Run, Karla, Run!

Nike Women’s Marathon San Francisco: Apply Now

Karla — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:55:15 +0000

Hollie Estupinian, 32, of Capitola, Calif., wins the Nike Women’s Marathon San Francisco in a time of 3:05:13 on Sunday, October 16, 2011. (Photo: Susan Goldman Photography/Nike)

Time is running out to enter the random draw lottery for the 2013 Nike Women’s Marathon San Francisco. Runners have until June 14 at 12 p.m. PDT to apply for one of the 30,000 spots in the marathon and half marathon. The event is celebrating its 10^th anniversary on Sunday, October 20.

The Nike Women’s Marathon San Francisco began in 2004 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of a major milestone in women’s running: the first Olympic women’s marathon in 1984, won by American Joan Benoit Samuelson.

The event has gone on to become the largest women’s running event in the world. More than 22,000 runners finished the Nike Women’s Marathon San Francisco in 2011, and another 25,000 ran in 2012. This year, 30,000 runners are expected to take part.

The Nike Women’s Marathon has become the largest women’s running event in the world. (Photo: Susan Goldman Photography/Nike)

Men are welcome if they’re OK with a finisher’s necklace instead of a medal. The Nike Women’s Marathon San Francisco has made a name for itself with its unique finishers swag. Instead of the usual medal, runners receive a Tiffany & Co. finisher’s necklace along with a Nike Dri-FIT tee. This year’s necklace will be a special 10^th anniversary edition.

The races start at Union Square in San Francisco and finish on the Great Highway at Ocean Beach, traveling along the San Francisco Bay with views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Live entertainment, college cheer stations and Nike+ PowerSong stations line the route. The weekend also includes a race expo geared toward women, dubbed the Nike Women’s Marathon Expotique.

The Nike Women’s Marathon San Francisco is part of the Run Nike Women Series, which also includes a spring half-marathon in Washington, D.C. In the last 9 years, the series’ Team in Training participants have raised over $134 million to benefit race partner The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Runners can register for the Nike Women’s Marathon San Francisco random draw either as individuals or in groups. Group entries ensure that friends or family who want to complete the race together enter the lottery as a single unit. Lottery winners will be notified via email between Tuesday, June 18 and Wednesday, June 20.

Entry fees are $200 for the marathon, $175 for the half-marathon and $150 for college students.

For more information or to register, visit the Run Nike Women Series on Facebook.

Karla Bruning is host of On The Run, New York Road Runners’ web show about running. She has finished six marathons, two triathlons and trains with the New York Harriers. Follow Karla at RunKarlaRun.com, The Washington Times Communities, Facebook and Twitter@KBruning.

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runDisney Character Profile: Cinderella

Karla — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:01:14 +0000

Cinderella at the ball is like a runner at a big race.

runDisney Cinderella

If Disney characters were runners, what kind of runners would they be?

In honor of registration opening today for runDisney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend including the new Enchanted 10K and Glass Slipper Challenge, I thought I’d share another installment of my runDisney Character Profiles.

Previous installments have looked at Sleeping Beauty as the runner who needs to take a few weeks off even if she doesn’t want to, and Alice in Wonderland as the newbie runner who has fallen down the running rabbit hole.

This week, we’re working hard with my favorite runDisney Princess and one who suits Disney’s Princess Half Marathon perfectly…Cinderella

Cinderella might be the hardest working Disney Princess of them all.

Cinderella: The Hard Working Back-of-the-Pack Runner

Disney Princesses, as a general rule, are hard-working gals. Snow White and Sleeping Beauty know how to keep a cottage tidy. Mulan and Merida are disciplined when it comes to training. And Tiana holds down two jobs to chase her dream of becoming a restaurateur.

But I’m not sure any Disney Princess works quite as hard as Cinderella. Yes, Tiana gives her a run for her money. But therein lies the difference between them. Tiana gets something from her hard work—a paycheck that promises her toil could pay off someday and make all her dreams come true. She’s like a promising young athlete who could become a champion with years of tough training. She’s investing in her future.

Not so with Cinderella. All she has is her dream that someday her hope of happiness will come true. Per the movie, she’s “abused, humiliated and finally forced to become a servant in her own house.” Heck, she doesn’t even get paid. Cinderella works hard not because she’s investing in her future. As far as she knows, her future involves more of the same. She works hard because it’s just the kind of person she is.

Cinderella wakes up early to a day of hard work.

Cinderella wakes before the castle clock strikes 6 a.m. and spends all her hours cooking, cleaning, sewing and serving the cruel members of her stepfamily. Through it all she just keeps her head down and keeps on plugging. And, yes, sometimes she sings too. It seems to be an occupational hazard of being a Disney Princess.

She’s not unlike the runner who rises before dawn to squeeze in that workout before a jammed day of work. She’s not an Olympian. She’s not a professional runner. She’s not even a local competitor vying for small prize money or gift certificates. She’s not part of the elite in any way. She’s not even part of the bourgeoisie. Far from it. She’s one of the huddled masses.

Cinderella is your classic back-of-the-pack runner. She’s not out to win any races or even any age group awards. But she is quietly dreaming of something bigger as she looks at the castle out of her tower window.

Cinderella meets Prince Charming at the ball. In running, PC is really a PR.

So what’s that Cinderella runner training for? Why, the ball of course!

As runners, the ball is the big race we’re targeting. It’s the unthinkable distance we’re tackling for the first time—maybe even our first race or our first marathon. It’s the unthinkable time we’re gunning for when we have a few races under our belt. It’s the hard-to-get-into race we’ve always dreamed of—New York or London or that marathon on far away Easter Island. Maybe for faster runners it’s the Boston Marathon—an invitation to the most exclusive running ball of them all.

Whatever the ball, one day Cinderella finds herself transformed, rewarded for all her hard work. She’s no longer toiling in the back of the pack, but has worked her way up to the middle and maybe even toward the front. She stops referring to herself as “slow.” And she starts chasing her dreams.

Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother rewards her for her hard work and kind demeanor.

Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother rewards her for toiling so nobly, for putting her heart into her work and for standing up to herself by insisting she should go to the ball too—even if she does have snarky sense of humor.

“Maybe I should interrupt the—a—music lesson?” she says with a knowing look to the mice as her stepsister crows “Sing Sweet Nightingale” in the background. Who can blame her for her sarcasm?

So many times Cinderella runners are made to feel they’re less important or less dedicated or less deserving that faster runners. But nothing could be further from the truth. Every Cinderella has a Princess inside, just waiting to come out.

Running as Cinderella past Cinderella castle (Photo: brightroom)

I know. I am a Cinderella runner. Perhaps it’s why I’ve dressed in homage to her at two different runDisney races: Disney’s Princess Half Marathon in 2012 when my husband and I dressed as Cinderella and Prince Charming and Walt Disney World Marathon in 2013 when my husband and I dressed as Cinderella in Rags and Jacques the Mouse.

Once upon a time, I was a back-of-the-packer who constantly referred to myself as “slow.” I was hesitant to call myself a runner, even after I finished my first marathon. I was embarrassed to tell people my finish times. I kept my head down and I just kept running—certainly not because I was good at it. But because it’s just what I needed to do. And like Cinderella, I wanted to go to the ball. I wanted it more than anything.

I can also say this with complete honesty: I worked harder as a back-of-the-pack runner than I do now that I’m in the middle. Maybe it was because I felt I had more to prove or maybe it was because I was so desperate to improve. Whatever the reason, my hard work paid off. I moved up to the middle of the pack and onto a ball or two of my own.

It like Cinderella sings: “No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.”

Cinderella, just like runners, has a little help from her friends along the way.

And like Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother made her transformation possible, our Fairy Godmother is whoever or whatever helps us make those running dreams come true. Whether it’s a spouse who watches the kids an hour every day while we squeeze in our workouts, or a coach who teaches us to believe in ourselves, or our devotion to a power beyond ourselves.

Our friends and family are like Jacques and Gus and Bruno and the birds who help us along the way. And Cinderella’s stepmother Lady Tremaine, stepsisters Anastasia and Drizella Tremaine, and Lucifer the evil cat are the roadblocks that stand in our way.

But one day, Cinderella finds herself transformed and on the way to the ball. She can hardly believe it. From rags to riches, she approaches the ball with excitement and trepidation.

Cinderella’s excitement for the ball is like a runner’s before a big race.

Every runner knows that feeling well. The butterflies in the pit of our stomach as we walk toward the starting line. The excitement of knowing that we’ve finally made it to race day. The fears of wondering just how we’ll do.

