Tangled Royal Family 5k

Last Saturday, February 25, I had the pleasure to participate in the Tangled Royal Family 5k.  The day started very early for me.  I woke up at 5:30 am and met my friend Robyn and her hilarious eleven year old son, Shawn, for our drive from Bay Lake Tower over to the Polynesian Resort.  Before we caught the bus to the race, we stopped in Captain Cook’s for some much needed coffee.  Then we were off to the Epcot Imagine parking lot at the race staging area. 

We got there around 6:15.  The staging area was rocking with a fun DJ and lots of characters.  I meet some friends and had a blast taking photos and passing the time.  When it was time to head to the start line, a Disney singer beautifully sang the National Anthem.  The start line was a bit chaotic with kids and strollers mixed in with the runners.   runDisney tried to get faster runners up front and walkers/stroller in the back with minutes per mile signs up at the start, but they were not generally followed.  The race started and we were off!

The first mile or so was run in the Imagine parking lot.  I spent most of the first mile bobbing and weaving between children, walkers and stroller.  This was alright with me because it was a fun run after all.  I had lost my friends by then.  That is okay with me, as I prefer to run my races alone.  I love having friends to hang out with before the start and at the finish, but I prefer to run alone.  As we approached Epcot, I got a nice glance at the back of World’s Showcase and Test Track.  I find it so fascinating to see the “behind the scenes” stuff. 

Running through World’s Showcase was amazing.  We entered the park at the Mexican pavilion.  World’s Showcase is one of my favorite places in Walt Disney World, so seeing it in a different light was very fun.  I don’t usually get to see it that early in the morning, with the pavilions empty.  There were characters at about every other country, but the lines were very long so I did not stop.  About half way through the countries, I ran into a friend from back home.  We both knew each other would be at the race, but with 5,000 runners, I did not expect to see her there.  We ran out of World’s Showcase together.  Then it was on to Future World, out of Epcot and through the finish line!

At the Tangled Royal Family 5k, I earned my first race medal. I will cherish that medal forever because it was my first.  Going into the race, I looked at it as practice for the half marathon.  I practiced what to eat, how to get to the Poly to park, getting my coffee, riding the race bus.  Doing all these things the day before the half put me at ease for the big day.  I had two outfits for the half that I could not decide between.  I wore my purple SparkleSkirt! I got at the expo and my princess Balancing Act Clothing top.  I decided that since this was a Rapunzel race, I had to wear my purple outfit for the 5k. 

Did you run the Tangled Royal Family 5k?  What did you think of it?  Have you ever had a “practice race”? 

A dream is a wish…

--Amy