In 2020, it will be the 5th Anniversary for the Star Wars themed race weekend that takes place annually at the Walt Disney World resort. It's hard to believe it's been that long, but when I look back at the previous years, one thing is for certain... runDisney puts on a fantastic event that keeps me wanting to go back again and again.

The Star Wars Rival Run Weekend Presented by OtterBox will take place April 16-19, 2020 and will consist of the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo, the Star Wars 5k (3.1 miles), the Star Wars 10k (6.2 miles) & the Star Wars Half Marathon (13.1 miles). The rivalry theme returns for the second year in a row and if the medals & merchandise are anything like they were in 2019, I'm already super excited about what's to come. Like I mentioned back in April, the merchandise for these events has been better than the stuff at the last several Star Wars Celebrations!

As usual, runners will have their choice of which races they want to run. For more experienced runners, the Star Wars Rival Run Challenge consists of completing both the Star Wars 10k & Star Wars Half Marathon. For those wanting to make it even more challenging, you can sign up for the Kessel Run Challenge which means you'll run the Star Wars Virtual Half Marathon (on your own time between January 1 - March 31) coupled with the Star Wars Half Marathon or the Star Wars Rival Run Challenge and you'll receive that big beautiful Millennium Falcon medal that every Star Wars fan needs in their life. Should you complete the 5k, the Rival Run Challenge & the Kessel Run Challenge, you'll walk away with a total of 6 medals for all your hard work.

It's important to note that the earlier you sign up, the less expensive it is. Wave 1 pricing is from July 16 - September 2, 2019, Wave 2 pricing is from September 3 - November 18, 2019 and Wave 3 pricing is from November 19, 2019 - April 16, 2020. As this is the 5th Anniversary, it's very likely that spots will sell out much quicker than they have the last few years, so the different tiers may not even be a factor. As a general rule, it's always best to sign up as early as possible because these races can sell out at any time. As you register, you'll also be able to Pre-Order much of the exclusive merchandise including event pins, magnets, tumblers, ornaments, jackets, bags, figures and more.

If you are an Annual Passholder, early registration is up right now and General Registration for non-Passholders will launch on July 16 at 10:00am (Eastern).

If you've seen these posts every year and thought you might like to earn some amazing medals with your fellow Star Wars fans, do it! There's nothing more fun than running with friends & family through the Disney theme parks to the music of John Williams playing and dozens of characters walking about. For more information on this event and other runDisney events, please click here.