And Prince Charming? If the ball is a big race, Prince Charming is like that unattainable personal record. He’s the big “get”—the time we’re gunning for or the goal we want to achieve. Cinderella’s PC is the runner’s PR.

But, of course, Cinderella couldn’t go to the ball without her glass slippers. After all, they are her calling card. For runners, they’re the shoes that carry us through the training season and across the finish line. They’re magical shoes that fit just right, that help us make it through the ball, and ultimately nab our PR prince. Our running shoes are our pumpkin carriage and glass slippers all in one.

Cinderella’s ball, like a runner’s race, ends with a clock.

But sadly, like Cinderella’s ball, all races come to an end—thanks to a clock, no less. Not unlike all of us runners out there, Cinderella makes a mad dash to beat the clock.

At the stroke of midnight when the magic fades away, Cinderella is satisfied just to have had the experience. Her one remaining glass slipper is like her finisher’s medal.

“Thank you,” she says sweetly to the sky. “Thank you so much, for everything.”

It reminds her of the magical moments at the ball. They are moments she never expects to recapture. The next day, she goes back to her life and the ball is just another memory in the past.

But when she discovers that the young man she nearly kissed is really the Prince, she harbors a new hope. Maybe she can rise above the ashes and become something more. Maybe her new PR bodes well for her future as a runner. Maybe she can work her way from the back of the pack, into the middle, and toward the front.

Cinderella reveals her true identity after all: she’s a runner.

With the help of her friends—a special shout-out to Bruno the dog—she escapes her imprisonment and steps forward to reveal who she really is: she’s a runner, a first-class runner.

She’s no longer Cinderella in rags. No longer in the back-of-the-pack. She’s a running Princess. She nabbed her Prince Charming at the ball. She nabbed her PR at the big race. She worked hard and, amazingly, it paid off.

And she runs happily ever after…

Want more runDisney characters? Read my Sleeping Beauty and Alice in Wonderland profiles.

Karla Bruning is host of On The Run, New York Road Runners’ show about running. She has finished six marathons, two triathlons and trains with the New York Harriers. Follow Karla at RunKarlaRun.com, The Washington Times Communities, Facebook and Twitter@KBruning.

In the past, runDisney has provided me with complimentary race entry, hotel, park tickets, and some meals for runDisney events. But as always, all opinions are purely my own. I am a self-professed Disney kid, but I truly believe in being honest about my experiences. Disney is no exception. For more information read my Disclosure Policy.

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Win A Free Reebok Spartan Race Entry

Karla — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:03:21 +0000

“Run, Karla, Run!” is giving one lucky winner a free entry to any Reebok Spartan Race in the continental U.S. The giveaway is now over and we have a winner…

Congratulations, Seth Richtsmeier!

Thank you to everyone who entered. I’m sorry you couldn’t all win, but this link courtesy of Spartan will generate a code for 15% off qualifying Reebok Spartan Races.

Keep on running strong!

Reebok Spartan Race Entry Giveaway

Obstacle races are having a field day; it’s one of the fastest growing trends in the entire sports industry. Forget growth — it’s been more like an explosion. In 2010, approximately 41,000 people entered about 20 obstacle races in the U.S., according to Outside Magazine. By 2012, those 20 events had grown to 150 with 1.5 million people participating. Competitor magazine reports that 2 million people competed in obstacle races in 2012 and the number of obstacle racing events in 2013 will surpass 500.

On of the biggest obstacle race series in the industry is Reebok Spartan Race. Spartan was voted “Best Obstacle Race in 2012” by Outside Magazine. They’ve got more than 60 events in 2013, including races in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, Mexico, Slovakia and Czech Republic.

They offer four race distances to challenge anyone from beginners to the toughest Spartans out there:

1) Sprint: 3+ miles and 15+ obstacles

2) Super: 8+ miles and 20+ obstacles

3) Beast: 13+ miles and 25+ obstacles

4) Death Race or Ultra Beast: 26+ miles and 50+ obstacles

This video gives a feel for some of the challenges runners might face:

Spartan races often throw mud, fire, water and barbed wire at runners. But beyond that, runners could face just about anything. Part of the fun in obstacle races is the element of surprise; they don’t list all obstacles for any event and they don’t provide course maps.

And unlike some obstacle races, this is a competition. Spartan Races are timed, and the series even has a world rankings system for runners who complete multiple races.

I’ve never run a Spartan Race myself, but my husband and a few of his friends ran a Spartan Race in Toronto a few years back. They had a blast and got a few bruises to show for it.

So if you think you’re tough enough to be a Spartan, enter the giveaway!

RunKarlaRun.com is giving away one free Reebok Spartan Race entry to one lucky winner, courtesy of Spartan. The entry is good for any open heat in any Spartan Race in the continental U.S. That’s a value of up to $200 depending on what race you choose.

How To Enter

Enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget below. Enter via the channels you want and skip the ones you don’t want. The more ways you enter, the better your chances are of winning.

The giveaway is open now through Monday, June 17 at 12:00 a.m. EST, when RaffleCopter will choose a winner at random.

Good luck, runners, and may the toughest Spartan win!

Eds. Note: I had to change the giveaway from PunchTab to Rafflecopter because some readers said they could not see the widget in their browsers. If you entered through PunchTab, don’t worry! I’ve manually put your entries into Rafflecopter myself.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Disney Princess Half Marathon Registration & News

Karla — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:47:24 +0000

The 2014 Disney Princess Half Marathon registration opens June 11. (Photo: runDisney)

Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend Registration

Runners, mark your calendars! Online registration for the runDisney 2014 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend from February 20-23 opens Tuesday, June 11 at noon EST. That includes registration for:

Plus, a lucky few runners will be able to register early for the 2014 Tinker Bell Half Marathon at Disneyland Resort in California with their Princess Half registration. Why would you want to do that? The new pink women’s focused Coast-to-Coast Race Challenge medal, of course. Online registration for the 2014 Tinker Bell Half Marathon officially opens on July 9.

Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend Changes

Minnie Mouse high-fives runners at the Disney Princess Half Marathon finish. (Photo: runDisney)

What else is new for the 2014 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend? Well, runDisney just announced that in order to ease crowding on the course and improve the overall race experience for everyone, they will be making a few changes similar to their planned changes for the 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. That includes:

Lowering weekend capacity by 2,000 runners, mostly in the half marathon
Requiring proof of time from runners anticipating finishing in 3:15 or less
Adding more corrals to both allow runners of similar abilities to be grouped together and to spread out the field on the course
Not allowing any corral changes based on proof of time after December 1, 2013

In addition, the weekend will have all the other events runDisney fans have grown to love, including the three-day Disney’s Fit For A Princess Expo at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Kids’ Races, Race Retreat, Pasta in the Park Party, and Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend Breakfast after the Cinderella Royal Family 5K.

If you missed the announcement about all the new races at the 2014 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend, here’s the scoop. The folks at runDisney have added two new events to the weekend:

The new Disney Princess Enchanted 10K, with its own yet-to-be-announced finisher’s medal, opens up runDisney to runners who are ready for more than a 5K but don’t want to step-up to the half marathon just yet.

The special edition women-focused Coast-to-Coast Race Challenge Medal. (Photo: runDisney)

Runners looking for a bigger challenge than the half can compete in the inaugural Disney Glass Slipper Challenge, which dares 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 a yet-to-be-announced specially designed medal for the challenge. Methinks it might involve a glass slipper.

Runners who complete both the 2014 Tinker Bell Half Marathon and 2014 Disney Princess Half Marathon five weeks later will receive a special edition runDisney Coast-to-Coast Race Challenge medal for runners who complete a marathon or half-marathon at both Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California in the same calendar year. Instead of the standard blue lanyard, the Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse medal features a pink lanyard and pink overlay.

Registration will be available at runDisney.com

For more information on these and other races, check out my runDisney page with all of my runDisney content in one place.

As part of the running media, runDisney sometimes provides me with complimentary race entry, hotel, park tickets, and some meals for runDisney events. But as always, all opinions are purely my own. For more information read my Disclosure Policy.

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Why Do You Run? A Running Nerd Confesses

Karla — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:05:46 +0000

Why do you run? (Photo: Sgt. Jimmy D. Shea/US Marine Corps)

Happy National Running Day, everyone! It’s the 5th anniversary of the event, and I’m proud to say I’ve been a runner for every one of them.

Part of the National Running Day campaign allows runners to make an “I Run…” badge. It can be any reason you run, a place you run anything. This year, my badge says, “I Run Because I Can!” There was a decade of my life where running was so painful that I avoided it by any means possible. You can read about that here.

Sadly, I won’t be running today. I fell off a horse on Sunday—more to come on that in another post—and landed on my hip. It’s pretty sore and I’m going to get an x-ray just to be sure everything is alright. I don’t want to run and potentially make it worse. Being injured reminds me to appreciate every day that I can run.

