This was my 4th half marathon and my 1st with RunDisney. I've run 10Ks with RunDisney before and I have to say that for the most part, they have very well run races. For the price you pay, they shut down the streets of Anaheim, get you into Angel Stadium, have chEAR squads every other mile, water/powerade every other mile, and rare Disney/Marvel characters in the park during the course. For instance, as we ran by King Arthur's Carousel, the 7 dwarfs were riding it. When was the last time you saw all 7 in the park at the same time? Yeah, I thought so. We also ran by Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Captain America. I know the whole point of these races is the fact that it's for fun and it's great to have the opportunity to take a photo with your favorite characters, but it's also a long distance run. Because of the Santa Ana winds yesterday, I was not going to just stop and wait 20 minutes to take a photo with Thor. I kept on going and my legs are sore today as a result. What I did enjoy was the run by the bike trail with all the Marvel cosplayers lined up to cheer us on. It was great! Also, kudos to the men and women in 1940's retro Army uniforms a la Agent Carter cheering participants on too. Thanks to all of the volunteers who had to wake up early just to hand out water in the freezing, windy temperatures. And a big shout-out to the thousands of runners who ran yesterday in blustering winds. I was so determined to finish despite the winds, that I completed it in personal record time. I was disappointed that they shut-down the finish line expo due to high winds. We did pay a lot of money for this and we were instead ushered out of the area as soon as we finished. We didn't have a safe area to meet up with loved ones and that's really a shame. read more

Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend - The dwarves are riding the carousel! - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

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It's all worth the $200! Why not? It's Disney's first THE AVENGERS HALF MARATHON and I wanted to be part of the epic event. Thousands of runners joined and there was an overwhelming huge cheerers including all of the Disney characters. My PR for HALFS improved so there you go! read more

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I've run it both times in 2014 and 2015. It's not a bad race weekend, but where is Iron Man? If they're having legal issues with the IM brand, they should at least bring out Tony Starks. Expo: As with their other half marathons, the expo is located next to the Disneyland Hotel. You'll first need to go down the ramp to pick up your bib in the underground parking lot. You then go back up the ramp and enter the exhibition floor for your race shirt. Everywhere you need to go is well marked in true Disney fashion. Even if you get lost, they have cast members stationed in key areas to guide you. There are lots of booths to go through. It's quite hard not to buy something. There's even a line just to get in the official merchandise area! If you're tired from the expo, they have drinking water dispensers all along the perimeter of the expo hall. If you need to sit down, you can sit in the stage area and listen to some of the speakers that they have lined up. They usually give out great advice and will answer your questions. The Races: For 2015, they added the inaugural Captain America 10k and the Infinity Gauntlet Challenge. The challenge entailed running both the 10k and the half marathon. The first year, the Santa Ana winds was really annoying and was blowing a lot of the mile markers over. Everything went a lot more smoothly the second year. They continue to tweak the course for the half marathon. With them having several half marathons in Anaheim, there's really only a few slight variations that you can do to the course. Among the themed half marathons, this is probably their weakest in terms of turnout. The corrals aren't even that big compared to their Tinker Bell or Star Wars half marathon. If you're a competitive runner and are planning to run a fast time, you'll want to run another half marathon first to get yourself seeded in either corral A or B. Overall: I'll most likely run this race every year because I live so close by and love visiting Disneyland any chance I get. read more

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Wow, people were quick to review this! Okay, yes, the wind. The wind was nuts. But not something I can really hold against RunDisney :P I'm really comparing it to the race I ran in Florida, which was really just on another level. In Florida, they had character stops like, every half a mile or more. For this race, it was mostly long long LONG stretches of nothingness. I don't really feel inspired to do another Disneyland run after this one. I was happy to run through Angels stadium, which was super cool since I'm a baseball fan. Only about 2-3 miles of the run actually take place in the disney park. The rest is just the streets of Anaheim. And they didn't have much to make it Avengers themed except for some Comicon nerds along one stretch (which was super awesome) Overall, eh. Would I do another Disney WORLD run? Probably. Would I do another Disney LAND run? Probably not. read more

Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend - RIP mile 7. Or maybe mile 8. Not sure haha. - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

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When I heard they were pausing all Disneyland races until a date TBD I knew I had to sign up for this race. I also had been eyeing that coast to coast medal, if I didn't get it this year not sure when I would have the chance to again. Expo was smaller than the ones at ESPN wild world of sports. Still had plenty of goodies to give away. You had to pay for parking but can get it validated if you were staying there for a short time like 20 min. Race day you also had to pay for parking. Being from Orlando we weren't used to this from all the RunDisney runs at Disney World. I came dressed as my favorite super hero Captain America! There was a lot the first 4 miles. You ran through both parks with plenty of characters along the way (see our pics). After that you ran through the not so pretty parts of Anaheim. Again we are used to having Disney magic spread through out the entire race on the east coast. I'm sure it's more difficult having less space. I always enjoy these run. If you are a newbie (for future runners hoping rundisney will open faces again in Disneyland) here are some tips. **Dress up! Makes it more fun and great for pictures **Charge your phones, you don't want them to die as you are taking these awesome pics. **There are plenty if water stations thought out the race. Hydrate! **Have fun! This is not a race to worry about time. Enjoy the Disney magic. **Not a morning person? Stay close the night before. The race is early and you will one of many all trying to get to the same place. **Take advantage of the aid station at the end of the race. They will ice you up and have other recovery items. Hey you paid for it! read more

