UPDATE: Click here for a complete list of attendees. If you are on the list and did not receive a confirmation email, please contact us at WDW.SportsMeetUps@Disney.com. Please note that we will not be responding to questions via this email address. If you have questions, please ask them on the Disney Parks Blog, and we will do our best to answer them.

UPDATE: We have reached capacity! Thanks for everyone’s interest in the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Meet-Up and Warm-Up, and we appreciate your quick responses. At approximately 2 p.m. ET, we will send the meet-up attendees a confirmation email. If you are on the list and did not receive a confirmation email, please contact us at WDW.SportsMeetUps@Disney.com. By 3 p.m. ET, we will post a link to the complete list of attendees. Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for additional unique opportunities in the future.

It’s a celebration of the 20th Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna and we’re planning the biggest and best runDisney meet-up yet.

The upcoming early morning event, planned for Friday, January 11, will feature several well-known former endurance stars, as well as Hollywood celebs, to help get everyone ready for the big weekend.

Plans are for our first “corral” of personalities to include Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson, New York and Boston Marathon champion Bill Rodgers, Runner’s World columnist Bart Yasso and athlete/television host Dick Beardsley.

One of the celebs planning to attend is singer, dancer and actor, and now runner, Joey Fatone, who is taking on the Goofy Race and A Half Challenge. Fatone was a late addition to the weekend lineup of celebrities running Disney.

Rarely last, and most certainly not least, no marathon meet-up would be complete without runDisney’s official training consultant, Jeff Galloway, who has run all 19 previous Disney marathons. The former Olympian and developer of the Run-Walk-Run training method will share his experiences and expertise as well.

And of course, there might be a Disney personality or two there as well.

Space is limited. If you don’t want to be left out in the cold, RSVP right now to WDW.SportsMeetUps@Disney.com. Only a limited number of qualified runners will be selected to participate, so be one of the first to apply.

In the meantime, here are a few things you should know:

• All selected participants must be available for a 7 a.m. ET start time on Friday, January 11.
• Qualified applicants will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis.
• A valid photo ID is required. Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
• Limit to one RSVP per individual. Applicants sending RSVPs from more than one email address will be disqualified.
• Valid RSVPs must include your name. RSVPs that include more than one person or are missing information (e.g. incomplete names) will not be accepted.
• Admittance to the event is non-transferable and limited to the selected applicant; no additional guests please.
• The event and individual/celebrity appearances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
• Because this is a running-oriented event, we require that applicants be experienced runners, able to maintain a 12-minute per mile pace (qualified).
• Selected applicants attending the meet-up are not required to purchase admission.
• We will send an email to selected applicants who sent their valid RSVP via email before we reached capacity to confirm their attendance for Friday. We plan to send this email at approximately 2 p.m. ET today, and we will also post a link on the Disney Parks Blog that will include a list of names of all selected applicants. If you do not receive an email from us confirming your reservation and your name does not appear on the list of selected applicants, your RSVP was not selected.

If you’re looking to gain tips and training advice from Galloway as well as our nutrition expert Tara Gidus, they will also be available at the upcoming Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Expo. For more information, and also for additional Galloway and Gidus training details, please visit www.runDisney.com.

Tagged: Meet-Up, runDisney, Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, WDW

Filed: Celebrity Visits, Special Events, Walt Disney World Resort

I am excited to let you know the Happiest Race on Earth just got happier! Today runDisney announced the 2013 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend is expanding with the addition of the Disneyland 10K at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Cal.

The new 10K will be a timed event and take runners through Disneyland park, Disney California Adventure park and on the streets of Anaheim. As with all runDisney races, participants will receive a newly designed finishers medal.

Runners looking for a bigger challenge can register for the Dumbo Double Dare. A limited number of runners will have the opportunity to take the dare and run the Disneyland 10K on Saturday and the Disneyland Half Marathon on Sunday – 19.3 miles total. Finishers will receive a special finisher medal to help celebrate their accomplishments, in addition to the half marathon and 10K medals.