Yay!

So in honor of National Running Day, I thought I’d share the top 10 reasons why I run. I first came up with this list in 2010 and it’s still true. I’ve also updated it a bit for this year.

So here goes. Here are the top 10 reasons I run, in no particular order.

I run because…

1). I love it. Running makes me happy. I enjoy running. And the times that I don’t, well, I remind myself how good it is for me, which leads me to the next reason…

Karla pigs out at Portillo’s Hot Dogs in Chicago after running a marathon. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

2). My doctor told me to. Actually two different doctors in two different cities in two different decades. Both of them are orthopedic surgeons who specialize in knees—I have arthritis in one knee and the remnants of a bone tumor below the other. Why did they tell me to run? It’s good for my bones, it’s good for my heart, it’s good for my lungs, it’s good for my muscles, it’s good for my joints, it’s good for my metabolism, it’s good for my mind. In other words, it’s good for my health and it’s good for me. So when those naysayers tell you you’ll ruin your knees by running, you can refer them to either of my doctors.

3). I love to eat. Now that my age starts with a “3,” I’ve actually noticed my metabolism slowing down. Gasp. Thank goodness I run. Instead of having to eat like a bird, I still get to eat like a runner. Yum.

4). It gives me energy. Runner Karla has a lot more pep than non-runner Karla. And I generally have more energy on the days that I run versus the days that I do not.

High on life after a beach front run in Tonga. (Photo: Phil Hospod)

5). Running makes me feel good about myself. It’s kind of like getting a hug from my mom. Running makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. It makes me feel good about the way I look, and it makes me feel good about who I am. Why? I don’t really know. It just does. It’s magical that way.

6). I think clearly while I’m running. Whether I’ve got a problem to solve, need to blow off steam, want to meditate, or organize my day, I always seem to do it well while I’m running. Things just come together when I’m alone in my thoughts away from my computer, my phone, and all the other distractions of life. Yes, sometimes I concentrate just on my running—charging the hill, listening to my breath, relaxing my shoulders. But other times, I let my mind wander wherever it needs to.

Making like Snow White. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

7). I am high on life. As Donovan once sang, “The natural high is the best high in the world.” And the runner’s high is like happy juice. Honestly, on some runs my thoughts mirror what I imagine Snow White’s to be like: “Oh, what lovely flowers! Oh, what an adorable little bird! Oh, how crisp the air is!” It makes me feel like a kid again, back in the days when just about everything was exciting. That’s probably why runDisney is so appealing to me and so many other runners. It melds the physical exertion of racing and the pure joy of life, capturing what it feels like to be a kid again.

8). I like being on a team. Remember playing sports as a kid? Half the fun was the sport itself, but the other half was hanging around with other kids. Now that we’re adults and we’re not in PE class or on varsity teams, we don’t always get that sense of camaraderie. But running with friends, or a club, or a team gives me a community where I’m encouraged and welcomed and teased and challenged—where I enjoy true fellowship. You can even extend that to all the socializing runners do on our blogs, Twitter, Facebook and all the other online channels. We’re part of a large community of like-minded folks. It’s a community I really enjoy.

I love that running lets me be goal oriented. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

9). I’m a goal-oriented person. Running gives me a ready-made framework for setting and achieving goals, whether it’s nabbing a PR, tackling a new distance, or just upping my mileage. I love the structure that training provides, jotting down notes nerdily in my training journal and geeking out over my online data.

10). I run because I can. There were many years when I couldn’t run. There are many people who can’t. Being able to run is a gift, and I don’t ever want to take that for granted. I’m thankful to be able to run, so I run as a celebration of the fact that I can.

Those are just a few of the reasons I run. But I’d like to hear from you. Why do you run?

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National Running Day 2013: Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon Series Discounts, Timex Giveaway, Groups Runs & More

Karla — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:41:44 +0000

Create your own National Running Day badge at runningday.org.

National Running Day 2013 is Wednesday, June 5! Currently 279 group runs have been planned in more than 130 cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It’s a nation wide running party to celebrate running as one of the simplest and most inexpensive ways to stay active and fit.

More than 50 million people run in the U.S. Of those, 28 million Americans say they run at least once a week, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association 2011 survey. It’s an increase of more than 7 percent over the last year and 48 percent over the last decade.

So why not get out there and celebrate that you’re one of them? To find a National Running Day 2013 event near you, visit RunningDay.org.

There are lots of other ways to celebrate National Running Day. Here are just a few:

Timex Sports Giveaway and Charity Drive

Timex Sports is celebrating National Running Day 2013 by asking runners to Tweet or Instagram using #IMARUNNER to benefit the One Fund Boston, helping those most affected by the Boston Marathon attack on April 15, 2013. Timex will donate $5 for each eligible submission to the One Fund Boston, up to $15,000 total.

Timex is also giving away 60 Timex Ironman watches to runners who use the #IMARUNNER hashtag on National Running Day. For a chance to win a Timex Ironman watch, submit your running story on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #IMARUNNER on Wednesday, June 5. Runners can also enter by submitting a photo or story directly on the Timex Sports Facebook page #IMARUNNER tab. Winners will be selected at random. For the complete rules and regulations, click here.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon Series Discounts

The Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon Series is giving runners a $20 discount on most of their 2013 races for one day only. So if you’re thinking about rocking a Rock ‘N’ Roll race, National Running Day is the time to register. For a full listing of all the Rock ’N’ Roll races and their discounts, visit here.

In addition, Rock ‘N’ Roll is giving away prize packages on the hour every hour to a few randomly selected runners. Prizes include things like Brooks gift cards, Garmin Forerunner watches, Maui Jim sunglasses and more.

Other Competitor Group race series offering National Running Day 2013 registration discounts are Women’s Running Series, REI Muddy Buddy Events, TriRock Triathlon Series and Back to Football Run.

Other National Running Day 2013 Discounts and Promotions

RUN by Foot Locker in New York City is giving 20 percent off in-store purchases all day long, and hosting a Brooks Fun Run at 6:30 p.m.

Get a free Runner’s Log for iPhone and iPad from FikesFarm June 3-5.

For a full list of group runs, promotions and more, visit runningday.org or www.facebook.com/runningday.

About National Running Day

National Running Day was founded in 2009 as a partnership of the country’s leading running organizations including Atlanta Track Club, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Boston Athletic Association, Chevron Houston Marathon, Chicago Area Runners Association, Competitor Group, Inc., Little Rock Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon, New York Road Runners, Oregon Track Club, Running USA, Twin Cities In Motion and USA Track & Field. It’s a celebration of running as a simple and inexpensive way to get moving and stay fit.

Make your own “I Run…” National Running Day Badge. Mine is above. I run because I can. There was a time when I couldn’t. When running was one of the most painful things I can do. Every time I run, it’s a celebration of the fact that I can.

How will you celebrate National Running Day 2013?

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Half Marathon Training: Fun Run & Training Run Races

Karla — Tue, 28 May 2013 22:13:18 +0000

Kim Smith passes the Cyclone roller coaster on her way to victory at the Brooklyn Half. She ran the race as a half marathon training run. (Photo: NYRR)

Sometimes races aren’t about racing. Toeing the line in competition is exhilarating, but sometimes it’s good to use the occasional race as a training run or fun run, especially during half marathon training.

Kim Smith won the 2013 Brooklyn Half on May 18 in a new course record of 1:11:24. But the three-time Olympian from New Zealand who lives and trains in Providence, RI wasn’t even racing. She ran the half-marathon as a tempo-pace training run, as she told me in pre- and post-race interviews for “NYRR On The Run at the Brooklyn Half.”

“I’m going to treat it as a workout,” Smith told me at the race pre-party the day before.

Indeed, Smith’s half-marathon personal best is 1:07:11, a full four-minutes faster than her finish time in Brooklyn.

“It was a pretty relaxed effort,” Smith said after the race. “I didn’t go all out.”

She said she’s training for the track season and will be back in New York City on Saturday, June 8 to race the Oakley New York Mini 10K, a New York Road Runners event that usually attracts a stellar competitive field. The women-only race boasts a $10,000 prize for first place, and past champions include the legendary Grete Waitz, Olympic-medalist Deena Kastor and World Champions Lornah Kiplagat, Edna Kiplagat and Linet Masai.

Kim Smith breaks the tape at the 2013 Brooklyn Half in course record time, though 4 minutes slower than her personal best. (Photo: NYRR)

I found Smith’s decision to run, but not race, really encouraging. Never mind the fact that not racing for her still might mean winning and scoring a course record. What’s important is that she set-out to do the race as a half marathon training run and did just that.

