Tinkerbell Half Marathon Weekend 2014

One of my favorite events of the year is the runDisney Tinkerbell Half Marathon weekend in Disneyland. It usually turns into a crazy girls weekend pretty quickly!

This year I flew in to LAX on Thursday morning.  I got to Disneyland just in time to check into the magical Disneyland Hotel and get to the expo right before it opened.  I worked the entire day at the Sparkle Skirts booth, but managed to get away long enough to pick up my three bibs for the weekend.

Check out my video of the 5k start!

The first race of my runDisney race weekend was the Neverland 5k.  This a a race through Disneyland park, and ends in California Adventure park.  The Neverland 5k hand down offers the best race start of any race I have ever seen or heard of.  The race starts right in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle.  All of the sudden, Tinkerbell herself makes an appearance. Tink flies around the castle and starts the race! So magical!

The second race of the weekend was the Tinkerbell 10k. This race shared a start and finish line with the half marathon. The highlight of this course for me was the Haunted Mansion characters.  I love, love, love seeing and getting pictures with obscure characters.  I have never seen the Haunted Mansion characters before then, so that alone made the race worth doing.

The third race and main event of the weekend was the Tinkerbell Half Marathon. The course started outside of Disneyland park.  We ran around the back of California Adventure park and entered the park in the Paradise Pier section.  They had the "World of Color" music and lights playing.  I love that show!  After we got the rest of the way through CA, we ran across to Disneyland.  After a run around Disneyland, we entered Downtown Disney, then on through the town of Anaheim.

The Tinkerbell Half is my favorite runDisney courses.  I love running down the original Main Street USA, and past the original Disney castle that Walt himself built.  Disneyland holds so much history--us Disney history nerds can't get enough. Another perk of doing a Disneyland  race to us east coasters is that it does not feel as early as it actually is.  Because of the three hour time difference, a 5 am race feel like it starts at 8 am to an east coaster.  I am not a morning person, so I will take every hour I can get.  I can't wait to get back out to Disney for Tink Half Marathon weekend 2015--with a new date of Mothers Day weekend in May.

View of the finish line from my room!

A dream is a wish...

--Amy 

Disneyland Half Marathon 2013

By race morning, I was already exhausted!  With the first part of the Dumbo Double Dare, the 10k, the day before, a day of flying cross country and two days taking in the parks--I was one tired runner!  Good thing the Disneyland Half is a west coast race--it felt like I got to sleep in a little, but a 4 am wake up call is still a 4 am wake up call no matter the time zone.  At the last minute, I decided to dress as Rapunzel--check out this Raw Threads top.  A few days before the race, I donated 12 inches of my hair to Locks of Love.  With this awesome shirt, I got my hair back!  So many people recognized me on the course from my new, shorter 'do.


Staying at a Disney resort made getting to the start a piece of cake!  We rolled out of our room at 5 am for a 5:30 start...it does not get easier than that.  I got to my corral and meet up with some Endurance Sports Connection. This group is such a hoot!  It is easy to pick them out in a crowd--they run with pig balloons. They are always elaborately dressed up and a bunch of fun to hang out with.  This race's costumes--Dumbo and company of course.  The time till the start and until my corral's turn to start went fast with good company.  My corral (D) got our Ready, Set, Go!  Complete with fireworks just for us!
friends at the

The first mile of the race was out and around the back of Disney's California Adventure park.  After about 1.5 miles, we were in the park!  By this time, the sun was coming up.  We entered the park at the end of the Paradise Pier section, right where they show World of Color!  They had the World of Color music playing--I loved it!  Next, we ran through Cars Land, and then Hollywood Land.  Then it was on to Disneyland!  Running up Main Street and toward the castle is always my favorite part of a runDisney event.  It takes my breath away every time.  A big highlight of the Disneyland Half Marathon this year for me was running with Jeff Galloway!  I just happen to see him at the top of Main Street, as we were turning toward Adventureland.  I was so excited to see him!  He is such a personable, and I feel like he made running possible for so many--me included.  I chit chatted with him for a bit.  How cool is that--I ran with an Olympian!

While I was running with Jeff, I also ran into my friend Jackie.  We do lots of local events together, so it was great to see her.  We ended up running the rest of the race together.  We ran through the castle, and of course got some awesome castle pics.  Then it was on past the Matterhorn, then Small World, some "back stage" areas, then out of the park.  In my opinion, this is the down side of the Disneyland races--the first few miles in the parks are amazing, but then there is lots of miles outside of the parks, in Anaheim.

