Run, Karla, Run!

Star Wars Half—The Dark Side runs at WDW (runDisney)

The inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon—The Dark Side takes runners to a galaxy far, far away. OK, it’s actually at Walt Disney World in Florida, where the Dark Side of the Force is strong on April 17, 2016. All together 43,000 runners will awaken The Force, with many registered for multiple events.

The Star Wars “Dark Side” themed race weekend includes the Star Wars Half Marathon, Star Wars 10K, Star Wars 5K, runDisney Kids Races and the two-day Dark Side Challenge, where runners complete the 10K and half-marathon on consecutive days. Many runners will also be completing the inaugural Kessel Run Challenge, by running both the Star Wars Half Marathon—The Light Side at Disneyland and the Star Wars Half Marathon—The Dark Side at Walt Disney World.

I will be among them, courtesy of runDisney, with my husband by my side. Our costumes? Chewbacca and Rey.

Rey and Chewie! (RunKarlaRun.com)

If you see us out there, say hello!

My niece and nephew ran the the runDisney Kids Races. Each asked me to run with them. How could I say no? We had a blast.

Star Wars Half runDisney Kids Races (RunKarlaRun.com)

Now it’s time to blast off for 13.1 miles of fun through the Star Wars Galaxy.

Here’s a look at runDisney’s galactic race weekend by the numbers.

The course is strong with The Dark Side. (runDisney)

Inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon—The Dark Side By The Numbers

$2.053 billion—worldwide box office receipts for Star Wars: The Force Awakens to date

260,900—combined miles adult runners will tackle at the Star Wars Half Weekend. That’s 1.36125299e-8 parsecs or like circling the world the 9.5 times.

250,000—runners who participate in runDisney events each year

43,000—registrations for the Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend—The Dark Side. It’s runDisney’s largest half-marathon.

36,000—cones used throughout the half-marathon course

23,000—gallons of water at aid stations, enough to fill a swimming pool 6-feet deep Read the rest of this entry →

Super Heroes Half Marathon runners channel Thor (Disney)

Registration opens Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 12 p.m. ET for the Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend at Disneyland in California from November 10-13, 2016.

The Super Heroes Half Marathon and other weekend races run through Disneyland Resort and the streets of Anaheim with entertainment lining the course, including characters from Marvel’s The Avengers, bands, cheerleaders, and more.

The running homage to The Avengers and all comic book caped crusaders includes the title half-marathon, Doctor Strange 10K, Captain America 5K, runDisney Kids Races, runDisney Health & Fitness Expo, and the Infinity Gauntlet Challenge—running the 10K and half-marathon on consecutive days. Runners who register for the Infinity Gauntlet Challenge will earn a challenge medal in addition to bling for each race. To qualify, you must register for the challenge and not register for each race individually.

Super Heroes bling (Disney)

The weekend is the final 2016 event in the runDisney series, and runners’ last chance to earn a Coast to Coast Race Challenge medal by running a half-marathon or marathon at both Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California in the same calendar year.

Disney’s running series now has four race weekends at each Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and the new Disneyland Paris Half Marathon debuting in France in September 2016. Runners who complete the Paris half-marathon and a U.S. half-marathon or marathon in the same year will earn a special Castle to Chateau Challenge medal. Read the rest of this entry →

Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon (runDisney)

Didn’t get into any of the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend races? You can still run by registering with a runDisney Charity Group or Travel Provider. Bibs for the half-marathon, Disney Wine & Dine 10K, Lumiere’s Two Course Challenge, and Mickey’s Jingle Jungle 5K from November 3 to 6, 2016 are available.

The Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon is typically runDisney’s fastest selling race weekend. The 2016 races sold out in under 3 hours when registration opened Tuesday, March 29. The 10K and half-marathon filled within 30 minutes. The 5K and challenge weren’t far behind. Registration is still available for the runDisney Kids’ Races as of post time. Visit rundisney.com for more info or to register.

The Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon welcomes in 2016 a new Ratatouille-themed 10K and two-day race challenge, along with a new half-marathon route and start time for the main event. The Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon is moving from Saturday night to Sunday morning due to ongoing construction and new hours at the theme parks. The race’s signature Post Race Party at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will still take place under the stars from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday night, when Epcot stays open late solely for runners and party ticket holders.

If you want to be among them, register to run with a charity or travel agent.

