Run, Karla, Run!

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

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

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

Take a look at the numbers behind the princesses.

Runners at Princess Half (runDisney)

Disney Princess Half Marathon 2016 By The Numbers

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

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

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

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

Ariel Vazee Pace (RunKarlaRun.com)

“Up where they walk, up where they run…” at runDisney, of course! The Little Mermaid’s Ariel is now part of the New Balance runDisney world as the star of the latest shoes in the 2016 Limited Edition New Balance runDisney Collection.

Ariel! (RunKarlaRun.com)

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of New Balance shoes. “Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete? Wouldn’t you think I’m the girl…the girl who has everything?”

Well, now I do! New Balance generously sent me a pair of the Ariel Vazee Pace runDisney shoes to preview!

My precious (RunKarlaRun.com)

Look at that stuff! Isn’t it neat?

I love this limited edition New Balance packaging for the runDisney shoes and the goodies inside.

New box (RunKarlaRun.com)

This isn’t any ordinary shoe box. The shoes rest within a Snow White-style sleeping case.

Unboxing (RunKarlaRun.com)

After unboxing the kicks, I find an Alice in Wonderland-style “Open Me.”

Open Me (RunKarlaRun.com)

What does it reveal? More goodies! Read the rest of this entry →

2016 New Balance runDisney Collection (New Balance)

Looking for the 2017 New Balance runDisney Collection? Look here: How To Buy 2017 New Balance Disney Running Shoes

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2016 New Balance Disney Running Shoes Revealed

They’re finally here! New Balance announced the 2016 line of New Balance Disney running shoes, which will debut at the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna from January 6-10, 2016.

After releasing a single teaser photo of a feather, a yellow bow, and seashell necklace via Twitter and Instagram, New Balance has revealed the 2016 Limited Edition New Balance runDisney Collection feature Dumbo, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and The Little Mermaid’s Ariel.

The Dumbo and Ariel Vazee Pace are $124.95, while the Red Carpet Minnie and Mickey 860v6s are $139.95. And they didn’t forget the kids. Dumbo and Ariel 860v6 shoes are $79.95.

Read on to find out how, when, and where to buy them, along with pics of each shoe.

Ariel Vazee Pace, $124.95

Ariel Vazee Pace (New Balance)

The New Balance Vazee Pace shoes are a lightweight neutral trainer, available in women’s sizes 5 to 12.

Ariel in person (RunKarlaRun.com)

The Ariel-inspired kicks are shades of sea foam green with purple and red accents. The Ariel shoes come with purple shell clip-ons and a picture of Ariel on the heel.

Ariel (RunKarlaRun.com)

Check out New Balance Ariel runDisney Shoes First Look for a close-up view of the Ariel Vazee Pace.

Dumbo Vazee Pace, $124.95

Dumbo Vazee Pace (New Balance)

The Dumbo shoes are also the neutral, lightweight New Balance Vazee Pace available in men’s sizes 7 to 14.

Dumbo (RunKarlaRun.com)

The homage to Dumbo are gray with yellow and peach accents, with a picture of Dumbo himself on the heel. They also come with Timothy Q. Mouse clip-ons.

Dumbo Vazee Pace (New Balance)

Red Carpet Minnie 860v6, $139.95

Red Carpet Minnie (New Balance)

Each year New Balance releases a pair of shoes styled after a different Mickey and Minnie persona. In 2103, we saw classic Minnie in her red dress. 2014 brought us Pink Polka Dot Minnie, and 2015 was Retro Minnie, harkening back to her black-and-white years. For 2016, we have Red Carpet Minnie Mouse in her yellow evening gown.

Minnie front and back (New Balance)

The Red Carpet Minnie shoes are 860v6s, a New Balance stability shoe in women’s sizes 5 to 12. They also come with clip-on bows.

Read the rest of this entry →

Cinderella Castle before dawn. (Photo: Marathon Foto)

Hot dog! It’s one of Mickey Mouse’s favorite phrases and it couldn’t have been more appropriate for the 20th Anniversary Walt Disney World Marathon on January 13, 2013. The mercury climbed to unseasonably warm temps, with a high of 81 degrees and humidity to match.

But the heat didn’t stop the 20,000 finishers—myself included. Dressed as Cinderella in Rags with Jacques the Mouse by my side (played with gusto by my husband), I soaked in the sun as I ran around the world—Walt Disney World, that is.

It was a magical run punctuated by an army of Disney characters, spectators, and volunteers who helped make it a fairy tale run to remember. Read the rest of this entry →

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon was a fairy tale race.

If you keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true.

Cinderella sang those words and I took them to heart at Disney’s Princess Half Marathon in Walt Disney World in Florida, which I attended as a guest of runDisney.

I channeled my inner Cinderella and believed that I could break my half-marathon personal record.

Disney races aren’t for PR’s many people say. Just have fun, they tell you.

But on Sunday, Feb. 26, I learned that it’s possible to PR and have fun too while running Disney.

Of course, it helps to have Prince Charming by your side.

Running in Costume: Cinderella and Prince Charming

For starters, I feel compelled to confess: I ran in costume. Not just that, I cajoled my fiancé, Phil, to run in costume with me—as Cinderella and Prince Charming.

Cinderella has long been my favorite princess, ever since I saw clips of the film on my Fisher Price Movie Viewer Theater back in the early 1980s. I even named my dog Cinderella. What better character to summon for a half-marathon than a gal who knows how to put her head down and work hard?

I found that once you put on a costume and give in to the Disney spirit, it’s inevitable that you’re going to have a good time, no matter how painful the running itself may be. Read the rest of this entry →

Kelly Lews (left) and Carrie Lundell (right) pose with Minnie Mouse in their do-it-yourself Team Sparkle costumes. (Photo: runDisney)

If you’re running Disney’s Princess Half Marathon or Bay to Breakers in San Francisco, or any other themed race, wearing a running costume is awfully tempting. Wearing a super hero cape for a Spartan race or fairy wings for a Disney run can be a fun way to get into the spirit. But for the women behind Team Sparkle, it’s more than fun. It’s a way of life.

Kelly Lewis, Carrie Lundell and Elise Wallace are spreading the power of sparkle with their line of sparkle skirts, sleeves and racing legs for runners. They encourage runners to put together do-it-yourself running costumes made of running-friendly fabrics so they can spread the sparkle spirit at races nationwide.

“You can wear something fun, you can wear something technical and still run fast,” Lewis says of the Team Sparkle spirit. Read the rest of this entry →

There are lots of runDisney races out there—the Walt Disney World Marathon, the Tinker Bell Half Marathon, Disney’s Princess Half Marathon, the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon and many more—and thousands of people who run them. If all those Disney runners are anything like me, I’m guessing they’ve got a few Disney tunes on their iPods to help get them in the mood. What are your favorite Disney songs to run to?

In the spirit of sharing, here are mine. These are the Disney songs that have gotten me into the Disney running spirit, and made me feel like a kid again as I’ve trained for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon. Read the rest of this entry →