Shows / Rise and Run
Rise and Run
A Podcast for the runDisney community, Rise and Run is a group of friends united by their love of runDisney events. We discuss our experiences at Walt Disney World and other running events. We recognize the running achievements of our listeners, and frequently invite other members of the runDisney community to share their knowledge and experiences with us. Mostly, though, we're a group of Disney runners who love to have fun and want you to have as much fun as we do.
Episodes
Rise and Run266: 2026 Wine & Dine Half Marathon Race Weekend Recap
They changed the Wine and Dine 5K and the ripple effects hit everything: corrals, character lines, course flow, and even the question nobody could stop asking……
Rise and Run265: Rise and Run at Five: The Magic That Built This Community
Five years ago we hit record with a simple idea: talk running, talk runDisney, and share a few stories. Somewhere along the way, it turned into something much…
Rise and Run264: John Pelkey Start Line Magic and St. Jude Motivation
Wine and Dine is almost here, and the combination of nerves, excitement, and last-minute “what if” questions is real. We talk through taper week decisions, how…
Rise and Run263: Tangents, Training & Race Weekend Buzz
A marathon on a treadmill sounds like a joke until the weather turns, the schedule collapses, and you still need the miles. We talk through the reality of…
Rise and Run262: Rise and Climb: Meredith's Kilimanjaro Expedition
Meredith didn’t just “add hills” to her training plan, she went to Tanzania and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, a 19,600 foot summit that turns every step into a…
Rise and Run261: Uncorking the Weekend: The Wine and Dine Event Guide
The Wine and Dine countdown just got real, and the details matter this year. We’re four weeks out, training is peaking, and runDisney dropped enough…
Rise and Run260: Bird In Hand: A Rise and Run Family Weekend
Bird in Hand is the rare race weekend that feels like it was built for more than a finish time, and we’re still riding the high. We’re back with our full Bird…
Rise and Run259: The Confidence Habit with Dr. Cindra Kamphoff
Your training can be solid and you can still step into the corral feeling unsure and that doesn’t mean you’re broken. This week we go after the part of running…
Rise and Run258: Stand Up & Start Lines with Devin Siebold of the Theme Park Comedians
A long run can be tough, but this week proves it can also be downright ridiculous: surprise humidity, shaky confidence, and yes, a flying insect that turns one…
Rise and Run257: Ultra Miles, Ultra Mindset Dean Karnazes Joins Rise & Run
Dean Karnazes has done things most runners can barely picture, but the lesson he brings to our mic is refreshingly simple: you do not have to go fast, you just…
Rise and Run256: The Potential Impact of D23 on runDisney With Amanda From Once Upon A Marathon
D23 always feels like a fireworks show for Disney fans, but we watch it with runner brains: What will all these new lands, refurbs, and construction walls mean…
Rise and Run255: Embracing My Inner Athlete: A Conversation with Hildee Weiss
You can train for a race and still wonder if you’re allowed to call yourself a runner. That quiet doubt shows up in a lot of places, on long walks that feel…
Rise and Run254: Miles Shared, Memories Made: Loopy Looper 2026 Recap
One loop. One river. A whole lot of miles. What happens when a runDisney community takes over a relay event in New Jersey and decides the real finish line is…
Rise and Run253: Miles, Magic, and Meaning: Lisa Dinoto Glassner on Crafting the runDisney Companion
runDisney can look effortless on Instagram: a castle photo, a medal shot, a costume selfie, and done. Then reality hits at 1:30am when the alarm goes off…
Rise and Run252: From Track Shack to the Castle: The History of runDisney - Part 2
runDisney didn’t start as a massive, must-register-in-minutes phenomenon. It grew into that, and Jon Hughes was in the middle of the turning points. We finish…
Rise and Run251: From Track Shack to the Castle: The History of runDisney - Part 1
runDisney feels like it’s always been there, but it hasn’t. The real story includes years of pitching, countless meetings, tough operational compromises, and a…
Rise and Run250: Our 10 Best American Road Races on our Semiquincentennial Episode
We hit a milestone and decided to do something worthy of it: build our own ranked list of the best road races in America. From the New York City Marathon’s…
Rise and Run249: Alan Asks...Why Did You Start Running?