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Before I begin my review, let me first say that RunDisney events are expensive compared to others but they seen to have everything down for an organized and fun race. This was my third RunDisney race and second one at Disneyland. I completed the Coast to Coast challenge last year. The half marathon started at 5:30am. It's a good idea to stay close to the park. Disney provides free Anaheim resort transit (ART bus) for runners that are good for the entire race weekend. We had to leave our hotel by 4am just to make sure we got there on time. The wait before the race starts took forever. As a warning, if your coral is later, you will not be able to really see the stage or monitors. The course breezes through California Adventures and Disneyland before sending you off through the city. I loved how the holiday decorations and lights were up already! Avengers characters were spread out through the park so you could stop and take pictures but the lives get pretty long. My favorite park was running through Fantasyland and exciting through Sleeping Beauty's castle. Once you hot out of the park was a different story. It was SUPER WINDY which made it more difficult to run... especially for those on costumes. I guess this was my first everyone of the infamous Santa Ana winds huh? The course was different from the Tinkerbell Half Marathon last year. Including a trail path, we also ran through the Angels's stadium. The on course water and poweraid stations were always well stocked with volunteers ready to hand out cups. After the race, you get your medal along with some post race refreshments. It's nice to say I was part of this inaugural race. Disney does a good job motivating people to run. That's how I started and trained for my first half marathon last year. If you start with a Disney run, you'll probably feel spoiled and think other races just aren't as magical and entertaining. My only wish is that we could run through the parks longer to experience more Disney magic. read more

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Disney Fans unite! I loved being apart of the Avengers Super Heroes race. I had never participated in a race before. The race was not as bad as I thought it would be. I'm no runner, and the training...or lack there of...that I possessed had me nervous. After I arriving, I knew I had nothing to be scared of. Walkers and runners of all strengths and speeds were there to show off their Avengers love. I don't think that I would participate again. I believe the registration fee was a bit steep for me. But I think this is something that you have to try at least once. Tips: Let the runners through. I think they get a little annoyed having to weave through the walking enthusiasts. If you don't care about your finish time, take in some of the sights. There's characters and photo ops throughout various distances of the race. Dress up! It makes the experience more fun! When you know the registration will be opening, prepare to sign up immediately. Registration sales out fast. read more

LOKI: The Chitauri are coming. Nothing will change that. What have I to fear? TONY STARK: The Avengers. That's what we call ourselves; we're sort of like a team. "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" type thing. ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** My 13th Half this year! Disney races--although heavily expensive--are my favorite. My favorite, I tell you! Yeah, it was $195; but to me, it's worth it: running backstage at Disneyland, across the bridge of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, and down holiday-wreathed Mainstreet; trailblazing Katella, Harbor, and Chapman on our way to the Crystal Cathedral (somewhat of a new route, with respect to Disney Halfs); slipping into formation inside Angels Stadium; tearing up some asphalt as we made our way back to Downtown Disney for an explosive, super hero finish! For me, it's fun! Assembled for the first-ever Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend at the Disneyland Resort, the Avengers were there as well: Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. (Captain America was also there to represent, so I hear, but I must've run by unaware.) Mickey and MInnie, Pluto, Buzz and Woody, and a handful of Green Army Men were also in attendance, congratulating and encouraging runners along the way, their queues sometimes 15-20 fans deep. With so much to see, with so many photo ops available, it's sometimes difficult to maintain pace, but that's part of the magic, the intrigue. So PR's, at least in my case, are less of a priority. I want memories! There wasn't an Avengers Challenge for this inaugural run, so I only registered for the Half--a 5K was offered, but I passed--but my fingers are crossed for next year. (I'm always excited for special medals.) The Avengers Half finishers medal itself was solid, lightning-hot, however: stamped with Captain America, Thor, and Hulk emblems, a super cool, tougher-than-steel exchange for the irritating Santa Ana's sweeping through Orange County that morning. Even the long-sleeved tech shirts commanded respect! Watch for registrations to open again sometime around March. And sign up for emails: http://www.rundisney.com. And if you are an Annual Passholder, registration windows open up for your bad self a week earlier, as these Disney races sell-out within a few hours. Get on it then. And I'll see you there! ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** TONY STARK: ...let's do a head count here: your brother the demi-god; a super soldier, a living legend who kind of lives up to the legend; a man with breath-taking anger management issues; a couple of master assassins. And YOU, big fella, you've managed to piss off every single one of them. LOKI: That was the plan. TONY STARK: Not a great plan. When they come, and they WILL, they'll come for you. LOKI: I have an army. TONY STARK: We have a Hulk. LOKI: I thought the beast had wandered off... TONY STARK: You're missing the point! There's no throne, there is no version of this where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes, and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damned well sure we'll avenge it! ("The Avengers" -- 2012) read more

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If you've ever relished the opportunity of running through Disneyland and California Adventure in the wee hours of the morning, then definitely sign-up for one of RunDisney's many themed races. Below, you'll find a list of observations from the run, specifically the half marathon, this past weekend. Pros: + Excluding Disneyland and California Adventure, running through Angels Stadium is undoubtedly the highlight of the entire half marathon! + Aside from several miles along narrow pedestrian pathways alongside the Santa Ana River (with homeless encampments!), most of the course is located on wide, flat streets. Wider streets means less weaving around slower runners or walkers. + The reward for any of the Disney runs are large, hefty medals. Do they make up for the price of registration? No, but they are cool if you're looking to add more bling to your collection. (Not sure about this for Disneyland-based races, but I heard that at WDW, even participants who got swept still got the finisher medal - but not the challenge or coast to coast medal - which devalues the whole experience.) + As one would expect from Disney, the race was organized well, and everything appeared to go off without a hitch. + Perfect weather for running this year: neither rainy nor excessively hot. Cons: - Limited number of character photo ops if you're doing the half marathon. And, aside from Captain America's brief appearance at the start line, the only characters along the course were Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Thor in (sometimes) dimly lit areas. The integration of the Avengers theme could have been improved. - $$$$. Be prepared to empty your wallet for these runs, as most are twice as much as you would pay for non-Disney runs. Don't forget to factor in parking as well. Is the price worth it? Although I'll continue to shell out money to Disney, I really don't think the price is justified. - While the cast members, spectators, and volunteers were awesome, RunDisney needs an intervention. The registration process conforms to inconvenient rules that require runners to pick-up their own race packets even if that requires taking time off to brave traffic to Anaheim and submit their proof of time during a window that begins several weeks after the initial registration and for which you will only receive one electronic reminder several days before the deadline. If you can't accommodate these deadlines, you're out of luck; don't bother trying to get help from customer service, which, considering how much you're paying, should be much better than it actually is. - This was one of the saddest health expos I've ever been to and it's pretty lame you have to come all the way to Anaheim to pick-up your packet (i.e. can't have someone else pick it up for you). Don't expect a lot of freebies or samples. - I own several Champion running shirts from various other events, and none of them are as ill-fitting as the shirt I got from RunDisney, which seems suited to someone tall and skinny with long, gangly arms. Trade-in not an option when small is the smallest option for men. - Post-race snack box is disappointing, especially if you have dairy and/or (pea)nut allergies or intolerances. Even if the cons seemingly the pros, I'd recommend doing one of the Disney-related runs at least once if you're a fan of Marvel, Star Wars, or Disney itself. Diehard Disney fans will prefer the 10K (or challenge races) to the half marathon, as the latter should be renamed the "Anaheim Half Marathon" given its short trek through the parks (only 2-3 miles). The former, however, is almost entirely situated in the parks and backlots and has more photo ops. Although my experience was greatly enhanced by running with an awesome group of friends, I probably wouldn't run the Avengers Half Marathon again, as I didn't feel the full force of Disney magic. read more

Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend - 2015 half marathon medal and event guide - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

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I couldn't do a "Yelp Check-In" for this event but I can still write a review! Run Disney is on point as usually. With big crowds they know how to maximize the space they have to accommodate all the guest. The expo this year had a lot of freebies galore! Booths were passing out samples, drinks, bottles of medicines, and I think we got 6 packets of applesauce! What was new to the expo was the Honda Fit vendor giving out away free Avengers Tsum Tsums and or Marvel cups that were worth $15! WHAT?! YESSS!! All you had to do was stand in line, take a photo with the Honda Fit, hashtag the hell out of it and post on social media to be able to spin for the freebies. That ain't bad and a great marketing campaign for sure. Bib and tshirt pick up was simple. that is never an issue especially if you go later in the day to avoid the crowds. The only issue is that if you don't have an AP pass with parking, you will have to pay to park then pick up your bib unless you can find parking at Downtown Disney. I love the Disney merch for the runs and I was able to finally purchase a 13.1 magnet for my car. Yep, I've become one of those runners. The Race: The races are so early and depending on your corral, you can start so late! By the time I started running it was 45 mins after the first corral and the dawn was already starting to break. Thank goodness it was a cooler day but it did warm up by the 10th mile. I had the most absolute fun and entertaining run ever. Disney knows how to keep you occupied and motivated throughout the race. A mile marker, characters stops, bands, cosplayers, cheerleaders, music...I mean its a great distraction from just running. I hit mile 7 in no time! What's awesome is that you get to run through both parks, the back lot and also into Angles Stadium with more entertainment waiting for you. It was really a moment being able to run through and on the field. There are lots of water/Gatorade stations and bathrooms a plenty! And at mile 8 there is a clif gel shot. Even though I hit the wall around mile 11, the runners around you are so friendly and supportive. Other than just looking and admiring everyone's efforts to dress up, people are just down right encouraging. A runner came up to me and said "no one gets left behind" after I told my squad to go ahead because they run faster. The end is back around Downtown Disney/Lilo and Stich parking lot where you get your medal, water, more Gatorade, a box of food to refuel and a banana. All around the parking lot there are tents to either get your medal engraved ($20 cash only), visit the med tent to get iced and other awesome recovery stuff...there is even a massage area where you get a nice rub down for 10 minutes. You can also check out the merch tent or if you're an AP holder get your nice little gift baggie with more treats inside. Is it worth it? Maybe for a "big" milestone in your running journey or just to say you did a Disney Run but I'm not going to lie to you, it's a pretty penny for everything. The race itself is pricey on top of parking, hotel, food, any other merch or commemorative items. Its a nice run to have under your belt but not one to return to every year unless you're a Disneyphile. read more

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Ran the 2015 Avengers Marathon this passed weekend. I wish there was an easier way to get your bib. You have to drive to Disneyland to pick it up. Loved the route compared to the Star Wars one I ran. We got to run through Angels Stadium. Ton of water stations. 1 snack station. I was expecting a banana station but they did not have one. Loved the group that came dressed up and cheered us on. Literally a 100 people in Marvel costumes lined up to cheer. The medal is awesome. The A spins! Cannot wait for the next one! read more

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Registration ended up being $208 after fees and went very smoothly. Emails leading up the event were very informative and on time regarding the information they contained. The expo was very well organized. I'm not a fan of runDisney expos, though. They are very lackluster and have the same booths each time. There was no line for the merch section when I went on Friday but I was also disappointed with the options for women. I wasn't necessarily looking to buy anything, but there was nothing I liked! All of the clothing that was fitted for women was pink and very sexist. Everything said "Sorry boys" while the men's shirts were sleek and had the Avengers Half logo on it. No options like that for women, which was lame. Come on, Disney, step outside of the sexist gender assigning box! As for the actual race, it was okay. There was crazy winds at this race. 25-35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph which is out of control and not the fault of run Disney. Just something to deal with. But the course was boring. Only about 2 miles was through disney property. Angel stadium was cool but everything else was lackluster. Actually, even Angel stadium wasn't as great as I was expecting. For the Disneyland Half there are tons of people in the stands cheering for the runners and for this race there were none. Just a band in the center of the field which was nice, but I was expecting a crowd! There wasn't good scenery and over a mile was through the river path which was the worst. There was a stretch on the path that had a bunch of people dressed as Marvel characters. Like hundreds... that was awesome. Other than that, I really disliked the course. This was hardly a disney race when it comes to course. Because of this, I don't know if I will do it again next year. It just doesn't seem to have the disney feel and when it comes down to it, I don't want to pay $200 to run only 2 miles (tops) through Disney property. The rest is through Anaheim. It's more like the Anaheim half marathon. The other participants were great! Everyone dressed up for the most part and people were very into the theme. The volunteers were also wonderful especially with the wind. Water stops and everything else set up on the course including mile markers were blown over. The volunteers handled this amazingly and still were able to pass out water to the runners. Thank you for this! Hopefully next year they include a 10K. I may consider the 10k if they do because then the course won't be so boring on the streets of Anaheim and there will be more of Disney property. If you haven't completed a Disney race before, I'd suggest tinker bell or disneyland. You'll actually get your money's worth with those. Overall this race was a good one, maybe okay, but that's it. The theme, medal, and gear were great. Course... Not so much. read more

