Glitter, Gels, and 10 Magical Miles: My First RunDisney Springtime Surprise 10-Miler Race Recap

Words can’t really express the roller coaster of emotions I felt leading up to race day. No one in my family had ever run this many miles before, and I was doing it a year and a half after I had to relearn how to walk. My parents described me as tenacious, and for the first time, I got a peek of what they had always seen in me. This race healed something inside of me. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was back in the driver’s seat of my own life. I knew this race was going to leave a mark on my life in the best way possible.

As race weekend crept closer, I began prepping for the big day. I got my nails done bright red to match my outfit and race theme. I bought my very first Lululemon race outfit because honestly, I had trained so hard for this race that I wanted to treat myself. I stocked up on gels and chews and bought enough glitter to cover my entire body.

Bib pickup went so smoothly. RunDisney truly knows how to run an expo seamlessly. Once I picked up my bib, I headed into the expo and bought a medal replica pin and a race jacket. The excitement I was feeling was palpable. But as excited as I was, there was a lot to be terrified of, like the Balloon Ladies. For those who don’t know, the Balloon Ladies are the final people to start the race. They run a perfect 16-minute mile, and if they pass you, you get swept from the course. They’re called the Balloon Ladies because they literally run with Mickey balloons tied to them. Ironically, despite how intimidating they sound, they are incredibly kind and friendly.

My family and my best friend came up to cheer me on, which made the weekend even more special. We stayed at the Swan and Dolphin Hotel near EPCOT, where both the start and finish lines were located. The night before the race, they took me out for Italian food because I needed all the carbs I could get. Before I knew it, it was time for bed and a 2:30 a.m. wake-up call. That night, the nerves really started to hit me. My anxiety crept in, but before I knew it, my alarm was going off and I was suddenly too busy to worry. I shot out of bed and started getting ready, which meant a lot of glitter. My mom rode the bus with me to make sure I got safely to my corral and shortly after, my dad, sisters, and best friend arrived too. And in case you were wondering, yes, of course my fairy godfather (aka my coach) was there too.

After what felt like hours of waiting, I was finally off. I passed my family and friends and took off on my 10-mile adventure. And as if running 10 miles wasn’t crazy enough, I ran the entire race with my hair down in Florida weather. In April!

If you’ve ever seen my running vlogs and wondered if it's easy to run and film at the same time, let me tell you right now, it is not. Major kudos to all the running vloggers out there! I vlogged every mile and every moment I wanted to remember, which ended up being such a gift.

One of my favorite parts about this course was getting to run through EPCOT, the BoardWalk, and Hollywood Studios. We got so much park time, and it was surreal seeing the parks nearly empty except for thousands of runners. As we ran through the parks, while it was dark and quite, the sounds of the footsteps of all the runners brought me back in. I had trained for this and I was surrounded by others who had likeminded goals, to make it to the finish line. There were also plenty of characters along the course to stop and take pictures with, but I skipped them all because I was way too nervous about the Balloon Ladies catching up to me.

As I ran, I kept updating my family and friends, who were all tracking me throughout the race. At one point, my sister texted me, “YOU’RE FLYING BRO,” and honestly, that little message gave me the push I needed.

Now, I do need to address the challenges: the ramps and elevation on this course. I have absolutely nothing nice to say about Mile 8. But, before I knew it, I was nearing the end of the course. I texted my family, “I have eyes on the EPCOT ball.” At that moment, I knew I was close. I powered through and gave everything I had left. Right before the finish line, I finally put my phone away after carrying it in my hand the entire race.

As I approached the finish line, the world around me suddenly felt silent. All I could hear were the cheers from my family, pushing me forward.

And then came the craziest part of all, I was able to hear music beyond the pounding of my heart. Not just any song, but my recovery song. “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John was blaring through the speakers as I crossed the finish line. It was a sign, a reminder of every step it took to get here.

My family couldn’t believe it, and honestly, neither could I. That race lit a fire inside of me. Running became so much more than just exercise. I chose a challenge, committed to it, put in the work, and saw it through.

The RunDisney Springtime Surprise 10-Miler will forever hold a special place in my heart, it’s a race I’ll continue running for years to come.