Top finishers place first again at Disney 10-mile race

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — It was no worries for Nolan McKenna and Emily Hensel at the runDisney Springtime Surprise race weekend.

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On Sunday, both runners were repeat winners of the Hakuna Matata 10-Miler at Walt Disney World Resort.

McKenna, of Chicago, was the overall winner and finished in 54 minutes and 39 seconds, ten seconds faster than last year.

He said his time was faster because he improved his training, but it was still a magical experience.

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“It’s so cool going through the parks and everything,’’ McKenna said. “There’s no better place to run than Walt Disney World. Once you do one runDisney race, you’re hooked.’’

Sean O’Bryan from Texas placed second at 56 minutes and 23 seconds, with Ian Bordelon from Orlando finishing third at 59 minutes and 18 seconds.

Like McKenna, Hensel from Pennsylvania also beat her time from last year to finish at 1:05:26.

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Orlando runner Kelly Stoll finished second, and Jennifer Masamitsu of Colorado placed third.

“It’s like a dream come true,’’ Hensel said after the win. “I absolutely love running. I love Disney. I love coming here with my family. And they were all hoping I would cross first since we came down here, so it just feels amazing that I was able to do it two years in a row.’’

The Springtime Surprise Weekend included a 5K, a 10K, a three-race challenge, yoga, an expo and a new post-event splash party at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon.

The race theme changes yearly, taking runners through EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

This was the last event of the runDisney race season until the fall.

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RunDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend Thousands of runners take part in the Hakuna Matata 10-Miler, the final event during the four-day runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend on April 21, 2024, at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. This year's event focused on embracing adventure and concluded the final on-site race weekend of the 2023-24 runDisney race season. (Mark Ashman, photographer) (Mark Ashman, photographer/Mark Ashman, photographer)

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