This weekend in Disneyland, it was ridiculously hot and humid!  I have read reports that by 9 am race day it was from 90-94 degrees, 70-80% humidity.  I, like many others, was not prepared for this weather--at all!  Even the water on the course was warm.  It was hot, sticky and miserable.  The sun shined down on us blindingly as we were running toward it.  The conditions were out of anyone's control, the conditions were brutal.

After 5 miles through the streets of Anaheim, we approached mile 9 and could see Angel's Stadium.  This was a fun part of the race--the crowd was amazing!  You feel like a rock star running through a stadium full of fans cheering for you.  After the stadium, we hit mile 10!  I started looking for signs of Disneyland--the Tower of Terror and the Matterhorn.  After about a mile, I could finally see the Matterhorn--I knew I was almost there.  As we got closer and closer to the finish, the crowd started to get thicker.  As we ran again behind California Adventure park, there was a high school marching band paying for us.  It brought me back to my high school days as a cheerleader and gave me a second wind!  I really need that.  After a few more minutes, I saw the mile 13 sign.  Jackie and I started to sprint to the finish!  After a high five from Mickey, I crossed the finish line!

Jackie and I got our Disneyland Half Marathon medal, then our Dumbo Double Dare medal.  The thing I was most thankful for at the finish was a nice cold towel.  After getting some water, Gatorade and some snacks, I headed back to my room for a nice cool shower!  My race clothes were so sweaty, I looked like I
just jumped into the pool.  Like all runDisney events--the Disneyland Half Marathon was a fun race that I was happy to be part of!  I can't wait to runDisney again in January at the Tinkerbell Half Marathon!

Have you done a runDisney event?  Which one was
your favorite?

A dream is a wish...

--Amy

Disneyland 10k

Instead of just a 5k and a Half Marathon for race weekend in Disneyland, runDisney added a new race--a 10k, and a new challenge--the Dumbo Double Dare!  When I first heard about this brand new challenge, I know I had to be a part of it!   The 10k was Saturday morning and then the half was Sunday morning.  Both were great races.  Today, I will tell you about the Disneyland 10k!

Like all runDisney events, this race started early--at 6:15 am.  It was still dark, but the sun had started rise over the Horizon.  I am always a tad nervous on race morning, but I can usually keep it in check until the first runners start.  I am a mid to back of the pack running, so I usually have a good 20ish minutes before the race officially starts and before I cross the starting line.  Of course, the announcers keep it fun--they play up beat songs, they tell silly jokes--its a fun way to pass the time.

Finally it was my turn to start!  In runDisney style, each corral gets a rock star send off with fireworks.  We were off and running!  First we ran the Disney hotels, then toward the Anaheim convention center.  I liked that this course was different than both the Disneyland Half Marathon course and the Tinkerbell Half course.  By the time we ran around the convention center and entered Disney's California Adventure, we were hitting mile two.  By now, the sun had risen and I got a glimpse of CA park.  The Paradise Pier area of the park is my favorite, so I was excited to run through it.  They were playing the "World of Color" song, so I sang along as I ran.  (World of Color is an amazing night time light/water show in CA park!)  Another fun thing for me in the California Adventure was the Monsters University characters/parade floats.  My kids love this movie, so I was so excited to see the characters.


After running in California Adventure, we race across to Disneyland!  That first glimpse of the castle always takes me breath away.  No matter how many times I do a runDisney event or how many times I enter the park gates, its always a special experience to me to see the castle.  One fun thing about a runDisney race is all the time you spend in the "back stage" areas.  For a Disney geek like me, its so cool to see all the behind the scenes stuff!  We got to see extra ride vehicles, parade floats, Christmas decorations in storage and the animals of Disney--so cool, typical park visitors never get to see thing kind of stuff.  After some time in the back stage around came mile five and the big event, the reason people do runDisney events--the run through the castle!  This time, I turned my iPhone around so you could run through the castle with me.  Check out my video.

After the castle run, runners made their way through New Orleans Square, then out of the park and through Down Town Disney to the finish.  Down Town Disney was lined with people cheering the running on.  I could see other runners who had finished wearing their medals.  I could not wait to get mine!  I ran into one of my running friends about a half mile from the finish line.  We decided to sprint to the finish together!  After high fiveing Mickey, I crossed the finish for the first ever runDisney 10k!

I got my medal, water and snacks and started to walk back to my hotel.  I saw another running friend alone the way who was cheering on the last of the finishers.  I decided to stay with her to cheer on the rest of the runners.  After a few minutes, I could see these little golf carts--the sweepers.  I was so happy for the people just in front of them, but sad for the
people on the golf carts.  After that is was off to the shower for me, then to Disneyland to meet my friends for a character breakfast!  Next up, the Disneyland Half Marathon!