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The last RunDisney race for a few years (Sad face). Had a ball. No heavy winds, it's wasn't super cold. Water Station H at mile 11 - check us out. We had loads of fun, check out our photos. read more

(Super late review. Oops). Expo: I felt like this expo was smaller than past Disney races, which was kind of a bummer. Also, the hotel charged for parking if you were there for more than 15 minutes (I think). A lot. (Maybe $20?) Which sucks because who only wants to run in and get their packet?! Run: Typical Disney walk/run crowd. The course was nice in that it went through other major landmarks (the baseball stadium) besides the park. Downside was it ran along a highway underpass (aka a hobo town), which was kind of depressing and there weren't many (actually, I don't remember any) characters to take pictures with along the way. Post race: Typical Disney boxed food. I liked how the finish was near(ish) Disney stores, so you could explore while waiting for friends to finish. Medal: Those Disney medalsss. The "A" in the middle spins! read more

It's a runDisney race! You know it'll be great. Yes, it was windy like no other, but really...it's not Disney's fault Mother Nature decided to flex some muscle and knock down about 8 different mile markers and decorative flags. I will say that I was disappointed with the course. It was...kinda boring. You only spent about 2 miles within the parks, where other runs will usually push about 4 miles. There also weren't as many character photo ops as I thought there would be considering how many Avengers there are. I later learned that some characters are under contract with other companies for the time being and all this other legal mumbo jumbo, so I'm hoping next year, we'll get to see Ironman and the Hulk. Running through Angel Stadium is always a highlight, but the 3 miles before you get to the stadium are on a bike/running trail, so the high winds left me with a ton of grit in my ears and hair. Again, I'm sure it would have been lovely if it wasn't so damn windy. The expo was smooth, like it always is. The price for the race was bordering ridiculous, like it always is. The energy of the race was super duper high, like it always is. Overall, it's always a great time running a Disney race. read more

Comics and running. I mean, it doesn't get any better than that, right? Yeah, well there are certain bottom tier situations scattered throughout this inaugural event that put a little rust in Iron Man's armor. Don't get me wrong. the Avengers Half Marathon rocked! The comic book nerd in me quite enjoyed the power packed punch of the race itself. Though, as many other runners have already mentioned, for the $$$ paid, it definitely lacked a bit of the entertainment value Disney organizers are known for. Take for instance the picture taking opportunities with the characters. Runners will forgo the opportunity for a better PR just to line up a photo op with Mickey and gang. In this case though, I only saw four, (Army Men, Lightning McQueen, Captain America, and Black Widow). And I'm not even counting the large number of cosplayers hanging out along the side of the Santa Ana Trail. As for other entertainment, the usual suspects were tallied as we ran on by: high school cheerleading crews, and their respective bandmates definitely added some much needed encouragement to everyone participating. I guess planners of the race conceded the need to improve upon the old routes. Compared to the last time I hung out in Anaheim for the Disneyland Half Marathon, this route was a little more scenic than the cityscape I happen to view in 2010. Of course, if the wind wasn't blowing around something fierce as we ran against the grain, I would've enjoyed the run a little more. Alas, everything that wasn't bolted down or tied up, ended either falling flat or causing irritable distress to those braving the piercing wrath of Mother Nature. Once on track, the prize of a finisher medal waited for those crossing the finish line. At the Expo (another review altogether), I caught a glimpse of the medal given to the runners - once in my hand though, it became my favorite, even more so than the Goofy one I earned in 2012. I mean, the spin on this thing is truly a sweet prize for those putting in the dedication and the hard work. It also allowed some leeway in regards to the frustrations built up during the course of the race. Now, the question is, would I run this again? Depends. As anyone who's ever done a Disney race can attest to, it's quite expensive. Staying power in the future depends on whether the upcoming Star Wars one in January can hold serve and allow for a superhero theme to again rise as an ongoing situation. It remains to be seen. As for me, I'm too much of a fan of both to give up on such notions. Looks like another date with destiny awaits me next year. read more

Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

I had a really great time running this race. I've done a some full marathons, but never an official half before and was a little worried that the energy, race activities and mileage wouldn't be worth the ridiculous cost. However, even though the beginning of the run started off a little campy with announcers shouting out "assemble" every now and then to try and get the runners amped up, the race itself was a ton of fun. The first few miles are through Disneyland and California adventure, and it was fun to see all the attractions without the massive crowds. The rest of the run goes through the streets of Anaheim, which by themselves are pretty boring but Disney brought together a ton of energy in the forms of school bands, costumed bystanders and great cheer squads. Highlights: The unexpected row of costumed up spectators dressed like Marvel characters both well-known and super-nerd-knowledge only. I think I saw someone dressed like Blink. The group of spectators dressed like 1940 soliders towards the end. Running into the midst of Angel stadium with the band playing and cheering my (costumed name). Getting a solid time, some great pictures and running a half marathon holding a hammer and wearing a full blown cape. This was a ton of fun for a die-hard, geeky childhood Marvel fan who likes to do races! Oh, and damn that freaking wind. read more

Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

I had a blast running this race with my best friend! If there is any event that makes waking up at 3 am to run 13.1 miles fun, well...that must be a pretty good event. Everything was very well organized. There were tons of water/powerade stations along the way and the chEAR squad was a nice touch. The starting line was super energetic and the route took you through the parks, which was fun. Nearby hotels offered (early morning) shuttle services to the race. My friend and I dressed up for this event. She was Thor and I was Captain America. We saw lots of cool costumes along the way...never a dull moment! I would definitely run this one again. Most of the route is flat so it's a good one if you're a first timer. read more

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I was probably the only runner there that did not know who the Avengers were when signing up for the race. Why did I do it then? There was a Coast to Coast medal for runners that complete a run at Disneyland and Disney World in one calendar year. Thus my friends and I were going be in this inaugural Avengers Super Heroes half marathon. By the time race day rolled around I had educated myself on the Avengers, met and took a picture with Thor and wore an outfit in tribute to Captain America. In a race like this one kind a has to get into the spirit of the event and dress up a bit. That being said, most runners were in some type of costume. The race started just outside Disneyland at 5:30 am. We then proceeded to take a fairly short run through the park (seeing the Seven Dwarfs on the carousel was the best part) saying hello to four super heroes and some Disney characters. Before we knew it we were out of the park and running on the streets of Anaheim. That's when we felt the lovely Santa Ana winds. Yikes! No matter what direction we turned, we always seemed to be running into that wind. Everything was flying - caps, hats, wigs, race course mileage markers, signs, etc. My friend was lucky as she was tailing a Captain America who was holding up his shield! There wasn't much to see along the course but there were a few cheering sections, which are always very welcome. In one desolate spot where I must have swallowed a pound of dirt, a group of people with very good costumes came out to cheer us on in the early morning. Woo hoo! I thought I was at Comic-Con. Yes, these folks talked the talk and walked the walk. They stayed in character for us which was such a welcome treat and rather humorous (just me?). Next stop Angels Stadium. The winds were so strong in the parking lot that they water station was packed up and they were pouring out water one cup at a time. The mileage marker had blown over. There was some relief in running around the warning track of the stadium. Upon leaving the ball park we were on our way to the finish line! There were plenty of people cheering us on in the last half mile or so and everyone was so pumped up! This is what I really love about Disney races. The crowds are awesome. Of all the Disney songs, I had to cross the finish line to...wait for it....Let It Go! Disney races are some of the most well organized and well supported races I've run. Crowds are plentiful, water/gel stations are well spaced, park bathrooms are available for use, the entertainment (characters, behind the scenes views inside the parks, DJ's, cheer squads, bands, etc.) is plentiful, and the races aren't terribly crowded. The course itself was not completely flat as there some small hills but they were were fairly short. I just wish we had spent more time inside the theme parks. Many thanks to the volunteers for sticking through the cold temperatures and gale-force winds to provide us with those much needed cups of water and Gatorade. We very much appreciated it. One piece of advice is that if you intend to run any Disney race, you need to sign up as soon as registration opens as they fill up really fast. If you are a fan of the Avengers this race is for you. read more

As a huge Disney fan, annual pass holder, and avid runner, I wanted to give this five stars, I really did! For what I paid, how much I trained and how long I waited, I wanted a 5-star experience, much like I had with two previous Tinkerbell Half-marathons I'd done with Disney. Sadly, I'll not likely do this one ever again. I think the first major disappointment was my corral: F. Yup, F. I'd been in B for both Tinkerbells with a proven time of 2:01, but I got F corral this time. My husband, Brian, who'd NEVER RUN A HALF MARATHON and signed up after I did, got E. What the heck? Being so far in the back I quickly learned that many, many people have a wide range of interpretation of what it means to "Run Disney." I was surprised how many hundreds of people ahead of me and around me "Walked Disney." Basically from the get-go. Frustrating. Many paths were bottle-necked and those forced us all to walk a bit. The path before Angel's Stadium (I think it was the Santa Ana River Trail?) was ugly. Lots of garbage, a few homeless campers, and we found one syringe (no surprise, but still gross) that my hubby picked up and gave to the volunteers. That, and the combination of no fireworks at the start (like other Disney races), very few characters (and not a single Disney character, by the way. I know it's an Avenger race, but it's RunDisney-- throw a mouse in there somewhere, will you?), made it disappointing overall. I finished before Brian (who hurt his knee and encouraged me to go on at the very end), but I was constantly asked to "move along" from the post-race Disney photo area, even though I told many I was waiting for him so we could get our pics together. C'mon, Disney, we pay that much to run and we can't get a photo together? The good parts of the race were: The Expo, all the cheer squads, the Avenger fans who dressed up (both runners and supporters), the military troops, the Disney volunteers and workers who cheered us on, and the marching bands. I really appreciated all the people who were out at 6:00 AM to support participants! Still, I won't likely do a Disney race again. :( read more

This was my first ever HALF marathon and it HAD to be for The Avengers. For $230, I was expecting this to be epic. It's Disney for goodness sake! You should expect the whole sha-bang for Avengers! What do you get with your $230? - Run a half marathon - Run inside D-land - Avengers Medal - Avengers Tech shirt - A Cliff Bar That's it. I mean, the medal is pretty awesome, but after running other Disney runs after this... they left out a bunch of stuff for us. After we finished the run, we weren't allowed to take a photo at the finish line. We were ushered out once we passed the finish line. I didn't get to take a FINISH photo. Plus, they didn't really have backgrounds for us to take finisher photos! Also, where were the massage tents? This one was really lacking in organization. After running the Star Wars one, I realized this Avengers didn't live up to what Disney represents. Also, the course was horrible. Yeah, we passed a beautiful church and went inside Angel Stadium... but we had to go inside tunnels and terrible winds. It was HORRIBLE. The wind was going inside your eyes and face. A girl who was tiny blew away and fell. The route was bad because it was underneath tunnels which captured more dust. If we did a route where we ran flat lands, the wind wouldn't had been so bad. PROS: * The Cheer teams... chEAR squads were awesome. I loved that so many people and bands and cheer teams came out to support us. We heard music and cheers throughout the run. It was really nice. * Water stations/First AID - awesome. Disney is pretty good at hydrating us * The medal and shirt, pretty good CONS: * Route: The tunnel filled with dust and dirt was not good for us, especially with the winds * No post-run activities or even massage * Captain America did not come out in the beginning during the photo ops. So people who ran earlier completely missed him OVERALL: I'll do this again because I want my LEGACY status since I did the inaugural, but I hope they make some changes. read more

