The Happy Halloween Run, apparently previously known as the Halloween Hustle, is a novelty untimed fun run put on in several cities nationwide by Superfly Running. Naturally, participants are encouraged to dress up.

Training & Goals
I was looking for a fun Halloween race for this season and this fit the bill. I'm not a fan of untimed runs but there was a nice Groupon deal for this race so I took advantage of the savings and had a nice run at Bill Frederick Park with some bling to show for it. 

Race Day: October 21, 2017
I drove out to Bill Frederick Park early Saturday morning. Packet pickup (bib and cape!) was a breeze. I waited for a while in my car and took advantage of the cute photo op background with props before the run began. It was fun to see all of the runners in their costumes.

The race began at 9AM and it was a pleasant 75°F with about 78% humidity.

Mile 1: 10:46
So... this race took place at the same location as the Hatchling Dash earlier this year. The race where I and several other runners (at least) apparently got lost on the course and ran a short race. I was wary going in to this one, but the starting location was different for the Hustle than it was for the Dash. That gave me high hopes I'd get my 5K in.

For this mile we ran along the lake and a pasture with a friendly donkey. A trail I completely missed during the Hatchling Dash.

Mile 2: 10:58
This part of the trail was familiar; for the last two miles of the course we doubled over a narrow loop. The park was open and we passed by several parties playing disc golf.

Mile 3+: 10:26, 0:56
This race was very walker-friendly; during the final 3/4 mile I was passed a lot of walkers on their first loop. I had to hop off the path onto the grass a few times to get by and that was a little bit annoying.

Right before the finish line participants on the first loop had to make a left turn, while those almost done with the course made a slight right to reach the end. The course pointers here were not very clear at all. There was some confusion and a traffic jam when I got there, very annoyed that I had to come to a stop behind walkers who didn't know which way to go. I'm also pretty sure that a lot of participants inadvertently cut the course here because of the unfortunately unclear directions.

On a personal note, I was very happy to see my GPS read 3.1 miles as I crossed the finish line.

Recommendation
I think I will try to avoid running at Bill Frederick Park in the future -- it's a nice park but this is the second race where I've seen course problems. Otherwise the race organization and amenities were slick. Solid MEH rating.

GPS time: 33:06
Race Amenities: Untimed fun run with cute little themed finisher medal, nice custom race bib, and choice of Halloween cape
Cost: $12.50

Report written October 26, 2017

The Daytona Beach Krispy Kreme Doughnut Dash took place at Tuscawilla Park on Sunday, October 1st. Competitors could run in teams of two, consuming a dozen doughnuts between them at the halfway point of the race. Individuals could also participate in the competitive class, eating a dozen doughtnuts halfway, or in the casual class, stopping halfway to have a doughnut or five or none before completing the distance. I won my entry to the race in a club raffle and elected for the casual class.

Training & Goals
I ate a dozen doughnuts mid-run for about a month prior to the race.

You know me... no particular goals. I just wanted to get a little run in and pick up a shirt and medal for my trouble. The doughnuts were a sweet, sweet bonus.

Race Day: October 1, 2017
Smooth sailing race morning. I arrived in time for one of the better parking spots and picked up my shirt & bib. It was about 79°F and overcast at the start with 84% humidity.

Mile 1: 11:49
The first loop in and around the park was on a mix of roadway, sidewalk, and dirt path.

Mile 2: 14:56
At about the halfway point, back near the starting line of the double-loop course, everyone stopped at the doughnut station for some serious nomming. I had two Krispy Kremes before heading back out with another one to go, along with a cup of water.

Mile ~3: 11:15*
The doughnuts settled nicely. I could have had a few more. Maybe the competitive team run could be a possibility. I don't know if I could do the full dozen; I don't like Krispy Kremes that much. Dunkin, on the other hand...

