Last year, I ran the inaugural Star Wars Rebel Challenge (10k and half marathon), which combined my love of running and my love of Star Wars. Since they were going to run it again (and later announce the Kessel Challenge), I had to run it again.
The races were run on January 16 and 17 (and I’m finally writing about them a month later due to some other projects to be revealed soon enough) with the 10k on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday. Even though the races are run at 5:30am, it doesn’t feel as bad if I am still on east coast time.
At 5:30am, we lined up at the start and prepared to to join the Rebellion in the light side themed runs. We headed north from just outside the Disneyland hotel and went to the local roads. The first mile headed up and curved around east before taking us back south to our first entry into the Magic Kingdom. We ran around the park counter clockwise starting at Futureland and ending at Adventureland (with a shorter run through Frontierland as it begins its construction for the new Star Wars park) before heading out of the the park about halfway done with the race. From there it was onwards to California Adventure for our second half. We circled outside and around for about a mile before reaching the neon glow of Cars Land. From there it was around the park and the ferris wheel to return to where we began to finish our 6.2 mile journey.
I was able to complete the Disneyland Star Wars 10k in 58:05. Considering how my running had been the previous year, I was glad to complete it in under an hour. From there it was about focusing on the half marathon the next day, which I did not 100% prepare for between the two races.
Waking up to run at 5:30am again to run the Star Wars Half Marathon, I stood in the corral again, watching the presentations as the seconds before the race ticked down until we started. The half marathon began the same way as the 10k, taking us north then curving around to the Magic Kingdom, without an additional loop preceding the park. From there, it was a straight run into California Adventure, instead of the mile loop between the two parks. At about four and a half miles, we began the long stretch south on Harbor Boulevard for about two miles. A right turn and it was about another two miles west, and another visit from the 501st in their assorted armors just past mile 9. After a brief visit with our Imperial visitors, it was back to Harbor Boulevard to return north for our last couple miles. A dash through Downtown Disney and the finish just outside the Disneyland Hotel brought our 13.1 mile journey to an end.
I could tell I did things wrong between the two races, and it strongly affected my performance Sunday morning. I was able to finish the Disneyland Star Wars Half Marathon in 2:23:50. Not my best time, but by the end of the race I was just glad to be able to complete it. With those two races under my belt, I can look back at my performance and prepare for the Walt Disney World Dark Side Challenge to complete the Kessel Run in April.
I could tell I did things wrong between the two races, and it strongly affected my performance Sunday morning. I was able to finish the Disneyland Star Wars Half Marathon in 2:23:50. Not my best time, but by the end of the race I was just glad to be able to complete it. With those two races under my belt, I can look back at my performance and prepare for the Walt Disney World Dark Side Challenge to complete the Kessel Run in April.
