Themes for the 2026 Wine & Dine weekend races are as follows:

The Aristocats & France for the 5K
The Three Caballeros & Mexico for the 10K
Mary Poppins & the UK for the 10K
Grumpy & Germany for the Challenge

Three Caballeros Costume T-Shirts

Dress up as one of the Three Cabelleros with a fun cartoon inspired costume shirt. The three pals are the Mexican rooster Panchito Pistoles, Brazilian parrot Jose Carioca, or the most famous duck of all, the sailor Donald Duck. The shirts are available in unisex cuts as shown, or pick up a women's cut of the same design.

Caballeros Inspired Sport Shirts for Running

These two shirts are perfect for matching the theme without dressing in costume. These are performance garments; each design can be purchased on a women's t-shirt, unisex t-shirt, or racerback tank top.

What Means ¡Ay Carrera!? Tank Top

This design is a vintage-style graphic using bold block typography. Colorful fiesta banners stretch across the top, and confetti falls around the text. The design uses a vivid green, red, and yellow color scheme against a solid background. The slogan is a play on the line from Gran Fiesta Tour: What Means ¡Ay Caramba!? In this case Carrera means running or (foot) race. Shown here on a racerback tank top in black. This colorful design looks great on a variety of different dark colored garments, as well as fresh and cool white.

This Run Is Spicy Sport Shirt

While not referencing the Three Caballeros directly, this bold south-of-the-border graphic features the text THIS RUN IS SPICY written in stacked, yellow 3D block letters with dark drop shadows. The sentiment is perfect for the themed Wine & Dine 10K run during the Epcot International Food & Wine festival. A bright lineup of red, green, and orange chili peppers sits between the words on the sport shirt. Shown here on a women's cut sport shirt, you can also get this on a variety of colors in a unisex cut or racerback tank top.

Mexican Sarape Pattern Costume Ideas

Accessorize your Three Caballeros costume with a fun Mexican sarape (also spelled serape or zarape) piece! Wear the leggings or headband to complement your outfit, or go with all the colors by wearing the patterned shirt!

I've previously explained how runners can design their own officially licensed Disney shirt by using the images and tools provided by Zazzle. The full tutorial post is here:

Design Your Own Officially Licensed Disney Race Shirt

Zazzle is a Print-on-Demand company that partners with artists and content creators to offer unique designs on apparel and other merchandise. The partners range from individual artists to brands like Disney.

Using Zazzle's tools with officially licensed Disney art, it's possible for anyone to make a custom shirt. I've done this for two previous runDisney events: my first marathon during the 2018 Marathon Weekend as part of Dopey, and during a Ratatouille-themed Wine & Dine 10K.

Zazzle's apparel item offerings often change. While there are dozens of shirt options, the best ones for running right now are probably the unisex Sport-Tek Competitor T-Shirt and the women's B+C Flowy Racerback Tank Top.

Of course, Zazzle doesn't have EVERY Disney property in their catalog, but there are a few that are appropriate for the upcoming Wine & Dine weekend for 2026. 

As a reminder, the themes for the 2026 Wine & Dine weekend races are as follows:

The Aristocats & France for the 5K
The Three Caballeros & Mexico for the 10K
Mary Poppins & the UK for the 10K
Grumpy & Germany for the Challenge

Design Your Own Aristocats Running Shirt

The choices for Aristocats graphics are very Marie-heavy. Here are a couple of example shirts I designed using Zazzle's tools. Remember that you can also add your own designs and/or text to the back of the shirt. Add your name, mantra, or other slogan to the back to motivate others or share some giggles. 

Design Your Own Mary Poppins Running Shirt

The available Mary Poppins graphics reference the more recent Mary Poppins Returns, but with some creativity you could create a special design for the half marathon. Here are a couple of ideas.

Design Your Own Grumpy Runner Shirt

Grumpy is the theme of the challenge for this year. You could make a Grumpy shirt for running, or make an everyday shirt for wearing while visiting the parks or relaxing during the race weekend. Here are the available Grumpy graphics, and a few Grumpy slogans added to graphics ideas below.

Are you looking for costume inspiration for the upcoming Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World coming up in October? Do you like to match the race themes without dressing up in character? I've got some fun athlete inspired race day designs in my Etsy shop. Today I'll be highlighting a variety of sport tops perfect for the Aristocats themed 5K race.

