Running in any race is hard work.  It comes with training, commitment, and mental toughness.  Committing to running in a marathon is a large decision due to the amount of training that would have to go into it.

The RunDisney races have amassed a following that comes from all parts of the globe to have the chance to run at a Disney theme park.  (Disneyland RunDisney races are coming back in 2024!). I, personally, have only run in a 5K at Walt Disney World, completing a Princess 5K back in 2010.  The experience of running through the park, it was EPCOT, was unmatched.  It certainly beat running on a treadmill or walking down the street.  RunDisney races are also EXPENSIVE with the 5K event running about $80 per runner.  A full Dopey Challenge which includes a full weekend of running the four races (5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Full Marathon)  around Walt Disney World can run over $500 per runner.  Thus, not only hard dedication to training, but a decent amount of money goes into running these races.

Monroe, Maine father-daughter duo, Nick and Trinity Tripp, made a pact to complete The Walt Disney World Marathon in 2023. They had completed the 10K at Walt Disney World together the previous year.

Trinity, the daughter, told her local news station interviewing them, “I wanted to do with my dad and I wanted to be there to encourage him and push him and I knew that he would encourage me as well. So I thought that if we work together, we’d be able to complete it.”

Trinity, a nursing student, and her father were deep into training when Trinity suffered from a seizure that caused her to cut her training short. Thus, her father was able to complete the training whereas Trinity was not.

Trinity stated , “I was running multiple times a week, and then I had a seizure so I kind of stopped training. But, I still really wanted to push myself and still complete my goal.”

After six hours, twenty-four minutes, and fifteen seconds, the father-daughter team crossed the finish line of The Walt Disney World Marathon despite the setbacks that Trinity faced after the seizure.  They have talked about completed the Dopey Challenge next year which is where a runner participates in all races of the weekend, the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and the Full Marathon.

Stories like this inspire people to keep going and reach for their own goals despite setbacks.  Her dedication, mental game on marathon day, presence of her cheerleader father, and perhaps a little Disney magic all contributed to Trinity Tripp crossing that finish line.

Have you ever run a RunDisney race? Let us know in the comments.

Source: WABI5