5 Great Reasons to RunDisney | Guest Post

Hi everyone! Since I haven't been posting much in the way of Disney content lately, and I still need to introduce my lovely blogging buddy Becky, I thought having her join us for a guest post would be perfect. She blogs over at Disney In Your Day, so please take the time to visit her!

Today she's sharing her top 5 reasons why someone should participate in a RunDisney race. She has done many different RunDisney races before, and just recently finished the Disneyland Half Marathon which also netted her a Coast to Coast Medal! She's definitely passionate about running!

1. Characters

This is one of the coolest, most unique aspects of doing a RunDisney race.  Where else can you go for a run but stop every once in awhile to grab a photo with a famous Disney character?  As long as you’re still sticking to a 16 minute per mile pace even with character stops, you can take the time to get photos.  It’s a nice break from running, and many of the characters they have out during the races are the more “rare” ones – for instance, the heroes during the Princess Half Marathon is a popular stop, featuring Prince Eric, Aladdin, Hercules, and John Smith.  I’ve also come across Dr. Facilier, the Fairy Godmother, the Queen of Hearts, and many others that would be difficult to meet during regular park going experiences.

2. The sights

Even if you enjoy running, it can definitely get boring from time to time.  If you’re going 13.1 miles, it’s a long trip.  At home my practice runs seem to drag on, but when you’re actually at Disney there’s so much to see and take in that it distracts from the distance (and the pain!).  Depending which race you do, you’ll see different areas of the parks.  The Princess Half Marathon takes you right down Main Street of the Magic Kingdom and through the castle.  The Enchanted 10k does a loop around the World Showcase in Epcot.  And Disneyland races go through both parks as well as the streets of Anaheim.

3. The bling

While for me running is about so much more than just the reward at the end, there’s no denying that getting a nice medal when you’re done is an awesome bonus treat.  And Disney has some of the coolest medals I’ve ever seen.  Every race gets one, even the 5k and the kids races.  Plus, Disney has a lot of challenges that come with their own medal (such as running the 10k and half marathon in one weekend, or running a half marathon on both the east coast and the west coast in one year for the coveted “coast to coast” medal).

4. Costumes

This may not be an incentive for everyone, but I love any excuse to get dressed up.  Many people at Disney races will dress in costumes – usually of Disney characters – and the creativity you see is amazing.  Even if you don’t want to get dressed up yourself, just looking at what others have come up with is entertainment in and of itself.  One of my favorite things to do to prepare for a race is pick a character and put a costume together.

5. Low Pressure running

When I mention RunDisney, a lot of people say something like, “I would love to do a Disney race but I can’t really run.”  But Disney is the perfect place to start!  Many people are running their first race, and the atmosphere isn’t too competitive.  I would say the majority of people there are Disney fans first and runners second, so you definitely get an atmosphere of Disney love rather than competition.  The pace requirement is relatively low for Disney, but you do still have to be able to keep a 16 minute per mile pace.  As long as you can do that, you can RunDisney!  Start with a 5k and I have a feeling you’ll be hooked! :)

Have you ever Run Disney?  What are you reasons for doing so?