The 2015 Wine & Dine Half Marathon Medal (runDisney)

2016 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Charity Groups Program

runDisney Charity Groups offer guaranteed entries, discounted Walt Disney World Resort hotel rates, specially-priced Walt Disney World theme park tickets, and discounts on other race amenities. Check with each group individually for their requirements and benefits. To register, contact each group below. Read the rest of this entry →

Minnie greets finishers at Disney Wine & Dine Half (runDisney)

The Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon is getting a new menu of events, following in the footsteps of every other runDisney race in the U.S. The race weekend at Walt Disney World from November 3 to 6, 2016 will debut the new Disney Wine & Dine 10K, Lumiere’s Two Course Challenge, and a new half-marathon course and start time. Registration for the 2016 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon opens March 29, 2016 at 12 p.m. Eastern at runDisney.com.

The Disney Wine & Dine 10K, with a Ratatouille theme, will take place Saturday, November 5 as the first course in Lumiere’s Two Course Challenge. The second course is the title half-marathon on Sunday, November 6. The new 13.1-mile route will take runners through Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, and forgo Disney’s Hollywood Studios due to ongoing construction at that park.

Traditionally a nighttime race, the half-marathon is moving to morning. Why? Walt Disney World is planning to open all four of its theme parks during nighttime hours, limiting when races and race set-up can take place. (Read about the behind-the-scenes process in Planning Disney Races Takes More Than Magic.)

“Rivers of Light” at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Disney Parks)

New attractions expected to open by race day in November include the nighttime Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the Frozen Ever After experience at the Norway pavilion in Epcot.

But don’t worry runners: the race’s signature Post Race Party at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will still take place under the stars from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday, November 6, when Epcot stays open late solely for runners and party ticket holders. Now you’ve got time to shower and relax before partying the night away with Festival food booths, Disney characters, musical performances, and special access to Epcot attractions. Read the rest of this entry →

Red Carpet Run in California (Racewire)

Oscar night is almost here! Inspired by the silver screen? Take on one of the many themed movie runs around the U.S., from California to Kansas and beyond.

Want to run your first 10K, half-marathon or more? I rounded up the best races for beginners, from coast to coast.

If you’re a seasoned road warrior at the other end of the spectrum—looking for a bigger challenge—I found 25 all-you-can run festivals where two, three, four and more races in a row are on the menu.

Check out my roundups at Shape.com!

Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz (Olathe Chamber of Commerce)

10 Movie Runs For Fun

I picked 10 movie runs around the U.S. that pay homage to Hollywood, including events inspired by Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Shawshank Redemption, A Christmas Story, The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Forrest Gump, and more.

Is your favorite film among them? Find out at Shape.com.

BolderBoulder 10K (BolderBoulder)

The Best 10 Races for Newbie Runners

Looking to tackle your first 5K, half-marathon, or even 26.2? Check out the best courses in America for first-timers. I picked them—including races in California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Read the rest of this entry →

Three Disney castles (Photo: Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris

Three Disney theme parks world-wide offer Disney races—Walt Disney World in Florida, Disneyland in California, and Disneyland Paris in France. I’m going to run a half-marathon, or more, at each of them in 2016 (partially as a media guest of runDisney).

I’m a lifelong Disney fan. My dog’s name is Cinderella, after all. And I’ve been a runDisney fan since I tackled the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon for the first time in 2011.

But I’ve only been to Disneyland once and I’ve never been to Disneyland Paris. So I’m incredibly excited to hit all three parks in one year to get the full back-to-back-to-back runDisney experience.

Minnie & Mickey at the Inaugural Disneyland Half Marathon (runDisney)

Which Disney Races To Run?

I really toyed with how I wanted to approach this adventure, and how to choose which three Disney races I’d run.

Did I want to run the three “title” races at each park—Walt Disney World Half Marathon, Disneyland Half Marathon, and Disneyland Paris Half Marathon? That would take me through all three castles and give me the “big picture” experience. I considered it as the most obvious way to experience each theme park as a runner. Read the rest of this entry →

Lauren Passell wins the 2015 Disney Princess Half Marathon (runDisney)

The Disney Princess Half Marathon 2016 Weekend kicked off February 18 and runs, literally, through the title event on February 21 at Walt Disney World in Florida.

The three-day extravaganza is the largest women’s running festival in the U.S. with 37,000 runners across multiple events: Disney Princess Half Marathon, Disney Glass Slipper Challenge, Disney Princess Enchanted 10K, Disney Princess 5K and runDisney Kids Races.

Take a look at the numbers behind the princesses.

