I was asked if I would ever do another Disney race. I’m not sure how to answer that right now. Years ago, I said I wouldn’t do one since they are so expensive. You can easily do 3 half marathons for the entry fee as just one Disney race. So, that was never on my list.

But, then my kids got older. My wife suggested taking the family to Disney World. My daughter (now 8) has watched Disney Jr. every day of her life probably. She loves all that stuff. My son (7) is also at that magical age where a trip to Disney would be amazing. Our youngest daughter is only 1, so probably won’t remember any of it, but would look cute in the pictures. At the same time the wife was suggesting this, I was getting pretty excited about the Disney acquisition of Star Wars. I’m a big Star Wars nerd, and the thought of doing a Star Wars themed race seemed over joyous. I heard good stories of the inaugural race, and the medals/shirts looked impressive. It should also be mentioned I have yet to run a race in Florida. So, I told my wife I would take the kids to Disney world IF we could do it on the Star Wars weekend, so I can cross another state off my list. And though it was an expensive entry fee, if I’m going there anyway, that becomes a way to save money on the traveling/lodging expenses. She agreed, so I broke my word and signed up for a Disney race.

How was it? It was pretty amazing! But, there were some frustrations too. I should start with the expo. It took place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. I didn’t even know this was a thing. But, it’s a new part of Disney World. So, it gave me the chance to see something new for the first time. It had no rides or anything like that. It was just a great big auditorium, but it was still neat to say I saw it. Inside the expo, there was a DJ spinning some good music. My kids were dancing around and having a good time. I didn’t like that they made us park our stroller. They made us go into one hall to register and get our bib, and then go into a different building to get our t-shirt and experience the expo. And when you have a 1 year old with no nap, this becomes very frustrating. I also don’t understand why they couldn’t have just held everything in one location. But, I tried to scurry out of there quickly. I was surprised not to see any “Disney stuff.” There was no costumed Mickey Mouse there to see or anyone else like that. There also was a lack of freebies. I typically get a bag and fill it with wristbands, Gu, pens, snacks and all kinds of stuff I probably won’t use. Though most of that stuff I throw away, it’s always nice to get it and I do use some of it. The only thing I think I got there was GoGo applesauce for the kids. And since that’s a part of their daily intake, I guess that was nice to see.

The next two days were interesting. My family went to some of the Disney parks and saw people all over wearing t-shirts and medals from that day’s earlier race. I only signed up for the half marathon. That was my only desire at the time of registration. However, there was also a 10K the day before the half and a 5K the day before that. And there were bonus medals for doing all 3 of them. In fact, this was the “Dark Side Half.” In Disneyland, earlier in the year, there was the “Light Side Half.” And people who completed both in the same calendar year, got additional medals stacked on top. You had a chance to leave FL with around 6 new medals depending on how much you were willing to shell out to the Mouse. And though none of those races intrigued me when I signed up, I will admit I began wishing I had ran those other races. The medals were above average. And the shirts were pretty amazing!

Next, let me talk about the pre-race. I showed up an hour and a half early. I thought that would be plenty of time to get to my coral, have fun, hit the restroom, etc. In any other race, that would be a reasonable assumption. They had us park at Epcot (the finish line), and they bussed us to the Magic Kingdom where we started. They said they would not let anyone drop off their friends/family at the start line. I don’t fully understand the reason for that. But, since I was driving myself, I guess that didn’t matter. I walked towards the busses and got my pre-race lift in, like I do! The bus seemed slow, but I didn’t care; I was early! But, the bus didn’t drop us off near the starting line. I think I had to walk around a mile to get to my coral. During that time, there were some truly amazing things to see. There were stands where runners could stand next to characters like Darth Vader, Jaba the Hutt and Bobba Fett to get a fun picture. There was also a couple huge screens showing scenes from the Star Wars films. There was a fun, energetic atmosphere. But, there were also long lines for the restrooms that would block the walk towards the corals. It was crowded and slow. To make a long story short, by the time I finally got to the start line, my coral had already left. This is the first time that’s ever happened. And I spoke to several other people that later told me they had similar problems.