In my mind, there are three types of races for mid-packers like me: personal record attempts, training runs, and fun runs. Pros and elite runners have a fourth type that will likely elude me my entire running career: running for the win or the podium. Though I did once place in the top 10 women at a small local race, out of 65 ladies. While that will likely be my claim to fame for a long time, the other three types of runs will always have a place in my racing repertoire, especially during half marathon training.

Back when I was a newbie, I used to run just about every race as fast as I could. But as I became a better runner, I found that exhausting. I started racing in 2007 and come 2010 started to embrace the race as fun run or training run.

Half Marathon Fun Run

Fun running the Walt Disney World Marathon. (Photo: Marathon Foto)

The first race I ever did just as a fun run was actually the Brooklyn Half in 2010. I ran it with a friend. We’d both registered with the intention of giving it our all, but come race day neither one of us had it in us. So we chatted and jogged the whole way. It was a blast. And I think it helped my half marathon training in the long term. A little over three months later, I nabbed a half marathon PR by 7 minutes at the Montreal Half Marathon.

I wrote about it after Paula Radcliffe and Kara Goucher made headlines for running the NYRR New York Mini 10K, the same race Kim Smith is competing in next month, just for fun.

I found it really refreshing to see two elite pros going for a Sunday jog in the park just for the joy of it. I think it’s something every runner should do from time to time. We spend so much time worrying over our training and our PR’s. I think it’s healthy to take a step back and remember that running is fun and can be fun whenever we need a break from giving it our best.

Another type of fun run I love is the victory lap. My husband and I ran the runDisney 2013 Walt Disney World Marathon in January fresh off of marathon PR’s just eight weeks earlier and a Boston Marathon qualifying time for him. We walked through water stations, stopped for photos with Disney characters and just took it easy. It felt like we were Super Bowl winners or Olympians who’d shouted “I’m going to Disney World!” right after our Philadelphia Marathon personal bests. We sure did. Doing that marathon as a fun run after great personal feats felt like a well-deserved victory lap. It was probably the most fun I’ve ever had at a marathon.

Half Marathon Training Run

I embraced the “fun run” and “training run” in 2012 at the TInker Bell Half Marathon. (Photo: brightroom)

Running a race as a half marathon training run took me longer to embrace, but ever since I did I’ve been singing its praises. The first time I used a race as a half marathon training run was the 2012 Tinker Bell Half Marathon in January to tune-up for Disney’s Princess Half Marathon in February. The result? A 2-minute PR at the Princess Half that would have been even faster had I not stopped for photos along the course.

Based on the success of my first half marathon training race, I used the Yonkers Half Marathon the following September as a tune-up for the Staten Island Half Marathon in October. The result? A nearly 5-minute PR from my Princess Half Marathon time, shaving a total of 7-minutes off my half-marathon time inside of eight months. It was my most successful half marathon training season ever.

What I think is so helpful about using races as training runs is they let you practice all of your race-day strategies in a way that regular weekly half marathon training runs don’t: getting up early, timing your breakfast right, practicing your fuel and hydration routines, easing starting line jitters, creating a race strategy and sticking to it—especially when it’s easy to get caught up in race-day excitement, and so much more.

Phil and I after the Providence Half Marathon. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

Using races as training runs has been so successful for me that I automatically build them into my racing schedule for any half-marathon or marathon PR attempt.

Earlier this month, I made like Kim Smith—albeit way slower—and ran the UnitedHealthcare Providence Half Marathon as a training run. I ran the first half at an easy pace and the second half at more of a medium to tempo effort. I’m hoping it will pay off throughout my half marathon training this year as I go for a triathlon PR this summer and half-marathon and marathon personal records this fall. And you can bet that before those races come along, I’ll schedule a few more race-day training runs to help me prepare.

Personal Record Run

Pausing for a photo opp just before a PR finish at the Philadelphia Marathon.

I love running races, but I can’t push pedal-to-the-metal at all of them.

I’m no running coach, but I honestly believe all of these training runs and fun runs are one of the reasons I’ve been so successful in my personal record attempts. Nearly every time I’ve run for a PR, I’ve nailed it.

But if I went for a PR every time I entered a race, I don’t think that would be the case. “Practice races” have been instrumental in my steady progress as a runner and to my success in half marathon training.

Including fun runs and training runs in my race schedule helps me keep it fun, keep it fresh, and keep my legs ready to race when it counts.

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2013 ING NYC Marathon: Last Chance To Apply

Karla — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:30:53 +0000

Runners cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the start of the ING New York City marathon. (Photo: Fergal Carr, via Creative Commons)

Time is ticking to apply for the 2013 ING New York City Marathon lottery. Runners have until 11:59 p.m. EST on May 24 to apply for one of the 47,500 spots in the race on Sunday, November 3. Runners who have a guaranteed entry must also claim their spot by May 24.

New York Road Runners, the organization that puts on the event and one that I freelance for as host of On The Run, will choose participants from the lottery on May 29 through a random draw.

Last year, more than 140,000 people applied for approximately 47,000 starting spots on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, most of which were already allocated to runners who gained bibs through one of the ING NYC Marathon’s guaranteed entry programs: running for charity partners, international travel partners, meeting a qualifying standard, completing NYRR’s 9+1 program, being denied by the lottery the previous three consecutive years, or running the race more than 15 times. Just 15,000 runners gained entry through the lottery, up from 9,000 people in 2011.

Just how many bibs will be available through the lottery this year is unknown. The cancellation of the 2012 ING New York City Marathon in the wake of Hurricane Sandy put the race in an unusual situation. NYRR offered runners registered for the 2012 race three options: take a refund, receive guaranteed entry into the 2013 NYC Half in March, or receive a guaranteed entry into the 2013, 2014 or 2015 marathon.

NYRR said approximately half of the runners opted to take a refund from the organization, while the other half opted to take a guaranteed entry into either the NYC Half or the 2013, 2014 or 2015 edition of the ING NYC Marathon. To make room for lottery applicants this year, NYRR has capped the number of time qualifiers at 2,000 runners.

“Given the accommodation of 2012 marathoners in the 2013 field, the drawing is expected to be smaller than in years past,” said NYRR President and CEO Mary Wittenberg in a statement.

Entry through the lottery is done via three simultaneous drawings: one drawing for people who live within 60 miles of New York City, one for U.S. residents outside that 60-mile radius, and one for non-U.S. residents, including Puerto Rico. The same percentage of applicants will be chosen from each of the three pools at random. For more information on how the lottery is conducted, read this.

Lottery applicants must pay a non-refundable $11 processing fee regardless of whether or not they are chosen.

Handcycle entrants are selected through a different process detailed here.

For more information about how to apply or to fill out an application, visit ingnycmarathon.org. Use the same link for claiming your guaranteed entry.

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VIDEO: ‘On The Run’ at Brooklyn Half Race Report

Karla — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:29:03 +0000

It’s all about Brooklyn. NYRR On The Run at the Brooklyn Half, hosted by yours truly, looks at the race that has quickly become one of America’s largest half-marathons. More than 21,000 runners finished the 13.1-mile race from the Brooklyn Museum through Grand Army Plaza and Prospect Park to the spectacular water-front finish on the Coney Island boardwalk.

Interviewing Keith Williams (Photo: nyrr_ontherun Instagram)

“On The Run” was on the scene to capture all the excitement of race week and bring you the stories of regular runners like you and me.

We meet Keith Williams, a runner who blogs Brooklyn one neighborhood at a time at TheWeeklyNabe.com. Check out his behind the scenes look at what it’s like to be an “On The Run” subject in his post, Running Brooklyn on your television. Keith took me on a running tour of the Borough of Kings from the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party in Dumbo to Grand Army Plaza near mile 2 of the race.

Interviewing Yasir Salem. (Photo: nyrr_ontherun Instagram)

You’ll also meet Yasir Salem, a runner and triathlete who also happens to be one of the world’s best competitive eaters. Ranked 19th in the world by Major League Eating, Yasir uses running as a way to stay in shape for food competitions and to live a healthier life. He’s already earned a seat at the table of the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest—twice. The Brooklyn Half finishes in front of Nathan’s Famous where Yasir will compete again this summer.

New York City has a thriving club running scene. North Brooklyn Runners exemplifies that team spirit with their passion for Brooklyn and dedication to the community. They take us on a run and show us what it’s like to be a Brooklyn club runner.