Runners at Princess Half (runDisney)

Disney Princess Half Marathon 2016 By The Numbers

285,900—combined miles adult runners will complete over the course of Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

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

99,178—number of Cinderella’s Glass Slippers, lined up heel to toe, it takes to cover the 13.1 miles of the Disney Princess Half Marathon

37,000—registered runners for the Disney Princess Half Marathon 2016 Weekend Read the rest of this entry →

Meet Mickey at the finish (runDisney)

Bib-only registration for the inaugural Disneyland Paris Half Marathon opens Tuesday, February 16 at 5 p.m. Paris time, or 11 a.m. Eastern. The race weekend runs from September 22-25, 2016 at Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France.

Registration through Disney travel partners opened in October. If you’re interested in a travel package that includes hotel, race bibs, and more, Magical Racecations in the U.S. still has availability for all of the weekend’s running events, as of press time.

Charity partners will also have bibs available at some point in the future.

I’ll be headed to the race to write about the event courtesy of runDisney. Excited? As Mickey Mouse would say, “Oh, boy! Oh, boy!”

How To Register

1) Register for a bib only, without a travel package, online.

2) Call the Disneyland Paris Reservation Center. The U.S. phone is 011 33 160 30 20 30. Phone numbers are also available for other countries in the link. Runners can buy running packages any time.

3) Book a package through one of the travel agency partners. Magical Racecations and GET Travel Sports are the U.S. agencies, but seven other agencies in the U.K. and other countries have packages for runners as well. You can book through any of them. Magical Racecations does have packages available as of press time. Packages include at least three nights hotel, one three-day park ticket, and a half-marathon or 5K registration, with other additional options.

4) Register to run with a charity. Limited charity entries will be released soon.

Read the rest of this entry →

More than 15,000 runners finished the 2015 race. (Disney Sports)

Registration for the 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna opens Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 12 p.m. Eastern. Last year, 15,225 runners finished the Disneyland Half Marathon, making it the 10th largest half-marathon in the U.S.

The race weekend from September 1-4, 2016 in Anaheim, California includes the Disneyland Half Marathon, Disneyland 10K, Dumbo Double Dare, Disneyland 5K, and runDisney Kids Races. At the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo, runners can pick up a pair of the coveted New Balance runDisney sneakers modeled after Dumbo, Ariel, Mickey Mouse, and Minnie Mouse.

The Disneyland Half Marathon tours runners from Disney California Adventure Park to Disneyland Park, along the streets of Anaheim and through Angel Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Angels. The flat, single loop course has a reputation for fast times, that is, if you don’t stop to take photos with the Disney characters, marching bands, and other entertainers lining the way.

The 2015 race sold out in hours. (Disney Sports)

Disneyland Half Marathon Sell Out Times

If you want to run at the 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, be prepared to register right away. All of the 29,500 bibs at the 2015 event sold out well within 24 hours.

The Dumbo Double Dare, Disneyland 10K, runDisney Kids Races, and Disneyland 5K all broke their sell-out records. The Dumbo Double Dare and Disneyland 10K closed in approximately 30 minutes in 2015. The runDisney Kids races filled up in about 90 minutes and the 5K followed in roughly 3 hours and 15 minutes. The Disneyland Half Marathon sold-out the next day.

Will 2016 be as fast? This event has soared in popularity each year, selling out faster and faster. But runDisney has raised prices for all of the weekend’s runs except the runDisney Kids Races, putting the half-marathon entry fee over $200 for the first time. The 2016 entry fee is $205, up from $199 in 2015.

Runners in Disneyland (Disney Sports)

2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Travel Providers

Want to skip the registration madness? Enter the 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon races through a runDisney Travel Provider. They offer special packages for runners, including discounted Disneyland hotel and theme park tickets.

Contact each tour company individually to register. Read the rest of this entry →

Runners on the Coney Island Boardwalk. (Courtesy NYRR)

Want to run one of the biggest half marathons in the U.S.? You’ve got to know when to sign-up.

Registration for the 2016 Airbnb Brooklyn Half opens Thursday, January 28 at noon ET. (I’m one of its race announcers.) It’s the largest half marathon in the U.S., and sells out quickly.

The Brooklyn Half is also one of the best deals out there: $65 for New York Road Runners members and $85 for non-members. For that you get a start at the Brooklyn Museum, the course through bucolic Prospect Park, and a finish on the iconic Coney Island Boardwalk, plus the incomparable Airbnb Brooklyn Half Pre-Party Presented by New Balance, which has re-imagined the race expo into something bigger and better—a party with munchies, music, and more. It is, without contest, the best race “expo” I’ve ever seen. And I don’t make that claim lightly. Then there’s the Airbnb Brooklyn Half After-Party in a baseball stadium. That’s some serious bang-for-your-buck.