Recommendation
This silly race offered a nice course, fun t-shirt and cute finisher medal. Plus it was timed. And we got doughnuts. I'm not a big fan of eating contests but this was kind of fun. I'm glad I won the raffle.

Chip time: 37:52
Placement details: Casual Runner category: 11th female runner out of 48; 18th overall out of 72 casual finishers
Race Amenities: Up to a dozen doughnuts, nice cotton t-shirt, cute doughnut medal
Cost: $0 (I won a raffle!)

*I forgot to turn off my Garmin right afterwards; GPS gave me a short course

Report written October 25, 2017

I ran the Global Energy 10K in 2016, the first time it was held in Orlando. Then as now I used it as part of back-to-back training runs, preparing for a runDisney race challenge.

Following the Mermaid fiasco the previous day, the slick and professional managment of this race stood out more than I might normally notice.

In 2017 this global race took place in 38 cites across 21 countries.

Training & Goals
I treated this like a training run as part of my ongoing Dopey training plan, which calls for some back-to-back runs. My only goal was to finish healthy and hopefully score some free bagels like I did last year.

Race Day: September 24, 2017
I drove to Festival Park in Orlando for the race. Parking and packet pickup were both a breeze (just like last year) and I was ready to run with plenty of time to spare.

The staging area had a DJ and a couple of MCs kept the crowd informed and entertained as we waited to start.

It was 77° with 89% humidity at the start of the race (2 degrees cooler with the same humidity as last year!).

I didn't take any photos during the race or before or after, so here's a nifty video of the route from Relive.

Mile 1: 10:41
The course for the 10K was the same route as last year.

Mile 2: 10:55
I decided to take it nice and easy, running my 4:1 intervals the entire race.

Mile 3: 11:23

Mile 4: 12:03

Mile 5: 13:14
I felt okay but slowed my pace when I started feeling overheated. I've been struggling with my runs a bit since we returned from our summer holiday. I've also been super paranoid about overdoing it and unnecessarily stressing my body during training. So... slow down and don't push it.

Mile 6+: 13:48, 8:50*
Even though I'm trying not to stress out about stuff, I was still kind of disappointed with my slow time. At least I was feeling fine when it was over.

After Party
There were plenty of treats for runners after the event. Water, bananas, and oranges were given out in the finish line chute. We also got a drawstring backpack, small sport towel, and arm band. Around the "runner village" there were stands giving out treats, including sleeves of bagels (score!). All bibs had a food voucher attached that we runners could exchange for a grilled cheese sandwich (I passed on this).

Recommendation
It's a well-organized event with a nice 10K route, above-par swag, and an extremely affordable price. Highly recommended. I'll run this again as long as I don't have any conflicts.

Chip time: 1:15:55
Placement details: 167th finisher of 304 women. No other placement details given.
Race Amenities: Swag included nice gender specific tech shirt, drawstring backpack, sport towel, arm band, finisher medal, nice refreshement / fuel spread.
Cost: $10 (past participant discount applied)

*I often forget to turn off my Garmin after a race, so the final time is skewed.

Report written October 17, 2017

There was a lot wrong with this race. Here's a Runner's World article about the Weeki Wachee Mermaid Race, under their "watchdog" series.

I had signed up for the Big Splash Challenge, which meant I would participate in the Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaid Race Half Marathon, 5K, and One Mile Dash. This would give me an additional challenge medal. Signing up was easy. Most of the rest was a straight up disaster, from packet pickup to race day to the aftermath.

Early Signs of Mismanagement
Pre-race information emails changed details, like the availability of race day packet pickup (not available to available) and the start times for all of the races.

Packet pickup at Disney Springs two days prior to the race took way too long. When I was there the line was almost out the door and moved very slowly. There were two people helping runners and my own pickup was quick and easy so I have no idea what the problem was for everyone else.

I heard from others running the race (members of my running club) that packet pickup on site the day prior to the race was a complete mess, taking 2 hours or more for some runners, with only one person to serve everyone.