A dream is a wish...

--Amy

Never Land Family Fun Run 5k

No runDisney race weekend is complete without the doing the 5k Family Fun Run.  This past Saturday, I did the Never Land Family Fun Run 5k as a warm up for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon.  I woke up super early and tip-toed around my room at the Disneyland Hotel as to not wake up my roommates.  Once I was ready, I walked through Downtown Disney to Disneyland.

This 5k is by far been my favorite runDisney 5k yet!  First off, we started the race inside Disneyland--right in front of the castle.  The start line was at the top of Main Street.  Runners lined up down Main Street waiting for the race to start.  As an amazingly special treat, Tinkerbell her self got the race started.  She was flying above the castle, waving her wand, sprinkling us all with pixie dust!  It was a real life, life size, real person Tinkerbell!  It was so magically breath taking.

Runners started out by rushing past Matterhorn Mountain, then past It's a Small World.  After that, we ran about a half mile in the "back stage" area of Disneyland.  For a Disney geek like me, this is super cool!  This is a place that so few guests ever get to see.  We ran though this really long tunnel--super cool.  We ran past parade floats and live animals.  We got to see where all the magic is staged. After the back stage area, we ran through New Orleans Square, then Critter Country.  After that, it was out of Disneyland and into California Adventure.

We hit all the high points in California Adventure--Hollywood, Cars Land, and Paradise Pier!  What I love about 5k's in Disneyland is that its possible to see all the big landmarks in such a relatively short distance race.  It takes a full marathon in Walt Disney World to see all the big highlights.  The finish line for the Never Land Family 5k Fun Run was at the end of Paradise Pier.  Starting and ending a race inside the park makes it all that more magical.  As always, runDisney put on a great race!

A dream is a wish...

--Amy

Disneyland Half Marathon part II

To read part I, click here!

As we exited Disney property, it began to get very hot and very sunny.  We turned a corner and the sun blinded me.  I could not see the course ahead of me.  I could not even run because I was afraid I would trip. I do usually run with sunglasses, but I usually end up not using them so I left them behind.  We run up a ramp over an expressway, and then back down it.  The sun was still blinding me.  Thankfully, we made a turn and the sun was to my left.

From studying the course map before hand, I knew that Angle Stadium was at mile nine.  This time in the race, I was at mile marker six.  I began looking for the stadium in the distance.  To pass the miles in Anaheim, there was all kinds of non-Disney entertainment.  There was classic cars, high school bands, high school cheerleaders and dance teams.  I was very impressed with all of this.  My biggest concern with this race was all the miles off Disney property and through the town of Anaheim.  They did a great job at keeping the race fun, even though we were off Disney property.

By mile eight, I could see Angle Stadium in the distance.  As we got closer and closer, there were lots of community groups there cheering us on.  I saw Boy Scouts and local running clubs giving out snacks on the sidelines.  Then we arrived at the stadium.  The stadium was not full, but there was a lot of people in the stands cheering the runners on.  As we ran by, the runners were all shown on the jumbo screen.  The DJ inside the stadium was fun and gave me a second wind.

Leaving the stadium, I knew I had three miles left--the toughest three miles of the race.  I ran into a friend, Megan, and we chatted a bit.  The course was still filled with entertainment--mostly cheerleader.  I could see the Tower of Terror ride in the distance.  I knew I was getting close!

As we got back to Disney property, we still had a mile to go.  We ran behind California Adventure, just where we had around mile two.  I could see the Paradise Pier hotel in the distance.  Once I got there, it was just a quarter mile to the finish.  At this time, I felt a surge of energy!  I ran that last quarter mile strong and crossed the finish line.

Going through the finisher chute is always a bit overwhelming to me.  I was handed a cool towel and then my medal!  My next stop was the Coast to Coast challenge booth where I got my Coast to Coast medal.  Exiting the runners area, I grabbed a water, a power aid and a runner's snack box.  I did it!  I completed my fourth half marathon.  Then I headed back to my room for a shower and to get something to eat!

A dream is a wish...

Disneyland Half Marathon

Last Sunday I had the privileged of participating in the runDisney Disneyland Half Marathon and completing the runDisney Coast to Coast Challenge!  The race was such an amazing experience.  I can't not wait to tell you all about it!

Race morning started out like most other--early!  The girls in my room and I got up at 4:30am.  We got dressed and left the room by 5:00am.   One thing I love about west coast races is that, due to the 3 hour time difference, the start did not feel as early.  I try to stick to Eastern time when I only go for a few days by getting up early each day of the trip.  A 4:30am wake up call does not feel as early in California as it does in Pennsylvania.

