2010 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend - September 2-4, 2011

Disneyland Half Marathon - Sunday September 4, 2011

Disneyland Family Fun Run 5K and Kids' Races - Saturday, September 3, 2011

Disneyland Health & Fitness Expo - September 2-4, 2011

Pasta in the Park Party - September 3, 2011

Click HERE for more details.

Official Press Releases

First-Hand Reports and Other Links

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Paul Ngeny, 31, of Auburn, Calif.,
Wins Fifth Annual Disneyland Half Marathon
Records Set As Thousands Run Through Disneyland Resort, City of Anaheim and
Angel Stadium of Anaheim for "The Happiest Race on Earth"

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Sept. 5, 2010) - Paul Ngeny, 31, of Auburn, Calif., led a record field of more than 14,000 registered runners Sunday at the fifth annual Disneyland Half Marathon, crossing the finish line first with a time of 1:07:24, beating the fastest Disneyland Half Marathon time by 41 seconds.

"The course was very nice and comfortable," Ngeny said. "I liked running through the parks and all the music. I could keep on going for a hundred miles."

Finishing just behind Ngeny was Eric Marenburg, 27, of San Diego, Calif., with a time of 1:12:10. Kevin Broady, 48, of Brea, Calif., finished third with a time of 1:12:43.

Rachel Booth, 29, of Mountain View, Calif., claimed the title of 2010 women's champion with a time of 1:15:19, beating the fastest women's finisher time in the history of the Disneyland Half Marathon by 00:04:04.

Booth, who performed better than she expected, finished just 18 seconds off of an Olympic trial qualifier time.

"It was great. Magical," Booth said. "It's in Disneyland and it's just a happy day. Always enjoyable. Everyone was so loud and cheering."

The women's second-place finisher was Theresa Lowry, 36, of San Diego, Calif., with a time of 1:19:05. Susan Loken, 47, of Phoenix, AZ, took third place with a time of 1:19:13.

Other notable finishers of the 2010 Disneyland Half Marathon are Jon Megeff, 47, of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., who won the men's Master's Division (age 40+) with a time of 1:16:57, Merryt Jackman, 41, of San Diego, Calif., who topped the women's Master's Division (1:28:16) and Scott Parson, 51 of San Jose, Calif.,(00:56:45), and Sandi Rush, 49, of Oceanside, Calif., (1:17:06), winners of the men's and women's wheelchair divisions.

The fifth anniversary of "The Happiest Race on Earth" welcomed its largest registration field as more than 14,000 runners from every U.S. state and 16 countries made the magical 13.1 mile journey. The course traveled through the two Disneyland Resort theme parks - Disneyland and Disney California Adventure - and along Anaheim streets, passing landmarks such as the Honda Center and running on the field of Angel Stadium of Anaheim, while Disney characters and festive entertainment inspired runners along the way.

Participants who completed the half marathon received a special edition medal featuring Sleeping Beauty Castle circled by a vibrant number "5" and running Mickey Mouse. Nearly 570 Legacy runners - those who completed all five Disneyland Half Marathons - received a special medal lanyard.

The third annual Coast to Coast Race Challenge medal was presented to approximately 2,350 runners who completed the Walt Disney World Marathon or Half Marathon or Disney's Princess Half Marathon this year at Walt Disney World Resort and then also completed Sunday's Disneyland Half Marathon. The Coast to Coast medal showcases the iconic "Partners Statue" of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.

The 2011 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend is scheduled for Sept. 2-4, 2011. Registration for next year"s Disneyland Half Marathon is scheduled to open Jan. 3, 2011.

During the 2010 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, Disney announced that Jeff Galloway, one of America's foremost marathon trainers, will be the official training consultant to Disney's series of endurance events, which has been rebranded runDisney. The new runDisney brand also includes a new website, rundisney.com, which will provide runners with a wealth of running-related content, from Galloway training videos to endurance tips to complete runDisney event information. Additionally, newly-launched facebook.com/rundisney will provide opportunities for the endurance community to connect and interact with runDisney.