Like the Airbnb Brooklyn Half, many of America’s biggest half marathons sell out before race day. So here’s how and when to register for the 25 biggest 13.1-milers in the U.S.

25 Biggest Half Marathons in the U.S.

1. Airbnb Brooklyn Half

New York
26,440 finishers in 2015
25,645 finishers in 2014
#5 among half marathons in the world in 2014
Next race: May 21, 2016
Registration: Opens January 28, 2016 at 12 p.m. ET. Typically sells out in a few hours. Entry via NYRR’s charity Team For Kids is available now.
Why Run? Brooklyn at its best, with a waterfront pre-party, stadium post-party, and course that highlights some of Brooklyn’s iconic landmarks with a finish on the Coney Island Boardwalk.

2. Nike Women’s Half Marathon

California
23,362 finishers in 2015
24,448 finishers in 2014
#8 among half marathons in the world in 2014
Next Race: The race is moving from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 2016. Stay tuned for dates and more info.
Registration: Typically via lottery. More info coming on January 29, 2016.
Why Run? The world’s largest women-focused race has traditionally offered a Tiffany & Co. necklace in place of a finisher medal, plus stellar on-course support.

3. Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon

Nevada
23,100 finishers in 2015
25,227 finishers in 2014
#7 among half marathons in the world in 2014
Next Race: November 13, 2016
Registration: Not yet open. Get a reminder e-mail.
Why Run? Finish along the lit up Las Vegas Strip at night, with music every mile and a major headliner—think Kid Rock or Macklemore & Ryan Lewis—for your pre-race entertainment.

4. OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon

Indiana
22,466 finishers in 2015
25,524 finishers in 2014
#6 among half marathons in the world in 2014
Next Race: May 7, 2016
Registration: Open now
Why Run? Run a full lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—2.5 miles of track—home of the Indianapolis 500, with 100 entertainment acts to keep you pumped all 13.1 miles.

5. Walt Disney World Half Marathon

Florida
21,495 finishers in 2015
20,243 finishers in 2014
#12 among half marathons in the world in 2014
Next Race: January 7, 2017
Registration: Opens April 26, 2016 at noon ET. Not a lottery, but the half marathon and all other weekend events sell out within a few weeks to a few months. Charity and tour provider entries will also be available.
Why Run? Part of the country’s largest running festival, you’ll journey from Epcot through Magic Kingdom and back as you rub elbows with Disney characters and runners dressed as them. Finish the half-marathon and marathon on back-to-back days and you’ll earn a special Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge medal. Run all four of the weekend’s adult races for the Dopey Challenge. Read the rest of this entry →

Rebel Challenge medals  (runDisney)

The 2016 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend takes runners to a galaxy far, far away. OK, it’s actually at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, which will be swarming with Rebel Alliance forces from January 14-17, 2016.

The Star Wars “Light Side” themed race weekend includes the Star Wars Half Marathon, Star Wars 10K, Star Wars 5K, runDisney Kids Races and the two-day Star Wars Rebel Challenge, where runners complete the 10K and half-marathon on consecutive days. All together 30,000 runners will awaken The Force, with many registered for multiple events.

Here’s a look at runDisney’s galactic race weekend by the numbers.

2016 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend By The Numbers

$1.78 billion—worldwide box office receipts for Star Wars: The Force Awakens to date

$20-$30 million—estimated local economic impact of Disneyland half marathon weekends

The start (runDisney)

261,000—combined miles adult runners will tackle at the Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend. That’s 1.36125299e-8 parsecs.

250,000—runners who participate in runDisney events each year

30,000—registrations for the 2016 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend

14,000—runners registered for the Star Wars Half Marathon

10,000—runners registered for the Star Wars 10K

5,000—runners registered for the Star Wars 5K

5,000—runners registered for the Star Wars Rebel Challenge, including the 10K and half-marathon Read the rest of this entry →

Argh! (RunKarlaRun.com)

Arrrgh! That was the word of the weekend when my husband, Phil, and I ran the Bermuda Triangle Challenge, as guests of Bermuda Marathon Weekend. Every January over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, the Bermuda Triangle Challenge dares runners to tackle three races in three days—the Front Street Mile on Friday night, the Bermuda 10K on Saturday, and the Bermuda Marathon or Bermuda Half Marathon run concurrently on Sunday.

