Our guest blogger is Jessica AKA #TinyTiki. You can follow her on Twitter @TinyTikiRunner
“You’ll be fine…it’s only 3 miles…”
Now that is a sentence I never thought I would say, but let me back up just a bit.
Getting suited up…
The fabulous ladies of Run All The Races are primarily known for two things – their contagious enthusiasm for running and their insanely creative, elaborate costumes at all of the runDisney races. Kimberly and Gail love to make everyone laugh – runners, announcers, spectators, and cast members. Many are amazed at both the intricacy of their costumes and their ability to run in them.
At the 2015 Tinker Bell 5K
I have now run in costume with them twice – as a tiki in runDisney’s Castaway Cay Challenge 5K after Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2015 and as Boo from Monster’s Inc. in the Neverland 5K during Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend 2015. Kimberly and Gail kindly provided everything I needed – all I had to do was run and pose for pictures, which was actually easier said than done. The tiki hat kept wanting to fly off my head and the metal underneath the purple umbrella was an incessant source of pain digging into my scalp. I ran one race holding down my headpiece, the other trying to keep it from touching my head. Thankfully, the purple hamper was quite comfortable. Kimberly and Gail’s tolerance for pain is clearly stronger than mine, as I could not imagine running longer distances in costume. Their love of crafty costumes along with their natural ability to run (both of them are marathoners!) keep them going.
2015 Castaway Cay Challenge 5K
As their roommate during recent runDisney race weekends at Disneyland, I see what no one else sees – all of their hard work behind the scenes. Our room is usually an explosion of glitter, foam, safety pins, electric tape, glitter, wigs, New Balance sneakers, hot glue guns, a sewing machine, a variety of miscellaneous items, and yes, more glitter (Kimberly’s favorite color). One would think they are a collective Mary Poppins – I have never seen so many accessories come out of a suitcase. The nights before races, they stay up late sewing, gluing, pinning, and taping to make sure their costumes are not only ready, but practically perfect and up to their standards. Since they reside on opposite coasts, race weekends are their only chances to put their costumes together as a team. And how about what happens beforehand? Months ahead of time, texts about costume ideas fly back and forth. Orders are placed and packages are shipped to the hotel. Airplane carry-on items are sewing machines and gigantic flowers. Multiple suitcases are filled to the brim with costume pieces.
2015 Star Wars 10K
Running in costume may look glamorous and easy, but it involves a great deal of time and effort (and occasionally pain). Would I run in costume with them again? Absolutely, since I adore their endearing craziness, though only for a 5K. I prefer to run the longer distances for time but I can handle some pain for 3.1 miles for the sake of having a blast with my running sisters, especially after all of their hard work in putting together not only their own costumes but mine as well. Running with them is nothing short of an unforgettable, unique experience.
Do you run in costume? Do you think you could Run All The Races in costume with Perfectly Goofy Gail & Kimberly?
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