Wine and Dine Half Marathon - First Obstacle Completed

Shoot runDisney races are so stressful just to register. They keep getting more and more expensive, and more and more popular.  I don't get it.

In the summer of 2012, I registered for the 2013 Princess Half Marathon. I registered for it early, but I don't remember doing it as soon as registration opened.  I do remember that it was after that that we learned about the Coast to Coast Challenge after that and many months later Ben registered.  I want to say that was around October but I'm not sure.

Our first runDisney and half marathon medal - Princess Half Marathon

We realized that if we were going to run one half marathon, we might as well go for our Coast to Coast.  We've never been to Disneyland so we figured now is a good time as any.

Disneyland Half Marathon Medal

Fast forward to January of 2013, Disneyland Half Marathon goes on sale.  runDisney had added 2 new events, the 10K and the Dumbo Dare Challenge.  Apparently these types of challenges make the races difficult to pass up.  The race sold out in 26 hours.  I remember fortunately being off that day from work, and calling Ben in a panic because we needed to register IMMEDIATELY!  We were calling our friends who we had planned on running with making sure they had registered.  Very stressful.

But nevertheless, we were able to get that coveted Coast to Coast Medal!

As it is with most people, as soon as you finish a race, you immediately start planning the next one.  Well the same things happens with me, for both running, and Disney trips. I immediately had my eye on the Wine and Dine Half Marathon.  Honestly, how could you pass up a party in the World Showcase until 4 in the morning for only the runners and their families?

I then started recruiting to get people to come with us.  We have a group of runners from college that I worked on selling it to, I tried to sell it to some friends who love Disney as much as we do.  We came up with 6 of us.  Should be an awesome time!

So I started doing my research, stalking blogs, and all that to find out exactly when the race would go on sale. I found out it was sometime in March, then sometime in early March, then March 4th.  Should be easy to remember, it was noon eastern time on Mardi Gras.  So 11:00 here in Nashville. I was working (dangit) So I told my boss that I would be out of commission at about 10:50 until...well until I got registered.  My husband called, we had a plan, both register for ourselves.  That way one of us isn't trying to register for the other. I stared at the clock for about 10 minutes, which takes FOREVER.  Like trying to watch a pot boil.

tick tick...tock tock...tick tock...go clock go!

I had roughly 10 tabs open in my Chrome. Facebook running groups, runDisney pages, active.com.  11:05...still nothing.  Then the facebook groups started blowing up "IT'S LIVE!".  HOLY CRAP I COULDN'T FIND THE LINK.  I am panicking.  I could feel my heartbeat in my throat as I think, am I seriously going to throw up because of registering for a runDisney race?

Finally, after some freaked out phone calls to the husband we found the link.  I got registered for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon and the Jingle Jungle 5K just as planned.  I call Ben back to make sure he had gotten registered.  He hadn't!  The page froze before he could get it submitted.  Cue another freak-out.  I take the reigns and get him registered.  WHEW!  We got in.  We check with our friends who are going with us.  Everyone got in!  HOORAY!

Now for the fun, and not so fun part.  The planning and waiting...oh and yes...the training.

So a heads up, if you are reading some of these posts and thinking, 'man runDisney sounds like ALOT of fun' you'd be right.  But do you research!  They are expensive!  They just announced a new Avengers Half Marathon in Disneyland where registration starts at $195!!!  Also know when it goes on sale.  Like your blood sugar check the runDisney website and check it often. They sell out fast, and seem to only be getting faster!