This is the first post of my RunDisney Springtime Surprise Experience. In my second post, you can read about the RunDisney 5K Race Day through Epcot.
During COVID times, I started my running journey through yes.fit virtual races, Beachbody’s 30 Day Breakaway program, and I Run 4 Movement runs like the Schitts Creek “Ew, Running” 5K or the Save the Chubby Mermaids 5K. Whatever motivated me to run was great.
Then, I learned about RunDisney’s running events and it’s been in the back of my mind as an “I’ll do this someday” thing.
Friends, my mom made it happen! Because my mom is great like that.
Kudos to mom for getting tickets — as soon as they go on sale, tickets sell out quickly! It’s like getting hot concert tickets. If you don’t snag tickets and want to go, there are charities you can buy upcharged tickets through too.
I can’t take credit for mom’s extensive planning, but if want to try a RunDisney run or want to know what to expect, this post details the first half of my RunDisney Springtime Surprise 5K experience.
Before we begin, I want for all of you non-runners out there to understand I was really scared to do this race. I have been running off and on, plus some 5Ks, but this one felt like a HUGE deal. I didn’t know how my Perthes hip would handle the run and didn’t want to hurt myself at Disney.
But in the end, I figured why not try it? This felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity that I couldn’t pass up! So, here we go!
RunDisney Expo
The day before the run, we went to the Disney Wide World of Sports to get our race gear. As you’d expect from Disney, everything was well organized. There were signs and RunDisney people everywhere to answer any questions or guide you through the process.
First, we checked in and got our race bibs. They also had themed screens you could stand in front of and get pics taken of you by Disney Photopass people or with your own camera.
Then, we went over to the Expo. There were ~35 exhibitors, including all sorts of race gear, foods, and recovery vendors.
Some expo vendors I recognized included:
- FlipBelt
- KT Tape
- NuttZo Mixed Nut Butter
- Skirt Sports
- Sweaty Bands
- Gogo SqueeZ
- Make-A-Wish
- Therabody
And, you could meet Jeff Galloway!
Also, the expo is where we picked up our race shirt. They had a separate table where you could exchange your race shirt for a different size, if yours doesn’t fit.
Overall, we spent about two hours in the Expo. I could’ve stayed longer and shopped or left early and not shopped at all. If you wanted to buy running gear for the race, you could’ve easily outfitted yourself with shirts, running skirts, tutu skirts, glitter headbands, etc.
Tip: There’s a virtual queue to be able to shop the RunDisney official merchandise store (in a separate building), but we didn’t get into it in time.
Night Before the RunDisney 5K
After the expo, we checked into the hotel, ate an early dinner, and got prepared. We stayed at a Disney property hotel, so the staff was very knowledgeable about the timeline. There were also signs about the schedule and a breakfast box.
We were worried about the bus being too packed and not getting to the race in time so we asked the staff if we should drive or take the bus. However, they highly recommended the bus.
Tip: The hotel staff member said Disney properties have plenty of busses so getting to the race shouldn’t be an issue. Plus, sometimes it’s difficult to drive to the race since directions aren’t always accurate due to road closures for the race. If you drive separately, account for that extra time.
On the way to my hotel room, I bought breakfast, opting not to get a breakfast box, but I did appreciate that they had them available. Before going to bed, I got everything laid out for the morning. I wanted to make the crazy early wake-up time as easy as possible.
This was my first RunDisney event, so I probably thought way too much about my outfit. I spent hours on Pinterest, Google, Etsy and more before finally deciding on a Jessie (from Toy Story) inspired outfit.
I bought everything off of Amazon so I could return what I didn’t wear. I must have bought at least 5 different tutus and 10 different shirts. I could not figure out what would look good together without seeing it in person.
Fun fact: tutus really puff out and made my hips look HUGE. But this glitter sequined tutu skirt was my favorite because it was fun, fairly inexpensive, and fell more like a skirt than a tutu. It comes in 9 colors! (They also sold these and a ton of other skirts at the expo.)
In the photos, people often wore hats, mickey ears, and all sorts of items on their head, but it didn’t seem comfortable for running in. So, I bought a 20 pack of kid flower clips, knowing my daughter could use them after the race.
You can’t see it in race pics, but I wore a black belt bag around my waist while running. I was able to get it tight enough that it wasn’t a bother, but it held some of my essentials: room key, phone, and foil mylar blanket.
If you want to literally copy my outfit, you can get the cow print socks and “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” yellow Toy Story t-shirt off Amazon too.
Regular running gear is perfectly acceptable for this race. While you don’t have to dress up or wear a “costume” of any kind, it just added to the fun. I highly recommend looking at photos online from past races to get ideas.
For my first RunDisney race, I had to continually remind myself that nobody cares what you wear. Everyone is just there to have fun and enjoy the experience. So, wear whatever makes you feel good!
And let’s be honest, it’s Disney, so no matter what, you’re going to have a great time!
Want to know about my RunDisney Springtime Surprise 5K Race Day? There was too much to write about in one post so I broke them into two:
Leave a Reply