With that fiasco out of the way, let me try to explain the race. It was fantastic! I think it was the most fun running this race than any others. Due to the high temperatures and humidity in Florida, the start time was 5:30; long before the sun came up. There were places it was nearly completely dark at the beginning. One of these spots had a bunch of blaster noises, and it felt like you were there in the middle of a space battle. Another one of these dark stretches had ewok noises behind some trees. You could almost feel like you were on the moon of Endor. At times, we would run by big screens that had the movies playing on it. And there were so many people dressed up in costume. I felt like I was at a Star Wars convention with running attached to it! Also, pretty much every mile had a spot where you could run off the course and pose for a picture. They had characters, vehicles and backgrounds from the movies. I am trying to run sub 2 hour races in all 50 states, and I haven’t been as fast as I used to be. So, I tried to stay focused, but I wanted to stop to get a selfie next to some of this stuff. Every mile marker had a dark side character on the flag. I saw Darth Vader, Bobba Fett, Darth Maul, the Emperor and pretty much every evil character you could think of. They even had a couple characters I couldn’t immediately identify; so I think they may be from the upcoming film. They also let us run throughout many of the Disney parks. I ran on streets of Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot! One of my big complaints about Disney races is that park admission is not included. However, being able to run around Disney World is a nice consolation. They really spared no expense with the atmosphere of the race itself. For this nerdy kid/runner, I was in paradise!

As I finished the race, I got a huge medal. It had Kylo Ren’s face on it. That’s what I named my dog. So, it will go down as one of my favorite medals ever! They had stations to get your pictures at, but they wouldn’t let us take pictures with our own cameras. I found that to be a bit odd, but whatever. Then I got my free banana and powerade and tried to will myself back to full health. There was plenty of room to move around at the finish line area. And they had another fun atmosphere there. I spent way too much time looking for my free beer. I ended up asking people and they gave me an awkward look. Apparently, Disney doesn’t do free post-race beers. What’s with that?!??! Look at my post for the Route 66 race to see what a contrast these races were. Maybe it’s not a deal I should make. But, most races I’m in have something alcoholic afterwards. I felt kind of cheated after such a huge entry fee on that. Moving on, they had moved all those pre-race scenes to the finish line. So, anyone who didn’t have time to get their picture before, had the chance to get a picture afterwards with a beloved character. I ended up getting in line to have my picture with Darth Vader. It was a lot of fun.

After the race, I went back to my hotel to shower up, only to return to the Magic Kingdom later to meet up with my family. I was able to walk around with my medal and see others who had their medals/shirts on. We were able to give one another a nod and share a moment of comradery while still enjoying Disney with my family. It was a nice feeling. However, it continued to hurt every time I saw someone with that BIG medal for completing all the races. I feel that I missed a piece of this experience.

So, would I do another Disney race? I don’t know. I have now completed both Florida and California and I am trying not to repeat states. Unlike many of my running friends, I don’t have the income to go on numerous trips all over the place. I can only go on 2-3 racecations a year. So, to go back, I have nothing to gain. And there are so many great races in both CA and FL to run if I was to return. With the overpriced entry fees and LACK OF A FREE BEER, it seems crazy to justify another Disney run. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t satisfied. And it definitely doesn’t mean it wasn’t one of the most fun races I’ve been in. I just don’t have a lot to gain by running another Disney event. But, here’s my conclusion: eventually my one year old will be older. She will be around the age of her brother and sister are now. When that time comes, the wife will probably want to drag me back to Disneyworld. If I’m in a better place in my life financially at that time, I may consider doing this race again. But, if I do it…..I’ll be doing all the races. I’ll be taking pictures alongside the course. I’ll plan differently. If I do this again, I’ll get all the medals, all the shirts and all the fun pictures that I missed out with this race. I just may be back to another race in a state far far away!

This was a great race, and a must do for anyone who is in Marathon Maniacs, Half Fanatics or the 50 State Marathon club!

