After a very busy Friday spent at the expo and Magic Kingdom, it was time for my first race of the weekend early Saturday morning. Like with all runDisney races, the day started with a very early wake up (my alarm went off at 2:45 a.m.), and Kathleen and I were on the bus to Epcot at 3:30 that morning.
Upon arrival at Epcot, we decided to take advantage of one of four character photo opportunities while we waited for the corrals to open. Even though we stood in line to see Royal Minnie for almost 45 minutes, the line moved quickly. After getting our picture taken with Minnie we made the short walk through the Epcot parking lot to corral B.
Photo Credit: Disney World PhotoPass
The race started at exactly 5:30 a.m. What was different this year compared to previous runDisney races that I have run was that the corrals were divided up into mini-corrals, with smaller groups of only a couple hundred people starting the race at each time, spread out in 1-2 minute intervals. This was done to help with crowding at the start of the race. The course definitely felt less congested at the very start than I remember it feeling during my two previous runDisney 10ks. Kathleen and I crossed the start line at 5:39 a.m., starting the race off by running through the parking lot and then onto the Epcot entrance road.
In the corral waiting to cross the start line
Since our one and only goal during this race weekend was to have fun, we decided that our pace and finish time didn’t matter whatsoever, and that we wanted to take lots of pictures during the races. We had also agreed in advance on using 4:1 run/walk intervals for both races.
Our first character stop was just past the first mile marker at the sharp turn on the course from the parking lot entrance road onto Epcot Center Drive. There, we found Mulan and Mushu.
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
After getting our picture taken with Mulan we made our way up the ramp on Epcot Center Drive and shortly after passing the second mile marker stopped to have our picture taken with Pocahantas and Meeko.
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
We continued our loop around the Epcot parking lot and as the sun started to come up entered the backstage area of Epcot. We entered World Showcase through the gate in between Norway and China. We slowly made our way through World Showcase, stopping to take pictures with Pinocchio in Germany, the Genie in Morocco, and Marie in France.
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
While in France I also made a quick stop to say “Hello” to Belle and the Beast
After taking our time in World Showcase we eventually made our way towards the Boardwalk area by exiting Epcot through the International Gate. On the Boardwalk we stopped to see Goofy, who was outside of ESPN Zone.
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
Running on the Boardwalk
It was an absolutely beautiful Disney morning!
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
So beautiful and peaceful!
After running the Boardwalk loop, which took us past Boardwalk, Swan and Dolphin, Yacht Club, and Beach Club, we reentered Epcot through the International Gate and ran through another backstage area, and reentered the park in Future World. We made a quick stop to see Pluto, ran past Spaceship Earth, and made our way out one of the front entrances of Epcot, and crossed the finish line back in the Epcot parking lot at 7:35 a.m.
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
Crossing the finish line
Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass
Our official finish time was 1:55:35, which is my slowest 10k ever. But my slow pace and finish time didn’t matter, because I had had a blast running the Enchanted 10k and had met my goal of having lots and lots of fun while running the race. (According to my Garmin, which paused during all of our photo stops and while we waited in line for all of our pictures, I ran 6.37 miles in 1:10:37.)
Finishers of the Enchanted 10k
As we made our way through the finisher chute we received our 10k medal, as well as water, Powerade, a food box, and a banana. We decided to head straight for the bus, so that we could both shower and then we could return to Epcot for the day. Since we had a breakfast reservation, we were under a time crunch and didn’t have time to waste in the post race reunion area.
6.2 miles down, 13.1 to go!
It had been another fun race morning at Disney, and more importantly, I had completed my first of two races that weekend. I had completed the first 6.2 miles of the Fairy Tale Challenge!
QOTD: What is the slowest race that you have run?
How fun! You guys got some great photos 🙂
And I love that race photos at Disney are now done with PhotoPass instead of the old school way with MarathonFoto.
My slowest race was also at Disney. I do Disney races for fun 🙂
In my opinion, that’s the only way to run Disney races.
Awesome race recap! I’ve never done a Disney race, but always enjoy looking at the photos from the character stops. Their races always seem so fun and it’s nice not to put a time constraint on yourself for a PR, etc,
Exactly! If I’m going to run at Disney I’m going to focus on having fun, not only a certain finish time or pace.
It sounds like (and looks like) it was a blast! Great recap! I probably would have stopped to take all those photos as well!
And we didn’t even stop for all of the photo opportunities, that’s how many there are!
Disney races are definitely races you do to soak up the scenery and take your time on! It looks like you did!
That’s the only way to do a Disney race.
This looks like soooo much fun. If I did one I’d want to do it with the same mindset as you guys…a run to enjoy!! 🙂
Not every race needs to be about the finish time. Sometimes the slowest races are the best, but for different reasons of course.
Totally agree!!!
Looks like a lot of fun…so many character pics! 😉
And we didn’t even stop for all of them!
This looks like so much fun! I feel like I need to do a Disney race after all the ones you post about!
They are a blast and worth every penny.
Congrats on a great race! It gave me flashbacks of my sister and I running last year, though we started so far back we hardly got any character photos on the course!
Oh no! I hope that you two still had a lot of fun while running even if you couldn’t stop for that many character pics.
Yes, we still had a great time and I was really excited to get a photo with the Genie..that was a must, haha!
The pictures are great! I’m glad you had so much fun that weekend.
Our girls’ weekend was a blast!
Aww, Disney races always look like so much fun! :] I love all the different character stops!
Its always fun to see which characters they will have out at each race. That’s part of what makes each race different.
You really got such fun photos the whole time! I love how much fun you have at these races
They’re an absolute blast.
What great photos! I always loved seeing the different characters at Disney.
Characters are one of the many highlights of a Disney trip.
Disney races are so fun, despite that early start time! I LOVE the pictures you shared!! 🙂
Its easy to forget about the early start time when you’re out having fun.
Yay, for your first Princess 10K! You got some great Character photos. Sometimes a slower finish time is totally worth making memories and having pictures to look back on!
Exactly!
I LOVE all the pictures! Sounds like you had a really fun time!
My slowest race was the last half I did where I got a cramp in my calf at mile 3 and had to limp the remaining 10 miles. OUCH!
Oh no, that’s not a fun reason to have a slow finish time. 😦
Not at all! I need a redemption run for that race! Maybe in 2019!
Your photos are SO fun! I cannot believe how EARLY you had to get up – not sure if I could be down with that…your shirt – I absolutely love it!!!! WHERE IS IT FROM – Cinderella is my jam and so are medals 🙂
I found it on clearance on the Disney Store website several months back.
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