Near the start in front of the Brooklyn Museum. (Photo nyrr_ontherun instagram)

And finally, we catch up with some of Coney Island’s most famous businesses that were devastated by Hurricane Sandy. The famous Cyclone roller coaster, Deno’s Wonder Wheel, Nathan’s Famous, and the Brooklyn Beach Shop all sustained significant damage in the storm. Brooklyn Beach Shop lost all of their inventory, Nathan’s shop of Surf Avenue was flooded, and the mechanical systems for the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel took hits. But they’ve been working through the winter to restore Coney Island for the summer season and welcome the 25,000 runners registered for the Brooklyn Half.

So check out the video here or at ontherun.nyrr.org. This episode is all about Brooklyn and all about regular runners like you and me.

And here’s a behind the scenes slideshow from the “On The Run” shoot! Follow “On The Run” on Instagram at nyrr_ontherun.

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‘On The Run at the Brooklyn Half’ is Coming to ABC-TV!

Karla — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:10 +0000

At the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party (Photo: NYRR_OnTheRun on Instagram)

We’re back! “On The Run,” New York Road Runners’ web show hosted by yours truly, is back for the Brooklyn Half Marathon. But this time we’re making the leap to the big time. We’re going to be on TV! WABC-7 in New York will air “NYRR On The Run at the Brooklyn Half” on Sunday, May 19 at 1 p.m.

Then the episode will hit the web so anyone, anywhere can catch all the action from the means streets of Brooklyn.

It’s the biggest Brooklyn Half in the race’s 33 year history. More than 25,000 people have registered for the 13.1-mile race that takes runners from Grand Army Plaza and Prospect Park to the boardwalk in Coney Island, making it the second largest half-marathon in the U.S. and top five in the world. The half-hour episode of “On The Run” will bring race highlights, but also a bit of local Brooklyn flavor.

Chatting with a New Balance shoe designer at the Brooklyn Pre-Party. (Photo: NYRR_OnTheRun Instagram)

The race kicked off on Wednesday with a three-day pre-party in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood, sandwiched between the Manhattan Bridge and the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.

This isn’t your average race expo. Presented by race sponsor New Balance, runners pick up bib and race shirts at the Old Tobacco Warehouse to the beats of a DJ, live bands play on an outdoor stage, food trucks line the walls of the warehouse, and a beer garden serves up Brooklyn brews along with treats from a slew of local eateries. It’s a whole new take on a race expo, and having spent the last two night there I can honestly say this: it’s spectacular. Without contest, it’s the most fun and most creative race expo or pre-party I’ve ever seen.

Tune in!

Come Sunday, “On The Run” will bring you highlights from the pre-party and the race itself.

But we’ll also meet competitive eater Yasir Salem, who’s ranked 19th in the world by Major League Eating. He’s running the half, which finishes near the mecca of the competitive eating world—Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, home of the Nathan’s Famous July 4th International Hot Dog Eating Contest. It’s the Super Bowl of eating, and Salem already has his qualifying spot in this year’s competition. He shares an inside peek into the life of a competitive eater and runner.

Running Brooklyn with Keith Williams of TheWeeklyNabe.com. (Photo: NYRR_OnTheRun Instagram.)

Blogger Keith Williams takes us on a running tour of Brooklyn from the pre-party in Dumbo to Grand Army Plaza between miles 1 and 2 of the race. He’s a former Jeopardy champion and author of TheWeeklyNabe.com, a blog dedicated to exploring Brooklyn one neighborhood at a time. He also happens to be a fast runner who trains with the Prospect Park Track Club.

We jogged four easy miles—and yes, we really ran the whole thing, even though the segment with be just a few minutes long. It was my first run since the Providence Half Marathon on Sunday and his last run before he tackles the Brooklyn Half this Saturday.

North Brooklyn Runners outside the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

“On The Run” also spends some time with North Brooklyn Runners, a running club in New York that’s unique in its neighborhood-centric take on running and giving back to the local community.

And we’ll spend some time in Coney Island, which was hard hit by Hurricane Sandy. Many of the businesses there are still struggling to get back on their feet, including the iconic Mermaid Parade, a 30-year tradition that’s sadly in danger of extinction.

The “On The Run” crew has been just that: on the run all over Brooklyn the last two days and will be on the streets Friday and Saturday too with those stories and more.

So join us on the run! Tune in Sunday at 1 pm on ABC-7 in New York or check it out online at ontherun.nyrr.org.

You can also follow the On The Run Instagram feed for fun photos from our shoots, like this one with my brand new New Balance kicks. (My hair looks a little crazy because I’d just come from, you guessed it, a run).

(Photo: NYRR_OnTheRun Instagram)

Karla Bruning is host of On The Run, New York Road Runners’ show about running. She has finished six marathons, two triathlons and trains with the New York Harriers. Follow Karla at RunKarlaRun.com, The Washington Times Communities, Facebook and Twitter@KBruning.

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Race Report: UnitedHealthcare Providence Half

Karla — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:00:04 +0000

Phil and me after the race. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

It was a rainy weekend for the Cox Providence Rhode Races in Rhode Island on Sunday, May 12, 2013.

But the rain didn’t stop me and over 3,100 other runners from tackling the UnitedHealthcare Providence Half Marathon and Cox Providence Marathon. A race where “HOPE” is the state motto couldn’t be anything but uplifting.

I certainly looked happy on race day, as this video my husband took attests. He’s newly obsessed with Vine, the 6-second video version of Twitter. I’m saying “Rhode Races” at the end, but it gets cut off a bit.

The Expo

I was surprised by the size and quality of the Health and Fitness Expo for such a small race. Staged at the Omni Hotel Ballroom in Providence, I picked up my bib and got in and out with ease.

Checking out the course at the Expo. (Photo: Phil Hospod)

I have one complaint here, and I don’t want to belabor it because this is an issue I’ve seen at major races everywhere, not just Providence: they were all out of x-small, small, and medium shirts by the time I picked up my bib on Saturday afternoon. I was handed a men’s large. Sigh. Yet another race shirt I will never wear. I asked about women’s cut shirts and they said they only had them for the marathon. Just once I’d love to be told, “Sorry, all we have left are small and extra-small women’s shirts.” A girl can dream.

The Start

Getting to the start was a breeze. Organizers recommended parking at the Rhode Island Convention Center or Providence Place Mall, so that’s what my husband and I did. The start was just a short three-block walk from there.

In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, organizers had announced that only clear bags would be allowed at bag check. We were told to bring a disposable bag on race day when we’d be given a clear bag. As we walked to bag check, we saw a “Rhode Island Mass Casualty” mobile command vehicle stationed near the corrals. It was a sad reminder of the reality we now face.

Providence Half Marathon start. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

The race had only one corral—a general start where runners were supposed to self-align according to anticipated pace. It didn’t really work that way and everyone lined up in one big clump. I started behind the 12-min pace sign because the entire corral in front of it was already full of runners. But it honestly wasn’t a big deal. With only 2,000 runners starting in the half-marathon on large city streets I had no problem finding room to run and getting around the people I needed to pass.

But here’s where I come to my one major complaint about this race: it started 20 minutes late. The race was called for 8 a.m. The national anthem singer began at 8:18 and then the announcer said the race would start in two minutes. While we waited in the corral for 20 minutes, just about everyone around me was grumbling, shuffling, and getting anxious.

A runner readies his watch for the start. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

Some Rhode Islanders I know joke that the state runs on “island time.” As a New Yorker I appreciate a more relaxed pace now and then. But runners plan a lot around the start time of a race: their pre-race hydration and fuel routine; rendezvous times and points for family and friends on course and after the race; and post-race brunch plans, just to name a few. Five minutes isn’t so much as to throw it all off, but 20 minutes is. And it didn’t help that it was lightly raining.

But once the race finally got under way, everything else seemed to go smoothly.

The Course

The course surprised me with its beauty and its brawn. What could have been a boring out-and-back run dazzled with waterfront views, old colonial buildings, city parks, and stately homes shaded by blooming trees.

Many, if not most, concurrent half-marathons and marathons share much of the same course. But one of the unique things about this event is that the marathon and half-marathon share a start and a finish, but that’s about it. Near the 2-mile mark, marathoners head south and half-marathoners head north for completely different race experiences.

UnitedHealthcare Providence Half Marathon

Instead of building a standard out-and-back course, race organizer Eident Sports built a course that’s just different enough in either direction to feel fresh on your legs and eyes.

The half-marathon course started in downtown Providence’s City Hall Park and continued along the Providence River beside colonial buildings and modern high-rises before heading down to the waterfront at Providence Harbor.

The course then turned northward through charming residential neighborhoods to Blackstone Boulevard, a 1.7-mile long greenway lined with stately homes and towering trees.