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Jaeyung Hyung, of Las Cruces, N.M., Wins
Fourth Annual Disneyland Half Marathon
Winner leads field of nearly 12,000 through Disneyland Resort
and Streets of Anaheim

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Sept. 6, 2009) - Jaeyung Hyung, 38, of Las Cruces, N.M., celebrated his first-place finish at the fourth annual Disneyland Half Marathon Sunday, crossing the finish line with a time of 1:10:44 to lead the estimated field of nearly 12,000 participants.

"I really enjoyed running the race here," Hyung said. "There were so many people, and Disney made it a lot of fun."

Placing overall second was Benjamin Gomez-Gutierrez, 32, of Jalos, Mexico, with a time of 1:12:46. Dennis Hong, 17, of Chino Hills, Calif., finished third with a time of 1:13:10.

Mandy Grantz, 23, of Pasadena, Calif., celebrated as the women.s champion with a time of 1:26:00. Grantz, a second-year graduate student at California Institute of Technology, was running her first Disneyland Half Marathon.

"I've never been the winner of any race before," Grantz said. "And I've never been to Disneyland before, so running through the parks was so much fun."

The women's second-place finisher was Stacy Schafer, 42, of Carlsbad, Calif., with a time of 1:26:32. Angela Bestwick, 33, of Las Vegas, Nev., took third place with a time of 1:28:06.

Kevin Broady, 47, of Orange, Calif., earned a notable Master's Division (age 40+) victory for the second year in a row and a fourth overall ranking with a time of 1:13:25. Edith Martinez, 41, of Brea, Calif., was named the top women's Master's Division finisher with a time of 1:27:33.

In the men's wheelchair division, Scott Parson, 50, of San Jose, Calif., crossed the finish line first with a time of 48:55. There were no participants in the women's wheelchair division this year.

Approximately 13,500 runners from 50 states and 13 countries registered for the magical 13.1-mile Disneyland Half Marathon this year, putting the race at full capacity. The field included first-time half marathoners as well as veteran runners. The course traveled through two Disneyland Resort theme parks and along Anaheim streets with landmarks such as the Honda Center and the Angel Stadium of Anaheim, while Disney characters and festive entertainment inspired them along the way.

Runners who completed the half marathon received a commemorative Sleeping Beauty Castle medal, the signature medal of the Disneyland Half Marathon and one in the Disney's Endurance Series collection.

The second annual Coast to Coast Challenge Race medal was presented to approximately 1,751 runners who completed the Walt Disney World Marathon, Half Marathon or Disney's Princess Half Marathon this year at Walt Disney World Resort and then also completed the Disneyland Half Marathon. The Coast to Coast medal showcases the iconic "Partners Statue" of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.

The 2011 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend is scheduled for Sept. 3-5, with the Half Marathon being held on Sunday, Sept. 5.

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U.S.C. GRAD STUDENT CROSSES FINISH LINE FIRST IN THE
DISNEYLAND HALF MARATHON

