runDisney Wine and Dine

It’s Back! Coast to Coast Challenge Returns in 2024!

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I know I am not the only one who is excited to finally have the opportunity to not only run a race at Disneyland, California, but to get the coveted Coast to Coast medal! These were discontinued several years ago when Disneyland races were put on pause. I’m really hoping to add “all the medals” to my wall, and this is a giant leap forward!.

So what is Coast to Coast?

Simply put, Coast to Coast is a medal runDisney runners earn if they run a long race (10 mi+) at both Disneyland and Disney World in the same calendar year.

Runners do NOT have to register for the challenge; it’s automatic. (What’s that… no separate fee? Like really? Disney passed on a money-grab opportunity? Huzzah!)

So besides money, why is this tricky?

There are two factors (other than OMG I’m running races two weeks in a row?????) that look really important to consider right now:

  • Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (Florida) and Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend (California) races are back-to-back in January, 2024. Yup Florida is January 3-7 and California is January 11-14. If you want to do both, you’d better be able to have 2 weeks in the bank or be willing to accept a really chaotic remote work schedule.
  • Registration for the Disneyland races is soon… SOON! Club runDisney members start their registration on Feb 7; general registration is on Feb 14. No time for general registration has been announced yet. I’m presuming it won’t be 10 a.m. ET just since they should be catering to the Pacific Time audience, but that is only my opinion. I’ll post more when I know it.
    • Keep in mind that it has been years since there has been a Disneyland race. If you thought Dopey 2023 registration was bad… you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. I predict instant bloodbath.

So what else do I need to know?

  • There will be two different versions of the C2C medal offered. One for those who complete a race during Marathon Weekend first, and one for those who complete a race at Disneyland first. Do we know the difference? No. Did runDisney make it clear that the medal for those who complete the Marathon Weekend first (thus doing back-to-back weekends) is special to 2024 ? Yes. Is that the money grab? To get marathoners to sign up for Disneyland one week later? Maybe.
  • You can only get one C2C medal per year. If you run Marathon Weekend then Disneyland, there’s your medal. No double-dipping if you head back to Florida for Princess.
  • Virtual races will not qualify. This makes perfect sense to me. The point of the medal is to go to California and then go to Florida. If you do it all on your treadmill, where’s the challenge in that?

So which races qualify?

  • Per the runDisney site, challenge or 10 mile races will qualify you in 2024. You must have a Florida and a California race/challenge:
    • Walt Disney World Half Marathon (FL)
    • Walt Disney World Marathon (FL)
    • Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge (FL)
    • Dopey Challenge (FL)
    • Disneyland Half Marathon (CA)
    • Dumbo Double Dare Challenge (CA)
    • Princess Half Marathon (FL)
    • Fairy Tale Challenge (FL)
    • Springtime Surprise 10-Miler (FL)
    • Springtime Surprise Challenge (FL)
    • Wine and Dine Half Marathon (FL)
    • Two-Course Challenge (FL)

I personally am beyond exited. Can I pay for this? No clue. I’ll have to make some choices and beg my boss for a lot of time off. But I am ready to charge forward.

Is it bad that I am simultameously thinking “Castle to Chateau????”