runDisney Tinkerbell Half Marathon Meetup

On Friday morning, I was so given the opportunity to attend the runDisney Tinkerbell Half Marathon meetup.  I was beyond excited when I found out I was attending, but the experience was so much better than I had even imagined!

It was still dark when those of us chosen to attend gathered at the Sorcerer's hat just outside the Disneyland Hotel.  Each attendant was asked to check in with the runDisney rep and sign our waiver.  We then got our exclusive, only for attendants black runDisney tech top.  I meet up with some of the runners at the event, many of whom I know from reading their blogs but never in person.

We all gathered around the Sorcerer's hat to listen to Bob Hitchcock, the big guy at runDisney.  He welcomed everyone and introduced the special guested--Ali Vincent from the Biggest Loser, actor Sean Astin, Tara Gidus, and the New Balance rep. Jeff Galloway spoke for a bit and explained that we would be doing his run/walk/run method for the meetup. Our intervals were :30/:30.  We started our run from the Disneyland Hotel toward Disneyland while running through Downtown Disney--an outdoor mall type area full of fun shops and restaurants.

As typical for me, my first glimpse of the castle always takes my breath away.  It was so beautiful running through the castle just as the sun was coming up.  After about a mile into our run, we stopped for our first surprise -a meet and greet with Tinkerbell herself.  At this time, I stopped to chat with Ali Vincent.  I did not know who she was before that morning.  It was amazing how much our stories paralleled.  I was inspired by her positive attitude. We chatted for a while, and when the run started again we ran together for a while.

After meeting with Tink, we ran to California Adventure.    The park is so beautiful and unlike any of the Walt Disney World parks.  It celebrates everything that California is known for--Hollywood, the beach, its history, and cars!  After our run was over, some other very special guests paid us a visit--Minnie, Mickey and Goofy--all in their 1920's attire.  The runDisney folks gave us plenty of time to get all the pictures we wanted.  Then they announced our next big surprise -that we all were riding Radiator Springs Racers!

This ride is the hottest ride right now is all of the Disney parks.  It features the characters of the "Cars" movies, as they race through Radiator Springs. My little group ran over to be the first in line.  I got to be in the very first car of the day!  After the ride, while we waited for everyone else to ride, we got to meet some of the Cars characters.  Once everyone had a chance to ride, runDisney Bob announced another surprise -we were having breakfast at Napa Rose!

Napa Rose is a five star restaurant in the Grand California Hotel.  They offer an amazing gourmet food and wine menu.  I have always wanted to eat there, but the price and the dress code have kept me away--until the meet up!  It felt so strange to be there is sweating running clothes.  We got into the dining room and found our seats.  I sat with some of the girls I had meet that morning.  The Napa Rose had prepared a wonderful breakfast spread for us--bagels, danish, fruit, yogurt, assorted juices and of course coffee.  It was perfect after a run.

Once we all had eaten our breakfast, it was time for the speakers.  runDisney's Bob Hitchcock started it off by thanking us all for attending and being so devoted to runDisney events.  Up next was the New Balance rep.  The latest runDisney phenomenon is the runDisney themed New Balance shoes.  The rep told us they are simply overwhelmed by the demand for these shoes.  Then he did a drawing for four pairs of the shoes!  I did not win, but I will have them one day!  Hopefully I will get them at the Princess expo.

Next up to speak was Sean Astin, an actor turn runner.  He told us about his #run3rd campaign.  First, we run for ourselves, second we ran for our families, but then we all should run third.  Run third can be for anything--any cause we believe.  Cancer research ( my #run3rd) , diabetes, children's charities, military,  domestic violence, ect--the list can go on and on.  The important thing is that we all #run3rd.  That we all have something important out there to keep us running, that we help others while we do something good for ourselves--to give back!  I was so moved by hearing Astin speak.  It was nothing I expected to here from him, but something I was blessed to hear.

The next speaker was Ali Vincent, the first women to win The Biggest Loser.  I heard so much of her story along the run, but she is so fun to listen to.  She is so animated and positive!  After Ali, we heard from Tara Gidus, the runDisney nutritionist.  Along with Tara giving us some nutritional tips, we also got a cooking demo from the Napa Rose chefs on how to cook a great post run black bean cake and poached egg breakfast.