After the hot & windy fiasco of last year, repeating this again this year was a gamble. After great weather reports, the weekend was fantastic! I volunteered for the finish line 5k & 10k and had a blast handing out medals to all participants. Then I proceeded to run / walk the half marathon on Sunday. They've redeemed themselves with an updated course that didn't involve the dreadful freeway overpass over the 22 by the Crystal Cathedral, and the park / Santa Ana River Trail portion was fixed up a bit , although that portion could still use to be less boring. The 5k was Thor themed this year and a lot of people dressed up accordingly, so it seemed Asgard had descended upon Earth on Friday. On Saturday was the Inaugural Captain America 10k, which of course had a lot of Captains dressed up, it was fabulous. Sunday was Superhero themed overall, however the 2015 medal featured the logos of Black Widow & Hawkeye in addition to Capt America. The Half course still was only 2 miles in the park, and mostly outside, which needs to be improved upon both ways, but the weather played a huge role in maintaining entertainment across the course overall. Special thanks to Club Cosplay for coming out in all your fabulous Marvel cosplay!! You guys ROCK!! Overall, would I do this one again? yes, but mainly because I ran the Inaugural last year, and i'm trying to become a "Perfect Avenger" by the 5th and 10th years, if the race will still be around that long. PS: since its a fall/wintery race, with super heroes involved, there was a lot of guys in spandex present. lol. read more

Just take my money! Really...never have so many been so willing to part with $200 so quickly for the privilege of running 13.1 miles, and I am right there with them. I have run so many Disney half marathons I have lost count...thankfully, because I don't want to think about how much I have spent on these races. But you know what...I keep signing up. Why? Because it is well worth the money! RunDisney is an amazing organization! The races are very well organized...clear mile markers, plenty of water/powerade stations and porta potties on the route, and lots of medical and race staff out on the course. These races are also alot of fun...most runners are in costume, you get to run through both Disney parks and Anaheim stadium, and local school bands, cheer, and dance squads, and Disney cast members are along the course to cheer you on. This was the inaugural Avengers Half Marathon and as Disney races go, this one did not disappoint! My inner comic book dork, running dork, and Disney dork were all satisfied by this event! I had a blast! As with most Disney races, people went all out with their costumes...and with the hurricane force winds out on the course the super hero capes were indeed flying! Awesome race! Next up, Disney Star Wars Half Marathon in January 2015. Seriously...just take it Disney...take my money!!! read more

I ran the Avengers Half in 2014 and it was crazy windy. The Avengers Half Marathon course is my last favorite of the Disney races I have run. I heard they changed the half course up a bit this year but since I am somewhat out of running shape, I opted to run just the 10k. I enjoyed the 10k course a lot. I felt like it was a good mix of running through both California Adventure and Disneyland. I am not one to stop and take pictures with the characters, but none of the lines seemed super long for any of the picture stops. I do enjoy that the park is decorated for the holidays during this time which is a nice bonus and puts a little extra pep in my run. Disney always excels at having good course support and entertainment and that was true during the Avengers 10k. At the end of the race, I got my big race medal bling and snack box (which I always look forward to getting). While l am a big fan of Disney races, they are just getting to expensive for me. I think I might just stick to picking one of 10k events to run once a year. read more

**This is strictly from a volunteer's point of view, and only about the half marathon** This half marathon seemed to be a little bit more organized than the Tinkerbell and Disneyland 1/2, but it lacked a lot of the entertainment value we have all grown to love from these races. This could have been due to the amount of racers that participated, as it only brought 12,000 vs the usual 19,000. THE COURSE Disney Property 4 miles on Disney Property Miles 1-2 Onstage DCA and Disneyland Miles 12-13 Backstage of DCA and Downtown Disney This is about 2 miles less than usual on Disney property. The lines for the characters were very long, which made people fall behind of the 16 minute marker pacers. And there were only 4 Avenger characters. The path onstage and backstage was different than the previous races. There was nothing going through ToonTown, which meant Ball Rd. was not impacted and instead of running into Disneyland racers were running out of it. In DCA the pier was ignored, but it left nice photos of the Sunwheel in the background. The best part of the Disney course had to be when the 7 dwarfs were riding King Arthur's Carousel. It just wasn't expected and was a nice treat to see. Anaheim to Garden Grove There wasn't much for the racers to look at. Due to high winds sand clouds were everywhere. I almost got pushed over on my bike a few times and I had a lot of problems seeing. There were not many bands or cheer sections a long the way, however the presence of Anaheim Police seemed to be at an all time high and some officers even allowed racers to get on their motorcycles and take pictures. It was an awesome sight to see a racer on a police motorcycle with a cape flapping in the wind. Santa Ana River Trail There was too much of this, as racers are use to running in the opposite direction, which meant going downhill, however this time it was all uphill. If there was no wind it would have been a little better as there were flags put up, but knocked down along the way to Angel Stadium. The best character design of the day goes to this person who was a metallic black Ironman, totally spot on work, guns everything... looked like real cosplay. Angel Stadium When we got inside I was expecting the stands to be loaded with fans like usual, but there was no one in there. However, there were bands and cheer groups out on the actual field. There wasn't much motivation going on as the wind probably got to them. As we were exiting Angel Stadium and heading back onto the street, there were WWII costumed service men and women, along with a medic truck cheering people on, it was really a nice sight as it intertwined with the whole heroes theme. Finish Line It seemed like a ghost town. Sure they had the confetti like usual for the last runner, but the stands were empty. Everyone just seemed tired and wanted to get out of the wind. By this time it wasn't windy compared to what it was earlier, but even I was beat. Before I headed home (rode my bike home) I had to clean the dirt off my face and in my eyes. Medal It was disappointing to be honest. Just a standard silver with some white trim. The Kids Races medal was much more vibrant. OVERALL The race was OK. I think they need to bring back more Disney property mileage as you pay for that experience. You can go running through the city streets any day and that doesn't cost $200. The race did end on time if not just a little bit ahead of schedule. The people that didn't finish the race and opted to stop didn't complain one bit. In that sense I believe the wind helped us out. read more