Let me start by saying that it was a cold day. It was 40 when the race began, I believe. So, if you like to run in the cold, this was great; I do not like that. I especially hate waiting around at the beginning for the race to start when I’m freezing. But, it was manageable. Thankfully, there was no snow or rain to complicate things. Not long after the race started, the sky cleared and the sun came out. So, it was pretty tolerable during the race itself. Many of my friends consider that perfect conditions for racing.

The course had several hills. I live and train in Colorado. So, for me, it was manageable. But, many people from flatter locations complained that these hills were too much for them. If you’re going to do this race, definitely train appropriately.

The medal was nice. It looked like a combination of a big Christmas ornament and an academy award. And it had a base to stand up on. That was a unique touch. And it was significant that you could chose to have a typical tech t-shirt or a light jacket. That was pretty neat. My closet is full of race shirts, but I have no race coats. This was good quality material and would be perfect for running with on a cool day. So, I found this to be a big selling point and part of the reason I signed up.

But, the best part of this was the way they catered to the different national running clubs. I am a Half Fanatic, and have been for a number of years. For those of you who are unaware, it’s a group of runners who run many half marathons. You have to qualify to be a part of that club. And it’s not based on time or performance, but the number of races you complete in a given time. If you become a part of that club, you get to involve yourself in so many benefits. One is that you can network with other runners to split hotel and car rental fees. Most races also give discounts for members. And there’s a comradery that is built in. Pretty much every race I go to, I see people that I know from all over the world that I met through this group.

But, at this race, the benefits were especially fantastic. Before the race, they sectioned off part of the lawn to hang out at. There was an area for us to take pictures, several tables and even our own port-a-potties to cut down on the long lines the others had to endure. At the end of the race, there was another section fenced off where we could join. At the beginning of that area was a place where we could turn in our medals and exchange them for a Half-Fanatic branded medal. It looked the exact same, just different colors and different wording. They had a little courtyard and a tent. In the tent, they had free pizza, sandwiches and water for us. We also had our own gear check for better efficiency. And beer; lots and lots of beer! I had my share, your share, and a few others too! It also gave me a chance to reconnect with other Fanatics who showed up after the race. It was one of the best times I ever had after a race! If you are part of one of those running groups, you really do need to run this race at least once in your life; there really is nothing like it.

But, let me talk about some of the other benefits from this race that had nothing to do with running clubs. At the finish line they offered free massages. They also had a place next to it where they would help stretch you out if you push yourself too hard, like I tend to do. On our bibs were TWO coupons for free beers; most races only give you one (if any at all). Just past the area where we got our medals, they were handing out plates of fresh spaghetti. It was good! That was in addition to bananas, apples, oranges, rice cakes, Pepsi Max, Gatorade, water and many other freebies. And for those running their first race, the medal was gold! It really was a spectacular display of hospitality that is second to none!

For those wondering about the city, this all took place in Tulsa, OK. It is a good sized town, possibly a small city. The people I stayed with took me all over town to different breweries. I ate at a couple different pizza establishments, and they were all great! It had a fun atmosphere to the whole town. It seemed like a city rich in history and being recreated. Allegedly, the downtown district was dying out and left numerous building unattended. But, just a couple years ago things started to thrive again. Now, it has a fresh feeling full of hope!

All in all, I would highly recommend this race to anyone. And I think it should be a requirement if you are in one of the big running clubs I mentioned above. Just make sure you dress warm and train for hills!

I have to start out by saying that I enjoyed this racecation. However, I enjoy them all, so I don’t know if that’s saying much!

Since most of you want to hear about the race itself, I will tell this story out of order and start there. It started in downtown Albuquerque. 2 blocks away there was free parking at a Wells Fargo bank. We were all told it would be limited and first come; first serve. I wanted a space there, so I showed up 2 hours early. And I’m glad I did. Within 50 minutes, all those spots were taken. The aggravating part of this was that Wells Fargo had blocked off about ¾ of their parking lot. I don’t know if that was purposeful or if one maintenance employee wasn’t informed by management what was going on. But, I guess it didn’t impact me as I was early enough!

