FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Carey, Marini, Hoover, Astin, Zohn and Morasca Join Celebrity-Filled
20th Anniversary Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
Hollywood personalities are latest celebrities to join star-packed marathon
weekend; The Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney and ESPN radio personality
Colin Cowherd already in the field; uniquely-designed commemorative race
medal for every finisher
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Aug. 16, 2012) – Several additional celebrities are
joining in the fun of the 20th anniversary Walt Disney World Marathon
Weekend presented by Cigna.
Comedian and The Price Is Right host Drew Carey, actor Gilles Marini (Sex
in the City: The Movie, Switched at Birth and Dancing with the Stars),
Access Hollywood co-host Kit Hoover, reality TV stars Ethan Zohn and Jenna
Morasca (Survivor, The Amazing Race and Everyday Health) and actor Sean
Astin (The Goonies, The Lord of the Rings and Rudy) are participating in
the historic runDisney race weekend, Jan. 10-13.
Zohn, Morasca, Marini and Hoover are running the 13.1-mile half marathon
at Disney, while Carey and Astin are taking on the 26.2-mile marathon. They
join celebrities Alison Sweeney (The Biggest Loser) and Colin Cowherd (ESPN
radio personality) who already signed up for the half marathon.
For many of these celebrities, competing in a runDisney event will be a
familiar experience. This will be the second runDisney race for Carey, who
ran in the 2011 Disneyland Half Marathon. Likewise, Zohn and Morasca both
ran in the Walt Disney World Half Marathon earlier this year and the
Princess Half Marathon last year. And Astin ran in the inaugural Tinker
Bell Half Marathon at Disneyland Resort earlier this year. This will be the
first runDisney event for Hoover, an avid runner, and Cowherd and Marini,
who are both first-time half marathon runners.
In all, nearly 50,000 runners are expected to compete in various events
throughout the weekend with the 26.2-mile marathon field comprised of
roughly 55 percent women – the first time ever that women have outnumbered
men in the Disney Marathon field.
The celebrity participants are just some of the new features of the Disney
Marathon. Among the other new features are:
·A specially-designed 20th anniversary Mickey Mouse commemorative
finisher's medal with two spinning elements and engraved with two famous
quotes from Walt Disney himself
·Enhanced entertainment at Mile 20 to celebrate the 20th anniversary
·New course routes through the Walt Disney World Speedway and the ESPN Wide
World of Sports Complex
·A new post-race party at Downtown Disney
The Disney Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna will again feature Kids'
Races throughout the weekend, including the Mickey Mile, as well as a
Family Fun Run 5K on Friday, the Half Marathon on Saturday and the Marathon
on Sunday. There is also Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge which involves
running the half marathon and the full marathon – a total of 39.3 miles.
The Health and Fitness Expo runs throughout the weekend at ESPN Wide World
of Sports Complex and features the latest in running technology and
fashion, as well as renowned running experts such as Jeff Galloway, the
official training consultant for runDisney.
Runners can register for the race and get more information at
rundisney.com.
About runDisney
runDisney is a series of events providing runners unique opportunities to
run various distances through Disney theme parks. Race participants earn
Disney-themed medals, experience legendary Disney entertainment and guest
service and ultimately celebrate their accomplishments with a Disney
vacation. The original event in the series, the Walt Disney World Marathon
Weekend presented by Cigna, takes place in January followed by the Disney
Princess Half Marathon Weekend in February, The Twilight Zone Tower of
Terror 10-Miler in September and the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon
Weekend in November. Disneyland hosts the Tinker Bell Half Marathon
Weekend in January and the Disneyland Half Marathon in September during
Labor Day Weekend. More than 100,000 running enthusiasts participate in
runDisney events each year. For more information, visit rundisney.com and
follow us on Facebook (runDisney) and Twitter @runDisney.
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