this special edition of the Coast to Coast Race Challenge. Registration for The Light Side Star Wars Half Marathon is open.

I ran the The Dark Side Star Wars Half Marathon at Walt Disney World in 2016 as a media guest of runDisney, and absolutely loved the race. You can read about my experience at Shape.com and RunKarlaRun.com: Read the rest of this entry →

Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic cruises from New York City. (Disney Cruise Line/Matt Stroshane)

Happy Anniversary to my favorite runner, Phil! It’s been four + four years of running love (dating + married). On another anniversary, I shared photos from our 1930s and 1940s themed wedding. This year, I thought I’d share highlights from my bachelorette weekend…on a Disney cruise!

Gathering on deck (RunKarlaRun.com)

That’s right. I love running Disney races and Phil and I got engaged at Walt Disney World. So I thought it fitting to take a Disney cruise with 10 of my BFFs in lieu of a traditional bridal shower and bachelorette party. We wrapped it up into one fun-filled weekend on the high seas. A Disney cruise proved to be a surprisingly perfect getaway for a group of nerdy gal pals that just wanted to have good, clean fun.

With my girls at dinner. (RunKarlaRun.com)

Disney Cruise Line’s “Cruise To Nowhere”

On Friday afternoon, we boarded the Disney Magic for a two-night “cruise to nowhere” leaving from New York City. Read the rest of this entry →

Disneyland Paris Half Marathon medals (Disney)

In nine weeks, runners will storm Disneyland Paris in Val d’Europe, France for the first time: the inaugural Disneyland Paris Half Marathon takes off on Sunday, September 25, 2016. I’ll be among them as a media guest of runDisney. Now, we’ve got a glimpse of the medals we’ll earn.

Disneyland Paris Half Marathon Medal

For the main 13.1-mile event, Mickey Mouse is, of course, the main man. He runs around Sleeping Beauty Castle, the iconic heart of Disneyland Paris, just like runners will. Flourished with the French fleur-de-lis, the gold medal hangs from a blue lanyard. It’s the official color of Disneyland Paris.

Disneyland Paris Half Marathon medal (Disney)

Disneyland Paris 5K & runDisney Kids Races Medallions

The runDisney Kids Races medallion also features Mickey Mouse in living color, while the Disneyland Paris 5K medallion stars another rodent—Remy of Ratatouille fame. Both hang from blue and gold ribbons. Read the rest of this entry →

Disney Princess Half Marathon 2017 Registration opens July 12. (Walt Disney World)

Registration for the 2017 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals opens Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 12 p.m. ET. The women-focused race weekend will take place at Walt Disney World in Florida from February 23-26, 2017. The race is the second largest women’s running event in the U.S. with 20,138 finishers in 2016.

(runDisney)

The Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend includes the titular Disney Princess Half Marathon, Disney Princess Enchanted 10K, Disney Princess 5K, runDisney Kids Races, and Disney Glass Slipper Challenge.

The Challenge asks runners to complete both the 10K on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday for a total of 19.3 miles. They’ll earn three medals total: one for each race and one for the Challenge. To qualify, runners must register for the Challenge, not each race individually.

The free runDisney Health & Fitness Expo at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex also takes place from Thursday through Saturday. The Expo is the only place runners can find shoes in the New Balance runDisney Collection.

During race registration, runners can also purchase the VIP Race Retreat Package with access to a suite of pre- and post-race amenities.

The Disney Princess Half Marathon takes runners from Epcot to Magic Kingdom and back, including a run through Cinderella Castle. The 10K and 5K courses traditionally run through Epcot and the Disney BoardWalk area. Read the rest of this entry →

The Star Wars Half Marathon ‘Dark Side’ Finish. (runDisney)

The inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon—The Dark Side at Walt Disney World in Florida had 18,182 finishers on April 17, 2016. I was among them as a media guest of runDisney, with my husband, Phil, running by my side. Another 12,172 runners finished the Star Wars 10K the day before.

I had one goal for the race: run a PR. I wrote about the attempt for Shape.com: Should You Ever Give Up On A Fitness Goal?

“Do. Or do not,” Yoda famously says in Star Wars:The Empire Strikes Back. “There is no try.”

Yoda obviously wasn’t a runner.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I first tried to break two hours in a half-marathon. It was 2010 in Montreal, Canada, and I failed. Six years later, I’m still trying. I’ve run more than 25 half-marathons, gutting out 2:00:30 at my fastest. (What Makes You a Runner?)

At this year’s Star Wars Half Marathon at Walt Disney World in Florida, I channeled the Force for yet another attempt. Dressed as Rey from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, with my husband as Chewbacca by my side, I set out on a 13.1-mile—or, you know, 6.83 parsec—quest.

In running and in life, goals and dreams keep pushing us forward. What keeps us chasing them? In a word: Hope. It’s true in Star Wars, running, and in life. But when is it time to say enough is enough? Should we ever let hope fade into resignation?

You can read the entire essay, full of Star Wars wisdom, at Shape.com.