After a short jaunt through Pawtucket, RI to the north, runners returned to Blackstone Boulevard and a detour around lovely Blackstone Park along the Seekonk River before heading back downtown via India Point Park at the mouth of Providence Harbor.

There were seven water stations placed roughly every 1.5 to 2 miles. Water and Gatorade were plentiful and GU gels were available at a few points too. I could have used just one more water station between miles 9 and 11.5. At that crucial point in the race, I found a 2.5-mile stretch without water to be a wee bit long.

But other than that, I thought the course was just about perfect. The race skipped the hilly East Side of Providence neighborhoods in favor of flatter roads nearer the water. Sure, there were a few low-grade climbs, but nothing too terrible to seriously challenge your legs or lungs. There was one short, but steep downhill section near the turn-around point in Pawtucket; I heard some runners near me groan about their quads. But I’ll take a steep downhill to a steep uphill any day.

There wasn’t a ton of crowd support along the course. But the folks that were there were exuberant—like the man playing banjo on his front stoop or the guy cheering in his bathrobe from the front lawn. A few spectators with signs dotted the course along Blackstone Boulevard, and the crowds picked up in the last mile to the downtown finish considerably.

The After Party

Food trucks near the finish. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

I didn’t stick around too long after the race, just long enough to get my medal and great post-race snacks: water, Gatorade, bagels, bananas and pizza. Yes, you read right: pizza. They also had food trucks lining the way back to the convention center, a beer garden and an after party that I didn’t attend. And runners could also grab a Mylar blanket if they were cold. I figured I’d leave those for the marathoners.

My Race

I set out to do the UnitedHealthcare Providence Half Marathon as a training run after a patchy winter season. I was sick, I lost my motivation, I was traveling, and I was not running as much as I would have liked.

Rowers on the Seekonk River during the Providence Half Marathon. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

So in my pre-race post, I wrote this:

“My goal for the race is to go out there, have fun, and run a steady easy pace. I don’t know Providence all too well and the course visits parts of the city and beyond that I’ve never been to, so I’m excited to just take in the town as a tourist runner and have some fun.”

There’s something about removing all expectations that allows you to really enjoy a run. And I had one of my absolute best runs in recent memory.

Phil and I after the race. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

I cooed at barking dogs, high-fived excited kids, waved at smiling babies. I walked through water stations and thanked volunteers. I paused to take a photo of a rowing crew on the Seekonk River. It reminded me of the tranquility of my own college rowing days. I breathed in the fragrance of blossoming trees. I cheered on the winning female marathoner as our courses merged and she sprinted toward the finish. I gave a fist pump when I overheard two spectators say, “She’s crushing it,” when I passed a legion of runners in the final two miles. I even enjoyed the misty rain that lightly sprayed runners for most of the race. It felt refreshing, like someone misting you with a spray bottle.

Quite simply, my run was spectacular. I started slowly. I picked up the pace at the halfway mark, and then again in the last two miles. I ran a negative split to finish 1:08 per mile behind my PR of 2:00:30. It was exactly how I wanted to run.

Best of all, it truly felt easy. And as each mile floated by, I kept thinking, “Wow, this feels great! I can’t believe this feels so easy!” I never think that during training runs.

My finish time was 2:15:44.

Here are my splits. The slightly longer ones correspond to where the water stops were roughly every 1.5 miles.

I’m really happy that all of my last 7 miles were faster than the first 6. I’ve been doing progression runs lately to work on the negative split, and it feels really good to nail it so well. Next time, I hope to nail it in a yet-to-be-determined half-marathon PR attempt this fall.

The UnitedHealthcare Providence Half Marathon Takeaway

If you’re looking for a relatively flat small-city race, the Providence Half Marathon is a great choice. I could easily see this being a personal record course for many runners. The event is well organized, save what I already mentioned, and has one of the best medals I’ve seen for such a small event: an anchor emblazoned with the word “HOPE.”

Providence Half Marathon Medal

The “hope anchor” has been the symbol of Rhode Island since Roger Williams founded the colony on the principles of religious freedom in 1636. Williams was expelled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious views, and Rhode Island quickly became a mecca for colonial settlers looking for a place where they could worship freely. Williams pioneered the idea of separation of church and state and founded America’s first Baptist church in Providence. Rhode Island is also home to the nation’s first synagogue in Newport.

Scholars believe the “hope anchor” was inspired by Biblical verse Hebrews 6:19—“We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.” It felt especially providential be given a medal with the word “HOPE” in a town called Providence less than a month after bombers attacked the Boston Marathon, a town whose history is inextricably linked. But I digress. Can you tell I’m a former religion major and religion reporter?

Here’s to a great race and to hope—for runners and spectators everywhere.

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Walt Disney World Marathon Course Guide

Karla — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:32:06 +0000

The Walt Disney World Marathon finish. (Photo: runDisney)

Tribesports asked me to create a guide to the Walt Disney World Marathon course for their social networking site for active minded folks. “Whether you’re a novice or a pro, we think seeing your friends sports activity, and sharing yours will make you want to be more active and do more sports,” their website states. Seems like a good premise to me, since that’s what the blogging community does in a different way.

So I thought I’d share my Walt Disney World Marathon Guide here as well since it highlights the race in a different way than my race report. If you’re thinking of signing up for the Walt Disney World Marathon—registration is still open for the 2014 race—here’s a play by play of what you can expect on the course.

Guide to the Walt Disney World Marathon Course

Runners fill Magic Kingdom. (Photo: runDisney)

The Walt Disney World Marathon is the crown jewel in the runDisney series of races. Nearly 25,000 runners tackle the 26.2-miles around “the World,” many dressed in costume in homage to their favorite Disney characters. The vibe on-course is as much party as road race with Disney’s signature entertainment lining the way: marching bands, DJ’s, cheerleaders, acrobats, rock bands, and, of course, those famous Disney characters.

When runDisney invited me to be their guest at the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend as author of the blog RunKarlaRun.com, I simply couldn’t resist. I put together a Cinderella in Rags running costume and dragged my husband along as Jacques the Mouse.

Pre-Race

When it comes to organization, it doesn’t get better than runDisney. From the time you register to the time you cross the finish, runDisney will make sure you know where to be, what time to be there, and how to get there. Pre-race e-mails start three months out, and an informative race site paired with detailed pre-race instructions released one month prior have all the info you need.

Fireworks at the start (Photo: runDisney)

Runners pick up bibs at the Disney Health & Fitness Expo at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from Wednesday through Saturday before the race. With registration, runners receive either a men’s or women’s cut technical shirt and a signature finisher’s medal.

Runners can also participate in other events throughout the weekend like Kids Races, Pasta in the Park Party, character breakfasts, a Race Retreat and Cool Down Party at Downtown Disney, some of which require an additional ticket for entry.

The Start

Set your alarm early. The Walt Disney World Marathon begins at 5:30 a.m. But once you’re in the starting corral, you’ll forget the time and be glad for the cloak of darkness. How else would you see the fireworks at the start? Runners are broken into multiple corrals by anticipated finish time. Every corral has its own start, complete with fireworks, every 5 minutes. For 2014, runDisney is adding more corrals to help ease crowding on the course.

Runners dash through Cinderella Castle (Photo: runDisney)

The Course and Race Highlights

The Walt Disney World Marathon course has 21 hydration stops with Dasani water and PowerAde, placed roughly every 1.5 miles. In addition, the marathon has four food stops with items like Chiquita bananas, Clif Shots, and candy, as well as medical stations and bathrooms aplenty.

The Walt Disney World Marathon course starts just outside Epcot and works its way north to Magic Kingdom between Miles 5 and 6, where runners are treated to a jaunt through Cinderella Castle.

Be sure to pause for a photo in front of Cinderella Castle, still decked out in the Castle Dream Lights for the winter holidays. Also be on the lookout for a cadre of Disney characters stationed throughout the park. You might see Pixar characters in Tomorrowland and Disney princesses in Fantasyland. Prince Mickey and Princess Minnie and other popular characters like Cinderella and Prince Charming have been known to hang out right outside the castle.

Runners charge the Walt Disney World Speedway (Photo: runDisney)

After exiting Magic Kingdom through a backstage entrance, runners head south on the Walt Disney World Marathon course to the Walt Disney World Speedway between Miles 8 and 9 for a run around the racetrack. In 2013, Disney stationed dozens of vintage cars around the 1-mile track, as well as characters from Pixar’s Cars.

Safari Pluto and Mickey greet runners. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

From there, the Walt Disney World Marathon course continues to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park between Miles 12 and 13. You’re sure to see some animals—real and imaginary—and plenty more Disney characters like Safari Mickey, Minnie, Daisy and Pluto. In the park you’ll run past Expedition Everest, Discovery Island and Dinoland USA.

