To our princesses (and any princes, pirates, or frogs who may also be out there), welcome to our fair kingdom! We could not be more pleased that you are joining us for the 5th running of Disney’s Princess Half Marathon. This is one of my favorite race weekends because it is an awesome display of GIRL POWER! It is no secret that the modern day running boom in the United States is being fueled by women. In fact I am proud to say the 20th Anniversary Walt Disney World Marathon this past January had more women running the 26.2 mile distance than men, making it one of the few (if not only) major marathons with this gender split – YOU GO GIRLS!

This weekend is a celebration of you. Just like the Tinker Bell Half Marathon held at Disneyland Resort last month, the Princess Half is a race that is planned and designed for our female runners. Now we know a number of men will also be pounding out the magical miles, and gents we salute you as well because at the end of the day we are focused on the vision of runDisney…”To make everyone believe they can run, and to make every mile they run magical.”

So no matter if you are here by yourself or with a gaggle of girlfriends, if you are a first timer or here for your PR, if you are a prince or a princess, we are excited that you are here to enjoy the best kind of Disney vacation possible. A runDisney vacation.

So lace up your shoes, run down to the castle, cross that finish line with your arms in the air, and make sure you wear your medal with pride!

Keep running.