Training & Goals
Dopey training had begun and my plan called for a long run this weekend. Back-to-back runs are also in the mix, and with the Global Energy 10K the following day, the Big Splash mileage would make for some good training. The idea was to just go out and have fun and not worry about my finish times.

Race Day: September 23, 2017 | Screw-Ups & Dangers
Pre-race emailed information told runners we could start as early as 6AM, with waves of runners being set off at 15 minute intervals. This was great news, especially for Big Splash runners, as we were initially told the Half Marathon would start at 7AM.

I had to leave home around 3:30AM to arrive in time. I was there just before 6AM and figured after a stop at the restroom I could start in the second wave. But no one was running yet. The crowd of runners increased... and increased... and increased. Time passed. More time passed. Pretty much everyone started grumbling, and there was no information coming from race staff or volunteers. The sun came up. At around 7AM we were told we would be starting in about 15 minutes. More grumbling. We didn't start until 7:30AM. By then it was 73°F with 94% humidity.

The course was on sidewalks along a major highway. The grass around the sidewalk had been recently mowed, leaving major debris (some still from Hurricane Irma) and piles of grass, leaves, and weeds all along the way. Some runners took to run along the side of the highway. I did this for a while but it seemed more unsafe than dodging the debris on the sidewalk so I went back. I saw a lot of runners with burrs on their socks and shoes. I got a couple of really painful ones that were difficult to remove.

There were no cups, no staff or volunteers at the first water stop. There was a cooler of water, but runners like me who were not carrying their own bottles could only try to drink from the cooler or skip the stop. I ran on...

No cups, no staff or volunteers at the second water stop. I should have turned around here. But I pressed on.

No cups, apologetic volunteers at the third water stop. I tried to drink from the cooler and just spilled water all over myself. From this point I really should have turned around, but instead trugged on, abandoning any hope for a decent finishing time. I pretty much walked the rest.

At the turn-around (mile 6... hmm) volunteers were giving out bottles of water (see featured photo). There were either bottles or coolers at the following water stops. I kept my plastic bottle so I could refill it.

Mile markers were sporadic during the race, but at least the mileage was consistent with my watch up until mile 9. My GPS gave me about 7.5 at that time and from there the markers were off. I finished at about 12.5 miles according to my Garmin (a half marathon is 13.1 miles).

There were several major highway crossings, which were known. However, these were unmanned and unstaffed. Usually a race will have police officers or other officials to help runners safely cross roads (any road! let alone major highways).

I am probably forgetting stuff... but all that was just about the Half Marathon.

Big Splash runners had to exchange bibs for each of the subsequent races. It was a little annoying to have to stand in line, but whatever, okay. Bad news though, our results for the 5K and One Mile Dash never posted, even after I emailed asking what was going on. No acknowledgement whatsoever.

There were no water stops, no mile or distance markers, no directions, no volunteers or course... NOTHING! for the 5K and One Mile Dash. At the first major road crossing by the starting area, a volunteer pointed out where we should go for each of the shorter races, but it seemed like it was just up to us to figure out where to turn around. I did hear afterwards that the 5K course was short and the One Mile Dash course was long, so I guess some runners were able to find course direction.

Aftermath
In a sadly unceremonious fashion, runners picked up their medals after completing the race(s) from a dedicated tent manned by a couple of uninterested staffers, rather than receiving them immediately after each race. The medals were all still bagged.

Recommendation
Are you kidding?! Stay away from Landmark Races at all costs!

I should mention that one great perk for this race was free admission to Weeki Wachee State Park following the event. I took a dip in the spring and watched a mermaid show. I got some ice cream. The park is great and had very little to do with the disastrous race event besides the location.

Also the medals for the races are super cool. I have to give 'em that. Excellent medals.

Race Amenities: Mediocre race shirt, nice medals for each run plus challenge medal, admission to state park. No course support or much else positive to say.
Cost: $133.19 using ambassador discount code

Report written October 15, 2017

LOL the Landmark Races website still indicates "Race photos are coming soon!