We did it! (Disney PhotoPass)

I’ll admit: I’m not the world’s biggest Star Wars nerd. Yes, I’ve seen all the movies and enjoy them. I even had an Ewok stuffed animal as a kid in the ’80s and wanted Princess Leia buns in my hair. But I’m not as into it as I am Disney animated films. After all, my dog is named Cinderella, not Princess Leia.

Why? Leia seemed to be the only female in a galaxy entirely populated by men, much like the Smurfs. Weird. As a little girl, it just didn’t speak to me. I didn’t see myself anywhere on screen, except in Leia.

Enter Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I loved it, largely and not-so-subconsciously because women were everywhere. You have your latent Jedi in Rey, your military leader in Leia, your villain in Captain Phasma, your female fighter pilots. Even Rey’s “Yoda”—Maz Kanata—is female. The movie brought me a new love and appreciation for the Star Wars franchise.

So I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this race and totally geeked out over all the Star Wars characters. Any time one of them—like Stormtroopers or Captain Phasma—talked to me though a thoroughly convincing voice modulator, I felt giddy as a kid completely transported to another world. Both Phil and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Here’s the scoop, including running in costume, the course, where I stayed, and the race itself. Read the rest of this entry →

Star Wars Half Marathon 2017 registrations opens June 14. (runDisney)

Registration for the Star Wars Half Marathon 2017 “The Light Side” Weekend at Disneyland opens at 12 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, June 14, 2016. The Disney half marathon race weekend themed to “The Light Side” will take place January 12-15, 2017 in a galaxy far, far away. OK, it’s really in Anaheim, Calif.

More than 20,600 runners finished the Star Wars Half Marathon “The Light Side” and Star Wars 10K in 2016, with another 6,250 runners registered for the non-timed Star Wars 5K and runDisney Kids Races. Among them all, 4,550 runners completed the Star Wars Rebel Challenge by finishing the 10K and half-marathon on consecutive days. All those races will be back for 2017, along with the runDisney Health and Fitness Expo—the only place where you can buy shoes in the coveted New Balance runDisney Collection.

The Kessel Run Challenge Medal (runDisney)

Disney has yet to release the 2017 course maps, but last year’s races ran through Disney California Adventure Park, Disneyland Park, Downtown Disney and the streets of Anaheim, Calif., with Star Wars characters and cos-players along the route.

The Disneyland race weekend also has a companion event at Walt Disney World. The Star Wars Half Marathon 2017 “The Dark Side” Weekend will take place April 20-23, 2017 at Walt Disney World in Florida. Runners who complete both Star Wars Half Marathons receive an extra medal for completing the Kessel Run Challenge in this special edition of the Coast to Coast Race Challenge. Registration for the Star Wars Half Marathon “The Dark Side” opens August 9, 2016.

I’ve never run the Star Wars Half Marathon “The Light Side” at Disneyland. But I ran the Star Wars Half Marathon “The Dark Side” at Walt Disney World in 2016 as a media guest of runDisney, and had a blast. You read about my experience here:

Race Report: Star Wars Half Marathon—The Dark Side

Escape time! (RunKarlaRun.com)

Read the rest of this entry →

Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2016 is the 5th anniversary of the event. (runDisney)

The Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2016 Weekend presented by PANDORA Jewelry from May 5-8 at Disneyland in California celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2016. I’m returning to the race for the first time since the inaugural event to celebrate Mother’s Day with my mom.

The women’s focused running festival includes the title half-marathon, Tinker Bell 10K, Never Land 5K, Pixie Dust Challenge (running the 10K and half-marathon), runDisney Kids Races, and runDisney Health & Fitness Expo, where runners can buy shoes in the coveted New Balance runDisney Collection.

I’m flying through the Pixie Dust Challenge, courtesy of runDisney, and pacing my mother through her first 10K at the Tinker Bell 10K. She did her first 5K with me at the Walt Disney World 5K in 2014.

Pausing for a pic in Epcot with my mom during the Walt Disney World 5K. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

Two years later, she’s upping the distance before she turns 70 in just four months.

Tinker Bell is the perfect race. My mom was Tinker Bell for Halloween when she was a little girl, not once, but twice. The movie came out in 1953, when she was just 7 years old.

On top of it all, she hasn’t been to Disneyland in 38 years. What a way to celebrate Mother’s Day and usher in a new decade!

We’re ready to run! (RunKarlaRun.com)

I even bought her the New Balance runDisney Tinker Bell Boracay shoes last year. She’s wearing them for the race, naturally.

Good luck if you’re running this weekend! Here’s a look at every fairy’s favorite race by the numbers.

2nd star to the right and straight on till morning! (runDisney)

Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2016 By The Numbers

24,000 total race registrants for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2016 Weekend

15,000 runners from California

10,700 participants in the Tinker Bell Half Marathon

4,600 runners in the Tinker Bell 10K

4,300 registrants in the Pixie Dust Challenge

4,200 participants in the Never Land 5K

1,500 kids in the runDisney Kids Races

950 runners who have tackled the Tinker Bell Half Marathon all five years Read the rest of this entry →