I was happy to represent the RWB team for the first time. For those who don’t know RWB is a national running group that is geared towards veterans. RWB stands for Red White Blue. As you probably know, veterans have a high suicide rate. This gives them a group to belong to and get active with. It can bring a sense of belonging and accomplishment. And non-veterans are allowed to join too. In the past, I’ve seen many of my friends wear the shirt before. I ordered mine and got to run in it. I also showed up for a group picture before the race to document our comradery.

My main complaint about the race itself was the start line. There were no corrals. Everybody just bunched together at the front. I was stuck halfway in the crowd, but after passing the start line, it may have been close to 3 full minutes before I could actually “run” at my speed. Other than that, the course was fun.

We left the downtown area and ended up on some paths. There were many aid stations. I think there was one at each mile. They were manned by JROTC kids. It was neat to see them. And they all seemed excited to help out. It was a small enough path that there was always the possibility of getting bunched up. But, that didn’t happen to me at any point. At the halfway point, we turned around a barrel and came back. I liked that because it let me know what obstacles were ahead of me (the same ones behind me) and I could tell how far the leaders were in front of me. That said, I know some people don’t like those styles of races. The course was mostly flat. The only “hills” were when we had to run under a street through an underpass. We would have those small inclines to run up, but would also get that benefit of the same sized decline to speed us up.

The finish line was on the main street where we had started at. There were a good number of spectators cheering runners on. They did have bananas, water and bagels at the finish line. But, unlike other races, that’s the only place that we had those items available. So, if you didn’t pace yourself on that single Dixie cup, you were out of water for the remainder of your cool down.

The celebration area (is that what they are called) was decent. I was frustrated that there was no free-beer stands anywhere. Half the reason I run these is so I can get a free beer (the other half is for the medal!) But, they did have a free massage booth. And it wasn’t 4 minutes and you’re done. I am pretty sure I was on that stand for a good 15 minutes or so. I also found in intriguing that there was a Gary Johnson for President booth open. I did not see one bumper sticker, yard sign, etc for either of the main two candidates. But, former Gov. Gary Johnson was represented there at the race.

All and all, it was a good race. I thought it had a good amount of people to make it exciting, yet not too many to make it overwhelming. They need corals, beer and more water stands. But, they have a solid team built. I’m glad I completed my New Mexico race there!

Now that I’m done talking about the race, I’m going to talk about some of the other things I noticed throughout my racecation. Albuquerque was an odd city. My buddy and I had a lot of things to do and look for. As we toured around the town, we never saw a “good area” of town. We went to several parts of the city, but it all seemed run down. And we drove through the downtown area on Saturday (the day before the race) and saw around 3 people walking on the streets. It looked like a ghost city almost; like something out of a sci-fi movie. It was just an odd city. A lot of people said that Santa Fe was close by and was very beautiful. It may have been, but we never checked it out.

I also enjoy eating a greasy cheeseburger after my races. I spend weeks eating “right,” before a race. So, I like to spoil myself afterwards by eating something bad for me. If I’m in California, it’s always In-N-Out! I found a good place in Albuquerque called Blake’s Lottaburger. The burger was great. The fries were good too. I think the Coke seemed a bit flat. Also, it should be noted that I ate there on Sunday (after the race). One of the locations is closed that day. The other locations are open 7 days a week. I’ve never known a chain where some locations close on specific days, but not the others.

The pre-race meal we had was Villa Di Capo. It was a lovely restaurant downtown. It was probably the most beautiful place we went to while in New Mexico. It was a nice place that apparently used to be a couple different stores that were merged into two. The decor was old, yet elegant. It seemed like a throwback to a more civilized time. There was even an outdoor court with a fountain and several planted flowers. The inside appeared to look like something out of a mafia movie, so you know it was legit. The food itself was very good. My friend and I both opted for the pasta. I ordered spicy sausage, and it was actually spicy! Between the spaghetti and the bread, I was stuffed when we left. I probably ate too much, but I knew I would just run it off the next morning.

