This was my first year doing the Dark Side! I’ve now ran it 2017, 2018, and 2019. I was 20th, 13th and 7th. Your perspective of everything is so awesome. At the front of the races, people are really spaced out and you don’t get to enjoy the camaraderie as much. The person in 6th place was a minute ahead of me and 8th was a minute behind me in 2019. I also don’t get to enjoy the pre race festivities as much because with the “elite” corral, they make you go in there way before the A corral so you have to do all of your warm up and stuff inside the corral and then wiggle your way to the front of the start
Gerald my family and I have been going to WDW for years and over the years we love it more . We discovered your videos a few weeks ago and have been watching the ever since . You make the videos so entertaining. Anyway I just wanted you to know that your videos have inspired me, my wife and daughter to take on one of the WDW half marathons . Keep the videos coming and maybe one day we'll see out there in the race !!
As always such a good video! Keeps me so excited and motivated for the Disney World Half in January! My sister is blind and I was telling her about you, it helped give her courage and she ran her first 5k on Memorial Day. Keep up the inspiration! You are awesome!
That is so totally awesome and brings a tear to my eye! Tell her I said: "Congratulations!" Is she totally blind? .. OR, like me legally blind? I feel lucky I don't need a guide runner ~ yet :)
RezRuns she is totally blind in her left eye and in her right eye it is like looking through a hole the size of a pea and then looking through murky water. She can see shadows in good lighting. Her vision I believe is 20/2200 if I am remembering correctly.
I'm even more impressed she ran her first 5K!! :) Did she run with you or a guide runner? I have 20/3000-ish vision in both eyes ... but I can see color and some detail (if I am close enough) in my peripheral vision. I pretty much see everything around me .. out of focus and just follow the bodies while I run the races. Hopefully, you'll get her to a Disney race someday!
You captured what is so great about Disney races! This was an amazing event and Disney did right by having multiple hydration stations available due to the humidity and heat! Hope to see you at next years Darkside!
Thank you ... I can't take the credit. I simply point the camera and hope it all turns out. I was lucky this time. I agree runDisney pumped up the volume on this race. I am leaning toward the Half for next year ... it wasn't in the plan, but I really like this race. I don't think I'll do the Challenge again. So, yes, hopefully you will see me out there next year.
I love your videos and you have inspired my husband and me to start running. We signed up for the 2017 Summer Shorts Series and 2018 Dark Side 10K, couldn't be more excited. Thank you for your videos and I can't wait to see more! :)
Well done !! you ran and gave us a great video to watch too. not too easy to run with the go pro and the selfie stick. thank you for putting this video up on youtube. I thoroughly enjoyed it. i have run so many marathons, too many and i realized something, i have not had the time to reflect and really enjoy my runs like this. I remember running Berlin Marathon and there were so many cheers from the many side road activities to heighten up the fun in the run, but all i thought about was timing. I had to run to my best time as Berlin Marathon offered the fastest route. Sadly, i didnt get to remember much about the experience and the beautiful city scenes (historical ones as a matter of fact).
Thank you Karen ... and great story (stories.) I'm jealous of your memories and running adventures. It inspires me to want to expand my running repertoire a bit and doing a bit of "Race Travel." The ol' TV guy in me ... clicked when I picked up running a couple of year's ago.. despite a visual impairment... it's like combining two hobbies in one. Hey ... it's never too late.. and I say the more the merrier. Pick up an action cam and have some fun :)
Hi RezRuns! I gopro my running as well, and Everydad Dad recommended I check out your channel. thanks so much for making this video. this is a race i've been wanting to run.
Was glad to see you comment on Heather's over-training video. Had been looking for your Marathon video and was starting to get concerned. :-) Rest up, dig out of the hole and get that mojo back.
Congrats to you too! I may have captured you on video? Woo Hoo! I I know what you mean about slum ... I took off two weeks to finish these videos and I'm only now getting back into some 3 mile runs. And, if you thought that run was hot .. man it's been broiling here lately!! Happy summer training :)
I have been waiting for this video to come out! I watched last year's video and I absolutely loved it. I'm seriously jealous that you got run this half marathon. Out of all the run Disney races, this is my favorite one, even though I haven't run it (yet). It'll probably be a while since I live in California and am a college student (seriously broke). One of these days I'll run it. Always love your videos and can't wait to see more!
