The Mouse Castle Lounge 09-03-2014 - Running Disney with Sean Astin, Jeff Galloway, Jennifer Berry and Terri Hardin Jackson

Me, having a bit of pirate fun in the Disneyland 5K,
then going for a personal best in the Disneyland 10K.

I don't know what I enjoyed more during the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend. Running my first ever events--at Disneyland!--on consecutive days (5K on Friday, 10K on Saturday) or just covering the weekend's festivities and chatting with people who are as passionate about Disney as they are about running.

Let's call it a draw. 

I'm happy to welcome four awesome guests to The Mouse Castle Lounge. Whether you're a runner or not, I think you're going to enjoy what they have to say about fitness, reaching goals, camaraderie and the runDisney experience. One guest is an award-winning actor and film maker (and a previous guest in the Lounge), one is a fitness expert and former Olympian, one is the women's division winner of the Disneyland Half Marathon, and my final guest is an artist and former Disney Imagineer who never thought she'd be able to run as an adult.

Actor and film maker Sean Astin.

runDisney training consultant Jeff Galloway.
Photo courtesy runDisney.

2014 Disneyland Half Marathon
Women's Champion Jennifer Berry.

Former Disney Imagineer Terry Hardin Jackson
with her medals and post-race libation.

It's all about fun, fitness and following your dreams in this edition of The Mouse Castle Lounge. Enjoy!

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Recapping the 2014 Disneyland Half Marathon

I enjoyed watching the faces of runners as they crossed the finish line of the Disneyland Half Marathon yesterday. They ranged from determined to agonized to elated to completely and utterly spent. Body language was fascinating. Raised arms were a popular move, as were fist pumps. Some people finished with a flourish, finding the energy to sprint the last fifty or so yards of the 13.1-mile course. Others kept at the same steady pace that got them there. A few exhausted souls staggered across the line. One tall, muscular gentleman waited until he was about five paces from the end, then gleefully skipped to the finish.

The one trait they all shared: the glow of accomplishment. Whether you're a seasoned elite runner or a novice taking on this insane distance for the first time, 13.1 miles is a big deal.

And with Disneyland as the backdrop, it's kind of magical too.

Women's Division winner Jennifer Berry wore pixie wings to victory (that's not a metaphor; she really wore pixie wings), just edging out second place finisher Anna Dalton with a time of 1:23:33. Nick Arciniaga led the Men's Division from start to finish, breezing to a 1:07:48 victory, more than five seconds ahead of second place Eulogio Rodriguez. It was a hometown victory of sorts for Arciniaga, who graduated in 2006 from nearby Cal State Fullerton.

For most of the rest of the nearly 18,000 Disneyland Half Marathon participants, though, it was just a pleasure to cross that line. You could see it in every face.

Images from yesterday's race:

Nick Arciniaga wins the 2014 Disneyland Half Marathon.

Jennifer Berry celebrates her win in the Women's Division.
She also won the Disneyland 10K on Saturday.

Runners at the start of the 2014 Disneyland Half Marathon.

The finish line.

Actor Sean Astin is a regular at runDisney events.
He completed the Half Marathon in 2:03:38.

Fun facts about the 2014 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend:

• Over 35,000 runners participated in the events which included the Half Marathon, Friday's 5K, Saturday's 10K and Kids Races.
• The Half Marathon course wound its way through Disneyland and Disney California Adventure before hitting the streets of Anaheim, running past the Honda Center and through Angels Stadium. The start and finish lines were adjacent to the Disneyland Hotel.
• Six thousand runners completed the Dumbo Double Dare, finishing both the Half Marathon and the 10K.
• Runners came from all fifty states and 25 countries.
• The oldest female runner in the Half Marathon was 82-year old Flor Irlandez from Portland, OR. The oldest male runner was 80-year old Henry Lou from Hacienda Heights, CA.
• Yours truly didn't run in the Half Marathon, but I finished the Disneyland 10K in 55:27 and I'm damn proud of that.

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Warming Up for the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend

Disney California Adventure, Thursday 5:00 a.m.

It takes a lot to get me out of bed at 3:30 a.m.

Going for a jog with former Olympian Jeff Galloway and hanging out with actor and running enthusiast Sean Astin at Disney California Adventure are pretty good motivators.

Both gentlemen were on hand for a pre-dawn welcome event today at DCA to kick off the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend. Fitness and nutrition experts from runDisney and Runner's World magazine were also around offering training tips for all the weekend warriors. An easy jog around Paradise Pier and a ride on Soarin' followed in an upbeat and fun-filled morning before park opening.

The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend consists of three primary races: a 5K, 10K and half marathon, plus kids races and the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo at the Disneyland Hotel. Runners can pick up their registration packets at the Expo beginning at noon today. For more information, visit www.rundisney.com/disneyland-half-marathon.

I'll be running the 5K tomorrow and the 10K on Saturday. If you'd like to track my progress in the 10K, you can text my bib number (30834) to 345678. Stalking by text, it's pretty cool.

I'll also be putting together a special edition of The Mouse Castle Lounge which will be out on Monday. I'll recap the weekend and talk to my running guests Sean Astin, Jeff Galloway and former Imagineer Terri Hardin Jackson.

A few photos from this morning:

Training experts from runDisney and Runner's World offer advice to the crowd.

Attendees practice some stretches.

A very fit Mickey Mouse with runDisney Brand Manager Tammy Jacobson.

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Actor Sean Astin in the MCL: 'Lord of the Rings,' 'The Goonies' and 'Vox Populi'

Sean Astin, actor, director,
and host of the "Vox Populi" podcast

It may seem a bit unusual to have Sean Astin as a guest on a Disney-themed podcast, but then again the actor known best for his work in The Lord of the Rings, Rudy, and The Goonies has also appeared in his share of Disney projects. Astin was the voice of Special Agent Oso on Disney Junior, voiced Hercules for the Kingdom Hearts video game, and, while still a teenager, starred in The B.R.A.T. Patrol on The Wonderful World of Disney.

Yeah, he's got the Disney thing covered.

And anyway, when you get a chance to have Sean Astin on your show, you go for it.

The whole interview came about because last year I contributed to Sean's Kickstarter campaign to raise money for Vox Populi, a podcast he hosts. As a reward for my contribution, Sean gave me a 15-minute Skype call that I parlayed into a nearly 20-minute interview in The Mouse Castle Lounge. During our conversation, Sean talked about his show, his film career, and why voicing Mickey Mouse would be his dream job.

That was Sean's payback to me. My payback to you for being a loyal listener to The Mouse Castle Lounge, is to give you a chance to win some Sean Astin autographed swag. You can win this signed lithograph from Sean's first feature film The Goonies:

All you have to do is listen to the show, answer the oh-so-easy trivia question I ask during it, then call in your answer to the MCL Listener Line at (702) 475-5625. Be sure to leave your name, e-mail address, and the city you're calling from (you must be a U.S. Resident to enter). This weekend, I'll draw a winner at random from all the correct entries and, quicker than you can say, "Goonies never say die," the prize could be yours. Good luck!

Today, let The Mouse Castle Lounge be your one show to rule them all. Enjoy!

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