The great thing about staying at a Disneyland hotel is that we could walk to the start.  It was so nice to not have to wait for a bus and the make a ride to the start. When we got to the corrals, it was very crowded. My friends/roommates--Danielle, Chelsea and I were all in corral D.  We barely fit!  The race got started at 5:45am.  The race DJ's were good, but the start was rather uneventful.  I was expecting fireworks and a big send off for each corral.  Each corral got there own "Ready, Set, Go" but that is really it.   There was a huge TV screen showing the send off of each corral.  I really enjoyed that.

The beginning of the race went past the Grand Californian Hotel and then the Paradise Pier Hotel, where I was staying.  We made a turn and run behind California Adventure Park.  In the road were these big reflectors, each about an inch high.  At about the .5 mile distance, an older man tripped on one and feel.  He smashed his face and his nose was bleeding.  Some police that were directing traffic jumped into action and helped him off the course.  I hope he is ok!

By about mile 1.5, we entered California Adventure Park.  We entered the park in the Paradise Pier section--right near the roller coaster.  All the exciting rides really got me pumped!  After running through Paradise Pier, we ran over the bridge and toward Cars Land!  We did not run through Cars Land, but got a great view of it running by.  Next was the Back lot and Hollywood land!  This is where the California version of the Tower of Terror is.  My favorite new part of California Adventure is the Carthy Circle--a replica of where Walt Disney opened his first full length film--Snow White.  This is part of the complete transformation to California Adventure.  We exited CA and ran the short distance into Disneyland!

We entered Disneyland though an employee/service entrance.  We turned the corner and I got a glimpse of the castle!  Wow, it took my breathe away!  We headed toward Frontierland and then back behind Fantasyland.  Here I was--the big moment--the run through the castle.  This, to me, is the big moment of the race, even more than the start or finish.  So magical!

After the castle, it was on to the rest of Fantasyland, including my favorite Disneyland mountain--the Matterhorn.  This ride is like a tamer version of Expedition Everest in the Animal Kingdom.  After Fantasyland, we ran through Toon Town.  Toon Town is something extra special in Disneyland because it no longer exists in Walt Disney World.  When we were done in Toon Town, we exited Disneyland but were still on Disney property.  We were in that mystical place called the staging area.  I loved seeing all the pumpkins and fall decorations ready to decorate the fall.  One not so pleasant area of the staging area was the Disneyland Farm.  This is where all the Disneyland animals live--like the main street transpiration horses.  The horses were so stinky!  Did you know that all the "pardoned" presidential turkeys go to the Disneyland farm?

By the time we exited Disney property, we were only at mile 4.  I so enjoyed my run in the Disneyland parks.  It was nice to have them so close together.  Disneyland is so magical!  Running there was such a blessing.

To read about the second half of the race, click here...

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

Disneyland

Sleeping Beauty's Castle (photo by Danielle Ryan)

I just got back from an amazing trip to Disneyland!  My main reason for crossing the country was to run in the runDisney Disneyland Half Marathon.  I am not going to lie, I was just as excited to visit Disneyland again   as I was to run in the race.  I love Disneyland!  It's the original--its the park that Walt built.  His spirit can be felt all over the place.

My favorite DL mountain--The Matterhorn

I am the Disneyland guru at my travel agency.  People often ask me which I like better--Disneyland or Walt Disney World?  Well, that is a tough question!  Usually the one I like best is the one I was at most recently.  Honestly, I can not answer that question.  I love the size of WDW.  There is always something new to do or see, even when you go as often as I do.  The history and nostalgia of Disneyland can not be beat.  I tell people I can not chose my favorite.  And then I ask them theirs.  If I hear that they have not been to both, I then insist they go!  As similar as the two parks are on the surface, they have two distantly different feels.

Splash Mountain

The Magic Kingdom in WDW and Disneyland are very similar.  In both parks, guests enter the park to a Main Street.  At the end of each Main Street sits a beautiful castle.  Both parks have a lot of the same rides--Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, Small World, ect.  While these rides are not exactly the same at each park, they are similar enough to hold the same name.  Disneyland has more rides than the Magic Kingdom, but it is a smaller park.  My favorite ride in Disneyland is the Matterhorn, a mountain ride that is similar to Expedition Everest in WDW's Animal Kingdom.

The Haunted Mansion

The Disneyland Resort is much smaller than WDW.  The Disneyland Resort has just two theme parks, Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure. The resort has just three resort hotels.  I will tell you more about this on another day!  If you have any questions or want more information on a Disney vacation, contact me at amy@mousekeplanner.com

A dream is a wish....

--Amy