The NM Chips & Salsa Half Marathon in Albuquerque was kind of on our big western road trip route at kind of the right time. Arthur kindly adjusted our itinerary a little bit so I could add New Mexico to my race list.

This race is put on anually by RunFit, a local race management company. A portion of proceeds from the event go towards the RunFit charity that benefits running programs for local school children. 2017 was the 14th annual running of this race, which also included 5K and 10K races on the same day.

Training & Goals
I didn't run at all the week between the Disneyland Half Marathon and this run. And the weeks prior had been kind of disastrous in my training as well. So my goal was to finish without injury within the 3.5 hour race cutoff.

Race Day: September 10, 2017
Arthur and I left our nearby Albuquerque hotel and after a small hiccup in following the sort of unclear directions provided by the race, we found the parking lot we were looking for. I picked up my t-shirt and bib and affixed my chip to my shoe.

There was a huge line at the portapotties and race staff were trying to get the half marathoners to the front of the line because our race started first at 7:30AM. I was glad I didn't have to go.

Next we had another small adventure trying to find the starting line for the half marathon, at first milling around the start arch for the 5K or 10K before finding the right spot.

It was 61°F at the start of the race with about 45% humidity. Very good conditions indeed.

There was no DJ, no live updates or information. A guy with a horn loudspeaker gave extremely brief instructions before telling us to GO! and we were off.

Mile 1, 2, 3: 10:50, 11:22, 11:36
This was a big lollipop-type course. We started out looping around the host venue, a college campus, before heading out onto Paseo Del Norte Blvd, crossing the Rio Grande on the nice multi-use path. There were a bunch of hot air balloons rising as we run and it was fun to watch them slowly bobbing around as they ascended. I was a bit concerned about being unaccustomed to running at the higher altitude (5300' versus under 100' for my local Florida running) but I felt okay during these miles.

Mile 4, 5, 6: 11:45, 12:47, 12:22
We were mostly on residential streets now until heading back on the out-and-back part of the lollipop course. First we headed out to the north. I slowed my pace but still felt okay so far.

Mile 7, 8, 9: 12:59, 14:54, 14:03
At around mile 6.5 we crossed Paseo Del Norte Blvd and continued the big loop south of this main drag, still mostly following residential streets. The lack of proper training started to hit me here and I began to walk a lot, feeling fatigued and disappointed. Maybe the altitude played a part as well?

Mile 10, 11, 12: 15:10, 16:59, 17:13
We turned north to finish up the big loop and then met up with Paseo Del Norte Blvd again to make our second crossing of the Rio Grande, heading back to the campus. More slow walking and getting passed by everyone. I tried to take in the sights. It was nice to be out and about in a new place, even if the run was a mess. We went by horse farms, I heard Canada Geese honking, and saw hummingbirds dueling by feeders.

Mile 13+: 16:18, 1:36*
More walking. I kept getting passed. I tried to pick it up at the very end and sadly lost a sprint to the end against another runner. Later she told me I had encouraged her in the final miles of the race as she was trying to keep up with me. That was nice to hear, I guess.

Afterwards
I picked up my little medal and went to look for the namesake post-race snacks. They ran out of salsa for us back-of-the-packers. I got some chips and chopped tomatoes with shredded cheese but didn't feel like eating that sadness so I got a couple of chocolate milks instead. We headed back to the hotel to shower, pack up, and hit the road again.

Recommendation
This race had a nice course with good directions and it was well-supported with water stops and porta-potties. Finishers got a really small medal. The course limit of 3 hours and 30 minutes is generous, but it was pretty disappointing that there was no salsa left for the last finishers. I wouldn't recommend this race for out of town runners but for locals it's not bad, I guess.