So my friends got me into doing the Disneyland races a couple of years ago, this was my second 10K. As far a races go, these Disney ones are a lot of fun. Its really not a race you run for time but really more so to enjoy the park and to take pictures with various costume characters. Although the race is quite early, the flip side to it is that your done early too. Great way to start the morning. If your adventurous you can also make a day out of it and enjoy the park afterwards. read more

With the 2nd annual Avengers Half Marathon weekend coming up next week, I figured it was time to finally review the inaugural one last year! I am a HUGE Avengers fan, especially of Captain America, so of course this would end up becoming my very first half marathon race! Doing a half marathon had been on my bucket list for a while, but I didn't think I would be doing it any time soon. But then Disney had to go and announce this... THANKS A LOT DISNEY -_- Laura S. and I went to their expo on Saturday to pick up our race packets. It was by the Disneyland hotel and we were granted a 30 minutes "grace period" parking pass to go pick up our stuff. It was a little confusing figuring out where to go but we managed to figure it out after asking a couple of people :P Then we turned our attention to the health and fitness expo. There were a couple of fun photo ops and a lot of vendors! We bought some running merchandise and got some samples as well. It was a great expo, although as a result we went over our 30 minute grace period and had to pay for parking. Oh well. The next day we came to Disneyland at a time when no one should be awake and it was cold and I was not happy. We parked at the Mickey & Friends structure (have to pay for parking, boo) and walked over to our assigned corral. The first corral starts at 5:30 but we were nowhere near that corral so we started maybe a little before 6AM. This was my very first race with Disney and WOW, they are so organised! Within Disneyland there were several Avengers characters to take pictures with, but of course all the lines were really long. And then on the streets, there were people constantly cheering for us at what seemed like every single mile. That really makes a difference! Mainly because I didn't want them to be cheering for someone who was just walking so then I would be forced/motivated into running again :P There were also high school cheerleaders and a marching band. There were multiple water/Gatorade stations which was really nice. I definitely felt supported throughout the entire race! For the most part the course was decent. There was one part where we had to run up a bridge that of course I did not like. The worst part, however, was when we were running along an empty river and under a bridge because we were attacked by dust storms! No one warned us about this! So much dust and wind... the runners with Captain America shields all used them to try to protect their face. Smart! The rest of us, however, were being blasted by dust particles coming at high speed to our faces. Not cool. I really hope they changed that part of the course this year (I did not look at this year's course haha). Like all races, this one had its pros and cons. The cons were made a bit more painful by the fact that Disney races are RIDICULOUSLY expensive, but we are willing to do almost anything for Avengers. Sigh. I'm just glad that I made it out of this race with my life! But some things that I was not happy about: -- The dust winds (like I previously mentioned) on the course -- I completely missed Captain America! Where the heck was he?! He was the only Avenger I wanted a picture with. My friend who ran later than me said he came out later (after I had passed by his area) which is why I missed him. BOOOOOO!!! Since this year they are offering a Captain America 10K I expect a LOT of Captain Americas so I can get a picture with one of them! -- Is it not horrible enough that this race is like $230 for the half ALONE? Why do we have to pay for pictures? Disney, why do you hate me?! :( But the race was still worth it. Because: -- The medal is really nice. And the long sleeve shirt. I love it! -- So much support during the race. Also food/etc afterwards. -- AVENGERS!!! Damnit Marvel can just put their name on anything and I'll be suckered into buying it. Now that I'm legacy I guess I'll be doing this until I die. Which is actually just next weekend since I'm going to be doing the Infinity Gauntlet challenge... read more

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This was my first Disney run and it was what I expected. Surprisingly efficient and organized on Disney's end for the amount of people running. The course was great. Growing up in Anaheim, it was interesting to be able to run down streets that I would normally avoid due to tourist traffic. My main frustration... let's face it, those that run Disney runs don't normally run real runs. Therefore, most lack proper running etiquette and will stop to walk right in front of you, or take a picture, or stop at the very beginning of the water table, or walk in a single file with their friends across the entire road. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to run right into someone instead of nearly injuring myself to avoid them. Yes, it was pretty windy and it was sad that they canceled the post-race entertainment. There were tons of cheering spectators along the course. read more

With the addition of the Captain America 10k and the Infinity Gauntlet Challenge, it's now a true weekend event so I'll divide my reviews between the two. The inaugural 10k was great with the majority of the run on Disney property. I was at the front of Corral B and other than a few walkers who I had to dodge in the first mile (how do walkers get into Corral A?!?) found the crowds to be minimal. Traditional great support from the cast members, especially BoH, with lots of water tables scattered throughout. I really hate the "rope" system to get crowds across the course, especially with less than a few hundred meters to go and they switch you to the other side of the road. WTF!?! I can live with it if that's my only real complaint. Lines for the "Avengers" I founds to minimal throughout the two Parks which I only took advantage of with Steve Rogers alter ego. A solid 4.5 stars. The 2nd annual Avengers half-marathon was a major disappointment and feel bad for those who signed up expecting a "Disney" experience. Less than 10% of the course was on Disney property, maybe 20% if you count the Cast Member parking lot and the auxiliary road behind Cars Land. They did take you to cities and roads that I'd never otherwise visit, including a stretch on a bike bath along the Santa Ana River with homeless camp or two as your view. Anaheim Stadium wasn't packed like the Disneyland 1/2 but filled with cheerleaders and volunteers throughout along the running path - certainly not the same effect. It's a typical 1/2 marathon course, with a bit more support, but for the dollars we are paying should be given more than typical. A generous 1.5 stars. The Infinity Gauntlet medal is pretty cool, which my daughter ended up wearing all day at Disneyland after the race. Even as a huge fan of The Avengers, from Marvel's version not Disney's, I'll more than likely not return to this race. Too much money but not enough in return. Speaking of Marvel...I know I'm getting on a soapbox here but if you're going to spend this kind of money and wear a costume FOLLOW THE BRAND. Do your homework. Would you dress as Captain Kirk to the Star Wars race? So why dress as Batman or Wonder Woman, who are D.C. properties, to a MARVEL themed race? I'm getting down now... read more

