Lenore Moreno wins her first half marathon ever running her first runDisney race; George Clooney and more than 32,000 runners create busy Mother’s Day Weekend at Disneyland Resort; Thousands participate in inaugural Pixie Dust Challenge
ANAHEIM, Calif. (May 10, 2015) – Pixie power and persistence pushed Lenore Moreno to smash a race record by almost 9 minutes in the fourth annual Tinker Bell Half Marathon presented by PANDORA Jewelry at Disneyland Resort. Looking much like a pixie herself, the five-foot, 24-year-old West Covina, Calif. resident flew by her competition, finishing in a mere 1:15:55. The former race record was 1:24:11. She was also nearly nine minutes ahead of second-place finisher Ann Mazur of Charlottesville, VA (1:24:10). Anne-Marie Nuno of Irvine, Calif. came in third (1:24:21).
“Just being inside Disneyland, I think that’s what gave me that push and helped me to forget about how long this half marathon was and just to enjoy the moment,” Moreno said. “I couldn’t have done it anywhere else. Passing under that castle was just magical.”
Moreno started running as a freshman in high school. She continued in college and dreamed of running in a runDisney race but school always got in the way. She finally realized her dream, making history this Mother’s Day. She even had a message for her mom.
“I love you! Happy Mother’s Day!” Moreno said.
Grandmothers, mothers, daughters, aunts and nieces were some of the 13,000 women who spent their Mother’s Day racing along an entertainment-filled 13.1-mile course through Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Parks, as well as by several Anaheim landmarks. Among them, was the Evans family from Irvine, Calif. Cheryl and Coco Evans, wearing identical Tinker Bell costumes, crossed the finish line together.
“Doing this race with me is priceless,” said mom Cheryl Evans. “It’s a memory that will last a lifetime. I’m so happy!”
More than 32,050 runners competed in various events during the weekend that included the Never Land 5K, the Tinker Bell 10K, runDisney Kids Races, a health and fitness expo and the inaugural Pixie Dust Challenge, which involved runners completing the 10K on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday.
Academy-award winning actor and producer George Clooney also came to Disneyland Resort this holiday weekend with his family for the world premiere of Disney’s new mystery adventure “Tomorrowland.”
In total, there were more than 16,000 runners from across the nation and 22 countries. Finishers received a commemorative Tinker Bell “wings’’ medal. The Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend is one of eight annual runDisney events and one of two women-focused events. The other is the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, which takes place in February at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. Both events are designed to celebrate and promote women’s empowerment, women’s health and an active lifestyle. And both are among the nation’s largest race weekends geared towards women.
Runners can register for any runDisney race weekend at www.rundisney.com.
Course Information:
In a flurry of fairy wings and pixie dust, more than 13,700 women out of the 16,000 total registered runners from across the nation are expected to spend their Mother’s Day morning flying through Disneyland Resort and the streets of Anaheim in the 13.1 mile Tinker Bell Half Marathon presented by PANDORA Jewelry. Many are participating in one or more events in the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend presented by PANDORA Jewelry, including the inaugural Pixie Dust Challenge.
Registration Numbers:
32,050* total race registrants for the 2015 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend presented by PANDORA Jewelry
16,000* participants in the Tinker Bell Half Marathon presented by PANDORA Jewelry
10,000* participants in the Tinker Bell 10K presented by PANDORA Jewelry
4,550* participants in the Never Land 5K presented by PANDORA Jewelry
1,500* participants in the runDisney Kids Races
Challenges:
5,000* participants in the inaugural Pixie Dust Challenge
Demographics:
87% female participants / 13% male participants
50 states represented, plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands
84 years age of the oldest female participant running the half marathon (from Seguin, Texas)
Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend Facts:
- 1:24:10 is the fastest female Tinker Bell Half Marathon time (Angela, Escay, 2013)
- The 32,050* participants will run approximately 257,600* miles combined throughout the weekend
- There are about 360* participants competing in the Military Division for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend — 105* from the Air Force; 105* from the Army; 20* from the Coast Guard; 105* from the Navy; and 30* from the Marine Corps
- Approximately 12,800* runners are participating in their first runDisney event during the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend, while 3,360* runners compete in their first half marathon
- More than 13,700* women will participate in the Tinker Bell Half Marathon, nearly 1,000 more than women who started the Boston Marathon this year
- The Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend is the No. 3-ranked race event in the U.S., behind only the Disney Princess Half Marathon and the Nike Women’s Half Marathon
- There are 3,860* participants who are registered to complete the Coast to Coast Challenge this year
* Numbers are approximate
A Disney blooded, crafty, fun-lovin’ wife/mom/organizer/planner, etc who is obsessed with all things Disney 🙂 Maria grew up with the Magic Kingdom and has loved watching WDW evolve into what it is today. A firm believer in the Power of Pixie Dust, she is the owner of The Disney Driven Life – A Community for Neurotic Disney People & a d.i.y. crafty blog, Carousel of Projects – create~inspire~share.