The race weekend will take place October 22-25, 2026, with a 5K on Friday, 10K on Saturday, and half marathon on Sunday. The races have been sold out for a while, though bibs may become available sporadically on the site (follow this Telegram account to get notifications for Disney race availability: runDisney Race Availability).

Themes for the 2026 Wine & Dine weekend races are as follows:

The Aristocats & France for the 5K
The Three Caballeros & Mexico for the 10K
Mary Poppins & the UK for the 10K
Grumpy & Germany for the Challenge

Aristocats Inspired Running Shirts

This selection of running shirts includes designs inspired not only by The Aristocats, but also by mashing up running with France and French sensibilities.

Thomas O'Malley's Run/Walk Tank Top

Channeling the timeless spirit of The Aristocats, this race-day spoof celebrates everyone’s favorite alley cat, Thomas O’Malley. Created for the fictional Thomas O'Malley's Run/Walk for the Kittens, the graphic highlights color-coded silhouettes of Berlioz, Toulouse, and Marie strutting before a stylized Parisian skyline. With bold typography, classic European charm, and a festive layout, it’s a fun, instantly recognizable design made for race-day photos. This design is available on the popular Ideal Racerback from Next Level in a comfortable cotton/poly blend fabric.

PSPSPS Pace Sport Shirt or Tank Top

Inject pure fun into your miles with this cute Aristocats-and-cats-in-general themed running top. The eye-catching circular emblem reads PSPSPS PACE, featuring running silhouettes of three kittens (probably Berlioz, Toulouse, and Marie) alongside trailing paw prints. Finished off with the tagline "POWERED BY ZOOMIES," it's a lightweight, lighthearted pick for race day. Shown here on a unisex sport shirt, you can also get this in cuts for women or a racerback tank top, all in performance polyester.

Oui Run Disney Spoof Tank Top

Add a dash of French flair to your race wardrobe with this playful runDisney themed cotton/polyester blend tank top. The design centers on the catchy pun OUI RUN DISNEY rendered in stylish Art Deco typography, complete with a minimal Eiffel Tower illustration and decorative accents. It's the perfect themed top for French-focused race weekends or honoring classics like The Aristocats and Ratatouille. Get Oui Run Disney in my Etsy shop.

Find Your Purr-fect Pace Sport Shirt

Bring a little extra joy to your race day with this charming running top. Built around the uplifting phrase Find Your Purr-fect Pace, the design showcases three lively kittens kicking up their heels inside arched windows surrounded by twinkling stars and hearts. Finished with subtle running shoes and an Eiffel Tower graphic, it adds a touch of Parisian magic and athletic motivation to any cat-themed 5K. Get this on a Sport-Tek performance shirt for women, unisex cut, or racerback tank top.

Please Pause My GPSPSPSPSPS Sport Shirt

Combine runner relatable humor with classic Disney charm in this hilarious Aristocats-inspired design. Sporting the cheeky slogan "IF I COLLAPSE, PLEASE PAUSE MY GPSPSPSPSPS," the layout features a minimalist Parisian skyline framing three playful running kittens (Marie, Toulouse, and Berlioz). It’s the ultimate lighthearted gear for tracking your miles at a magical 5K or everyday training runs. Available on Sport-Tek performance t-shirts or tank tops.

BONUS ARISTOCATS SHIRT IDEAS

For over a decade, the MeStrong 5K in Deland, Florida, has been a popular small town race put on by a local cancer charity and fund-raising group. The event is now sponsored by Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute with logistics organized by a group of Rotary clubs in West Volusia County.

The popular race goes through the streets of and around downtown Deland. The 3.1 mile course is lined with spectators, cheer zones, volunteers, and refreshment stations put up by residents. Local businesses and student organizations from Stetson University cheer the runners, along with live bands and other groups. In the past I have participated in the 2019 MeStrong 5K, the 2022 MeStrong 5K, and the 2023 MeStrong 5K (as well as the 2021 virtual event).

Mile 1: 19:21

Mile 2: 19:36

Mile 3+: 18:28, 3:21

After the Race
MeStrong takes over downtown Deland with sponsor booths and food and drink vendors. A lot of shops and restaurants opened early for the runners. The after party is pretty legendary! 

Recommendation
5500+ MeStrong participants are happy this extremely popular race will continue to raise money for local cancer patients. Excellent race organization. Fun on-course entertainment and great after party. Always recommended.