The reason you started running is probably not the reason you keep running, and that’s the point. We open with a simple community question from our friend…
Rise and Run248: Ready, Set...Train! Chris Twiggs Kicks Off runDisney Training
Summer training has a way of turning simple runs into big questions: Why is my pace suddenly slower, how do I stay safe in the heat, and what actually matters…
Rise and Run247: A True Springtime Surprise and Our Last Meal: Disney Parks Edition
runDisney didn’t just tease a surprise this time, it delivered one that can blow up travel plans. We react in real time to the Springtime Surprise weekend…
Rise and Run246: Movement Is Life: A Conversation with Donna Raskin of Runner’s World
Princess registration has turned into its own endurance event, and we felt every mile of it. We break down what we saw during the Princess Half Marathon…
Rise and Run245: Bibbidi‑Bobbidi‑Broken: The Princess Registration Delay
runDisney training may be between big weekends, but our brains are still in race mode. We start by mapping the season ahead, talking base building, long-run…
Rise and Run244: "No Other Direction but Forward": Fireman Rob Ignites the Course
He’s the runner you spot from a distance, not because of a character costume, but because he’s carrying the weight of a whole profession. Fireman Rob joins us…
Rise and Run243: From Boylston to Tower Bridge: The Rise and Run Family Takes on the Boston and London Marathons
Boston and London aren’t just marathons. They’re full-body logistics puzzles, city-wide celebrations, and emotional pressure cookers that reveal what your…
Rise and Run242: Sunrise Runs, Shared Fun, One Big Family: The Rise & Run Cruise Recap
A cruise ship can feel like a floating city, but it gets a lot smaller when you spot your people. We’re back with the full recap of the inaugural Rise and Run…
Rise and Run241: Rise and Run Mailbag: Questions that Go the Distance!
You can learn a lot about a running community by the questions they ask, and this week our listeners showed up with everything from serious marathon nerves to…
Rise and Run240: 2026 runDisney Springtime Surprise Recap: LIVE from the Inaugural Rise and Run Cruise!
Merch sold out by lunchtime. “Perfect” status quietly returned. Someone built a race plan around getting a photo with Boba Fett. That’s the kind of wonderfully…
Rise and Run239: Run, Walk, and Remembering the Legacy of Jeff Galloway
Jeff Galloway didn’t just teach people how to run. He taught people to believe they belong. We put our normal Rise and Run format on pause to honor Jeff’s life…
Rise and Run238: Running to the Castle: Dr. Ali's Quest for Stronger Runners
A race weekend can feel like pure fun until real life breaks through. We start by remembering Lauren Bullis, a beloved Rise and Run community member whose…
Rise and Run237: The Mile That Changed Everything: Jim Ryun's Story
In this episode, we’re joined by the legendary Jim Ryun, one of the most famous names in American middle-distance running, to talk about the coach who…
Rise and Run236: One Runner to Rule Them All
A half marathon through Hobbiton sounds like pure fantasy until you hear what it’s really like underfoot. We’re joined by Kerry Flynn, a lifelong Lord of the…
Rise and Run235: East River High School Choir: ChEAR Squad with a Soundtrack
You know that moment late in a runDisney race when your legs are toast, your brain is negotiating, and then you turn a corner and hear a choir lifting the…
Rise and Run234: From Pixar to Princesses: Animated Madness Begins!
Registration day doesn’t just test your internet speed, it tests your nerves, your backup plans, and who you can text when the queue refuses to move. We share…
Rise and Run233: To Dopey or not to Dopey? That is the Question!
Tokyo Marathon looks like a postcard until you remember one detail that can change everything: the cutoffs are based on gun time. We sit down with several of…
Rise and Run232: 2026 Princess Half Marathon Weekend Recap
A weekend of sparkle, sneakers, and shared heart. Princess Half Marathon Weekend brought out everything we love about runDisney—creative costumes, cool-weather…
Rise and Run231: Joffrey's, Dr. Pepper, and Chaos Oh My! A Chat with Running in Makeup
The news hit like a thunderclap: Jeff Galloway, the voice behind run-walk-run and a steady light at so many runDisney start lines, has passed away. We pause to…
Rise and Run230: Hope Is Always Possible, and Miracles Are Real: with Amanda Ferrin
What if every step you took felt like a small miracle you could share? That’s the energy running through this episode as we move from Princess Weekend prep…
Rise and Run229: Adaptive Strength: Heather’s Record‑Setting Donna 110 Story
A good mantra can change a season, and ours hits different: earn it in the winter, win it in the spring. We start with a candid weather check and slide…
Rise and Run228: 2026 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend Recap
Fireworks before sunrise, yoga in the cold, and a finish line that felt like a farewell—this Disneyland race weekend had a different kind of electricity. We…
Rise and Run227: 2026 WDW Marathon Winner Matt Hensley
Confetti at the finish is only part of the story. We sit down with Walt Disney World Marathon champion Matt Hensley to trace the path from family running roots…
Rise and Run226: 2026 WDW Marathon Winner Brittany Charboneau
Start with a grin, stay for the goosebumps. We sit down with marathon winner and runDisney favorite Brittany Charbonneau for a candid, no-filter look at a race…
Rise and Run225: Walt Disney World 2026 Marathon Weekend Recap
The kind of weekend that turns runners into storytellers started with lines out the door and ended with smiles wider than Main Street. We dig into the real…
Rise and Run224: Grief, Grit And The Start Line Ahead. Whats My Story?