As the festivities winded down, Bob announced the biggest giveaway yet--a free entry into the Dumbo Double Dare!  Again, I did not win, but that is ok.  I got to attend the event--that was enough for me.  Bob thanked everyone for coming and announced our last surprise -that we all were getting a free one day park hopper pass!  I was so excited!  What a great way to end an amazing event! As we were leaving I thanked Jeff Galloway for changing my life.  I quickly told him my story.  Just as the other times I have met him, he seemed genuinely interested.  I stopped over and quickly told Bob Hitchcock my story too and thanked him for running runDisney.  I would not be where I am today without the runDisney experience and I wanted to make sure they know how important what they do is to so many of us out here.

There is not other way to describe this experience other than amazing.  It was surreal, for a complete Disney geek like me, it was unbelievable!  Thank you so much runDisney for giving me this opportunity!

A dream is a wish...

--Amy

Cars Land 5k Road Rally

This past Saturday, I had the privileged of participating in the Cars Land 5k Road Rally--part of the Disneyland Half Marathon weekend.  Race morning started like usual--early!  The difference in Disneyland (if you stay at a Disneyland resort hotel) is that I could walk to the start.  This saved so much time and allowed me to sleep in so much longer (something I am a big fan of!).  I got up at 5:45 and got to the start by 6:15 for a 6:45 start time.

The pre race area was so fun, the a DJ and lots of actors dressed as car mechanics.  Their antics were very amusing to pass the time before the race start.  The DJ and actors got the race started with lots of fun and jokes.  The first mile of the race was by far the most crowded and boring.  Basically, we ran from the huge Mickey and Minnie parking garage to the front of Disneyland park.  This was the most chaotic 5k start I have been park of.  There were people with strollers, groups walking, runners running like they were in the Olympics and parents literally dragging their little kids behind them.  All of the weaving in and out was dangerous! Several people tripped and fell.  After we got to the front of Disneyland, the crowd thinned out a lot and the race became much more enjoyable.

Entering Disneyland always takes my breath away.  I love that place!  It's the original--the park that Walt built!  This was my first time into Disneyland for this trip. We entered Disneyland next to Splash Mountain.  We then ran past Tom Sawyer Island, the Haunted Mansion and New Orleans Square.  This is one of my favorite parts of Disneyland--because it is not part of the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.  Leaving New Orleans Square, I got a glimpse of the Dream Suite, or what used to be Walt Disney's Disneyland apartment.

Next, we ran through Frontierland and then into Fantasyland!   I got my first glimpse of the Matterhorn--my favorite mountain in Disneyland, and something else that can not been found in Florida.  Something fun they did to make the race more memorable is to have Peter Pan, Wendy and the pirates riding the carousel and waving to runners as they ran by.  Up next was my favorite part of a Disney race--the trip through the Castle!  It is always a magical experience to walk through a Disney castle.  As a runner, it is even more magical to run through it!

After the castle, we ran past the Matterhorn and past some more of Fantasyland.  Fantasyland in Disneyland is bigger than in WDW in Florida (at least as of now, until the expansion in FL in complete).  After Fantasyland, we ran through Tomorrowland and then down Main Street USA.  I turn around to get one last look at Sleeping Beauties Castle before leaving Disneyland.  Just a short run through Down Town Disney and we were in California Adventure park.

Disney's California Adventure park highlights all of classic California. We entered the park in the Golden State area, complete with a rapids ride that travels around a huge grizzly bear mountain.  Then we entered Paradise Pier.  This area looks like a classic California beach front boardwalk, complete with a ferris wheel and roller coaster.  After Paradise Pier, we entered Cars Land!  This is a brand new area of Disney's California Adventure.  It is amazing! They made the area look so realistic to the movie.  You actually feel like you are in the movie, in Radiator Springs.  The finish line was right in from of the Radiator Springs fire house.

I will tell you more about Cars Land and California Adventure later.  There were lands in CA that the race did not enter, but that are to cool to not tell you about.  The Cars Land 5k Road Rally was an amazing experience.  I am so happy I got to be a part of it.

A dream is a wish...

--Amy