Although I am a Disney lover, I am a running hater. Seriously, I have no idea why I put myself through this, but, I did and I ran my first and last half marathon at the Avengers Half (2:43, if you're wondering). This was also my first RunDisney experience as well. The admission price is about two times more than any other race I've looked at, and does not include park admission if you can still walk after the race. It does include a pretty nice long sleeve tech tee, admission to the expo where you can spend more money, and of course the experience of running through Disney at the crack of dawn. Everything was very well organized, although we were stuck in the very last corrall and had a tough time getting around all the participates who were walking the race. A few times we got stuck in the crowds, but I guess that's to be expected anywhere. I was a little let down with the amount of time we actually spent inside Disney parks. I would have loved to spend a few more miles in there. I also skipped all the character photo opportunities because the lines were so long. Lots of potties and other festive fun along the way. The cheerleaders and marching bands along the city route were so encouraging! I also loved running through Angels Stadium! I would do this race again if I were a running, but I'm not, so I won't. read more

In the words of Edna Mode, "NO CAPES!" Avengers unite! This run was so much fun, even though there was a wind storm. NO CAPES! The course takes you to the back part of Anaheim (if that makes sense) and you see sights, like the Crystal Cathedral, Angel Stadium (Go Angels), and of course, Disneyland! 13.1 miles is a lot, but with so much support from the chEAR squad and all the Disney characters. This was one of the funnest runs I've done with RunDisney. The course is fairly flat and it was a nice change to run near the golf course. I think the best part was seeing all the superheroes as we headed to Angel's stadium and then as we exited, there was a group of Veterans and they were dressed in their old gear, as if they were straight from the 1950's! Thank you to all the volunteers for not only handing out water and Powerade, but for having the ability to combat and keep the paper cups from blowing away from the strong wind! Now, was it worth the $200? Yes and no. Yes, because like all RunDisney events, you get your money's worth! No, because it does cost a heft amount and the wind was kind of a bummer. But hey, Disney can't control that...yet! read more

Great day to be a superhero! Bad day to wear a cape. It was a nice run while running through the two parks. Then we hit the mean streets of the O.C. the back alley ways and under freeways where we were sand blasted for what seemed like miles. I tried hiding behind bigger runners to have a buffer but they caught on shortly after every attempt. The wind was really pushing us to our limits and throwing everything it had at us. I had to hurdle over tumble weeds and a random cardboard box flying my way. I've done a few half marathons before and for the price I thought we would get more than just a medal. I was surprised that we didn't get access to the park after the race! I love Disney and would probably run another race, but I'll look at the route a little more closely before signing up again. On to the next run! read more

Really fun and a ton of costumed runners. Pricey race and sells out quickly so sign up early. The race is during November so I really appreciated the cooler weather in comparison to the standard Disney Half Marathon the end of August when it is 70 degrees out at 4:00am. Guaranteed good time. read more

Ahh yes this was my second Half Marathon and first Run Disney race that I've ran. First off I know anything related to Disney & Marvel is crazy super popular.So yes I knew the race crowd was going to be huge which it was.Which is exactly why run disney races are the most expensive I've seen. The race expo was meh. I really didn't care for or was interested in the independent vendors. A lot of the official merchandise is just simply overpriced at here or any other race event organizers expo.One positive I'll give is at least the parking lot down the street from the Disneyland Hotel where the expo was free. Now for the race it's self. I did get into the spirit for the theme of this race and wore my Under Armor Captain America alter ego shirt. The race starts off in Downtown Disney and goes through parts of Anaheim and neighboring communities. It briefly goes through California Adventure park.What seriously SUCKED was dealing with the crazy Santa Ana winds through out the race course.I nearly lost my NIKE Dri-Fit race hat at least 2 times where it blew off and I had to pick it up off the ground.I really felt bad for other runners on the course who didn't have sun glasses and had to deal with the Santa Ana winds blowing dirt & dust into their eyes & faces.Yes I totally get Disney has no control over mother nature & weather conditions, and yes every person who runs this event signed a medical waiver.Still though this really just SUCKED.Towards the end you run through The Big A Anaheim Stadium which was nice since I never had stepped foot in there to catch an Angel's baseball game. Then the race finish line is a little past Disneyland Hotel. Post race was very lacking and un event full.Marathon foto was there again like they are at most races taking pictures. But there were no designated booth or props designated to take finisher photos. The post disney snack box was seriously small and none of the food in it was worth eating. I understand this was the inaugural race for this run disney race. But common I really expected better from Disney for the price people pay to get into their races and how quickly they sell out. The finisher medal was great and was better quality compared to other race medals from other race organizers. Race shirt I got at the expo was nice but really wish they would use a different brand besides Champion. My shirt after 2 wash & dry's has started to shrink a little bit even for a long sleeved shirt. Would I do this race again? Maybe if run disney makes enough improvements.But yes I'll be back to do the Disneyland Dumbo Double Dare this year on Labor Weekend in September. read more

Always so much fun! I love Disney and doing the Disney runs has helped keep me moving! Even if your not "runner" Disney runs are a great way to start! read more