ANAHEIM, Calif. (September 3, 2007) - Carlos Carballo, 24, of Cathedral City, Calif., posted a time of 1:10:07 to lead the field of more than 13,000 registered runners to victory in the Disneyland Half Marathon today. The Half Marathon, affectionately dubbed "The Happiest Race on Earth," took participants on a 13.1-mile landmark-filled route through the two Disneyland Resort theme parks - Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure - and the streets of Anaheim to the finish line in the Downtown Disney District. Some runners stopped mid-race to pose with Mickey Mouse and his pals for photos commemorating both the race and Disney Parks' ongoing Year of a Million Dreams celebration. Half Marathon race finishers earned a special commemorative medal depicting Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. After crossing the finish line, Carballo, a graduate student at University of Southern California, said, "I love this course, and there were a lot of firsts for me. It was the first time I'd been in Disney's California Adventure, and the first time I'd been in Angel Stadium. Being in the parks sort of takes you away from the pain of the race." Carballo came in just three minutes ahead of Jeff Huxhold, 28, of Reno, Nev., who finished second with a time of 1:14:09. Suzy Schumacher, 38, of Phoenix, Ariz., was the women's Half Marathon champion with a time of 1:24:07. "It's a different way to see the parks," she said. "I thought they'd be empty, but the workers were all incredibly loud and supportive!" The women's second place finisher was Kim Mueller, 31, of San Diego, Calif., with a time of 1:26:35. Jeff Ambos, 45, of Cottonwood, Ariz., earned a notable Masters Division (age 40+) win in the Half Marathon with a time of 1:14:52 and a fourth place overall ranking. For the second year in a row, Christie Dubach, 45, of Atascadero, Calif., was the top women's Half Marathon Masters finisher. Her time this year was 1:35:39. Also repeating for a second year was Troy Davis, 32, of Queen Creek, Ariz., who finished first in the Half Marathon wheelchair division. His time this year was 1:10:35. The Disneyland Half Marathon, hosted by the Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim, and presented by Kaiser Permanente, is part of the second annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend. The events throughout the weekend attracted more than 18,000 participants from 49 states and 13 countries, an increase of 3,000 from last year. The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend provided a full weekend of activities for the whole family, including the Family Fun Run 5K and Kids' Races, which took place on Sunday. This year's 5K, titled "The Great Ratatouille Race," was themed to the recently-released Disney/Pixar hit film Ratatouille. Along the route, adults, teens and tweens encountered their favorite characters from the movie, including Remy and Emile, and passed a specially-constructed Disneyland Resort version of the Arc de Triomphe. Even little runners (8 and under) joined in the weekend running fun with 100, 200 and 400-Yard Dashes. For more information and to view complete searchable race results visit www.disneylandhalfmarathon.com.

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Second Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend to be Held
September 1-3, 2007

After the huge success of the Inaugural Disneyland Half Marathon in 2006, Disneyland has announced that the second Disneyland Half Marathon weekend will be held on September 1-3, 2007. The 13.1 mile half marathon will be held on Monday, September 3. The dates of the Family Fun Run 5K and Kids' Races are TBD.

The mostly flat half marathon course takes runners into both the Disney's California Adventure and Disneyland theme parks before heading out on the streets of Anaheim to the Arrowhead Pond, and along the Santa Ana River. The course continues around Angel Stadium and then back into Disney's California Adventure and through the Downtown Disney district before finishing near the Disneyland Hotel.

In the Family Fun Run 5K, participants will have the opportunity to run through both the Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure theme parks, with plenty of surprises along the way.

Registration opens January 8, 2007. Both the Half Marathon, with a participant capacity of 12,000 runners, and the Family Fun Run sold out in 2006.

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September 17, 2006: CALIFORNIAN BROADY WINS INAUGURAL DISNEYLAND HALF MARATHON

Former Disneyland Cast Member Takes Top Prize

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Sept, 17, 2006) . Kevin Broady, 44, of Brea, Calif., posted a time of 1:11:31 to lead the field of more than 9,700 participants en route to victory in the inaugural Disneyland Half Marathon.

Broady, a former Disneyland cast member, finished just a minute and a half over Benjamin Gomez Gutierrez, 30, of Jalostotitlan, Mexico, who finished second with 1:13:04.

"I used to work at Disneyland," said Broady, winner of the inaugural event. "I've been to Disneyland so many times. It was so much fun to run through there. It was just a really great experience."

Kim Jones, 48, of Fort Collins, Colo., was the women's half marathon champion with a time of 1:25:03. The women's second place finisher was Edith Martinez, 38, of Brea, Calif., with a time of 1:27:05.

