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Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2023: Virtual 5k

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2023

One good thing that came from the pandemic was runDisney offering virtual race weekend options, opposed to their in-person park events. I started off 2023 strong with the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend! This specific race weekend is offered every January at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This year was special because it was runDisney’s 30th anniversary, hence the 90’s theme. Which I loved. I participated in the virtual 5k event via a fast-paced walk in the city. The flexibility of a virtual event is great because you can choose any day out of the race weekend to complete your miles and can do it all at once, break it up, etc while still receiving the perks of a medal and shirt. Keep reading to learn what a runDisney virtual event entails.

Virtual 5k Perks

A runDisney race weekend at the parks is AWESOME. The experience is worth the effort and something I recommend experiencing at least once. A race weekend in the parks, however, can cost air fare and hotel fare for someone who doesn’t live in the area. Luckily, virtual race options allow you to still experience joy towards a Disney-themed event without breaking the bank. Each participant will receive a virtual bib, virtual toolkit, race shirt, and race medal. The shirt and medal arrive in a fun, themed box. Check out the image above for my Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2023 package. I can’t wait for the 2023 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend in February – I’ll be doing the virtual 5k for that as well!

runDisney holds in-person and virtual race weekends throughout the whole year. The majority of these events are held at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, however NEW for 2024 is the comeback of runDisney at Disneyland in Anaheim, California! Stay updated at rundisney.com.

Stan’s Donuts 5k: 2022

Stan’s Donut 5k

One of my favorite 5k events in the city is the Stan’s Donut 5k! This was my second year participating in the Adrenaline Special Events race, and it was just as fun as the first time. Held at Solider Field, participants took in Chicago’s beautiful skyline while tasting Stan’s glazed and cinnamon donuts. These were given upon each mile marker. Talk about a great way to wake up in the morning! This year I did the 5k with my family and it was a lot of fun. Keep reading to learn more about the 5k course and registration perks.

The 5k Course

The Stan’s Donut 5k course is held at Solider Field each year, which gives a very scenic route! My favorite part is the curve that opens up to a view of the skyline (see above). This 5k is a “fun run”, which means you don’t have to run, which is good for bad hip people like me. A lot of people choose to do a brisk walk so it wasn’t awkward to choose to.

One improvement suggestion: for placement in the race, our pace kept us at the front of the middle grouping. However, mini donuts at the first mile marker were already gone by then. This means that they only accounted for about half of the participants for mile 1 and is something that should be improved upon next year. Everyone deserves the same amount of donut incentive! 🙂

5k Registration Perks

Registration for the Stan’s Donut 5k includes a race shirt, race bib, photo ops, mini donuts on the course, a medal, and a post-race full size donut and bottled coffee. For the price of $39.99 per person, you get a lot for your money compared to other event prices. Plus, the race shirts are always cute. Make sure to stay updated with future events from Adrenaline Special Events and Stan’s Donut 5k events!

runDisney Virtual Series: Frozen Summer 2022

runDisney’s Summer 2022 Virtual Series

I am a huge fan of Disney’s Frozen and Frozen 2, so I was extremely excited to see runDisney’s Summer 2022 Virtual Series be Frozen themed! As usual, the Virtual Series is offered in three different segments for you to choose from. You can register for as many as you want, and if you want to do all three there is usually a series challenge option available! The three choices for the Frozen Summer 2022 Virtual Series was The Original Classic featuring Sven and Kristoff, The Heroic Sequel featuring Anna and Elsa, and The Broadway Hit featuring Frozen the Musical. The Virtual Challenge medal features Olaf!

The Heroic Sequel 5k

I registered for The Heroic Sequel segment of the Summer 2022 Virtual Series 5k. The completion timeline given for all the segments is June 1-August 31, 2022. I decided to do my miles towards it in the month of June. The beauty of a virtual race event is that you have the freedom and leisure to log those steps how you see fit. For me, it’s brisk walking instead of running. This is the approach I took at in-person runDisney races as well – you can view tips on how to prepare for one at the parks here! Once you complete your miles, you then need to add them and mark your race as complete in the backend of your RunDisney account. This must be done in order for you to get your completion certificate and medal in the mail – so don’t forget!

The Summer 2022 Virtual Series Medals

The medals for the Frozen Summer 2022 Virtual Series include Sven and Kristoff for The Original Classic, Anna and Elsa for The Heroic Sequel, Frozen the Musical for The Broadway Hit, and Olaf for The Virtual Challenge. The coolest thing about this series’ medals, though, is they act as snowglobes. Each have glitter snowflakes that move around with motion. Such a fun touch! I’m glad I was able to participate in this summer’s Virtual Series, and hope to partake in another one in the future!

Make sure to keep up with future virtual and in-person runDisney events on their website!

Santa Hustle 5k Chicago

Santa Hustle Chicago

Ho ho ho! This year I partnered with Santa Hustle 5k‘s Chicago event to recap a fun, festive experience. Held at the iconic Solider Field, my family and I enjoyed 3.1 miles outside at a brisk walking tempo. The course wrapped around the lake for great scenic views! Each Santa Hustle 5k benefits a chosen local charity. This year’s efforts went towards Cal’s Angels, a pediatric cancer foundation based in St. Charles, IL. Their mission is to grant wishes, raise awareness, and fund research.

The Swag

The Santa Hustle 5k had some of the best race swag I’ve ever gotten. Each participant received a red performance zip-up jacket, Santa hat, Santa beard, and a finisher medal that also serves as a souvenir ornament. Additional swag (red tutu, candy cane socks, Santa coat, and more) was available at registration for an additional price.

Future Events

Santa Hustle 5ks are held all over the U.S. Both kids and adults can attend and enjoy the festivities. Registration ranges between $35-$60 depending on how early you purchase. It’s always a good idea to take advantage of early bird pricing! If you’re interested in volunteering instead of running/walking, Santa’s helpers are always needed!