Thank you ... It'll happen soon. I think I told you that before LOL You don't have to be a college student for these races to break the bank. Have you run the races at Disneyland? I'm hoping to make the cross country trip at least once next year.
This was my first half! Thanks for sharing!! Mile 11 was the worst for me, that stretch was so tight! Once I hit boardwalk, it was way better! I loved finishing around the showcase! Can't wait to do another!
Congratulations! You'll never forget your fist. It's not the crowds around 11 & 12 that get me ... but the cramps. I don't know what it is about that distance, but I always get cramping in one leg or the other. .. and, I forgot my electrolyte tablets during this race! Ugh!
RezRuns that's never fun! I had a 10k last weekend and I was flushed after! I definitely didn't prepare as well as i did for my half! I'll be running the full this January! 🎉
Ahhhhh! Corral "C" ... corral of champions! It was sticky. You can see the sweat dripping off me ... even in the dark right before the Ewok Forrest Battle. Congratulations on your finish.
That's awesome Emily. What's cool ... it means you and I probably paced about the same ... and kept passing each other (taking a break) passing each other (taking a break) ... LOL Good times! Congrats on your finish. :)
Great video!!! I’m using your videos as inspiration and motivation to participate in my first Disney marathon. Thank you for taking the time to record and share with everyone!
Amazing video! Seriously look forward to your recap videos. Ran this as my first half marathon last year. Just signed up for 2018! Might be planning a costume too.
These are fun races. I haven't signed up yet, but I am seriously considering it. I know runDisney can't push these back into March because of Spring Break ... but I wish they would It would be nice if the race weather was a bit cooler. Hopefully, I'll see you there in 2018! :)
Thanks alan .. I had to smooth it out a bit with the software, but it still turned out. Here's to the HOT summer training season. I'm just re-starting after a, much needed, two week break! :)
Hi Gerald! I'm doing this race this year. It will be my first half marathon and I'm super excited. But I do have a question, is the route hilly or majority of the time flat? I watched this entire video and from what I saw it looks super doable with not a lot of incline. Thanks for posting this video. It's a great help for a beginner.
Great recap as always! Looks like the first 4 "boring miles" of the course helped spread out the field a little, true? Love the character stops...Sabine Wren and Ezra Bridger! Yes, I am that geek. :-)
Thank Heather! It was pretty funny that I was talking about the "boring" miles as Fireworks were going off behind me LOL And, yes ~ you are now, officially a Star Wars geek. If you listen carefully, I had to ask who those two young women were at the character stop. Was that from Rogue One? ... or, the animated TV series?
I did hear that LOL and Sabine and Ezra are from the Star Wars Rebels TV series that aired on Disney HD. If I stopped for any characters, those would be it! Congrats, and again, loved the video!
Another awesome video!! Loved it! I finally got myself a gimbal and a go pro Hero 5! Do you use the Karma grip? I think you've said before but I can't remember...I know you use a fanny pack to carry yours, right? I'm thinking of getting a runner's vest to carry mine...your videos inspire me so much to keep going with mine!
Thanks. I chose the Feiyu Tech G4 for my Hero 4 Silver and Feiyu Tech G5 for my Hero 5 Black. After reading the reviews and talking to some Karma Grip owners, I didn't think it was for me. The G5 lasts for 8 hours, is water-resistant and solves the motor noise issue with the Hero 5 Black. My overall opinion (which I hope to espouse in a future video) is the hero 5/G5 combo was a waste of my money. I use a runner's vest (sometimes) for the gimbal. I bought an UltrAspire vest (Alpha 2.0) but found teh gimbal flopped around a lot. The waist pack (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GMTZLIS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) was relatively inexpensive. You just have to get used to carrying a lot on long runs (camera, gimbal, batteries, hydration!) Good luck. I'm pulling for you.
