2015 Jingle Jungle 5k Race Recap

One of the biggest takeaways from last year's Wine & Dine Half Marathon was that I wished we had registered to run Mickey's Jingle Jungle 5k that morning. So this year, I made good on that wish and registered for both!

Rachel wasn't able to snag a precious registration spot for the 5k this year, so I was going it solo that morning. With some clever costume repurposing by my mom (thanks to my friend Bridget, who gave up part of her Halloween costume for my cape), I was fully embracing the holiday theme to this race by dressing as Belle in "Something There" (you know - this beautiful dress).

This is definitely one of my favorite costumes I've run in so far, but that cape did NOT make running any easier in the heat and humidity we faced that morning! Not to mention the constant mistaking for Little Red Riding Hood. Where she features in Disney, I don't know, but I sure stumped the DJ for about ten minutes that morning as he tried to figure out who I was!

Now that Expedition Everest is no more, the Jingle Jungle is the only Disney World 5k that doesn't run through Epcot. A welcome change, especially coming up on Marathon weekend, when I'll be running through Epcot every morning of the Dopey Challenge! The course weaves its way through Animal Kingdom (starting and finishing in its parking lot), and packed 6 character stops into 3.1 miles, plus ops with a festively dressed Mickey and Minnie at the start line.

Starting near the front of Corral B, I managed to stop for 5 out of 6 of the on-course characters stops, and almost made it to Goofy and Donald before they closed the line off to encourage runners to the finish. Will have to pick up my pace just a tad to get all of them in next year!

This race is absolutely going down as one of my favorite runDisney events to date. I loved the course through Animal Kingdom (particularly later that evening when AK was cut to make the W&D course shorter!), loved how many characters were out, and loved the holiday theme. I'll absolutely be back next year...and have an eye on Minnie's Christmas outfit as a race costume!

2015 Wine and Dine Half-Marathon Race Recap

2014: Wine and Dine Half-Marathon aka  Splash and Dash

2015: Wine and Dine Half-Marathon   Quarter Marathon

2016: ......TBD...


If you are a Disney runner then you have heard all the fun of the evacuation, race delay, and course shortening, but before we get to all that drama lets look back at the fun bits.


Sara and I had an early flight out of DC, but luckily we found coffee.

Someone's homemade ears didn't quite make it...

Arriving around 9:00am meant that we had time to EXPO early....and that our hotel room wasn't ready yet.

Brilliant ear fix...and more caffeinated!

Wine Dine Half - expo & hotel photo post!

Hello from Disney's Wine & Dine Half Marathon weekend! Sara is up early tomorrow to run the Jingle Jungle 5k, then Team CinderWars is taking on the Wine Dine Half in the evening. Today was expo day, and an afternoon chilling at the hotel, exploring all of the fun themes the All Star Movies resort has to offer!

More photos and fun behind the jump!

Comment dites-vous "half marathon" en français?

The MUCH anticipated and constantly rumored Disneyland Paris Half Marathon is finally coming to fruition! Disney announced it during the pre-race festivities at this morning's Princess Half Marathon.

Right now we don't have anything other than dates (September 23-26, 2016), but Rachel and already have our calendars marked off... will we see you in PARIS!?

Race Recap - Disney's Wine & Dine Half Marathon 2014

This past weekend, Rachel and I took on the first of back to back runDisney race weekends, and ran our 5th half marathon as a team. As you may have heard by now, the weather didn't quite cooperate for a perfectly magical 13.1 miles in Disney, but regardless, we set out to have ourselves a good time.

Sara's Running the Army Ten Miler for Team Fisher House

I've joined Team Fisher House and am raising $200 for the upcoming Army Ten Miler in October, and I'd love your support.

As some of you know, my Pop Pop has been battling cancer this year. The disease has progressed quickly since we discovered it at the beginning of the year, and he's been in and out of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and the emergency room over the past few months. Thankfully, he has received excellent care at the Miami VA Hospital, and through an amazing organization called Fisher House Foundation, Mamajode has been able to stay right next door, instead of having to drive back and forth from Coral Springs to be with him.

My amazing grandparents - Mamajode and Pop Pop in Bunratty, Ireland

Fisher House is an amazing foundation that provides support to Military families during their times of need by building "comfort homes" on the grounds of military and VA medical centers. These comfort homes provide lodging and food for families to stay near their loved ones, and the best part is, it's completely free.

Throwback! Pop Pop, me, and Mamajode at my college graduation.

As more of you know, I'm running the Army Ten Miler this coming October. Recently, I discovered that Fisher House has a race team as part of their fundraising options, which means that in addition to running this classic hometown race, I can start giving back to the organization that has been such a blessing to the family over the past few months. So I've joined Team Fisher House for the Army Ten Miler, and hope to raise $200 by race day, October 12.

EDIT 9/10: I've successfully met my goal of $200, so I'm getting more ambitious! Double or nothin'.

EDIT 10/6: I've also met my stretch goal, and am currently sitting at $503. Seeing as at $600 I get a swanky Fisher House jacket, let's see if we can get there in a week. That's just 7 people making my suggested $14 donation. Help me out, friends!

How can you help? 

Donate! I'm asking for donations of $14: $10 for each mile I'm running + $4 for Pop Pop's jersey number when he played minor league ball for the Brooklyn Dodgers (yup, that's right - he's the coolest grandpa around!).

If you can't donate, come out on October 12 and cheer me on!

For Christmas last year, Pop Pop autographed a baseball for me, and sent it along with a card that said "Derek Jeter wasn't available, but here's the next best thing." (Don't tell him, but I'd rather have this than a Jeter autograph ANY day.)

A Breath of Fresh Air from Running Disney

The running world is a-buzz today, for what might as well be the lunch break taken around the world: RunDisney registration day for the 2015 Princess Half Marathon weekend. Active links are being shared, long waits are abundant, and people are FREAKING OUT about getting themselves registered.

Fear of not being registered for a princess themed 13.1 miles through the happiest place on earth - not to be confused with fear of being in the starting corral for your very first marathon.

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE running Disney. Rachel and I ran the Princess Half in 2013 for our first ever half marathon, and loved it so much that we turned right around and registered for 2014's Dopey. We had a blast. Running in Disney is incomparable to just about everywhere else. (We're doing it again in November - in Orlando for Wine & Dine half, and then California for the inaugural Avenger's half.)

But for me, I think it's time for some fresh air - literally. I recently discovered a series of races that run just outside the borders of the National Parks out west: Vacation Races. Beautiful bling, my favorite distance, and views that absolutely cannot be beat? Sign me up!

Photo credit Vacation Races

This year, they're running in 6 parks: Zion, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Great Smoky Mountains, and Lake Powell.

Earlier this week, they announced a new race coming in 2015: the Grand Teton Half Marathon. And even better, the Grand Teton half is one week before the Yellowstone half next June. Which means it's time for me to start planning a road trip. Full of hiking, geysers, mountains, blue sky, fresh air, and a pair of 13.1 runs thrown in just for kicks.

I. Can't. Wait.