Chip time: 1:00:44 
Placement details: 3384/5567 overall for Arthur, 3386/5567 for me 
Race Amenities: This race always provides a very nice soft cotton blend t-shirt. No medal. Lots of miscellaneous swag available from participating vendors and sponsors.
Cost: $33.74 for two early bird bibs, including $3.74 processing fee

MeStrong branded photo (c) Almost There Photography

Back-dated post; written 9/9/26

Mrs. Incredible / Elastigirl for the 10-Miler

Note that this costume top is an everyday cotton shirt, not a polyester or sport blend. The only sport shirt offered by Zazzle right now is the unisex Sport Tek Competitor shirt; you can easily transfer the design to this shirt. Add a pair of long black sweatbands to your wrists to copy the superhero look -- they're cooler than gloves. You can find all of Zazzle's customizable Incredibles apparel options here.

Baymax for the Challenge

Zazzle has a selection of Baymax-themed designs in their Big Hero 6 shop. These are fun if you want to dress in the theme of the challenge without embodying the big white fluff yourself. Baymax swag is also fun for wearing on expo day, or in the parks after you've completed the challenge.

We are just about a month away from an empowering new community race event in Daytona Beach, Florida. I won't be in town to attend this new race, but I thought I would share to give this worthy cause some love. Move At Your Own Pace, LLC, in partnership with the Domestic Abuse Council of Volusia County, announces the inaugural A Silent Cry 5K Run/Walk. This event is set to take place on Saturday, October 19th, 2024, at 8:00AM along the scenic Riverfront Esplanade in Daytona Beach.

The A Silent Cry 5K aims to raise awareness and support for individuals and families affected by domestic violence. By participating, you’ll be directly contributing to the Domestic Abuse Council of Volusia County, a vital organization that provides crucial resources and support services to survivors.

The tragic recent murder of Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei in Kenya by her former boyfriend has cast a spotlight on the urgent issue of domestic violence, an affliction that knows no boundaries of geography, race, economic status, or physical prowess. For runners and athletes, who often symbolize strength and resilience, this incident is a stark reminder that domestic abuse can affect anyone. Running events, like the upcoming Silent Cry race, dedicated to domestic violence awareness provide a platform for advocacy and support, transforming individual efforts into a collective stand against this pervasive issue. 

For a registration fee of $35 plus platform fees, participants will receive:

• A race bib
• A commemorative shirt
• A finisher’s medal
• Access to a festive post-race party

Additionally, age-group awards will be presented, though details of the groupings is not provided on the race website.

Set along the beautiful Riverfront Esplanade, the race course offers participants a chance to enjoy the picturesque views of Daytona Beach while engaging in a cause that touches many lives. The flat course is ideal for both seasoned runners looking to set a personal best and newcomers who prefer to walk and soak in the vibrant atmosphere.

Ready to make a difference? Sign up today to secure your bib. Whether you’re running, walking (the event should be walker-friendly with "5K Run and Walk" in the name), or cheering, your participation sends a strong message of support and hope. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to contribute to a great cause and be part of an unforgettable event.

Note: I'm not affiliated with this race in any way. As a participant I've run many races put on by the race director for this event, Runner's High, and they invariably put on a great event.

The Hero Hustle 5K, formerly known as the DBK 5K, is a fun small town race here in my hometown of DeBary, Florida. The race helps to fund the Kruid Charitable Foundation, which in turn benefits local and regional services for veterans, and other veteran causes. I've participated in this race before: DBK 5K 2016; DBK 5K 2018; Hero Hustle 5K 2022; and Hero Hustle 2023. 

Race Day: May 18, 2024
I biked over to the race site on the other side of town. I arrived‌ in plenty of time to lock up my bike and pick up my packet before the race began. After I got my stuff stowed, I hung out with some friends from WVR before it was time to run. The crowd lingering around the start/finish area seemed really big -- this event is growing. It was a hot one, with a temperature of 79°F with clear skies and 84% humidity when the race began at 7:30AM.

Mile 1: 16:00

Mile 2: 16:01

Mile 3+: 16:17, 1:30

After the Race
Free beer, popcorn, shaved ice, chips, bananas and oranges were all available for runners. There was also a buffet with potato salad, pulled pork and hot dogs. The after-party for this race always includes a bunch of bounce houses, water slides, and other inflatable entertainment options. I stayed for a few beers, watched the awards ceremony (where WVR was well-represented!), and chatted with friends before heading home after a fun race morning.