The shirt seemed to be a size larger than it needed to be. And the medal wasn’t anything more exciting than any other medal I got. But, I wore both of them proudly. This was state 24 for me. One more and I’m half way there! I hope you all continue to follow me through my journeys.

It all started once upon a time in the Marine Corps. I had a good friend that I used to hang out with every weekend. Throughout the years, we made it a point to stay in touch and see each other every now and again. Well, it so happened that we became running partners. We have signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon, the San Diego Rock N' Roll and the 3M in Austin, TX. We even discussed running a few others that ended up falling through. But, I needed a race before my baby is born next month, and he said that someone suggested this race as being very scenic and fun. So, I checked out the price of plane tickets and we were on our way!

The expo was quaint. It was in the hall that was roughly the size of a high school gymnasium. There were a couple dozen vendors or so. And not too many freebies there. But, it was still a good time. Someone was passing out cases (not just cans) of beet juice. I tried a can, and wanted to like it, but it was pretty nasty! The shirts they gave out were good quality tech shirts that were pretty nice to look at. And everyone I met was very friendly.

About the only part I'll complain about is the moments leading up to the race. This was an early start. 6 AM was when the gun went off. There was no parking at the starting line, so you needed to be at a bus. Part of my complain was that there was a different bus stop for the half and the full marathon. My friends originally arrived at the wrong place. Then we had to go somewhere else (about a mile and a half away) to get to our buses. It would've been helpful to have the same location and just two different lines. The other thing was that it was so early. Though the buses started at 3, the last bus left at 4:30; 4:15 for the full. It was about a 20 minute bus ride, which left us up in the mountains before sunrise; tired and cold for over an hour. There were fire pits, but at the time when we arrived, none had been started. I'm not a big fan of a 6AM start times, but it's even worse, when we are trying to get to the bus at 4! I felt this may have been the earliest I had to wake up for a race. I'm one of the types that likes to get plenty of rest the night before a big race, but with these conditions, unless you go to bed at 7 the night before, you really can't get a full 8 hours. And who can fall asleep that early? In my own opinion, the bus should start at 5, but keep going until 6:15 or so with a start time of 7......if not later.

So, let me talk about the race itself. It was downhill for the first (roughly) 2/3. In fact, it really was all downhill. The last 5K or so was just at a slight downhill that seemed flat. But, the first 10K or more was running down the side of a mountain! This is something that was great for me to pick up a lot of speed and not have to worry about getting too tired too quickly. However, I trained for this kind of race. I had gone to the gym to run on a decline treadmill leading up to this. People who are not used to running downhills had trouble as it uses different muscle groups and joints than running uphills or flat terrains. Also, I live in Denver, so the elevation was comparable. My friends at sea level had problems fighting their altitude sickness. So, just because it seems like running down a mountain is easy.....it's only easy if you train to do it as such. In the end, I got one of the better times in a race I've had. The whole thing was beautiful with so many wonders to view. This race did have several pace groups as well. And the medal at the end was above average and had a spinner on it!

The finish line area was great. I sure did enjoy the free massages provided by Massage Envy! Unlike other, similar races like that, the line for the massage was very short in comparison. There were many vendors out there. Some were handing out freebies. Many had discounts and sales to offer. Sadly, this was UT, so no free beer tickets. And Provo, is a pretty town, so it was a nice event. At the end of it, you had to wait in a line to get on the bus to take you back to the original bus stop you parked your car at earlier that morning.

