Costumed Runners Rule Star Wars Half Marathon at Disneyland Resort

“There’s been an awakening…” Seriously, you have to wake up early for the start of a runDisney race, but the costumed participants of the Star Wars Half Marathon didn’t seem to mind.  More than 30,000 competed in one of the races during the four-day Star Wars Half Marathon weekend at Disneyland, with Nick Arciniaga and Annie Bersagel crossing the line first for the men and women in the Star Wars Half Marathon.  Continue reading for more photos and news from the event.

Runners in the 2016 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend at Disneyland Resort dress as their favorite characters from a galaxy far, far away. Image courtesy Disneyland Resort

From runDisney’s Press Release

The Force was with Fountain Valley, CA, native Nick Arciniaga once again in the Star Wars Half Marathon at Disneyland Resort Sunday. After winning the inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon in 2015, he followed up with second straight victory in a record-setting time of 1:05:49.

Nick Arciniaga, 32, repeats as the winner of the Star Wars Half Marathon presented by Sierra Nevada Corporation at Disneyland Resort Sunday, January 17. Image courtesy Disneyland Resort.

 

Arciniaga, 32, who now lives in Flagstaff, AZ, blasted past First Order stormtroopers to break the tape at the finish line. Adam Roach of Pebble Beach, CA, was second (1:12:29) and Hunter Sapienza of Seattle, WA, was third (1:12:38).

“This is a race that means a lot to me,” Arciniaga said of the victory. “I’ve been a Star Wars fan ever since I can remember.” Arciniaga goes on to compete in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon in the upcoming weeks.

Annie Bersagel, 32, of Colorado, also flew at lightspeed across the finish line Sunday as the female winner with a time of 1:15:09. Bersagel is also set to compete in the upcoming U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon. Second-place female finisher was 2015 Star Wars Half Marathon female winner, Jennifer Berry, of Denver, CO (1:21:11) and third-place finisher was Kendal Sager of Los Altos, CA (1:25:05).

Annie Bersagel, 32, of Colorado, flew at lightspeed across the finish line Sunday, January 17 as the female winner of Star Wars Half Marathon. Image courtesy Disneyland Resort.

 

“I was the fastest stormtrooper out here today,” Bersagel joked after her win, clad in Star Wars-inspired running gear. “So that’s all you can really ask for, right?”

Arciniaga and Bersagel jumped to hyperspace to outrun more than 14,000 athletes in the 13.1-mile intergalactic journey through Disneyland Resort and Anaheim area streets, where a variety of Disney entertainment, including Star Wars characters, cheered on runners at every mile.

Runners in the 2016 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend at Disneyland Resort dress as their favorite characters from a galaxy far, far away. Image courtesy Disneyland Resort

Runners in the 2016 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend at Disneyland Resort dress as their favorite characters from a galaxy far, far away. Image courtesy Disneyland Resort

 

The Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend included several family-friendly events, including a three-day Health and Fitness Expo with the latest in fitness apparel, running gear and high tech gadgets. It was the second runDisney race weekend of 2016 and the first this year at Disneyland Resort. The event offered athletes a variety of race experiences for all levels, from Padawans to Jedi Masters – the runDisney Kids Races, the Star Wars 5K, the Star Wars 10K and the Star Wars Half Marathon.

2016 Star Wars Half Marathon finisher’s medal. Image courtesy Disneyland Resort.

 

The ultimate test for Star Wars rebels was the Star Wars Rebel Challenge - a two-race challenge that combined the Star Wars 10K on Saturday with the Star Wars Half Marathon on Sunday. Jedi runners who finished the 19.3-mile challenge earned a special Star Wars Rebel Challenge finisher medal in addition to medals for the 10K and half marathon.

2016 Star Wars Rebel Challenge finisher’s medal. Image courtesy Disneyland Resort.

 

Runners who successfully completed the Star Wars Half Marathon in Disneyland now have the opportunity to travel to Florida in April for the inaugural Walt Disney World Star Wars Half Marathon.  Completing both runDisney Star Wars Half Marathons satisfies the Kessel Run Challenge where runners earn a commemorative “Coast to Coast” medal inspired by the Millennium Falcon starship.

I was able to run the inaugural version of the Star Wars Half Marathon in 2015.  Click here for a first-hand account of running Lightspeed to Neverland in the Star Wars Half Marathon.  For more running adventures, be sure to follow Adventures by Daddy on twitter and “like” our facebook page too.

About Dave Parfitt

Married, father of two girls, and living in the heart of the Finger Lakes. I'm a runner with a PhD in neuroscience and a passion for travel.