Wine and Dine 5k

Ok, Liners. I’m about to put this thought out into the universe and make it real.

I am a certified couch potato. Like, the potato-ist of the potatoes. But, I need some more Disney in my life so I am searching for excuses. And my 40-something self really needs to get healthier. As such, I am seriously contemplating doing my first ever 5k at Disney. I figure even I should be able to do couch to 5k in 9 months! Right?

So, what do I need to know? How soon after registration opens does it sell out? How early do I need to book my hotel? I’d like to convince a friend, spouse, kid, etc to do this with me. If they sign up but bail, what is the cancellation policy?

Ooof. Ok, gonna post and make myself accountable.

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You can definitely do this! Look into Jeff Galloway’s run-walk-run method. It is how I was able to start running. You can slowly build up your distances, and then start increasing your running vs walking time. Again, you can definitely do this!

I think it will be pretty quick for the 5k. I ran the Wine and Dine as a St Jude Hero, so I was guaranteed a slot if I met my fundraising requirement. In fact, I didn’t actually register until after the races were sold out already. I would encourage you to look into running for a charity. It gave me a lot more purpose above just getting healthier. Not only did I feel like I was part of a team, but I was raising money and getting attention for a good cause. The official charity partners for the Wine and Dine are not posted yet, but I know St Jude is participating again this year.

If you are committed to doing this, I would go ahead and book a hotel now, but keep your eyes/ears open for discounts. You can cancel a room-only reservation up until 5 days before arrival for full refund. No harm in booking now (except the room deposit is in Disney’s hands instead of your bank account).

It is pretty strict, and the language is pretty clear that they don’t offer refunds. I have read about special cases though. However, I would not plan on a refund.

If you have any other specific questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

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Thank you for the encouragement!

How do I do this? I didn’t know you could run for a charity.

I had also been thinking about trying for a Parkeology style ride challenge in 2021 for Give the Kids the World. I’m a pediatrician so combining my love of Disney with one or both of these charities seems like a no-brainer!

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You absolutely can train for a 5k – 3months would be enough if you follow a good program as @NoBellePrizeWinner advises.

And the 5ks tendto sell out first so if you are interested I’d go online the first day you can. DVC, Disney Visa, and AP holders getearly registration in case you are any of those.

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Since runDisney hasn’t listed the official charities yet, you would need to contact a charity directly to see if they are planning to be involved. Here is the St Jude page:

Here is a list of the charities participating in the upcoming Princess Half Marathon weekend:

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And here is the list for Star Wars weekend:

If any of those jump out at you, I would contact them to see if they are going to participate in Wine and Dine.

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And you can definitely do Couch to 5k in 9 months. At age 60, I used it with a goal of running a local 5 mile run. I ran the whole 5 miles! OK, my DH says he can walk faster than I ran but I did run the whole thing. :grin:

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Thank you for the encouragement! I’m so impressed with your 5 mile run. You give me hope!
I’m definitely not looking to break any land speed records. Just want to keep running to the finish line.

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Thank you. A few of them I have already supported in various ways in the past. I’ll contact them and see what I can learn.

Thanks. I kind of figured the 5k would sell out quickly. Now I just need to figure out who I am convincing to come along.

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Just another FYI for the not-so-serious runners out there. I’m quite shy about exercising in public so most of my training involves the C25K app and running laps in my 2 bedroom apartment. I am currently using the app to get in shape for my April trip to the World. I live in Alaska and am looking at 4 inches of fresh snow right now so those are factors too. After the first 4-5 weeks I will go to The Dome (indoor track, google it in Anchorage) and actually exercise in public. :blush:

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I am too so I love this line of thinking.

And I have done a good number of Disney 5k races and I am not a runner at all. The 5k is not timed so there is no pressure. One of my DDs and I walked a whole 5k because she was recovering from a patellar dislocation. So you can totally do this!

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Reading this is making me want to look into doing this myself! Good luck with the training. It sounds like you 100% will do this and I hope you will have a partner run with you.

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I hate exercising in public, too. I might start my training in the dark of night. :slightly_smiling_face: I admire your resolve. I haven’t checked out the C25K app. Thanks for the resource!

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That is good to know. I was just diagnosed with Achilles tendinosis and have a few months of PT ahead of me.

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You really can do it even if you end up walking it.

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Thanks! My goal is to run but we’ll see how it goes. It’s looking like waiting until Princess Half weekend will be better as far as getting time off so I’ll have a REALLY long time to meet my goal.

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Oh, yes that gives you a year.

Of course, everyone is different and I have no idea what your fitness situation is. But, I would suggest you think about training for a 10k if you have a year to do this. Train for a local 5k in the fall (maybe a Turkey Trot, followed by a rewarding Thanksgiving meal splurge), then keep on going for the Princess 10k in February. You can do this. I’m sure of it.

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That’s a great idea. My husband suggested training for a local 5k instead and I said “But I want to go to Disney!”.
I currently walk 1.5-2 miles a few times a week. And when in Disney I can log 18k steps a few days in a row. It’s the running that intimidates me. I used to run in my 20s. Just never for a race.
You are all so encouraging!

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