Thanks!! Yeah, I actually have a pack similar to that! I'm excited to get the vest though. Getting one of the Aonijie vests off of amazon...been doing a lot of research on amazon and youtube and I think it's what will work! I already carry a lot on my runs (my phone, fuel, hydration, my camera, my batteries, and a small phone charger) so I'm hoping the vest works much better than the belt that I'm constantly having to readjust! I'm also hoping to do some virtual runs to make my marathon training runs a bit more exciting, lol. The Karma grip is a bit big, but it's all they had at Best Buy...it will definitely take some getting used to but watching your videos and a few others who use gimbals, it'll be worth it. My marathon goal is JUST to finish (don't have a time goal since it's my first) so I don't mind messing with it while running!
Hi Gerald, Watching your vids to get ready for the upcoming Start Wars Half 2018!! This is My 1st Run Disney Event... I got "The Imperial StormTrooper March/Darth Vader" song on a iTunes loop to get me Amp'd Up,, LOL
I have Stargardt Disease. My visual acuity is about 20/4000 corrected. I "compeensate" in a lot of situations. If you look closely after mile marker 5, you can see me grabbing at the air for a cup of Powerade. You can also hear me run into my buddy before mile marker 2. I have some usable peripheral vision ~ if I sit close enough to a TV or monitor.
Gosh, that has to make it hard to run in large crowds. Do you normally have a buddy run with you when you participate in the bigger runs, like the Disney runs? By the way, I'm doing the Disneyland 5K, 10K and half in September. Maybe I'll see you there!! My first Double Dare!!
It used to be hard, but, in fact, I've found the larger races can be easier for me. I usually run with a friend or family... but, I have found the courage to do these alone too! I just follow the bodies LOL I've found smaller races (half marathons) can be challenging when the field stretches out and I'm alone in a section of the course by myself. It's hard to follow a course when you don't know where you're supposed to go! So far .. so good. It doesn't appear DL will be in the plans for 2017. I'm trying to find some $$ and time in 2018. Maybe ... Tinker Bell.
Here’s a thought. Don’t get in line for common park characters like stormtroopers and kilo. Get in line for photo ops and rare characters like Darth Vader.
Good ???? I never PR at Disney. It costs too much and there's too much to "take in." My best Half is 02:17-ish. My best 10K (timed) is 01:02. I have personally run these distances at a sub-10 minute pace, but can never quite do it during a race. Not bad for a guy my age.
Well ... I can give your comment a "love." Thank you ... you know these races are too fun and the video is worth a million words. I wish they'd do away with the "dislike" button. I'm getting tired of the haters out there. LOL
RezRuns you are making a lot of people happy, forget about the haters. Donkeys don't appreciate candy, they are too dumb to know what candy is! (This is a saying from my country, it doesn't translate too well into English LOL)
This was my first year doing the Dark Side! I’ve now ran it 2017, 2018, and 2019. I was 20th, 13th and 7th. Your perspective of everything is so awesome. At the front of the races, people are really spaced out and you don’t get to enjoy the camaraderie as much. The person in 6th place was a minute ahead of me and 8th was a minute behind me in 2019. I also don’t get to enjoy the pre race festivities as much because with the “elite” corral, they make you go in there way before the A corral so you have to do all of your warm up and stuff inside the corral and then wiggle your way to the front of the start
Gerald my family and I have been going to WDW for years and over the years we love it more . We discovered your videos a few weeks ago and have been watching the ever since . You make the videos so entertaining. Anyway I just wanted you to know that your videos have inspired me, my wife and daughter to take on one of the WDW half marathons . Keep the videos coming and maybe one day we'll see out there in the race !!
Watching this as I get excited for the Dark Side Challenge this year!
As always such a good video! Keeps me so excited and motivated for the Disney World Half in January! My sister is blind and I was telling her about you, it helped give her courage and she ran her first 5k on Memorial Day. Keep up the inspiration! You are awesome!
