Running with kids?

[RememberWhen]

Has anyone run the 5K with kids? We were thinking about the wine and dine 5K in November. We would have a 6 year old and an 18 month old. Baby would obviously need to be in a stroller (is that allowed?). The 6 year old is pretty active, and we would work towards the run, but would he be allowed to rest a bit in the stroller? I know the Disney people don’t like stragglers on the big races, but is the 5K as strict?

If kids aren’t allowed, or we decide it’s a terrible plan, has anyone done the kid races?

Thanks!

 

[LAKid53]

runDisney does not allow strollers on their courses - runners must be able to complete the race on their own. If you think your 6 year old won't be able to complete the 3.1 mile course, then don't register him/her - you'd be wasting $80. Children under 13 can participate in the Kids races. They are held at WWoS (ESPN).

Other than runners registered for the Dopey during Marathon weekend in January, Disney doesn't time any of the 5k races. However, if at 1.5 hours you are still on the course, they may pull you off. All races - other than Kids - start at 5:30, so you will be running part of the time in the dark, through parking lots.

See the runDisney website for more specifics.

 

[RememberWhen]

Thanks. The stroller info is helpful. Maybe Grandma would come to hang out with the youngest.

 

[RunningKoen]

I wouldn't do a 5K with a 6 year old, certainly not at runDisney WDW. The 5K route isn't into the magic kingdom, but only Epcot. Well, 2 miles at Epcot iself, 1/3 of the race is parking lot or backstaged. The only 5K with a decent route was at DLR, and Paris during the inaugural year. But with the 5K being a night run in Paris, you'll only see the studios (and quite a lot of backstage route aswell)

I cannot imagine what your 6 year old is like, and how active, but I'm guessing that the list of 6 year old who are happy to wake up at 3AM to stroll 3M through the dark Epcot is rather small.

My advise: let Grandma hang out with both of them at the finish line. Waking up a lot later to see Mom & Dad finish is way more fun.

 

[21stamps]

I haven’t done any RunDisney events.. but I have done plenty of other races... if the 6 year old can run- Do it!!!

My kid has been doing marathon events/races since age 4.. he’s always enjoyed it. He trains for about 2 months beforehand.

 

[LAKid53]

The W&D 5k is run in Animal Kingdom. You will start in the parking lot....and end in the parking lot.

Many runners walk the 5k, briskly. Will your 6 year old be capable of briskly walking for close to 1 hour? After waking up at 2:30 am to get to the race's staging area and then standing around for an hour or more, in the dark, waiting for your corral to start? You most likely will be assigned to the last corral and will get to the start line at least 30 minutes after the official start time of 5:30.

I'm in agreement with @RunningKoen. Have your husband, parents, in-laws at the finish line cheering you on - may mean you purchase the Cheer Squad for them. If your 6 year old wants to race, then enter him/her in the Kids races. They are Saturday, late morning/early afternoon. He'll get a race shirt and special medal, just like the adults.

 

[21stamps]

The W&D 5k is run in Animal Kingdom. You will start in the parking lot....and end in the parking lot.

Many runners walk the 5k, briskly. Will your 6 year old be capable of briskly walking for close to 1 hour? After waking up at 2:30 am to get to the race's staging area and then standing around for an hour or more, in the dark, waiting for your corral to start? You most likely will be assigned to the last corral and will get to the start line at least 30 minutes after the official start time of 5:30.

I'm in agreement with @RunningKoen. Have your husband, parents, in-laws at the finish line cheering you on - may mean you purchase the Cheer Squad for them. If your 6 year old wants to race, then enter him/her in the Kids races. They are Saturday, late morning/early afternoon. He'll get a race shirt and special medal, just like the adults.

What is the distance in the kids races? 1 mile?

 

[LAKid53]

What is the distance in the kids races? 1 mile?

Depends on the age. A 6 year old can register for either the 200m dash or the 1 mile.

Races are
Diaper dash - up to 12 months
100m - 1 to 4 years
200m - 5 - 8 years
1 mile - 13 and under

Btw, no 4 year old has been running in marathons. No credible race organizer would allow a 4 year old to run 26.2 miles. And a 2 month training regime isn't sufficient. rD requires registrants for their half to be at least 14 and 18 for the full.

 

[21stamps]

Depends on the age. A 6 year old can register for either the 200m dash or the 1 mile.

Races are
Diaper dash - up to 12 months
100m - 1 to 4 years
200m - 5 - 8 years
1 mile - 13 and under

Btw, no 4 year old has been running in marathons. No credible race organizer would allow a 4 year old to run 26.2 miles. And a 2 month training regime isn't sufficient. rD requires registrants for their half to be at least 14 and 18 for the full.

No, he’s not running 26.2..or anywhere close.lol. The marathons always have child events... he’s been doing the 1 mile since 4 and his first 5k this past fall.

 

[LAKid53]

No, he’s not running 26.2..or anywhere close.lol. The marathons always have child events... he’s been doing the 1 mile since 4 and his first 5k this past fall.