Recommendation
As before, this race had very good course support and law enforcement was out in force to keep the roads safe for runners. The roads aren't totally closed, but I feel the law enforcement presence is appropriate for the sleepy suburban streets of the course. The price is good, the swag is good (nice soft cotton t-shirt and custom finisher medal), and the after race party is fun and well-stocked. Recommended, especially for locals. 

I ran this local charity race for brain cancer for the fourth time this May (previous runs were Melissa's Race 2019, Melissa's Race 2021, and Melissa's Race 2022; I also participated virtually in 2020).

Melissa's Race is put on by Melissa Vosburg, Inc, a charity devoted to supporting brain cancer research through awareness education and fundraising.

Training & Goals
I haven't been training or really feeling well for some months, since before my Graves' Disease diagnosis back in January 2024. The night before the race I was feeling really down. Arthur agreed to come along with me which made me feel a lot better. I'm glad I participated but with every race I feel less and less like a runner and that makes me sad. I'm not sure I'll ever get my fitness back. So for this race I just wanted to walk it, try to keep a brisk pace and see where I ended up. 

Mile 3+: 16:32, 2:04
The run back is in full head-on sun, but I was feeling alright and the sun didn't seem to bother me like it usually does. I had my watch alert me if my heart rate reached a certain threshold, and it hit the high rate a few times during this mile. My pace was all over the place during this mile as I would slow down and concentrate on my breathing with each alert. My heart rate wasn't close to being dangerously high; I'm trying to keep it relatively low, even during activity, to protect my heart as my meds are being adjusted to stabilize my thyroid function.

Recommendation
This is a well-organized local race for a very good cause. On course support was great as always. There were volunteers throughout, including lots of cheering spectators and two water stops, one of which we hit twice. The support afterwards is very good as well, with treats for runners and several local vendor booths with the freebies, contests, and giveaways. On a personal level, there is always a great turnout from my local run club so I see a lot of friendly faces at this annual run. Recommended.

The third annual Springtime Surprise Challenge Weekend took place at Walt Disney World from April 18-21, 2024. I had planned to participate in all of the race events for the third year in a row, but my plan didn't work out. Here's my recap for the 5K, the only race I was able to attend.

Registration
I was on holiday in South Africa during registration, and I didn't expect to have the Internet access or the time to get online during registration. However, on registration day the stars aligned for me and I was able to get in for the challenge. I was extremely excited to be in for the Springtime Surprise Challenge for the third year in a row and I was looking forward to starting my training plan later in the year.

A few months later, in December 2023, I had a health setback which derailed my training. Only cleared to run in April, I still planned to participate in the weekend as much as I could, with the idea to walk all events. I figured I could finish the 5K, hoped to finish the 10K, and guessed I would pull myself or get pulled off of the 10-Miler course. 

Expo: April 18, 2024
Everyone participating in a runDisney event needs to go to the Expo before race day to pick up the event bib(s) and shirt(s). Merchandise from runDisney and other vendors is also available at the Expo, which takes place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.

I picked up my bib and shirts, and had a look around at the official merch and expo vendors. For this event I didn't do any of the photo ops; it seemed extra crowded when I was there and I wasn't feeling my best after a hot volunteer shift earlier in the day, my first back at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey since December.

Costume
I always want to do Star Wars mashups for these races; for the Neverland 5K I wore a simply themed performance top that mashes up Peter Pan with Admiral Ackbar: Never Grow Up It's a Trap! along with a Peter Pan styled visor hat.

For the Adventure is Out There 10K I had planned a black and white Russell/Wilderness Explorer mashup outfit with Star Wars logos. I didn't come up with a mashup for the 10-Miler and planned instead to wear my own I Just Can't Wait To Be Done t-shirt. I miss those Star Wars races so much! 

Race Day: April 19, 2024
I woke up with my 1:50AM alarm and was ready to hit the road at 2:15AM. I had the car parked at Epcot at 3:04AM. I was able to get a photo with Duffy and then stood in line for Peter Pan for the remainder of the time,  but they closed the line before I reached the front. I headed to corral E and watched the pre-show until it was time to start.

It was 66°F with 94% humidity when I crossed the start line in the first wave of corral E at 5:29AM.