At the 2015 races, we opted for the half challenge and had a blast in the process, dressed as pirates for the 10K and half-marathon. We even earned a spot on the race’s website and marketing materials for the feat.

BermudaRaceWeekend.com

Bermuda Marathon Weekend quickly became one of my favorite running events ever, thanks to the gorgeous courses, robust spectator support, and island-wide friendliness that makes Canadians look surly by comparison. Seriously. And Phil is Canadian! We even started hatching a plan to retire in Bermuda.

I’ll post the usual race report for each event individually, but thought I’d kick things off with a video montage of the Bermuda Triangle Challenge. We even have a cameo by none other than Bart Yasso. Check it out!

Read the rest of this entry →

Mickey Mouse and friends (runDisney)

The Walt Disney World Marathon 2016 Weekend presented by Cigna kicked off January 6 and runs, literally, through the title event on January 10 at Walt Disney World in Florida.

The four-day extravaganza is one of the two 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, Castaway Cay Challenge, and Runner’s World Challenge.

New Balance Ariel shoes (New Balance)

New Balance debuted their 2016 Limited Edition runDisney Collection of shoes at the Walt Disney World Marathon 2016 Weekend, with designs that pay homage to The Little Mermaid Ariel, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Minnie Mouse, and, of course, Mickey Mouse.

Plus, runDisney brought together 100 race directors, media execs, and former Olympians for the first State of the Sport forum at the new runDisney Race Director Series on January 7, held at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Highlighting the event was a panel discussion with race directors from all of the World Marathon Majors, including Peter Ciaccia (TCS New York City Marathon), Tom Grilk (B.A.A. Boston Marathon), Tad Hayano (Tokyo Marathon), Hugh Brasher (Virgin Money London Marathon), Carey Pinkowski (Bank of America Chicago Marathon) and Juergen Lock (BMW Berlin Marathon), and moderated by Runner’s World editor-in-chief David Willey.

Walt Disney World Marathon medals (runDisney)

The State of the Sport forum kicked off runDisney’s new Race Director Series, which brings race directors from around the U.S. to the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend for special access and insight into the operations of the four-day event. And it wouldn’t be runDisney without a challenge thrown in—the Race Director Challenge, a friendly competition during the Walt Disney World Half Marathon.

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

Walt Disney World Marathon (runDisney)

Walt Disney World Marathon 2016 By The Numbers

1,100,000—combined miles adults will run at Walt Disney World Marathon races this weekend (like running around the Earth 46 times)

209,000—runners who take part in runDisney events each year

100,000—medals that will be distributed throughout the weekend including race and challenge medals

100,000—runners (many tackling multiple events) and spectators expected at Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

82,000—registrations for the Walt Disney World Marathon 2016 Weekend Read the rest of this entry →

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park (RunKarlaRun.com)

The Honolulu Marathon is Sunday! I’ve been having an incredible—and I mean incredible—time running in Hawai’i. Over the last eight days I’ve run, hiked, SUPed, sailed, swum, summited, star-gazed, and so much more on Hawai’i, the Big Island, and on Maui.

The Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau at GoHawaii.com sponsored and helped me plan the trip so I can experience active Hawai’i at its best. Now I’m on O’ahu for the big race and headed to Kaua’i after that.

But this isn’t my first rodeo in Hawai’i. In 2013, I ran the Kaua’i Half Marathon and published a few stories at Shape.com, in Women’s Running magazine, and Canadian Running magazine about the race, Kaua’i, Hawai’i Island, and points beyond. Thought I’d share them here. Aloha!

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Phil Hospod)

Healthy Travel Guide: Kona, Hawai’i at Shape.com

Sure, Hawai’i invokes dreams of lazy days on sandy beaches sipping umbrella drinks. But every year, more than 2,300 triathletes trek to Kona on Hawai’i Island to make it big—Big Island big—at the Ironman World Championship.

But you don’t have to be an Ironman to swim, bike, run, or get your sweat on in Kailua-Kona, the triathlon mecca of the world. Hawai’i’s residents are the second most prolific runners in the U.S., with only Massachusetts logging more miles per capita on RunKeeper. The state also has the second lowest obesity levels in the U.S., behind only Colorado, according to Retale.

It’s no wonder. Running is Hawai’i is a dream come true. Just north of Kona, the rugged black lava fields give way to sunny, white sand beaches on the Kohala Coast, where water sports abound. The area came in seventh on our list of the healthiest beach towns in America, while the Kona District ranked 19th. (Find them all in The 35 Best Beaches in America For Fitness Lovers). Inland, Waimea is home to Hawai’i’s tallest mountain, the snowcapped Mauna Kea, which rises 13,796 feet and has hiking and horseback trails galore. And we can’t forget Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, with 150 miles of hiking trails around one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Yep, we said volcanoes.