After Animal Kingdom, the Walt Disney World Marathon course tracks along the highway before heading to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex between Miles 17 and 20. Don’t worry, there will be entertainment roughly every half-mile.

Runners in Champion Stadium. (Photo: runDisney)

Once you reach the Sports Complex, you’ll see athletes playing on the soccer fields and baseball diamonds, as well as a few Disney characters along the way too. The highlights of this section of the Walt Disney World Marathon course are a run around the track and through Champion Stadium, the Atlanta Braves’ spring training home. Pause for a photo behind home plate and be sure to listen for the stadium announcer shouting your name as you run by.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios on marathon morning. (Photo: runDisney)

Runners then head north into Disney’s Hollywood Studios between Miles 22 and 24. Before you enter the park, keep an eye out for some green Army men from Toy Story who will help motivate you up a small hill. Once inside the park, you’ll be greeted by a few movie characters and treated to music from some of Hollywood’s most iconic soundtracks, along with robust crowds of people lining Hollywood Boulevard.

With Jasmine and Aladdin in Epcot. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

Next, runners charge onto Disney’s BoardWalk after running along the canal that leads from Hollywood Studios. You’ll go past the Yacht & Beach Club Resorts and into the back entrance of the World Showcase at Epcot between Miles 24 and 25.

The final mile of the race takes runners “around the world” at Epcot. You’ll see a string of Disney characters outside of each country. You might spot Belle in France, Mulan in China or Aladdin in Morocco before heading straight for the iconic Spaceship Earth attraction. Spectators line the whole course at this point.

At Mile 26, a gospel choir ushers runners out of the park and into the finish chute, where Mickey Mouse and friends pass out high-fives to the 20,000 runners who cross the finish line.

Goofy high-fives finishers (Photo: runDisney)

From the organization to the entertainment, Disney gets just about everything right. The Walt Disney World Marathon is a fun run that will make you feel like a kid again.

For more information, visit rundisney.com. For more photos and an in depth look at runDisney races, visit my runDisney page. To view the original guide, visit Tribesports.

Disclosure: As part of the running media, runDisney provided me with complimentary race entry, hotel, park tickets, airfare and some meals for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. But as always, all opinions are purely my own. I really do believe in being honest about my experiences and Disney is no exception. For more information read my Disclosure Policy.

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Rhode Race: Providence Half Marathon Is Here

Karla — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:30:19 +0000

Cox Rhode Races Guide

I opened my inbox yesterday to find my 2013 Cox Providence Rhode Races
Athlete Guide with official pre-race instructions for the UnitedHealthcare Providence Half Marathon on Sunday, May 12.

I have to say, I’m really excited for this race. It’s only the second race I’ve done in Rhode Island, a place I’ve fallen in love with in the last few years. And there are so many great running puns to be had with Rhode Island, as the “Rhode Races” series attests to.

I’m doing the Providence Half Marathon as a training run. No racing this one for me. My training has been patchy the last few weeks for various reasons—travel, work, all the usual suspects. I’ve been doing more cross training than running in the last month—snowshoeing, aqua jogging, swimming, biking. I have been running too, but not enough to have delusions of running a personal best.

So my goal for the race is to go out there, have fun, and run a steady easy pace. I don’t know Providence all too well and the course visits parts of the city and beyond that I’ve never been to, so I’m excited to just take in the town as a tourist runner and have some fun.

I certainly won’t be alone. Over 2,000 runners will be storming the Providence Half Marathon with me, including my husband. And another 1,500 runners will be tackling the Cox Providence Marathon, including 200 runners who were diverted from the finish of the 2013 Boston Marathon and received complimentary entries into the race.

It won’t be the smallest half-marathon I’ve ever done. That distinction belongs to the Yonkers Marathon and Half Marathon with just 1,000 runners combined. But it will be the next smallest. It’s appropriate for the country’s smallest state, nicknamed “Little Rhody.”

In looking at the entry lists, it looks like most runners are coming from Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut with plenty of other New Englanders too from Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. But there are also a handful of runners from further afield like Texas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Arizona, Oregon and even Canada.

So farewell New York, and hello Rhode Island! I’ll see you on the Rhode! (Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself.)

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Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend Medals Released

Karla — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:32:00 +0000

Disneyland medals. (Photo: Matt Stroshane/runDisney)

Today runDisney unveiled the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend collection of medals.

More than 25,000 runners are registered to run at the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend over Labor Day, touring Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and the streets of Anaheim, Calif., on foot.

Seeing the finisher medals for the Disneyland Half Marathon, Disneyland Family Fun Run 5K and the new Disneyland 10K and Dumbo Double Dare makes me wish I was running them all. Guess I’ll just have to add the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend to my bucket list. Without further ado, here are the medals in all their Disney glory!

Disneyland Half Marathon Medal. (Photo: Matt Stroshane/runDisney)

Disneyland 5K medal. (Photo: Matt Stroshane/runDisney)

Dumbo Double Dare medal. (Photo: Matt Stroshane/runDisney)

The Disneyland 10K medal. (Photo: Matt Stroshane/runDisney)

Disclosure: runDisney sometimes provides me with complimentary race entry, hotel, park tickets, and some meals for runDisney events. But, as always, all opinions are purely my own. For more information read my Disclosure Policy.

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Running Races To Remember 6 Years And Counting

Karla — Mon, 06 May 2013 21:48:20 +0000

The Walt Disney World Marathon (Photo: Marathon Foto)

Last week marked the sixth anniversary of my very first running race back in 2007. Last fall, I chronicled how I went from a person who loathed running to someone who loves it. How much do I love it? Over these last six years, I’ve run 53 running races with number 54, the UnitedHealthcare Providence Half Marathon, in one week and numbers 55, 56 and 57 already on the books.

Looking back at six years of racing, it occurred to me that certain races have a special place in my heart. Every runner has that race they look forward to every year, the race they’ve always dreamed of running, the race that moved them in unexpected ways. These are mine.

So without further ado, here are my “Races to Remember,” the running races that left the biggest impressions on me, culled from my six years out there on the road.

Running Races To Remember

Most Memorable: ING New York City Marathon

At the 2007 ING New York City Marathon (Photo: Christy Hourihan)

It’s the largest marathon in world, and it was also my first. There’s nothing quite like your first marathon. I nearly cried as I crossed the finish, accomplishing something that had been beyond conception for me. I remember thinking of marathons as something other people did—crazy people. Now I was one of them. I had such an amazing time the first go round, I ran it a second year in a row. I trained hard and beat my first time by nearly an hour. Yes, you read right—an hour. They are both races I will never forget.

Most Sentimental: Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Before the 2009 Chicago Marathon. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

Running the Chicago marathon was a homecoming for me. I was born and raised in the city’s west suburbs and spent much of my childhood in the city with my parents. My dad worked downtown at the Merchandise Mart, which sits right around Mile 12 on the course. That year, the race coincided with the 6^th anniversary of my father’s death, so I dedicated the marathon to him. I got verklempt as I ran past the Mart, and many of the other places I associate with my father. It was, quite literally, a run down memory lane.

Most Fun: Any runDisney Half Marathon or Walt Disney World Marathon

At Disney’s Princess Half Marathon (Photo: brightroom)

Anyone who has ever read my blog knows I love me some runDisney. Disney races are among the best organized I have ever run and, second-to-none, the most fun. Runners wear costumes! Disney characters cheer for you! You run through Disney Parks! I honestly can’t decide which of the four I’ve run is the most fun: Disney’s Princess Half Marathon, Tinker Bell Half Marathon, Walt Disney World Marathon or Wine & Dine Half Marathon. They each have unique characteristics. So read my race reports and decide for yourself!

Most Romantic: Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon

Our engagement pic after Disney’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

For me, the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon race is the Lady and the Tramp of running races. The music, the moonlight, the mood. The wining, the dining, the food. And best of all, this is where my husband and I got engaged. He popped the question at the half marathon after-party, forever making Disney’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon a magical race for me.

Best Start: ING New York City Marathon

Before the 2008 ING New York City Marathon (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

I know, I know. I already gave the ING New York City Marathon an award. But that’s how amazing this race is. And it boasts the best start of the 50+ events I’ve run. As you climb the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge from Staten Island, Frank Sinatra sings, “New York, New York” over the loud speakers. Take a look to your left and the entire city is at your feet. Manhattan, your final destination, glimmers in the distance, a NYFD boat spays a water salute and Brooklyn lays dead ahead. I’ve run the NYC Marathon three times, and it’s taken my breath away every single time. Plus, in 2010 I got to sing before the start of the Professional Women’s and Wheelchair races. If that’s not the best start I’ve ever had, I don’t know what is.

