I KNOW RIGHT?!?!?!?!?!?!
I'm not a Disney person. I'm also not a cruise person. That's not a knock on Disney people and cruise people- I'm SUPER claustrophobic, so crowded venues like theme parks, concerts, and all forms of travel (excepting cars and trains) give me the shivers.
So how did I end up on a Disney Cruise? Two words: Amanda Williams.
Amanda is a MASSIVE Disney Cruise person, and last October she lit up one of my group chats with photos and stories from her family's tour of the Disney Wish. What caught my attention were her descriptions of the kids' clubs (the Oceaneer Club and the Oceaneer Lab, for the uninitiated), and the realization that my oldest child was about to age out of all the kid activities (11 is the limit). That's all it took! I texted an FPP member who moonlights as a Disney travel agent to ask for prices, and the next day booked a cruise with my oldest as her birthday, Christmas, and elementary school graduation gift (WHAAAAAAAAT?IIII) from me and her father.
I was completely undecided about the 5k up until the last minute. (The Caribbean is HOT!!!! and HUMID!!!! I had planned to get my runs done in the onboard fitness center....until I realized it was only open from 4:30pm-11pm. Who runs then???) The day prior in Nassau, my poor baby got REALLY sunburned, so on our Castaway Cay day we slept in and watched Freaky Friday in our stateroom while I rubbed aloe and ice on her shoulders and back. Around 11 she said she was hungry; when we stood up and got a good look at the water, we decided we couldn't miss our chance to see Castaway Cay. She asked if I wanted to go for a run, and I realized that I really, really did. BOOM! Decision made! Pulled on my run clothes and we set off.
Disclaimer: I highly, HIGHLY recommend going earlier than I did, like as soon as the boat docks, around 8:30am. Especially if you aren't used to humidity.
To be clear: I did NOT run this as a race. I wouldn't even call it a workout- had it not been midday and hot AF, I might have walked the whole thing.
The Event
The Castaway Cay 5K is a self-timed 5K run that takes place on the bike path on Disney's private island in the Bahamas. The course is a loop that starts and ends at the bike rental hut at Pelican Point. It winds through the island's forests, beaches, and lagoons. The course is relatively flat, with nothing specific a runner needs to worry about (or train for!). If you have the time and the inclination, it's just a great way to get a run done and see the entire island (and get a medal for completing your workout!!!!)
Here is a map of the course:
Other blogs (like this one!) mention registration, roll call, etc but if it was available on my cruise, I missed all of it. That's entirely on me- it was my first pleasure cruise and I was blown away by all of the options, so I definitely missed a lot of things! Turns out that didn't matter at all- I got my kid set up with lunch in a shaded area with a view of the gorgeous water (as well as the option to go into the kids' club), then asked an employee to point the way to the start. It was easy to find, and although the course itself isn't terribly well marked, as long as you follow the bike path signs you'll be ok.
Once you cross the finish line and re-enter the beach, head directly to the information booth and ask for your medal! Was super excited with mine! It's actually really nice!
The Course
The course starts at the bike rental hut at Pelican Point and heads south along the beach. After about 0.5 miles, the course turns inland and follows a paved path through the forest. The path is shaded, making it a good place to take a break from the sun. After about 1 mile, the course emerges from the forest and next to the beach again. The course follows the beach for about 0.5 miles before turning inland again. The path then winds through the forest and lagoons before returning to the bike rental hut.
The total distance of the course is 3.1 miles. The course is not timed, so runners can walk or run at their own pace. There are two water stations along the course (no idea where- I missed both! Or maybe they were taken down by the time I started? Not sure! I only saw 2 other runners out there at noon).
I cannot emphasize enough how pretty the views are! I stopped a LOT to take photos of that gorgeous blue water:
I will totally take another Disney Cruise, and I will absolutely do the Castaway Cay 5k again! If you have the option, I cannot recommend it highly enough! No promises on the races in Disney Parks though...unless my daughter says she wants to go with me!
PS - Amanda was right. My daughter and I had an absolute blast, this is something we will always remember and is possibly the best $$ I have ever spent. Huge thanks to SarahScott Dietz of Kite String Travel who organized for us!
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