That is so totally awesome and brings a tear to my eye! Tell her I said: "Congratulations!" Is she totally blind? .. OR, like me legally blind? I feel lucky I don't need a guide runner ~ yet :)
RezRuns she is totally blind in her left eye and in her right eye it is like looking through a hole the size of a pea and then looking through murky water. She can see shadows in good lighting. Her vision I believe is 20/2200 if I am remembering correctly.
I'm even more impressed she ran her first 5K!! :) Did she run with you or a guide runner? I have 20/3000-ish vision in both eyes ... but I can see color and some detail (if I am close enough) in my peripheral vision. I pretty much see everything around me .. out of focus and just follow the bodies while I run the races. Hopefully, you'll get her to a Disney race someday!
She ran with a guide runner. That is my plan is to get to her to do a Disney race with me! I know she would love it :)
You captured what is so great about Disney races! This was an amazing event and Disney did right by having multiple hydration stations available due to the humidity and heat! Hope to see you at next years Darkside!
Thank you ... I can't take the credit. I simply point the camera and hope it all turns out. I was lucky this time. I agree runDisney pumped up the volume on this race. I am leaning toward the Half for next year ... it wasn't in the plan, but I really like this race. I don't think I'll do the Challenge again. So, yes, hopefully you will see me out there next year.
I love your videos and you have inspired my husband and me to start running. We signed up for the 2017 Summer Shorts Series and 2018 Dark Side 10K, couldn't be more excited. Thank you for your videos and I can't wait to see more! :)
Well done !! you ran and gave us a great video to watch too. not too easy to run with the go pro and the selfie stick. thank you for putting this video up on youtube. I thoroughly enjoyed it. i have run so many marathons, too many and i realized something, i have not had the time to reflect and really enjoy my runs like this. I remember running Berlin Marathon and there were so many cheers from the many side road activities to heighten up the fun in the run, but all i thought about was timing. I had to run to my best time as Berlin Marathon offered the fastest route. Sadly, i didnt get to remember much about the experience and the beautiful city scenes (historical ones as a matter of fact).
Thank you Karen ... and great story (stories.) I'm jealous of your memories and running adventures. It inspires me to want to expand my running repertoire a bit and doing a bit of "Race Travel." The ol' TV guy in me ... clicked when I picked up running a couple of year's ago.. despite a visual impairment... it's like combining two hobbies in one. Hey ... it's never too late.. and I say the more the merrier. Pick up an action cam and have some fun :)
Again, amazing! So glad I found your channel 2 months ago. Keep up the great recaps - it's inspiring!
Tanks (again) Jaclyn. You've been keeping ME motivated. Summer Virtual Shorts and Dopey training ... coming soon.
Hi RezRuns! I gopro my running as well, and Everydad Dad recommended I check out your channel.
thanks so much for making this video. this is a race i've been wanting to run.
Was glad to see you comment on Heather's over-training video. Had been looking for your Marathon video and was starting to get concerned. :-) Rest up, dig out of the hole and get that mojo back.
Awesome recap. Almost thought I saw myself. Congratulations on the weekend. I needed this I've been in a bit of a slump lately
Congrats to you too! I may have captured you on video? Woo Hoo! I I know what you mean about slum ... I took off two weeks to finish these videos and I'm only now getting back into some 3 mile runs. And, if you thought that run was hot .. man it's been broiling here lately!! Happy summer training :)
RezRuns I know the feeling. I live in Pensacola and north west Florida is feeling the heat and humidity.
Right!?! These morning training runs at 80+ are nuts!
I have been waiting for this video to come out! I watched last year's video and I absolutely loved it. I'm seriously jealous that you got run this half marathon. Out of all the run Disney races, this is my favorite one, even though I haven't run it (yet). It'll probably be a while since I live in California and am a college student (seriously broke). One of these days I'll run it. Always love your videos and can't wait to see more!
Thank you ... It'll happen soon. I think I told you that before LOL You don't have to be a college student for these races to break the bank. Have you run the races at Disneyland? I'm hoping to make the cross country trip at least once next year.
Brilliant video. Disney is an event rather than race always go for the pics!!
This was my first half! Thanks for sharing!! Mile 11 was the worst for me, that stretch was so tight! Once I hit boardwalk, it was way better! I loved finishing around the showcase! Can't wait to do another!