Chip time: 2:59:59 JUST UNDER THREE HOURS! SERIOUSLY!
Placement details: 11th of 11 in my Age Group; 218th overall out of 228 finishers
Race Amenities: Cotton t-shirt, finisher medal
Cost: $60.00

Report written October 14, 2017
Amy running over Rio Grande photo (c) Run Fit

The final run during a Disneyland race weekend is always a half marathon. Continuing with the homage to Pixar films, the half marathon was themed to Toy Story.

I dressed as Jessie, matching my denim-look SparkleSkirt with a self-painted tech shirt and a pair of cow-print knee socks.

Since the Disneyland resort is so small, only the first and final miles take place on Disney property, and we only run in the parks at the very beginning. After starting the run in the parks, we headed out onto the streets of Anaheim before finishing up back in the start/finish parking lot area.

Training & Goals
I had very few training runs while we were on the road, with zero miles run for about 10 days prior to race weekend. I just hoped to finish healthy and ready for another full day of park exploration after the race.

Race Day: September 3, 2017
I walked over from our hotel to the start with enough time to scoot up towards the front of my corral, D for the half. Staying at a hotel within walking distance of the starting line is a huge plus for Disneyland races compared to the traffic snarls or long bus lines that must be endured at Disney World races.

Unfortunately race day came with a weather advisory for runners to expect warmer temperatures than usual. Being a Florida runner, I did not expect to experience my hottest half marathon ever in another state. It was 81°F at the start with a feels-like temperature of 83°F and humdity at 66%.

Mile 1, 2, 3: 13:21, 16:32, 16:03

These miles took us through much of California Adventure and part of Disneyland, with some backstage mixed in. In the second mile I was excited to see Roz was out again since I skipped her during the 10K. Mike & Sulley were out again too but I skipped them. I stopped for about half of the characters and photo ops out on the course.

It was fun to see horses out on the course! These are working animals who pull the streetcars on Main Street.

I stood in a pretty long line for Emile. There were no cast members to take photos so runners were just asking the next in line. When it was my turn my photo buddy had some kind of problem because I got a 1 second video of blackness instead of a photo. I hopped back and asked the next in line if I could budge in front to try again and they were kind enough to oblige. How nice. :)

Mile 4, 5, 6: 19:22, 12:26, 13:55

We ran through Fantasyland, including the castle, and around Tomorrowland and down Main Street before hitting the streets of Anaheim.

Mile 7, 8, 9: 15:58, 16:25, 13:47

These were miles on the streets of Anaheim. Entertainment wasn't exactly plentiful but for me there were all new sights to see as I'd never been to the city before. A huge stretch of Mile 8 was lined with classic cars and their enthusiastic owners.

Mile 10, 11, 12: 17:55, 15:01, 13:06

More streets of Anaheim. Here we got to run through Angel Stadium before heading back to Disney via Gene Autry Way. There were even PhotoPass photographers in the stadium! And an announcer cheering us runners on.

All along the route there were spectators. There were a bunch inside the stadium and the last few miles seemed to have more groups of spectators with signs, candy, and enthusiastic cheers for us runners.

Mile 13+: 16:28, 11:38

And then we were back on Disney property, backstage areas and streets before hitting the finish line in the parking lot. It was a long slow half marathon in the unseasonable heat. Later I heard that there was a large amount of runners swept from the course so I am very glad I was able to finish! My first Disneyland half marathon was in the books!

Post-Race
I picked up my half marathon medal, and then got my challenge medal and my Coast to Coast.

After showering at the hotel Arthur and I headed to Disneyland and California Adventure for our last day at the parks.

Recommendation
A+

Chip time: 3:27:08
Placement details: 311th out of 511 in Age Group, 6269 overall out of 8710 finishers
Race Amenities: Nice medals for race and completing Double Dare challenge, my first Coast to Coast medal, plus all the entertainment and support typical of Disney races.
Cost: $371.78 which included the 10K and Half Marathon challenge

Report written October 4, 2017

Day two of the Disneyland race weekend brings runners the 10K, this year themed to Pixar's Monsters University.

