Rise and Run

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 Rings fan and seasoned half marathoner, to break down the Middle Earth Halfling Half Marathon in New Zealand: the small-field logistics, the afternoon start, the trail terrain on a working farm, and the very real elevation that turns “cute themed race” into an earned finish. She also shares what surprised her most, how photo ops and characters work outside the Run Disney machine, and why the post-race celebration feels like a perfectly on-brand reward.

Before we head to Middle Earth, we do a Springtime Surprise training check-in and cover community announcements, including Jeff Galloway memorial run details and our plans for a special tribute show. Then we tackle fresh Run Disney news with reactions to the Summer Virtual Series themes, the medals, the extras in the box, and the big question of virtual races versus saving for a live weekend at Walt Disney World.

We wrap it all up with our Disney Movie March Madness finale and a stacked race report from the Rise and Run community, plus a spotlight chat with Tom Stokes on what most runners miss when they hit a plateau: underfueling, skipping strength work, and training without a year-round plan that matches your race calendar. If you’re into Disney running, destination races, run-walk-run strategy, and real-world training talk, this one has it all. Subscribe, share with a run buddy, and leave a review, then tell us: what’s the most “impossible” race you’d actually train for?

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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 whole road? We sit down with director Zach and students from the East River High School Choir, one of the groups that brings big, joyful sound to the final mile at Walt Disney World. They share how the runDisney relationship started, what Disney Entertainment actually means when they ask for a “gospel choir,” and how song choices are designed to push runners to the finish line.

We get into the real logistics too: a 2:45 AM school call time, warming up before sunrise, performing for hours, and timing the start of singing to runner flow. The students tell us what shocks them every time, from elaborate costumes and selfie stops to the emotional shift when a tired runner perks up, smiles, and starts moving again. If you have ever called the choir your “last-mile fuel,” you will hear exactly why that impact is real.

Then we pivot into pure community fun with Round 2 of our Disney animated features March Madness bracket, complete with debates, surprises, and Patreon tiebreakers. We also bring back Podcast We Listen To with a great chat featuring Peter and Kelly from The Lowdown On The Plus-Up, a theme park podcast packed with deep history, wild connections, and stories that get way darker than you’d expect from an attraction deep dive.

We wrap with updates, challenge results, and a loaded race report spanning first races, PRs, tough-weather wins, and even a 100-mile attempt. If you’re training for Springtime Surprise or just need a reminder that community can carry you farther than you think, hit play, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more runners can find us.
East River HS Choir
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Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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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 exactly how the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend sign-ups played out for our crew, including the moments that went sideways, the workarounds that still worked, and the community trust that helped multiple friends land the races they wanted. We also break down the sellout times and talk about what to do if you got shut out, from charity options to alert tools, plus a clear warning about social media scams claiming they can “transfer” bibs. 

From there, we shift into one of our favorite traditions: Rise and Run March Madness. This year’s bracket is all Disney and Pixar animated movies, seeded using Rotten Tomatoes scores with Patreon votes powering the play-in games and acting as the tiebreaker when our panel splits. Expect soundtrack love, nostalgia, a few surprise upsets, and plenty of opinions you will want to argue with on your next run. 

We wrap with a full race report and a standout spotlight featuring Holly, who takes us through the New York City Half Marathon with New York Road Runners. She covers the Javits Center expo, start-area logistics, the cold morning that turns into perfect racing weather, and the unforgettable stretch over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan, Times Square, and Central Park, plus how she clocks a new PR. 
If you’re training for runDisney, planning destination races, or just want smarter prep, this one has you covered. Subscribe, share with a running friend, and leave a review with your hottest bracket take.
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Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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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 our friends fresh off a plane from Japan to get the kind of Tokyo Marathon recap runners crave, the stuff you can’t learn from a highlight reel. They share how they got in (lottery vs charity), how they handled jet lag, what the expo is really like, and the cultural surprises that made Tokyo feel so different from any other World Marathon Majors weekend.

Then we get into race morning reality: navigating to the start, corrals, bathrooms that are somehow both legendary and organized, hydration rules, and what it feels like to run with strict checkpoints hanging over your head. You’ll hear the strategies that helped them stay calm, the moments that made the course memorable, and why that final stretch can feel like the longest kilometer of your life. There are PRs, happy tears, and a lot of respect for the planning it takes to finish strong.

We also zoom back to runDisney life with Marathon Weekend registration coming up, a candid talk about whether your first Dopey Challenge should also be your first marathon, and a timely charity spotlight with the Special Forces Foundation on how their runDisney charity bibs work plus practical fundraising ideas. If you’re mapping out your next big race goal, this one is packed with travel tips, training truth, and community support.

Subscribe, share this with a running friend who’s eyeing a major, and leave a review if the Rise and Run family has helped your journey. What’s the one race you’d fly across the world to run?
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Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Stoked Metabolic Coaching
Rise and Run Podcast Cruise Interest Form with Magic Bound Travel

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Mona Moon Naturals
Rise and Run Amazon Affiliate Web Page
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A weekend of sparkle, sneakers, and shared heart. Princess Half Marathon Weekend brought out everything we love about runDisney—creative costumes, cool-weather miles, and castle magic—but also the kind of community you can feel in your bones. We navigated an expo frenzy as Brooks’ princess-themed shoes sent lines snaking across the building, watched Disney pivot fast to keep characters and bands on course during a misty 10K, and soaked in small moments that turned into big memories: a family’s first 5K together, a triumphant TinkerBob, and the scent of BoardWalk bacon drifting through a fast, happy morning.

The half marathon became a quiet masterpiece. Overcast skies, steady breezes, and a surprise wave from Cinderella, the Prince, and Fairy Godmother lifted runners through those famous Magic Kingdom miles. Near the finish, a semicircle of fairy godmothers dusted us with wishes, and the course felt less like a race and more like a rite of passage. Some of us set PRs. Others walked every step on purpose. All of us leaned on run-walk-run, hydration, and patience—the essentials Jeff Galloway taught us so many times.

And then the finish line gave us a moment we’ll never forget. A chair where Jeff once stood filled with Mickey gloves, ribbons, and a lone Gymboss. Pacers gathered with flags, cheering wave after wave just as Jeff would, offering thumbs-ups and “you did it” to faces still catching their breath. When the sun finally broke through, it felt like a blessing on a weekend that was both hard and healing. We also check in on races from Tel Aviv to Seattle and Atlanta, sharing wins, decade PRs, and lessons that carry beyond the parks.

If you ran, cheered, or simply needed a reminder that miles can mend, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a nudge, and tell us: What’s your favorite Princess Weekend moment—or your best Galloway memory? We’d love to hear it.

Rise and Run Links
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Rise and Run Podcast Website and Shop
Rise and Run Patreon
Runningwithalysha Alysha’s Run Coaching (Mention Rise And Run and get $10 off) 
Send us Fan Mail
Support the show
Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Sponsor Links
Magic Bound Travel   
Stoked Metabolic Coaching
Rise and Run Podcast Cruise Interest Form with Magic Bound Travel

Affiliate Links
The Start Line Co.
Fluffy Fizzies
Mona Moon Naturals
Rise and Run Amazon Affiliate Web Page
Kawaiian Pizza Apparel
GoGuarded