Ah, thanks for the clarification. Didn't want the OP to have erroneous info.

 

[RunningKoen]

Didnt know about the wine and dine 5K @LAKid53 , but still, the AK route isnt that great either. Certainly not the most entertaining thing for a 6 year old.

I haven’t done any RunDisney events.. but I have done plenty of other races... if the 6 year old can run- Do it!!!

My kid has been doing marathon events/races since age 4.. he’s always enjoyed it. He trains for about 2 months beforehand.

There's a tremendous difference between runDisney and other events when comparing 5K's. Their half and full marathons are amazing, without a doubt. Their 5K's often lack, because they have the downside of other races (waking up realy early!) for a route thats too short to combine parcs or have a ton of characters on it.

I've seen some small kids during the Paris '17 5K. But there were a few of them, for such reasons.

And as said before: the average page during a 5K is rather slow, and maybe crowded and bottle necked. Not a fun place for a 6 year old who wants to run.

The kids races are big fun. Small & easy routes, only kids, a lot of character moments, and the perfect solution for kids who wanna run.

 

[21stamps]

Ah, thanks for the clarification. Didn't want the OP to have erroneous info.

Sorry, I see how that may have been confusing. Maybe I should have said “side events held at marathon weekends”. I always say “marathon events”.. but yeah., unless you count his stroller years, 5k is the max. I’m hoping no one would ever think to bring a non-strollered young child on a full, or a half.

Didnt know about the wine and dine 5K @LAKid53 , but still, the AK route isnt that great either. Certainly not the most entertaining thing for a 6 year old.



There's a tremendous difference between runDisney and other events when comparing 5K's. Their half and full marathons are amazing, without a doubt. Their 5K's often lack, because they have the downside of other races (waking up realy early!) for a route thats too short to combine parcs or have a ton of characters on it.

I've seen some small kids during the Paris '17 5K. But there were a few of them, for such reasons.

And as said before: the average page during a 5K is rather slow, and maybe crowded and bottle necked. Not a fun place for a 6 year old who wants to run.

The kids races are big fun. Small & easy routes, only kids, a lot of character moments, and the perfect solution for kids who wanna run.

Our races never include characters and most of the time do not have any scenery ..so I guess it depends on what the OP is accustomed to.

I think the Disney races with the characters sound neat.. Maybe the kid could do a 1 mile (with characters) and run/walk a 5k without, if he really wants to do a longer course. Not sure if the times would conflict. Maybe even just register in more than one kid’s event?

Does Disney have any options besides a 5k that parents and kids can do together?

 

[LAKid53]

Sorry, I see how that may have been confusing. Maybe I should have said “side events held at marathon weekends”. I always say “marathon events”.. but yeah., unless you count his stroller years, 5k is the max. I’m hoping no one would ever think to bring a non-strollered young child on a full, or a half.



Our races never include characters and most of the time do not have any scenery ..so I guess it depends on what the OP is accustomed to.

I think the Disney races with the characters sound neat.. Maybe the kid could do a 1 mile (with characters) and run/walk a 5k without, if he really wants to do a longer course. Not sure if the times would conflict. Maybe even just register in more than one kid’s event?

Does Disney have any options besides a 5k that parents and kids can do together?

Parents participate in the Kids races. Lots of parents run the 5k, then head over to WWoS for the Kids race. All rD races will have characters, no matter the distance.

 

[21stamps]

Parents participate in the Kids races. Lots of parents run the 5k, then head over to WWoS for the Kids race. All rD races will have characters, no matter the distance.

Nice!

 

[RememberWhen]

Thanks for all the helpful info! Maybe we’ll try a 5k closer to home first. See how it goes and then plan from there.

 

[LAKid53]

Thanks for all the helpful info! Maybe we’ll try a 5k closer to home first. See how it goes and then plan from there.

That's sounds like an excellent plan. I'd still consider the 1 mile kids race. The photos I've seen looks like everyone is having fun. Plus, Disney characters. And you can order a special pair of Mickey ears. The runDisney FB page should have photos if you want to check out the races.

 

[dreamfinder]

You can't do multiple kids events. I mean you could in theory do multiple heats (not sure if they have multiple heats for the mile, I've never hung around that late), but as a PP said, they event is assigned based off of age, and a 10 yo would look kinda funny running next to a 10 mo. They don't usually have characters "on course" for those events, but will have Mickey or someone hanging around cheering.

RE strollers, they are not permitted, along with baby carriers and a bunch of other things. Before the event got popular they did allow strollers, but haven't for several years.

This years we did see some kids who seemed much younger, and I know I've seen kids around 8 or so successfully doing local 5ks. So it is possible, but definitely try it out at home first. But as you would need/want to have someone there for the 18mo, it wouldn't hurt to just let the 6yo sleep in as well. I don't think it would be real enjoyable for them. Having to get up so early, and then potentially having to wait 5-30 mins (CM for Rapunzel/Flynn was saying 30 mins this past weekend) for any characters on course would make for a real long run and morning.