If you’ve never participated in a runDisney marathon at Walt Disney World, you may not be aware of the many layers runners begin their day with. Temperatures can be so unpredictable in Central Florida, especially in the “winter” months. The marathons typically require participants to arrive on location somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-5:00 a.m. and even though Florida is not as cold in January as it is in other parts of the world, this year’s Walt Disney World Marathon runners experienced pretty extreme cold weather requiring more layers than ever before.
Once the race begins and the sun makes its appearance, folks start to warm up a bit and begin shedding their layers and leaving various articles of clothing on the sides of the roads. Fear not though, folks who run these marathons don’t expect their clothing to be returned to them – they purchase specific items with the intention of letting them go.
Now, for the really cool part. Once the race is over, Disney Cast Members drive along the route picking up all of the clothing to prepare it for donation to Central Florida families in need. Throughout the 2018 Walt Disney World Marathon weekend, more than 13,000 pounds of cold-weather clothing is being laundered and sent to Harvest Time International!
Source: @runDisney