For this race I decided to run as Sulley from the Pixar franchise, along with every other runner in the race. Well, maybe not everyone, but Sulley was certainly a popular choice! I tacked (or basted -- temporary stitching) purple felt spots onto a turquoise tech top and a turquoise SparkleSkirt for the costume. I got a cheap blue cap on Amazon and hot-glued the Monsters U logo (cut out of foam paper) on the front and sewed Sulley's horns on the sides.

Disneyland race courses are known for having long stretches through the parks. We ran through California Adventure and Disneyland, along with additional backstage miles, to run all 6.2 miles of the 10K race.

Goals
Usually I try to take it easy for Disney 10K runs, especially when I've got a half the next day, but it was going to be our second day of visting the theme parks so I didn't dawdle too much.

Race Day: September 2, 2017
All of the races during the weekend started at 5AM. Each day I got up a little bit later and walked over to the staging area from our hotel. Since I was alone I was able to creep up in the corral for the start.

It was 75°F with 89% humidity when I started my run at 5:16AM from corral D.

Mile 1: 11:45
Like yesterday's 5K, we ran from the parking area starting line into California Adventure at Cars Land. I ran by two photo ops: Monsters U cheerleaders and Flik with Princess Atta (ants from A Bug's Life).

Mile 2: 13:32
From Cars Land we headed around the boardwalk at Paradise Pier and then back around Grizzly Peak, again exiting the park backstage by the old Tower of Terror. I ran by a few more photo ops: Roz (Monsters Inc character -- I ended up regretting skipping this one, bummer); Russell (Junior Wilderness Explorer from Up); and Mike & Sulley (Monsters Inc).

Mile 3: 12:20
We ran down backstage roads along the east side of Disney property up towards the north side of Disneyland. In the tunnel a couple of characters from the Child Detection Agency (Monsters Inc) were dancing around.

Mile 4: 13:14
After a bit more backstage running we headed into Disneyland via Toontown. We ran through Tomorrowland and finished up Mile 4 in Fantasyland. I ran by the photo ops I noticed: more Monsters U cheerleaders and Nemo with Dory and Marlin.

Mile 5: 14:07
Next we ran through the castle and then through Frontierland and Critter Country along the Rivers of America. Then it was back through the hub, down Main Street and back out of the park onto backstage roads. Here I stopped for one photo with Mickey and pals on a street trolley. PhotoPass got me, too!

Mile 6+: 12:46, 4:52
The race continued along the backstage roads, swinging back around the south side of California Adventure before heading to the finish line in the parking lot.

Post-Race
I zoomed back to the hotel to shower and change -- we had more theme park exploring to do! We went and had fun at California Adventure all day.

Recommendation
This was another fun race put on by Disney. Again I liked the smaller field than we see at Disney World and I enjoyed the less-crowded feel. I'm looking forward to running at Disneyland again.

Chip time: 1:22:27 (my fastest Disney 10K by over 24 minutes LOL)
Placement details: 139/558 in Age Group, 3033 overall out of 8198 finishers
Race Amenities: All that sweet, sweet Disney good stuff
Cost: $341.78 (for 10K/Half Marathon challenge)

Report written September 30, 2017

Arthur and I headed out on a long road trip this summer, starting from our home in Florida and driving across the country to visit a bunch of National Parks and other destinations. The trip was planned around two major events that helped dictate the rest of the itinerary. The first was the Great American Eclipse on August 21, which we viewed from Rexburg, Idaho, close to Yellowstone National Park. And then we had to make sure we'd be in Anaheim, California, from August 31st to September 3rd for the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend.

There were so many things to be excited about for this race weekend. It was our first visit to Disneyland. I'd be earning my first Coast-to-Coast Challenge medal for running Disney races on both coasts in a calendar year. And it was going to be Arthur's first race -- he ran the 5K with me!