Mile 1: 16:00
That's perfect Disney pace LOL! I jogged only a little bit here and there during this first mile, mostly to keep out of the way. Walkers should keep right and runners left, but there are a lot of different paces and I ended up walking far to the left a lot of the time, passing other walkers but getting in the way of runners at certain points. As always I did my best to stay out of the way of others.

Mile 2: 17:50
I didn't stop for any character photos but I took a few on the fly. A took a few videos as well but nothing good came out. I wasn't feeling great but tried to look like I wasn't dying when I went by PhotoPass.

Mile 3+: 18:35, 4:14
By the end of the race I was sweating profusely. About a week before race day I had blood draw to check my thyroid numbers. I didn't find out until after race weekend that my numbers had shifted from hyper- to hypothyroid, which may have contributed to my general lousy feeling during the 5K and following days.

After the Race
Was the finisher chute longer than usual? It felt like it. I continued feeling icky as I made my way out, getting my medal, lots of hydration, and runDisney snack box (with a new design -- I don't know when the redesign took place but the boxes were new to me). I skipped all post-race activities (finisher photos, adult beverage, character photos, etc) in favor of heading straight to my car to head home and rest. 

Saturday morning when my alarm went off at 2AM I felt sick and went back to sleep. Later I took a COVID test which ended up being negative. A few days later I was feeling better, but I was bummed about missing the 10K and 10-Miler altogether. When I found out the results of my blood test, I wondered if my hypothyroid-trending condition contributed to my exhaustion and sickness. My doctor adjusted my medication and I'll test my blood again in a couple of weeks to see if I can get back on the right track. 

Garmin time: 56:40
Race Amenities: Nice themed medal and race shirt
Cost: $485 for the three race challenge, of which I only did the 5K. Most expensive 5K ever

My last in-person race was the Fountain of Youth 5K in my hometown back in November 2023. Since early December I've had a health issue that sidelined all training, caused me to miss several races, and generally made me feel rotten physically, mentally, and emotionally for several months. I'm still working on my treatment, but at the beginning of April I started to feel more like myself for the first time in months.

Graves' Disease
My training plan was to start ramping up my miles in mid-December to prepare for the Springtime Surprise 10-Miler in April. At the start of December I experienced a sudden, unexplained elevated resting heart rate. My primary doctor sent me to the ER following an abnormal in-office EKG. Going to the ER was scary, and so was the unexplained high heart rate. In the ER, an EKG done with more advanced equipment was relatively normal, and the doctors there determined my heart was strong and I was not in immediate danger. I was to follow up with my primary doctor for further investigation. Meanwhile, my annual routine bloodwork came in with some values showing a problem with my thyroid. I had several more blood tests and a thyroid ultrasound. Finally, a visit with an endocrinologist determined I was experiencing hyperthyroidism, and later I was diagnosed with Graves' Disease. A beta blocker helped with my heart rate and I started medication to work on normalizing my thyroid function. The meds take a while to work and I was not cleared to do any exercise activity during this time. 

Missed Races
In early April I was cleared to exercise. I had been taking 2-3 mile walks 2-3 days a week starting in mid-March, but I had to keep it very slow to make sure my heart rate didn't get too high. I participated in the Springtime Surprise 5K on April 19th. I had hoped to at least start the 10K and 10-Miler, even if I couldn't finish them, but I was sick the morning of the 10K and it wasn't worth the risk to me and other participants to drag myself to either start line. I was extremely disappointed to miss completing the challenge. Since I got Graves' Disease I've missed the Reindeer Run at SeaWorld with Arthur and my in-laws, and a couple of local races (Lake Helen Stress Buster; Arthur ran the Ivy Hawn 5K in my place; I picked up my MeStrong swag to complete virtually later). I also missed the WDW Marathon Weekend Half and Disneyland 5K and Half, where I hoped to earn a Coast-to-Coast medal. Missing those runs and the west coast trip really bummed me out for many weeks.  

Going Forward
After several months on thyroid medication, my numbers in late April showed hypothyroidism (reduced thyroid function versus elevated). My doctor is adjusting my meds to find the best dose going forward, with regular routine bloodwork being taken to test the results. Now my plan is, as long as I feel okay, to ease back into exercise with some low-impact training, using my standing desk bike and going back to water aerobics classes. I'll see how I feel doing this for a while before hitting the pavement. I've got a couple of races on my calendar that are walker-friendly so I hope to be able to complete these in-person.