Mark Donaldson, 43, of Trabuco Canyon, Calif., earned a notable Master's Division (age 40+) win in the half marathon with a time of 1:16:37 and a seventh place overall ranking.

Christine Dubach, 44, of Atascadero, Calif., was the top women's marathon Master's finisher at 1:31:51. In the half marathon wheelchair division, Troy Davis, 31, of Queen Creek, Ariz., crossed the finish line with a time of 1:08:56.

First-time half marathoners and veteran runners, including participants from 49 states, plus 15 countries, enjoyed the inaugural trek through the two Disneyland Resort theme parks and beautiful streets of Anaheim, while colorful Disney characters and festive music inspired them along the way.

The runners who completed the half marathon received a special Sleeping Beauty Castle medal, the newest addition in the Disney endurance series collection.

For more information and to view complete searchable race results visit www.disneylandhalfmarathon.com.

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March 2006: 2006 DISNEYLAND HALF MARATHON REGISTRATION SELLS OUT

10,000 RUNNERS SIGN UP SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE FOR THE "HAPPIEST RACE ON EARTH"

Registration for the inaugural Disneyland Half Marathon presented by Kaiser Permanente has reached capacity with 10,000 total participants, six months before the event is scheduled to begin.

Besides the Disneyland Half Marathon, other weekend activities include the Disneyland Family Fun Run 5K and Kids’ Races on Saturday, Sept. 16, and Disneyland Health and Fitness Expo, Sept. 15-16. Kaiser Permanente is the presenting sponsor and will provide its medical expertise to the runners and their supporters. Volunteers will also come through a partnership with Anaheim Community Foundation which will receive a portion of the proceeds from the three-day event.

Registration remains open for the 2006 Family Fun Run 5K and Kids’ Races at www.disneyworldsports.com. Special Anaheim-area hotel rates and reservations and Disneyland theme park ticket options are available for registered runners, family members, and friends through Disneyland Sports Travel Team by calling 1-877-814-3528 or a travel agent. Guests may also contact Disney Sports Travel by e-mail at wdw.disney.sports.travel@disney.com.

Plans are already underway for the 2007 Disneyland Half Marathon, with registration opening online on Sept. 18, 2006.

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Disneyland announces "Happiest Race on Earth"
Inaugural Disneyland Half Marathon will be held in 2006

The "Happiest Place on Earth" will host the "Happiest Race on Earth" -- Disneyland will hold its first Half Marathon Weekend on September 15-17, 2006. The weekend begins with the Health and Fitness Expo at the Disneyland Hotel on September 15 and 16, continues with the first Disneyland Family Fun Run 5K on September 16, and culminates in the inaugural Disneyland Half Marathon on September 17.

All participants in the 5K and the half marathon will receive a special t-shirt and finishers will receive a special inaugural finisher's medal. After the 5K on September 16 there will be special "Kids' Races", including 100- 200- and 400-yard dashes, plus an Infant diaper dash for babies under the age of 12 months. All Kids' race participants receive a medal.

The half marathon begins at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 17. The course goes through both Disney's California Adventure and Disneyland park before heading onto the streets of Anaheim, past the Arrowhead Pond and Angel Stadium before proceeding back through Disney's California Adventure to the finish line. There is a time limit of 3 hours and 30 minutes (16 minute miles).

The 5K starts at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 16 on a course that takes runners through both Disneyland park and Disney's California Adventure. The Kids' races begin after the 5K, with the first race scheduled to start at 8:30.

Registration began on October 15, 2005. Registration is $85.00 for the half marathon and $25 for the 5K. Kids' races are $5.00 per child. Register on-line at http://www.disneylandhalfmarathon.com. There's only one opportunity to participate in an inaugural event, so register early!

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First-Hand Reports

Laura Gilbreath's 2006 Half Marathon Report
Laura Gilbreath's 2009 Half Marathon Report
Laura Gilbreath's 2010 Half Marathon Report