Inspired to get your Ironman on? Hawai’i Island makes healthy travel easy with year round warm weather, world class sporting events, mountains and more. Say Aloha to Kona!

Find out where to sleep, stay in shape, fuel your trip, splurge, and play in Kona at Shape.com.

Rainbow run in Kaua’i (Phil Hospod)

Kauai Is The Ultimate Vacation For Runners in Women’s Running

The least-visited of Hawaii’s major islands, Kauai is the Aloha State’s best-kept secret. Only 1.1 million of Hawaii’s 8.2 million visitors annually venture to Kauai. But runners in the know head to the Garden Isle for technical mountain trails between lushly green volcanic peaks, flat recreation paths with ocean views and one of America’s most scenic—and challenging—marathons. The island is best explored on foot (in fact, 90 percent of Kauai is inaccessible by vehicle!), so lace up your shoes and get ready to sweat. Read the rest of this entry →

They colored my green shirt purple for this green screen pic! (Island Photos)

I ran the GORE-TEX Philadelphia Half Marathon 2015 with race sponsor GORE-TEX, returning to the City of Brotherly Love for the third time as a runner. I’d scored a personal best at the Philadelphia Marathon in 2012, ran my third fastest 13.1-miler at the GORE-TEX Philadelphia Half Marathon in 2014, and I was back to give the half-marathon another go on Sunday, November 22.

Nearly 22,000 runners finished races at the GORE-TEX Philadelphia Marathon Weekend, with 10,899 finishers in the half-marathon, another 9,159 in the marathon, and 1,910 in the 8K. And approximately 60,000 spectators lined the course to cheer us on. My husband, Phil, joined me, along with a bunch of our running teammates.

We are the champions! (RunKarlaRun.com)

The event is a big city race with a small town feel. Unlike more crowded marathons in New York and Chicago, runners wander into corrals just 15 minutes or so before the race’s 7 a.m. start. The vibe is relaxed and unhurried. It feels like the city simply wants you to relax and have a good time. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter is at the start and the finish passing out high-fives to runners, setting the tone for a friendly race experience.

Expo fun! (RunKarlaRun.com)

The Expo

The Comcast Health & Fitness Expo at the Pennsylvania Convention Center has a great selection of vendors. Last year, I bought some last minute race items. This year, I picked up some Clif Shots and a Christmas present for Phil. Plus, it’s fun to try some GORE-TEX shoes and splash around in the water pools at the GORE-TEX booth.

Comcast Health & Fitness Expo (RunKarlaRun.com)

Seriously you guys, if you run in the rain or snow, you need a pair of these shoes. They’ve been a game-changer for me. New Balance, Brooks, Asics, Saucony, The North Face, Salomon, and La Sportiva all make running shoes with GORE-TEX lining. Just look for models with GTX in the name.

How does it work? The GORE-TEX lining has more than 9 billion pores per square inch. Each pore is 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water. That means rain, puddle water, snow, and the like can’t get into your shoes (unless they spill over the top). At the same time, those pores are 700 times larger than a water vapor molecule, so sweat can get out.

Your feet stay dry, your shoes stay breathable. It’s a win-win. If you’re among the 75% of runners who head outdoors in cold and wet weather, have ever run in soggy shoes and waited days for them them to dry out, check out some GORE-TEX kicks. I’ve genuinely become an evangelist for this brand. I love it.

We’re ready to run! (RunKarlaRun.com)

The Start

Phil and I left our hotel—1.5 miles to the start—at 5:45 a.m. and found a cab within 5 minutes. We were on site by 6 a.m. How’s that for no muss, no fuss? That’s what I mean about Philly being a low-key race. You could never do that in New York. Don’t get me wrong: the New York City Marathon is my favorite race ever, but it’s refreshing to run a big-city race where getting to the start isn’t an ordeal.

Despite heightened security at all of the start area entry points, we waited less than 5 minutes to get into the staging ground.

We found a bank of port-a-potties close to the entrance that no one seemed to be using. So we didn’t have to wait in line at all. Love that! The bathrooms near the corrals closer to the start time are much more crowded.

Baggage was easy to find, and by the time we’d used the bathroom and dropped off our bag, we still had 35 minutes to kill before the start. Read the rest of this entry →