The entire race weekend was themed to celebrate Pixar movies. The 5K's theme was The Incredibles. For the run we dressed up as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

The 5K course would take us through parts of both Disney's California Adventure and Disneyland. The race would be our first view of either park.

Training & Goals
Disney challenge weekend always means a nice and easy 5K. We had been hiking a lot during our trip but I hadn't run for about ten days prior to race weekend. So training was not ideal. I had a good feeling that our goal to have a fun 5K would be met.

Race Day: September 1, 2017
We were staying at a hotel close to the parks. Since it was our first experience at Disneyland, we left our room early and walked about 15 minutes over to the starting area. We were super early but that meant we could watch the stage entertainment for a bit and find a good spot close to the front of our corral. Between folks wearing the race shirt and dressed up as Incredibles, we were in a sea of red from the start.

It was 73°F with unseasonably high humidity (89%) at the start.

Mile 1: 14:28
We started in a parking area next to Disney's California Adventure, then ran through the park. We entered at Cars Land and then went through "a bug's land" and Pacific Wharf.

Mile 2: 23:05
This mile took us briefly back into Cars Land and then around Grizzly Peak and Hollywood Land. We exited the park backstage by the old Tower of Terror and finished up our second mile just before entering Disneyland via Tomorrowland backstage.

Following the controversy after the Tinker Bell 5K back in May, which lacked characters on course for photos, I was pleased to note all of the opportunities for selfies and character photos on this course. Besides Mater with Lightning McQueen and Jack-Jack with an Edna Mode wannabe, we also saw Mrs. Incredible and Merida in the second mile, as well as a Hollywood Trolley out for photos.

Mile 3+: 19:51, 4:37
After running through Tomorrowland, we headed to Fantasyland. We took a photo with the toy soldiers and ran by Frozone, Jessie, and Mr. Incredible.

We ran through the castle. The tiny, tiny castle! I had to giggle when I first saw it -- it's so cute and small compared to the castle at Magic Kingdom. Next we ran down Main Street, out of the park via the main entrance, and through Downtown Disney to the finish line back in the parking area.

We picked up our medals after crossing the finish line and got our cooling towels, water, bananas, and treat boxes. Arthur's first 5K was in the books!

Post-Race
There are no photo ops with characters in the staging area at Disneyland. We walked back to our hotel to shower and change before spending the day having fun in the parks.

Recommendation
I just love me a runDisney race! I thought it was super fun to see the parks for the first time by running through them in the dark. The field was much smaller than what we experience in Florida. There were just as many run-walkers and walkers, proportionally. I never felt like the course was crowded.

Garmin Time 1:02:01
Race Amenities: All the fun Disney stuff including a cotton unisex shirt and cute finisher medal
Cost: $80.00

Report written September 27, 2017

One of the theme nights our local minor league baseball team, the Daytona Tortugas, had planned for the 2017 season was Bob Ross Night, honoring the Daytona Beach native. The team was going to give away a bobblehead of the painter. As the date approached, more promotions were added, like a painting class, a t-shirt package, and a fun color run 5K race the morning of the game. I participated in the run.

Pre-Race & Expectations
It was to be my first color run! The event was untimed so I planned to take it easy. I had a runstreak for the month so a little race like this fit in with my plans.

I found a skirt at Goodwill that was perfect for this artist-themed color run. Although not made for running, the cotton skirt had an awesome color palette print all the way around. I wore it over a Sparkle Skirt so I still had all my pockets. I used puff fabric paint to draw a palette on a white tech shirt to complete my race day outfit.

Race Day: July 15, 2017
Arthur and I drove out to Jackie Robinson Park ("the Jack") the morning of the race and right away it was obvious this would be a very small event. I picked up my shirt and bib and then waited around for the start. This was a late one, with runners taking off at 9AM. It was 84°F at the start with blazing sun and a feels-like temperature of 94°F.

