Rise and Run

Five years ago we hit record with a simple idea: talk running, talk runDisney, and share a few stories. Somewhere along the way, it turned into something much bigger - a real community that trains together, laughs together, and shows up for each other on the hard days and the best days.

To mark the fifth anniversary, we open the phone lines and tackle listener questions with our friend Brittany Charboneau. We get honest abou...

Wine and Dine is almost here, and the combination of nerves, excitement, and last-minute “what if” questions is real. We talk through taper week decisions, how to think about weather in Orlando, and why hydration and fueling should start before you ever reach the corrals. We also dig into Marathon Weekend medals, what stands out, what feels a little too familiar, and why the small design details still end up meaning a l...

A marathon on a treadmill sounds like a joke until the weather turns, the schedule collapses, and you still need the miles. We talk through the reality of late-cycle training as Wine & Dine gets closer, including how we handle pacing when humidity spikes, why long runs should follow a speed limit instead of a “prove it” pace, and what it looks like to protect sleep while still getting the work done.

Greg shar...

Meredith didn’t just “add hills” to her training plan, she went to Tanzania and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, a 19,600 foot summit that turns every step into a decision. We talk through what it really takes: building aerobic fitness at sea level, practicing patience with “pole pole” pacing, and showing up with the right gear and the right expectations when altitude is the variable you cannot fully control...

The Wine and Dine countdown just got real, and the details matter this year. We’re four weeks out, training is peaking, and runDisney dropped enough race-weekend updates to change how you plan your expo day, your 5K morning, and even how you think about pacing and character stops.

We walk through the newly released Wine and Dine event guide with a runner’s eye for logistics: updated expo hours, the shift to a 7 a...

Bird in Hand is the rare race weekend that feels like it was built for more than a finish time, and we’re still riding the high. We’re back with our full Bird in Hand Half Marathon recap from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where Amish country views, rolling hills, and small-town hospitality combine into one of the most joyful race experiences we’ve found.

We’re joined by BIH veteran Caroline and firs...

Your training can be solid and you can still step into the corral feeling unsure and that doesn’t mean you’re broken. This week we go after the part of running that decides how you respond when it gets hard: confidence.

We’re joined by Dr. Sindra Kampoff, performance coach and author of The Confidence Habit, to translate sport psychology into simple tools you can actually use during Run Disney training and ...

A long run can be tough, but this week proves it can also be downright ridiculous: surprise humidity, shaky confidence, and yes, a flying insect that turns one runner into an unwilling protein experiment. We share real training updates for the ramp-up to Wine and Dine and Marathon Weekend, including why “trust the process” is more than a slogan when the miles start to bite. We also talk practical hot-weather strategy, f...

Dean Karnazes has done things most runners can barely picture, but the lesson he brings to our mic is refreshingly simple: you do not have to go fast, you just have to go. We catch up with Dean on a Greece running tour built around the history of Marathon and a heartfelt tribute to Jeff Galloway, then dig into what endurance really demands when the miles stop being fun and start becoming a choice you make over and over again.

D23 always feels like a fireworks show for Disney fans, but we watch it with runner brains: What will all these new lands, refurbs, and construction walls mean for runDisney race weekends? Our friend Amanda from Once Upon a Marathon returns for a deep-dive recap of the D23 Parks Panel, and we do the fun thing we usually avoid: a little course speculation. We break down EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth refurb talk, Animal Kingdom updat...

You can train for a race and still wonder if you’re allowed to call yourself a runner. That quiet doubt shows up in a lot of places, on long walks that feel endless, on crowded courses where you’re watching your footing, and especially when your watch tells a story you do not like. We get honest about those moments, then share practical ways to keep moving as Wine and Dine training hits week eight, including how to sche...

One loop. One river. A whole lot of miles. What happens when a runDisney community takes over a relay event in New Jersey and decides the real finish line is friendship, not pace? We’re joined by Greg, Jack, Chrissie, Ilyana, and Stephen to recap Loopy Looper weekend, where teams rack up loops, tents turn into mini HQs, and every lap feels like a mix of training run and backyard party.

We talk through the details that ...

runDisney can look effortless on Instagram: a castle photo, a medal shot, a costume selfie, and done. Then reality hits at 1:30am when the alarm goes off again, you’re juggling corrals and buses, and there are still miles of dark highway between the highlight reel moments. That’s why we’re thrilled to welcome back Lisa Dinoto Glassner after four years to talk about her new book, The Run Disney Companion: Your Race...

runDisney didn’t start as a massive, must-register-in-minutes phenomenon. It grew into that, and Jon Hughes was in the middle of the turning points. We finish our conversation with the Track Shack leader who helped bring the Walt Disney World Marathon to life, then watched it evolve into a global runDisney culture where first-timers, costumers, walkers, and marathoners all belong on the same course.

Jon shares when the...

runDisney feels like it’s always been there, but it hasn’t. The real story includes years of pitching, countless meetings, tough operational compromises, and a whole lot of faith that runners would actually show up. We’re joined by Jon Hughes from Track Shack, the first race director of the Walt Disney World Marathon and one of the key voices who helped convince Disney a marathon belonged on property.

Jon t...

We hit a milestone and decided to do something worthy of it: build our own ranked list of the best road races in America. From the New York City Marathon’s five-borough roar to Boston’s history-soaked mystique, Chicago’s electric crowds, and the Marine Corps Marathon’s landmark-heavy patriotism, we talk through the races that feel bigger than a finish time and why they earn a spot on a true bucket list. ...

The reason you started running is probably not the reason you keep running, and that’s the point. We open with a simple community question from our friend Alan, then hand the mic to friends whose answers stretch from “I’ve never been an athlete” to “running became my only quiet place.” You’ll hear how stress, family health scares, grief, postpartum life, and plain old curiosity can turn int...

Summer training has a way of turning simple runs into big questions: Why is my pace suddenly slower, how do I stay safe in the heat, and what actually matters in the first weeks of a runDisney build? We sit down with our friend Coach Chris Twiggs to get real answers you can use right away, whether you’re gearing up for Wine & Dine, Marathon Weekend, or dreaming about Dopey.

Chris takes us from the mountains to the ...

runDisney didn’t just tease a surprise this time, it delivered one that can blow up travel plans. We react in real time to the Springtime Surprise weekend shifting dates, what that means for resort reservations and DVC juggling, and why having a good travel advisor can save you hours when Disney changes the calendar. 

Training talk gets practical fast: running in heat without turning it into a competition, how muc...