Congratulations! You'll never forget your fist. It's not the crowds around 11 & 12 that get me ... but the cramps. I don't know what it is about that distance, but I always get cramping in one leg or the other. .. and, I forgot my electrolyte tablets during this race! Ugh!
RezRuns that's never fun! I had a 10k last weekend and I was flushed after! I definitely didn't prepare as well as i did for my half! I'll be running the full this January! 🎉
Awesome. See you in January. It WILL be cooler. :)
Great video! I was also in coral C! That race was so humid I hit every water station and switched between water and power aid.
Ahhhhh! Corral "C" ... corral of champions! It was sticky. You can see the sweat dripping off me ... even in the dark right before the Ewok Forrest Battle. Congratulations on your finish.
I remember seeing you run by me and I was like hey that’s the guy who’s videos I watch. I saw myself a couple times in the video
That's awesome Emily. What's cool ... it means you and I probably paced about the same ... and kept passing each other (taking a break) passing each other (taking a break) ... LOL Good times! Congrats on your finish. :)
Great video!!! I’m using your videos as inspiration and motivation to participate in my first Disney marathon. Thank you for taking the time to record and share with everyone!
Amazing video! Seriously look forward to your recap videos. Ran this as my first half marathon last year. Just signed up for 2018! Might be planning a costume too.
These are fun races. I haven't signed up yet, but I am seriously considering it. I know runDisney can't push these back into March because of Spring Break ... but I wish they would It would be nice if the race weather was a bit cooler. Hopefully, I'll see you there in 2018! :)
That was a great 180 turn. You're pretty good with that imaging unit. Another great video, thanks.
Thanks alan .. I had to smooth it out a bit with the software, but it still turned out. Here's to the HOT summer training season. I'm just re-starting after a, much needed, two week break! :)
Just got emotional watching this
When? Is it at that pint in the mus when I hit France - Japan and Spaceship Earth? Me too :)
Hi Gerald! I'm doing this race this year. It will be my first half marathon and I'm super excited. But I do have a question, is the route hilly or majority of the time flat? I watched this entire video and from what I saw it looks super doable with not a lot of incline. Thanks for posting this video. It's a great help for a beginner.
Nice job. Enjoyed your video.
Great recap as always! Looks like the first 4 "boring miles" of the course helped spread out the field a little, true? Love the character stops...Sabine Wren and Ezra Bridger! Yes, I am that geek. :-)
Thank Heather! It was pretty funny that I was talking about the "boring" miles as Fireworks were going off behind me LOL And, yes ~ you are now, officially a Star Wars geek. If you listen carefully, I had to ask who those two young women were at the character stop. Was that from Rogue One? ... or, the animated TV series?
I did hear that LOL and Sabine and Ezra are from the Star Wars Rebels TV series that aired on Disney HD. If I stopped for any characters, those would be it! Congrats, and again, loved the video!
Thanks Heather ... congrats on your Boulder run. I'll be catching up on my TH-cam watching now ... can't wait to see how you did.
:) Well done!!! I am so jealous
Thanks Lavi ... I know how you feel. It sucks I can only afford so many of these a year.I'd do them all if I could.
I like your videos, what running app do you use on your phone. I have tried a couple but have not been happy. Thanks
Hey, awesome video! What is that light on your wrist and where can I get one? Thanks.
Thanks Jon ... it's called a "LED slap armband." Just put those terms into Amazon. I just went with the one (at the time) that had the best ratings...
Another awesome video!! Loved it! I finally got myself a gimbal and a go pro Hero 5! Do you use the Karma grip? I think you've said before but I can't remember...I know you use a fanny pack to carry yours, right? I'm thinking of getting a runner's vest to carry mine...your videos inspire me so much to keep going with mine!