The 10K is one of the most popular race distances for runners, next to the 5K and half marathon. With race weekends featuring kids races, 5K, 10K, 10-Miler, half marathons and a marathon, runDisney offers runners at every level a chance to experience a runDisney event, run through Disney theme parks and earn coveted Disney medals.

Registration for all Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend races opens on January 22, 2013. Last year, the popular half marathon sold out in little more than a month, so I encourage interested runners to act quickly. For more information about the race weekend and other runDisney events, go to www.rundisney.com.

On behalf of myself and some special friends in the video below, I invite you to join us August 30 – September 1, 2013, at Disneyland Resort.

Tagged: DLR, runDisney, Video

Filed: Disneyland Resort

UPDATE: Click here for a complete list of attendees. If you are on the list and did not receive a confirmation email, please contact us at WDW.SportsMeetUps@disney.com. Please note that we will not be responding to questions via this email address. If you have questions, please ask them on the Disney Parks Blog, and we will do our best to answer them.

UPDATE: We have reached capacity! Thanks for everyone’s interest in the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend Meet-Up and Warm-Up, and we appreciate your quick responses. At approximately 12 p.m. ET, we will send the meet-up attendees a confirmation email. If you are on the list and did not receive a confirmation email, please contact us at WDW.SportsMeetUps@disney.com. By 1 p.m. ET, we will post a link to the complete list of attendees. Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for additional unique opportunities in the future.

If you’re looking to gain tips and training advice from Gidus and Galloway, they will also be available at the upcoming Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend Expo on Friday and Saturday. For more information, and for additional Galloway and Gidus training details, please visit www.runDisney.com.

What better way to get ready for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend than by hanging out with runDisney’s newest consultant, Tara Gidus – or as she’s affectionately known, the “Diet Diva.”

If you’re looking for better ways to fuel yourself, before or during a race, or how best to recover, this meet-up is for you. Along with serving as official nutritionist for runDisney, Gidus is also an author and team dietitian for the Orlando Magic.

In addition to Gidus, there will be a short training run led by runDisney training consultant Jeff Galloway, plus a couple surprises along the way. Anton Van Zyl, winner of the past two Wine & Dine races, will also be on hand for the morning event.

Galloway, who has run all 19 Walt Disney World Marathons as well as other runDisney events, is well known for his popular Run-Walk-Run training method, and the expertise he’ll share with the 40 selected applicants has helped thousands of runners complete their first marathons and improve their race times.

If you don’t want to be left in the dust, RSVP right now to WDW.SportsMeetUps@Disney.com. Only 40 qualified runners will be selected to participate, so be one of the first to apply.

In the meantime, here are a few things you should know:

• All participants must be available for a 7 a.m. ET start time on Friday, November 9.
• Qualified applicants will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis.
• A valid ID is required. Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
• Limit to one RSVP per email address.
• Valid RSVPs must include your name. RSVPs that include more than one person or are missing information (e.g. incomplete names) will not be accepted.
• Admittance to the event is non-transferable and limited to the selected applicant; no additional guests please.
• The event and individual appearances are subject to change or cancellation.
• Because this is a running-oriented event, we ask that applicants be experienced runners, able to maintain a 12-minute per mile pace (qualified).
• Selected applicants attending the meet-up are not required to purchase admission.
• We will send an email to selected qualified applicants who sent their valid RSVP via email before we reached capacity to confirm their attendance for Friday. We plan to send this email at approximately 2 p.m. ET today, and we will also post a link on the Disney Parks Blog that will include a list of names of all selected qualified applicants. If you do not receive an email from us confirming your reservation and your name does not appear on the list of selected applicants, you were not selected.

Tagged: Meet-Up, runDisney, WDW

Filed: Walt Disney World Resort

UPDATE: And the winning costume, with 32% of votes, is…The Hotel Staff! Congratulations as well to 2nd and 3rd place, The Hollywood Tower and Elevator (24% of votes) and Mr. Smee, Captain Hook and Tick-Tock (18% of votes).

