Orlando runner dominates Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon again
Ian Bordelon needs no convincing when it comes to the enchantment of Walt Disney World Resort, which lies just minutes from his doorstep in Orlando. On a splendid Sunday morning, he embarked on a short drive to EPCOT, where he once again clinched victory in the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon, securing his second consecutive win.
Much like the previous year, Bordelon left his competitors in the dust, cruising to the finish line nearly two minutes ahead of the rest of the field. His winning time of 1:11:38 came remarkably close to the race record of 1:10:24, a mark established by Jason Simpson back in 2016.
“It’s a blast,” Bordelon enthused about racing at Disney. “You train really hard. And so to come to an event like this where you can kind of relax a little bit and let loose and have a little bit of fun with all the other runners here, it’s a blast and a blessing to be able to finish first.”
For the top female finisher, Renee Kearns, the 13.1-mile race held a special family connection. Not only did she cross the finish line as the first woman (1:23:55), but her husband, Ryan Kearns (1:13:12), secured the second position among the male competitors. Adding to the familial joy, the Kearns brought their toddler son along from their Littleton, Colorado home, marking his inaugural trip to Walt Disney World. They plan to spend the following day celebrating her win, coincidentally her husband’s birthday.
“It feels amazing,” Kearns expressed the delight of winning with her family present. “It’s just good feelings all around.”
Kearns admitted she didn’t arrive at Disney with the expectation of winning, as she had been gleefully exploring the park attractions in the preceding days. She noted, “We’ve been hitting the parks hard this week, so the legs are a little sore. But I had a good feeling around mile 4 that it was a potential for me.”
In the wheelchair division, Heather Sealover from Bossier City, Louisiana claimed the top spot with a time of 1:02:33, while Nicholas McCoy of Boerne, Texas emerged as the first male finisher with a time of 1:10:34.
This Sunday’s half marathon embraced the theme of the Disney animated film “Encanto.” The route led runners from EPCOT to Disney’s Hollywood Studios before concluding the race back at EPCOT. Later in the evening, the participants gathered for a celebratory post-race party at the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.
Up next in the runDisney race series is its signature event, the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (Jan. 3-7, 2024). This event encompasses a 5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon, along with the Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge (half marathon and full marathon) and the Dopey Challenge (5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon).
