From Couch to Castle: Our Magical (and Muddy) Road to RunDisney

After spending a solid year working off decades of “fun” (read: snacks, celebrations, and zero regrets), I decided it was time to make my grand return to the RunDisney universe. So naturally, I went all in—signed myself, my husband, and our daughter up for a half marathon at Disneyland and the entire weekend of running events at Disney World’s Wine and Dine Half Marathon. Because why sign up for one punishing-yet-magical experience when you can double the blisters and medal count?

Our son, however, was the only one wise enough to say, “Absolutely not,” to the running part—but he's still 100% on board for the vacation. Clearly, he's the brains of the operation.

Training has been... interesting. Between freezing temps, snow, and the occasional mudslide (yes, a mudslide), outdoor runs have been a no-go. So, my husband and I have taken up the glamorous life of treadmill warriors. We’re each logging about three workouts a week—slowly but surely pretending we know what we’re doing.

On the rare days when the sun decides to show up and the ground isn’t trying to kill me, I hit the local trails. And when I say “hit,” I mean shuffle dramatically while dreaming of Dole Whip at the finish line. Soon enough, I’ll be back out there again—dodging nature and chasing dreams, one awkward jog at a time.

One of the trails we like to train on is actually used for local races—including one that’s kind of a big deal: it’s a Boston Marathon Qualifier. Yep, right here in our little rural corner of the world, where cows outnumber people and the closest Dutch Bros is basically a day trip. It’s pretty awesome to know that elite runners come out here to chase their dreams… while I’m out there chasing my earbuds and trying not to trip over a squirrel.