Thanks. I chose the Feiyu Tech G4 for my Hero 4 Silver and Feiyu Tech G5 for my Hero 5 Black. After reading the reviews and talking to some Karma Grip owners, I didn't think it was for me. The G5 lasts for 8 hours, is water-resistant and solves the motor noise issue with the Hero 5 Black. My overall opinion (which I hope to espouse in a future video) is the hero 5/G5 combo was a waste of my money. I use a runner's vest (sometimes) for the gimbal. I bought an UltrAspire vest (Alpha 2.0) but found teh gimbal flopped around a lot. The waist pack (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GMTZLIS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) was relatively inexpensive. You just have to get used to carrying a lot on long runs (camera, gimbal, batteries, hydration!) Good luck. I'm pulling for you.
Thanks!! Yeah, I actually have a pack similar to that! I'm excited to get the vest though. Getting one of the Aonijie vests off of amazon...been doing a lot of research on amazon and youtube and I think it's what will work! I already carry a lot on my runs (my phone, fuel, hydration, my camera, my batteries, and a small phone charger) so I'm hoping the vest works much better than the belt that I'm constantly having to readjust! I'm also hoping to do some virtual runs to make my marathon training runs a bit more exciting, lol.
The Karma grip is a bit big, but it's all they had at Best Buy...it will definitely take some getting used to but watching your videos and a few others who use gimbals, it'll be worth it. My marathon goal is JUST to finish (don't have a time goal since it's my first) so I don't mind messing with it while running!
Hi Gerald, Watching your vids to get ready for the upcoming Start Wars Half 2018!! This is My 1st Run Disney Event... I got "The Imperial StormTrooper March/Darth Vader" song on a iTunes loop to get me Amp'd Up,, LOL
awesome!! Gotta love the Star Wars music. Enjoy the race ... runDisney is so much more "visual" than other races. See you there! :)
Gerald, I was just wondering what your visual impairment is-you seem to do pretty darn good in all these races :-)
I have Stargardt Disease. My visual acuity is about 20/4000 corrected. I "compeensate" in a lot of situations. If you look closely after mile marker 5, you can see me grabbing at the air for a cup of Powerade. You can also hear me run into my buddy before mile marker 2. I have some usable peripheral vision ~ if I sit close enough to a TV or monitor.
Gosh, that has to make it hard to run in large crowds. Do you normally have a buddy run with you when you participate in the bigger runs, like the Disney runs? By the way, I'm doing the Disneyland 5K, 10K and half in September. Maybe I'll see you there!! My first Double Dare!!
It used to be hard, but, in fact, I've found the larger races can be easier for me. I usually run with a friend or family... but, I have found the courage to do these alone too! I just follow the bodies LOL I've found smaller races (half marathons) can be challenging when the field stretches out and I'm alone in a section of the course by myself. It's hard to follow a course when you don't know where you're supposed to go! So far .. so good. It doesn't appear DL will be in the plans for 2017. I'm trying to find some $$ and time in 2018. Maybe ... Tinker Bell.
I just signed up for the half marathon in April 2018. How long were lines to take pics?
Here’s a thought. Don’t get in line for common park characters like stormtroopers and kilo. Get in line for photo ops and rare characters like Darth Vader.
Do you run through magic kingdom during the half marathon?!
No ... The Star Wars is typically Animal Kingdom; Hollywood Studios and Epcot.
thank you for the reply!
what are your non-Disney PR's?
Good ???? I never PR at Disney. It costs too much and there's too much to "take in." My best Half is 02:17-ish. My best 10K (timed) is 01:02. I have personally run these distances at a sub-10 minute pace, but can never quite do it during a race. Not bad for a guy my age.
This is an awesome video by the way. I wish there was a love button I stead of a like. 😁
Well ... I can give your comment a "love." Thank you ... you know these races are too fun and the video is worth a million words. I wish they'd do away with the "dislike" button. I'm getting tired of the haters out there. LOL
RezRuns you are making a lot of people happy, forget about the haters. Donkeys don't appreciate candy, they are too dumb to know what candy is! (This is a saying from my country, it doesn't translate too well into English LOL)
Thank you.
are there age group and over all awards at run Disney
Yes. I know there are overall. I also believe they recognize age/gender placement.
I'm never anywhere near placing in my age group. LOL
Here’s a suggestion. You could wear your medals from the other nights.