Best Finish: Montreal Half Marathon

The 1976 Olympic Stadium was the finish for the OASIS Montreal Half-Marathon. (Photo: Peregrine981/Wikimedia Commons)

Running around the track of an Olympic Stadium is usually reserved for Olympians. But at the Montreal Half Marathon, runners get the royal treatment with a finish in the 1976 Olympic Stadium, where Frank Shorter won marathon silver. Running down the ramp and into a stadium filled with a cheering crowd is probably the closest I’ll ever come to feeling like an Olympian. Priceless.

Proudest PR: Staten Island Half Marathon and Philadelphia Marathon

Pausing for a photo just before the finish of the 2012 Philadelphia Marathon (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

I’m tempted to pick my second marathon, when I shaved nearly an hour from my one and only marathon time. While that PR was incredibly satisfying, there are two I think I worked even harder for. Every single year since I started running, I made the goal of breaking 2:00 in the half marathon. And for three years in a row, I made the goal of breaking 4:30 in the marathon. At the Staten Island Half Marathon in 2012, I ran 2:00:30, missing my mark by 30 seconds, but still PR’d by nearly 5 minutes. But at the 2012 Philadelphia Marathon, I redeemed myself by running 4:28:06, which was a 17-minute marathon PR. After three years of trying, breaking that 4:30 barrier felt so good. Sub-2 half marathon, I’m coming for you this year!

Most Grueling: Yonkers Half Marathon

Enjoying the Yonkers waterfront. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

Yonkers has a storied history as the second oldest marathon in the U.S., dating back to 1907. But it also ranks in the hill department, treating racers to a roller coaster run around the New York town just north of NYC. The course starts near sea level and finishes near sea level. But in between the half marathon climbs a total of 1,100 ft. And what goes up must come down. It’s not one long slog; you climb and descend on the Yonkers Half Marathon course over and over and over again. If you haven’t trained on hills, the course is a killer. I used it as a training run for the Staten Island Half Marathon and Philadelphia Half Marathon. It worked. I PR’d weeks later on those much flatter courses.

Fastest Race: Fifth Avenue Mile

America’s fastest milers at the Fifth Avenue Mile. (Photo: Phil Hospod)

Fifth Avenue Mile, How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. A run down one of America’s most storied streets? Check. A rare one-mile race for grown-ups? Check. A stellar professional field to watch at the end of the day after your heat is over? Check. Where else do you get to watch the likes of Bernard Lagat, Matt Centrowitz, Leo Manzano, Jenny Simpson and other Olympic and World Championship medalists after running your own race? Only the Fifth Avenue Mile. I’ve been to this race five years in a row. I ran it in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 when I set my mile PR of 6:46. It’s the fastest I’ve ever run in my life. I was registered to run in 2012, but ended up covering it as a reporter instead, so that 2011 PR still stands. Maybe someday I’ll go sub-6:45…

Most Empowering: NYRR NY Mini 10K

With running legends Kathrine Switzer and Anne Audain at the NYRR New York Mini 10K. (Photo: Phil Hospod)

Started in 1972 to give women the chance to race the roads, the NY Mini 10K was among the first women’s road races in the world. It was a time when women were still fighting for the right to run, among many other things. The original Mini, named after the mini-skirt, was staged at a time when women were just starting to break gender barriers in running and sports at large. In April 1972, the Boston Marathon welcomed female entrants officially for the first time; in June, the ground-breaking Title IX legislation mandating equal federal funding for women’s sports became law; in September, the Olympics featured the women’s 1500 meters as the longest race for women for the first time; and in October, six women entered the New York City Marathon. The Mini stands as a testament to how far we’ve come as female athletes. And toeing the line with a few thousand other women on Central Park West feels mighty empowering.

Most Family-Friendly: Disney’s Royal Family 5K and any runDisney 5K

With my sister and some famous ladies at the Royal Family 5K. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

The 5K Fun Runs at runDisney race weekends are designed to be family-friendly. Kids run with their parents or cheer them on. There’s even a stroller division for parents who want to push their little one as they go. I ran the Never Land Family Fun Run 5K at the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend with my husband and the Royal Family Family 5K Fun Run at Disney’s Princess Half Marathon with my sister. It was a blast from the past for two ladies who came to Disney every year as kids. We had a blast stopping for photos along the way. Afterward? We headed on over to the Disney Kids Races where her kids were ready to run. It doesn’t get more family friendly than that.

Most Crowded: Cherry Blossom 10-Miler

The finish of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

The 2012 race was so crowded the entire 10-miles, I was never able to get up to speed. It was like being stuck in traffic. And I live in NYC. I know traffic. I’d planned on racing it, and ended up being content with calling it a fun run. Even in the last mile, I was still weaving around people. I hope the organizers have figured out a way to spread runners in the middle of the pack out better, because the Washington, D.C. course and the cherry blossoms are dynamite.

Most Intimidating: Peterborough Sprint Triathlon

Ready to race my first triathlon. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

The Peterborough Sprint Triathlon in Ontario gets this award not because of the race itself, but because it was my first triathlon. I didn’t know what to expect. I hated cycling. And I was sure everyone, and I mean everyone, would finish ahead of me. It was more intimidating that my first running race because it was so much more involved. Swimming! Cycling! Transitions! Oh my! But I made it through and learned to love the tri.

Best Team Spirit: NYRR Team Championships

Some of the New York Harrier men (inlcuding my fist-pumping husband) at the 2011 NYRR Team Championships ready to cheer on the Harrier women, including me. (Photo: Anne Hospod)

One of the best parts about running with a team in NYC is the NYRR Team Championships. One day a year, we get our own race in Central Park just for club runners. Teams compete for a trophy and it feels like being a high school or college athlete again. Everyone is in their team singlet. Men and women race separately and cheer each other on until they’re hoarse. Then our team has a picnic in Central Park afterward. Seeing all the club runners racing, cheering and celebrating puts a smile on my face.

Best Name: NYCRUNS Lousy T-Shirt Race

The Lousy T-Shirt Race T-Shirt. (Photo: Juan Monroy/juanomatic via Flickr/Creative Commons)

I ran a 5K and all I got was this lousy T-shirt? You bet. It was NYCRUNS very first first race back in June 2011, and it’s still one of my faves. Small, short and sweet in New York City’s Riverside Park, the Lousy T-Shirt Race has a tongue-in-cheek name that could apply to thousands of races across the U.S. It also happens to be the site of my last 5K PR, since it’s the last 5K I actually raced.

Most Cathartic: Long Island Gold Coast Triathlon

Ready to bike with my K-Swiss SU2C Kwicky Blade-Light shoes emblazoned with Laura’s name. (Photo: Tania Haas)

I set out to run the Long Island Gold Coast Triathlon in Port Washington, NY as a fundraiser for my cousin Laura who was battling a rare form of cancer. But Laura died two weeks before race day. Wearing my Stand Up To Cancer K-Swiss shoes emblazoned with her name, I took out all my sadness, anger and frustration out on the course. The result? I crushed my triathlon PR by 15 minutes despite less than stellar training. It wasn’t about the PR. The PR showed me what motivation, true motivation, can do. I was doing this for Laura and I wasn’t about to let her down.

Most Moving: Brandon Motta 5K

Brandon Motta in 2008 at the 1st Brandon Motta 5K. (Photo: HelpBrandon.com)

Charity races abound and I’ve run plenty. But the Brandon Motta 5K in Rhode Island was different. It was a small community event that had one simple goal—raise $100,000 over the course of many years so that one little boy named Brandon can live in a handicap accessible house with his family. Brandon is a 10-year-old boy from Riverside, RI, who lives with CMT, a neuromuscular disorder that has left him in a wheelchair and reliant on medical devices to breathe. But he has the best smile and the greatest spirit. Brandon comes out to the race every year to cheer on the runners who are there to help him. In the first year, the event raised $15,000, enough to help Brandon’s family buy a handicap accessible van. 2013 will be the event’s 6^th year. It has raised $45,000 to date.

For a complete list of the races I have run, check out my Races & PRs page.

Disclosure: runDisney sometimes provides me with complimentary race entry, hotel, park tickets, and some meals for runDisney events. I also received a complimentary entry to the Yonkers Half Marathon as the national anthem singer. And I freelance for New York Road Runners, who puts on the ING New York City Marathon, NY Mini 10K, Fifth Avenue Mile, Staten Island Half Marathon and Team Championships. I have no affiliation with any of the other races mentioned. As always, all opinions are purely my own and my affiliation with any race has no bearing on whether or not I write about it. I write about the races I like. Period. For more information read my Disclosure Policy.

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