RECAP: Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2023
Last week, MickeyBlog shared images from the Parks as setup began for a runDisney event. Here’s a recap of the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2023!
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
For those unaware, 2023 marked the 30th anniversary of this beloved race. The first commenced in 1994.
Disney Parks Blog shares that this is the longest race weekend of the season. Although it’s changed over the years, participants continue to breathe life into the event through their amazing accomplishments.
This year, the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend featured retro 90’s vibes. Consistent with some of the merchandise debuting at the Parks, the theme was funky and cheerful!
Participants saw the concept played out along the courses through entertainment as well as decor. Runners added to the magic by donning some pretty awesome outfits!
Recap
As reported before, this race weekend included four events and two multi-race challenges. In addition to the 30th-anniversary celebration, the Dopey challenge celebrated its 10th year.
An ultimate challenge, runners were required to complete 48.6 miles over four straight days. Included were a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Full Marathon.
Brazil’s Daniel dos Santos won this year’s Walt Disney World Marathon. This marks the 16th time a Brazilian has won over the last 18 years!
He came in with a finish time of 2:26:51, narrowly beating out second place by 33 seconds. Katherine Cargiulo of New Hampshire finished first in the women’s division.
Coming in with a time of 3:00:13, her story is inspiring. Seven months ago, she broke her back during a triathlon.
This event marked her return to running. She heartwarmingly shared, “Just to be running in a race is a dream come true; this place is magical.’’
Disney congratulates all of the runners who participated in Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2023!