Run, Karla, Run!

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 →

The Star Wars Half Marathon start at Disneyland (Photo: runDisney)

Registration for the Star Wars Half Marathon 2016—The Dark Side opens Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at 12 p.m. Eastern. The race will storm Walt Disney World in Florida from April 14-17, 2016. The race weekend follows the original Star Wars Half Marathon—The Light Side at Disneyland in California from January 14-17, 2016.

Light Side or Dark Side? (Photo: runDisney)

The new Star Wars Half Marathon 2016 Weekend will include a 5K, 10K, Kids Races, multi-day race challenges, and a three-day runDisney Health & Fitness Expo.

Runners who complete the inaugural Star Wars Dark Side Challenge, by running the 10K and half marathon on consecutive days, will earn a Death Star-themed medal. Runners must register for the challenge and not each race individually.

And if you complete both Star Wars Half Marathons at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, also known as the Kessel Run Challenge? Fans take home a Millennium Falcon starship “Coast-to-Coast” medal.

The Star Wars Half Marathon will get a new 13.1-mile course through Walt Disney World. Runners will fly through Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and finish at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
Read the rest of this entry →

Nick Arciniaga wins the inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon. (Photo: runDisney)

UPDATE 8/25/15: runDisney has announced a second Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World in Florida. Check it out:

Star Wars Half Marathon Comes to Walt Disney World

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So you didn’t get into any of the Star Wars Half Marathon 2016 races from January 14-17 at Disneyland in California, including the Star Wars Half Marathon, Star Wars Rebel Challenge, Star Wars 10K, Star Wars 5K and runDisney Kids Races? You’ve still got a chance. Charity and travel providers offer limited entries for runners who register and run with them.

Contact the following organizations directly to find out how to run the races with them. Charities will ask runners to raise a certain amount of money and tour providers may require purchase of a travel package.

Star Wars Half Marathon 2016 Charities

runDisney Charity Groups offer guaranteed entries to sold-out races. Some charity teams include other perks for the Star Wars Half Marathon 2016 races like complimentary or discounted entries, party party tickets, training resources, and other benefits. Check with each group individually for their fundraising requirements, benefits, and to register with them.

The Star Wars Half Marathon start (Photo: runDisney)

• Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
• Aly & Izy Foundation
• American Association for Cancer Research
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• ASPCA
• A-T Children’s Project
• Autism Speaks
• Back on My Feet
• Kellsie’s Hope Foundation
• My Brighter Tomorrow
• Noah’s Light Foundation
• Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
• Team Muscle Makers for UCMD

Star Wars Half Marathon 2016 Travel Providers

Runners can also register for the Star Wars Disney races through a runDisney Travel Provider. They offer packages for runners, including guaranteed race entry and specially priced Disneyland hotel rates and theme park ticket options. Contact each tour provider individually to learn more and to register through them. Read the rest of this entry →

The 2015 Star Wars Half Marathon (Photo: runDisney)

UPDATE 8/19/15: The Star Wars Half Marathon 2016 is sold-out but you can still register via charity or tour group:

Run Star Wars Half Marathon 2016 with Charity or Tour

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Registration for the Star Wars Half Marathon 2016 Weekend opens at 12 p.m. Eastern on June 16, 2015. The Disney half marathon race weekend will take place January 14-17, 2016 in a galaxy far, far away. OK, it’s really at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.

More than 23,000 runners took part in the inaugural event in 2015, which included the Star Wars Half Marathon, Star Wars 10K, Star Wars 5K, Star Wars Rebel Challenge—where runners complete the 10K and half-marathon on consecutive days—and runDisney Kids Races. All those races will be back for 2016, along with the runDisney Health and Fitness Expo—where you can buy the coveted New Balance runDisney shoes. The 2016 course maps have yet to be released, but last year’s races ran through Disney California Adventure Park, Disneyland Park, Downtown Disney and the streets of Anaheim, Calif.

How fast will the Star Wars Half Marathon 2016 Weekend sell-out? Likely faster than the Millennium Falcon can travel 6.8323E-13 parsecs (that’s 13.1-miles). The inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend in 2015 sold out in two hours. The Star Wars Rebel Challenge sold out first in 24 minutes. The runDisney Kids Races followed in 38 minutes. The Star Wars 5K filled up in 54 minutes. The Star Wars 10K was gone inside of 80 minutes, and the Star Wars Half Marathon closed in 2 hours and 2 minutes. Read the rest of this entry →

Star Wars takes over Disneyland. (Photo: Disney/Ali Nasser)

The inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend presented by Sierra Nevada Corporation takes runners to a galaxy far, far away from January 15-18, 2015 at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

Finisher medals (runDisney)

The new Star Wars-themed race weekend includes the title 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 back-to-back days. All told 23,000 runners are scheduled to take part in the races, with many of them registered for multiple events.

Runners earn finisher medals themed to the franchise, with characters from the movies appearing along the course.

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

Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend By The Numbers

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

28,950—registrations for the inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend

12,200—runners registered for the Star Wars Half Marathon Read the rest of this entry →

Charities and tour groups offer entries into the sold out Star Wars Disney races. (Photo: Disney/Ali Nasser)

So you didn’t get into any of the Star Wars Disney races from January 15-18 at Disneyland in California, including the Star Wars Half Marathon, Star Wars Rebel Challenge, Star Wars 10K, Star Wars 5K and runDisney Kids Races? You’ve still got a chance. Charity and travel providers offer limited entries for runners who register and run with them.

The inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend sold out in two hours, nearly matching the runDisney Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend sell-out record of 1 hour and 48 minutes for all races. The Star Wars Rebel Challenge, where runners complete the Star Wars 10K and Star Wars Half Marathon on back-to-back days, sold out first in 25 minutes. The runDisney Kids Races followed in 40 minutes. The Star Wars 5K filled up in 1 hour. The Star Wars 10K was gone inside of 1 hour and 40 minutes, and the Star Wars Half Marathon closed in 2 hours.

Tickets are still available for the Star Wars Wookie Welcome Party on January 15. The event in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland will offer character meet-and-greets, entertainment, dessert and select attractions like Space Mountain, Star Tours, Astro Orbitor, and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. At publication time, the party was 65 percent full.

But if you really want to be a part of the Star Wars Disney races, you can still register through a charity or tour group. Contact the following organizations directly to find out how to run the races with them. Charities will ask runners to raise a certain amount of money and tour providers may require purchase of a travel package. Read the rest of this entry →

Star Wars Half Marathon Comes to Disneyland. (Photo: Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.)

After teasing out details via social media with the hashtag #LetTheWookieWin, runDisney has announced today its newest race: Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend presented by Sierra Nevada Corporation slated for January 15-18, 2015 at Disneyland Resort in California.

Get your Star Wars costumes ready. (Photo: Preston Mack / WDW)

The race weekend will include the title Star Wars Half Marathon, Star Wars 10K, Star Wars 5K and runDisney Kids Races, plus the two-race Star Wars Rebel Challenge following in the footsteps of the popular Dumbo Double Dare at Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend. Runners who register for the challenge and complete the 10K and half marathon on back-to-back days will earn a special challenge medal. The weekend will also feature a Health and Fitness Expo, Star Wars Wookie Welcome Party, and more Star Wars and Disney-themed entertainment.

Lucasfilm and runDisney have teamed up with presenting sponsor Sierra Nevada Corporation, an aerospace company best known for its Dream Chaser spacecraft to sponsor the event. Course maps have yet to be released, but the races will run through Disney California Adventure Park, Disneyland Park, Downtown Disney and the streets of Anaheim, Calif. Read the rest of this entry →