Start lines can carry more than nerves—they can carry whole lives. We kick off Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend with equal parts heart and how-to…
Rise and Run223: Running Into 2026 with Jeff Galloway
A fractured kneecap, a missed flight to Honolulu, and a coaching mindset stronger than ever—Jeff Galloway joins us with candid lessons on healing, pacing, and…
Rise and Run222: Rise and Run Rewind: 2024 WDW Marathon Winner Stephanie Muscat
A little Christmas magic meets marathon grit. We open with holiday cheer, community thanks, and a few playful ideas—from telethons to extra-big meetup…
Rise and Run221: Rise and Run Mailbag: Marathon Weekend Edition
The early alarms, the corrals, the castle, the finish line glow—Marathon Weekend is closer than it feels, and we’re tackling the questions you’re actually…
Rise and Run220: The Dopey Roundtable: First-Timer and Finishers
The alarm hits at 2 a.m., the corrals open in the dark, and somehow the magic feels brighter than ever. We bring together Dopey veterans and a first‑timer to…
Rise and Run219: Dead Last Start: Stories, Data, and Disney Magic
In this episode, we shine a spotlight on one of the most misunderstood parts of the runDisney experience—the Dead Last Start. Often seen as a disadvantage, the…
Rise and Run218: Half a Million Downloads of Gratitude
A rainy run outside Tokyo Disneyland. A Thanksgiving table full of training plans, inside jokes, and hard-won wisdom. And a milestone we never imagined…
Rise and Run217: Podcast Family Feud - Episode 3 - For the Matriarch
A game show rivalry meets runner wisdom in a rubber match that’s equal parts chaotic, helpful, and heartfelt. We pit Team Rise and Run against Team Will Run…
Rise and Run216: Miles of Magic: Luciana's Hong Kong Disney Race Journey
The miles are getting long, the holidays are closing in, and motivation is wobbling—so we get honest about what actually works. We talk through the head game…
Rise and Run215: The NYC Marathon And Some Hollarhype Heroes
The sunrise hits the Staten Island Ferry and everything changes. We go from small talk to big miles fast—unpacking 2026 Coast to Coast qualification, why Wine…
Rise and Run214: 2025 runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend Recap
Start with a sunrise 5K in costume, add a social 10K with better photo flow, then stir in a half marathon that put course design under the microscope. That’s…
Rise and Run213: Wine & Dine Week, Tips, and the runDisney Community
The fastest way to upgrade a race weekend isn’t a workout—it’s a conversation. We kick off the 2025 Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend with a clear plan to turn…
Rise and Run212: Doug Gordon on the Peoplemover Future: Life After Cars, Disney Style
The countdown to Wine & Dine is on, and the energy is real. We swap last‑week training moves, practical travel advice for 2026 bookings, and a surprisingly…
Rise and Run211: Around World Showcase with Coach Chris Twiggs
Ready to arrive at the start line feeling like a coiled spring instead of a burnt match? Coach Chris Twiggs joins us to lay out a clear, no-nonsense roadmap…
Rise and Run210: Inside the World of Disney Adults: A Conversation With AJ Wolfe
This week we bring all of it together—training breakthroughs, fandom debates, and the power of community—with NYT bestselling author AJ Wolfe, the voice behind…
Rise and Run209: Get PhotoPass Ready with the Council of Costumes
Costumes transform runDisney races from mere athletic events into moving celebrations of creativity and character. In this lively episode, we welcome back the…
Rise and Run208: 2025 Bird In Hand Half Marathon Recap
Episode 208 transports us to the heart of Amish country as we dive deep into the Bird in Hand Half Marathon weekend. "It's like running through a postcard,"…
Rise and Run207: 2025 Disneyland Halloween Half Weekend Recap
Running truly connects us across continents, time zones, and finish lines—a truth brilliantly illustrated in this globe-spanning episode. We begin with a…