This final thing I want to talk about may not apply to all runners; perhaps not even most. But, the one thing that did bother me about this trip had nothing to do with the race itself, but rather the crazy alcohol rules and atmosphere in UT. Not to say that I'm a huge drinker (I'm not) or that it was the point of this trip (it wasn't), but I do enjoy kicking pack a few after a race. I try not to drink during my training leading up to a race, but I'll have my share after. All the locals told us to go to a place called Wing Nutz. I didn't find it that crowded or interesting. At one point, my buddy asked to get a "strong" drink, but apparently there are clickers that are reported to the state to be sure that no one gets a drop more alcohol than they are supposed to. I asked for a pitcher of beer and the waitress instructed me that this is not allowable unless multiple people are going to share it. Another friend ordered a shot, but the waitress had to wait there until she finished her other drink as you are not allowed two drinks at once. At the Olive Garden the night before, we were offered a "sample" of wine before the meal. But, unlike everywhere else, they had to charge $2 for that "sample," as UT laws state that you can't offer free alcohol. And if the laws weren't weird enough, we eventually left Wing Nutz in search of a more happening place. We were given the names of a few other places to try out. After going around the town for a while on a Saturday night, we found out why everyone suggested Wing Nutz (even though it was kind of lame). I know it's a strongly religious town; and a Mormon one at that, but it is not the best state to be in, if you want to drink it up to celebrate finishing a race.

Well, let me start this out by what I don't like: the price. At over $100, this is one of the most expensive races you can sign up for that's not an RnR or Disney type race. And though I'm a veteran, a Half Fanatic and a former Team Challenge member, I was not able to pick up any discounts at all. Oh well. Was it worth it? Maybe. I'll let you decide based on the rest of this review.

Let me start with the expo. It took place at Wings Over the Rockies which is pretty much an Air Force museum. It was not a "huge" expo with hundreds of vendors. However, it's the only expo I've seen where there were airplanes hung over your head. That said, this may have been the most fun venue for an expo I've seen. Normally it's just a huge room (or a booth at a Sports Authority for small races). Also, right across the street was a 24 hr fitness in which I'm a member. So, I was able to get a pump while I waited for my friends to meet me.

Next, I'll talk about the check in station at the race itself. It was actually BY the start line! I hate it when I go to a race and have to chose between checking my stuff in or risk being late. Who does that? Also, it was nice that the start and finish lines were close by, so it wasn't that complicated to pick up your stuff after the race. Plenty of port-a-potties around the start as well.

The course itself was nice. It went through the zoo. It was billed as such, but I thought we'd go around the zoo or something. We actually ran into the main entrance and ran through the zoo's main path as anyone would get if they paid entrance fee. I saw some elephants, monkeys and peacocks. Other, slower, runners took pictures of many more animals that I didn't even notice.....but I had a time to obtain! The rest of the race was pretty typical for a big city race. We ran throughout the town. We hit some beautiful, old statues in a park as well as some questionable neighborhoods. But, it was in Denver, so the elevation was over 5K ft! As a resident, that didn't bother me, but I know some people who had a lot of problems breathing because of it. For the record, Denver is NOT a mountain town, but you can see them from the city. I've done races at higher elevations, but all my PR's have been obtained at sea level. So, if you're looking to find a PR race, this one may not be what you are looking for, even though it is mostly flat.

Once done with the event, there was a huge park that the finishers got to play in. There were a ton of vendors and other organizations with tents set up. Everyone was able to obtain a free BBQ meal and a beer. The beer may be "typical," but I've never got a full BBQ meal before. So, that was nice. There was plenty of area in which to discuss things, hang out and stretch afterwards. And the park was in an area of town that had a museum right next to it, for fun afterwards.

The medal was great. It had a spinner on it. Attached to the medal was a small dog detachable chain that connected to a charm. That is to be used to add to a charm bracelet use as a necklace. So, that was a unique portion. The race shirt was very fun as well. It was a tech shirt by Leslie Jordan. That's not a company I'm familiar with, but may have to research.

All in all, it was a fun experience. I wish I prepared myself better. But, the race director was definitely on top of things. Was it worth the money I paid? Maybe, maybe not. But, I've paid more and got less from other races in the past. It was an event that was able to draw many people from out-of-state, so that allowed me to meet other runners that I've met online, but have not met in person. So, all in all, I'm glad I did it!