Running Springs runner becomes first three-time champion with second-fastest Disneyland Half Marathon time ever; Momoko Tanaka from Japan defends her women’s title

ANAHEIM, Calif. (September 4, 2016) — Jimmy Grabow of Running Springs, Calif., chalked up his third win in five years Sunday at the Disneyland Half Marathon presented by Cigna. Grabow, who previously won back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013, turned in one of his best performances this time, covering the 13.1-mile course in 1:06:13. That time ranks as the second-fastest Disneyland Half Marathon time in the race’s 11-year history, surpassed only by Grabow’s 2012 winning time of 1:05:25.

Grabow, 31, led the field of nearly 15,000 runners early in the race before easily crossing the finish line ahead of everyone else. The win makes Grabow the race’s first three-time winner.

“I felt really good today, the weather this time of year is great, the course was great and the volunteers cheering on were awesome,” said Grabow. “Where else can you run through the parks and then around the bases at the Angel’s stadium, it’s a good race event.”

Brandon Wolfe, 24, from Fullerton, Calif., came in second with a time of 1:08:04. Patrick Fernandez, 29, from La Verne, Calif., was third (1:11:10).

Momoko Tanaka, 30, of Maihama Urayasu, Japan, defended her women’s title and bested her time from last year by more than two minutes by winning in 1:19:31. Jenny Kadavy, 33, from Clayton Calif., was second with a time of 1:20:40 and Lindsey Carter, 35, from Huntington Beach, Calif., finished third with a time of 1:26:04.

“I am really pleased with winning this year again because I was out in the park with my sister until 11 p.m. last night and I was a little worried that I’d be too tired for the race,” said Tanaka. “The weather was great and I was able to relax and get into a comfortable pace early in the race.”

The 13.1-mile course took runners through Disney California Adventure Park, Disneyland Park, Angel Stadium, and four Orange County cities, with the final stretch going past Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel. All along the route, runners were greeted by cheering fans, music, and live entertainment.

The next runDisney race at Disneyland Resort is the Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend November 10-13, 2016 and it will be the second of nine runDisney race weekends during the 2016-2017 race season. Registration spots are available for the Doctor Strange 10K and the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon as well as the Infinity Gauntlet Challenge (runners completing both the 10K and the half marathon).