As of writing this, I’ve run seven runDisney events. I have done two in-person half marathons, an in-person 10k, three virtual 5ks, and a virtual half marathon. Those three half marathons are the only ones I’ve done, and I did them all this year. Running is relatively new to me; I discovered my love of it about 2 years ago, and I’ve been doing it ever since. But there is truly nothing like a race through Walt Disney World, so I’ve got some tips to help you through your first runDisney event!
Be ready to spend money.
Disney isn’t a cheap place, and the runs are no different. I spent about $540 on a challenge set (10k and half marathon, plus commemorative pins). That’s before flights, hotel stay, visiting the parks, eating, and the expo. If you’re going to do a runDisney event, know that your registration fee is going to be (probably) the highest you’ve ever paid, and it’s not the only thing you’re going to spend money on.
Prepare for the heat.
Florida is almost always hot and humid. Heat and humidity can ruin races for runners; if your body isn’t ready for thicker air and higher temperatures, you may be out of luck. Many sources suggest starting your heat training 12 weeks before your event. Heat training is when you make your body more warm than usual during your run. I trained with extra layers before my first runDisney event, and it did help.
Hydrate.
No matter where you’re running, you need to hydrate. You need to be constantly replenishing not just the water in your body, but the electrolytes as well. I make sure to drink Propel or Powerade before every run I do, so my electrolytes are high, and I’m hydrated. I also keep a water bottle with me while running, and stop at every possible water station. Also, Disney is helpful in marking where the water stations are on the course map.
Be ready to not PR.
PR stands for Personal Record. Basically, in running, it’s when you try to get your fastest race. I am not a fast runner; I’ve gained speed through practice, but I do not plan to ever be fast. These races have way too much to do for you to worry about hitting a PR here; if you’re running for PR, you’ll probably miss all the characters!
Mind your time.
It feels a little silly, putting this directly after “don’t PR,” but you do need to watch your time with these races. If you go too slowly, you will be swept, and you won’t finish the race. If you’re planning on meeting characters, be aware of the length of their lines, and prioritize your favorites. This means knowing your pace, and practicing (possibly) to run faster to make sure you can make it through character lines.
Bottlenecks happen, and they suck.
Bottlenecking is when an area slims from a large space to a smaller space. These are difficult to run in, because some people aren’t aware of their surroundings, and will walk slowly, in the middle, even in these areas. Don’t be that guy. Watch out for bottlenecks, and step to the side while walking.
Follow the rules.
In conjunction with bottlenecks, there are rules that remind us to be courteous runners. Moving to the side with a hand raised when you start walking, not running or walking two abreast, and other simple things are very important to remember. They are all listed in the digital event guide that you get before your run, and are brought up on the morning of the race as well.
Don’t forget to smile.
This is probably the silliest of these tips, but I found it a really important thing to focus on. While training, I made sure to smile every time a car was in my line of sight. Not so the people in the cars would think I loved running, but because I didn’t know how many photographers would be on the course. It seems a bit vain to talk about, but I worked so stinking hard to get to these races, that I knew I wanted good race photos. And if I practiced smiling, it made me ready to smile as soon as I saw Photopass, which made my photos killer, and helped out people in front of me (their photos wouldn’t be ruined by my RBF in the background). An additional bonus: smiling can actually improve your mood! So by smiling during runs, I came to enjoy running even more.
Have fun.
Last, and definitely not least is the most important tip; have fun! Yes, you trained hard, and paid a lot of good money for this, but you deserve to enjoy doing something that not everyone gets to do! I think that if you can handle it financially and physically, a runDisney event is something you should try. If you’re looking for a less expensive trial, you can sign up for the Virtual Shorts this summer, and still earn that Disney Bling!
I have had nothing but fun at the runDisney events I’ve done, both in Florida and at home. My mum and I are planning on doing the Princess Half next February, and I would like to do the Coast to Coast (a half marathon each in California and Florida in one calendar year), and the Castle to Chateau (a half marathon each in the US and Paris in one calendar year) Challenges at some point.
If you have questions about the events I’ve done, or just want to share your experience, feel free to comment below and contact me via my social media below! Have a magical day!
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