The Race
Before the race started we all threw our color packets into the air so everyone got nice and powdered. Then we left the stadium via the southeast entrance and headed out on City Island to the Sweetheart Trail.

The course was well-marked with arrows stuck to the sidewalk and trail indicating turns along the route. We passed the water stop twice.

Along the way race organizers had put out a couple of photo ops in the the form of huge posters of Bob Ross. There were also a couple of color stations where volunteers doused us with more colored powder.

Towards the end of the race there was a big painting that we could stop and add to before running back to the stadium.

The race information given prior to raceday indicated we would finish with a run around the outfield at Jackie Robinson Park, crossing home plate. Unfortunately this was changed at the last minute and we finished by running through the southwest entrance gate. The course change also made the route somewhat shorter than 5K. Oh well.

After the Race
I picked up my free beer and we sat around for a little while before I cleaned up as best I could and we headed home.

We came back to the Jack that night for the game. All of the entertainment was Bob Ross or art-themed and the mascot Shelldon was even wearing a Bob Ross wig!

Recommendation
It was fun but I am not a huge fan of untimed races. I don't need to do another color run, that was a mess. The changed course ending was a small disappointment. In all it was well organized but I'm not sure I need to do this again (if there is another).

Garmin watch time: 39:10 (for 3 miles)
Race Amenities: Bob Ross Night t-shirt, very cool race bib
Cost: $27.50

Report written August 7, 2017

Earlier this year a fun new activity was introduced at Walt Disney World: themed fun runs at resorts. It looks like it started with the Beignet Dash at Port Orleans: French Quarter; the Derby Dash at Saratoga Springs was added later. If these are successful they may add more.

I participated in the Derby Dash on July 27, 2017 and the Beignet Dash on August 6, 2017. Each race is a short run or walk through resort property. Check-in begins at 7:30AM race morning for a 8AM start. The Derby Dash takes place on Thursdays and the Beignet Dash on Sundays.

Derby Dash at Saratoga Springs
There were about 20 runners participating on the morning I attended this fun run. Check in was smooth and we could all sit comfortably in an activity room while we waited for the run to start.

What should have been a fun little run around resort property turned into a hilarious comedy of errors as the entire field took a wrong turn and ended up running around without a clue of how to proceed. We cut across a parking lot and ran down a wheelchair ramp, hitting the finish line of the approximately 1.44 mile race after about a half mile of running and hysterical laughter. A bunch of us tried it again and we could see our mistake the second time -- but a castmember (CM) was to blame, too! We took a turn right by a CM on traffic duty and he didn't say a word -- we should have gone straight!

After that the route was actually very clear with signs posted along the way, and even little cones to indicate where we should not go. We had some nice views of Disney Springs as we ran along the water.

At the end of the run, participants could pick up fruit and granola bars as well as water. Everyone got a finisher medal.

Here's an aerial video rendering of the run from relive. The first loop is the error; crossing the start again for the second loop is the correct route. relive Derby Dash with unintended detour (or extra magic)

Beignet Dash at Port Orleans French Quarter
This race was better attended with 50+ runners participating. Check in was hindered by a tech-fail: the credit card machines were broken so CMs were taking payment by writing down everyone's information.

The course for this run is a nice pathway along the river with runners circling around Riverside and French Quarter. There were signs out on the course and a few CMs out pointing the way.

At the end of the run everyone got a finisher's medallion on a lanyard of beads, plus a small goodie bag with more bead necklaces and a couple of themed pins. A voucher attached to our bib could be redeemed for an order of three beignets from the resort's food court when the race was over.

Here is the relive map recap of this run: relive Beignet Dash

Recommendation
These little fun runs are a cute experience for resort guests and visitors alike. They are extremely walker-friendly and short enough for nearly everyone to be able to participate. Each dash costs $15 plus tax. I think the Beignet Dash is a better value because of the tasty beignets at the end, but both dashes are a fun way to spend some time before hitting the parks.