Sure, tomorrow’s the day for great Halloween costumes but we spotted some of the best we’ve seen this season at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler. If you haven’t run this one yet, the 10-Miler is a nighttime road race that ends in the shadows of the attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. And of course, amazing costumes are part of the event.

Today, we want to know which runDisney 10-Miler Halloween costume (or costumes) you like best. Vote for your favorite in our Disney Parks Blog poll below and then keep an eye out for the winning runner or group of runners.

Thanks to Disney Photographer Ali Nasser for the photos.

Tagged: DHS, Halloween, runDisney, WDW

Filed: Disney's Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World Resort

When you consider all of the cool new features we’ve added to this event lately, this news should come as no surprise: The 20th Anniversary Walt Disney World Marathon presented by Cigna is sold out.

Yep, the last spot has been snapped up, pushing the total number of registered runners over the 25,000 mark, ensuring this will be the largest marathon field in Disney history. And it went fast, selling out less than five months after registration opened. As best as anyone around here can tell, this is one of the quickest sellouts in the event’s history.

There’s no doubt part of the appeal of the race is the many commemorative features, such as the new twists to the 26.2-mile course (it goes through the Walt Disney World Speedway and the Champion Stadium ballpark), the new Mickey Mouse medal, the post-race party at Downtown Disney and the slew of celebrity runners who have signed up to run. Indeed, the 2013 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, January 10-13, is going to be unlike any we’ve ever staged.

But if you’re kicking yourself for not signing up sooner, all is not lost. You can still get in on the 20th anniversary marathon fever here in a couple of different ways. One of the best ways is by signing up through a group with reserved entries, such as the Runner’s World Challenge package, which involves several exclusive features, expert training advice and VIP amenities, in addition to entry into the marathon. You can sign up for it and other runDisney race weekends at runDisney.com.

Also, there are a few spots left in the Disney Half Marathon and Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge, which involves running the half marathon and the marathon on consecutive days. Granted, that’s a lot of running, but if you think that’s too much to endure in order to be a part of this 20th anniversary weekend, consider this: You’ll have to wait another 16 months for the next Walt Disney World Marathon.

Read these posts for more about the 2013 Walt Disney World Marathon:

• The Magic Behind Mickey’s 20th Anniversary Walt Disney World Marathon Medal
• 20th Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend is Going Hollywood
• New 20th Anniversary Walt Disney World Marathon Medal Revealed

Tagged: runDisney, Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, WDW

Filed: Special Events, Walt Disney World Resort

Just one year ago, Laura Patterson survived a stroke – and this weekend she completed the Disneyland Half Marathon! After learning to walk again, Laura went on to running and hasn’t stopped – all the way through the finish line this past Sunday. Watch her triumphant finish alongside her coach and friends.

Did you finish the Disneyland Half Marathon this weekend? Tell us your story in the comments!

Tagged: DLR, runDisney, Video

Filed: Disneyland Resort, Special Events

It’s fitting that Disneyland Half Marathon winner Jimmy Grabow is from a town named Running Springs, Calif., because today he ran through Radiator Springs on his way to setting a new record in the race, finishing in 1:05:29. That’s nearly two minutes faster than the previous mark, set by Paul Ngeny (1:07:24) in 2011! Cindy Lynch, of Cardif, Calif., took home the women’s title, speeding through the finish with a time of 1:24:45. Close behind, Kellie Nickerson (who won the inaugural Tinker Bell Half Marathon in January) finished in 1:26:29.

Grabow and Lynch joined actor Sean Astin and more than 17,000 registered runners sold-out half marathon field included runners ages 14 – 78 from all 50 states and 19 countries. Racers traveled down Route 66 through Cars Land for the first time, also passing through Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks, Angel Stadium and the streets of Anaheim.

Tagged: DLR, runDisney

Filed: Disneyland Resort, Special Events