I ran the Tinkerbell 10k as part of the Pixie Dust Challenge (10k on Saturday and half-marathon on Sunday) and did the 10k with my youngest sister. It was her first 10k and while we were planning the run the full race, we knew we would be taking advantage of a couple of the famed photo stops on the course.

This is a pricey race, as all runDisney races are, however it takes place almost entirely in the park and has excellent course support and entertainment. This female-focused weekend is a great opportunity for a girl getaway and since it was Mother's Day weekend, both my sisters as well as my mom and aunt made the trip with me.

Registration: Disney races can fill up rather quickly, so you will want to register on the day and time it opens.

Expo: You have to pick up your own bib, you cannot have someone else do it for you. The expo is large and opens on Thursday to accommodate those who come in early as well as those running the 5k on Friday morning. Plan on picking up your bib and taking awhile to roam what is one of the larger expos I have experienced. If you want official race merchandise, plan on being there Thursday morning as they are apparently collectors items and eBay sellers like to show up early and buy everything,

Pre-Race: Due to the large number of participants, you will want to get there early. The corrals are monitored carefully. There will be music and hosts entertaining you at least 30 minutes before the official start.

Course: This year's course started running three freeway overpasses. It was a terrible way to get moving after standing in the corral for so long. But a little after a mile you turn back on to Disney property and the remainder of the race is through the parks and behind the scenes.

There are many people who run these races for time, but I wouldn't recommend focusing solely on speed. You are bound to get frustrated with people who don't know race etiquette and walk multiple people together or stop suddenly for photos. We ran the race at a slower-than-normal pace and took advantage of various Disney characters to pose with. It was a fun timed run for us and we absolutely enjoyed it and didn't let the crowds get to us.

Post-race: Disney is usually great about handing out fabulous medals and snack boxes. This year there was a snafu with the snacks but it was otherwise a well-managed finish.