Hey there, Courtney!
Welcome to planDisney and thanks for dropping in with your
run-derful question about
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. I'm so excited to hear that you're hoping to participate as a "balloon lady" and take on the
Dopey Challenge! I'm happy to help you understand more about the balloon ladies, their purpose on the race course, and how to become one.
Courtney, as you know, the balloon ladies are an integral part of every
runDisney event. Balloon ladies are volunteers who carry a large Mickey Mouse balloon to mark the official 16-minute per mile pace requirement at runDisney events. In my experience, there are typically three balloon ladies on course at each runDisney event that has a pace requirement. These volunteers serve to motivate and encourage runners so they don't get "swept" from the course by falling behind the pace. The "official" time and 16-minute per mile pace requirement begins once the balloon ladies cross the start line. Courtney, unfortunately, at this time, there is no official process to vie for a spot as a balloon lady. These volunteers are usually area locals affiliated with a running company near Orlando alongside
Jeff Galloway, the official runDisney training consultant. At your next runDisney race, I encourage you to chat with the friendly balloon ladies to find out more about how they obtained their roles!
A couple of years ago, I participated in
Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend and started in the very last corral. I can tell you that seeing the balloon ladies so close on my heels at the beginning of the race definitely
did motivate me to push forward and stay on pace! However, based on my interactions with them, the balloon ladies are kind and compassionate volunteers who genuinely want every participant to cross the finish line ahead of them. Contrary to popular belief, they are not responsible for tagging out runners that fall behind the pace. That responsibility lies with the bikers behind them and the official timekeepers located throughout the course.
Courtney, I hope you've found this information interesting and helpful. I wish you the very best with your upcoming runDisney events and training! Please feel free to revisit
planDisney with any additional questions you might have. We're here to help you enjoy each and every runDisney race-cation!
Every mile is magic,
Lauren