Jaeyung Hyung, of Las Cruces, NM, Wins Fourth Annual Disneyland Half Marathon

Participants in the fourth annual Disneyland Half Marathon wound through the Disneyland Resort area and out into Anaheim itself. Some wore costumes and even paused for character interaction along the way.

Jaeyung Hyung, 38, of Las Cruces, N.M., (see below) celebrated his first-place finish Sunday, crossing the finish line with a time of 1:10:44 to lead the estimated field of nearly 12,000 participants.

“I really enjoyed running the race here,” Hyung said. “There were so many people, and Disney made it a lot of fun.”

Placing overall second was Benjamin Gomez-Gutierrez, 32, of Jalos, Mexico, with a time of 1:12:46. Dennis Hong, 17, of Chino Hills, Calif., finished third with a time of 1:13:10.

Mandy Grantz, 23, of Pasadena, Calif., celebrated as the women’s champion with a time of 1:26:00. Grantz, a second-year graduate student at California Institute of Technology, was running her first Disneyland Half Marathon.

“I’ve never been the winner of any race before,” Grantz said. “And I’ve never been to Disneyland before, so running through the parks was so much fun.”

The women’s second-place finisher was Stacy Schafer, 42, of Carlsbad, Calif., with a time of 1:26:32. Angela Bestwick, 33, of Las Vegas, Nev., took third place with a time of 1:28:06.

Kevin Broady, 47, of Orange, Calif., earned a notable Master’s Division (age 40+) victory for the second year in a row and a fourth overall ranking with a time of 1:13:25.

Edith Martinez, 41, of Brea, Calif., was named the top women’s Master’s Division finisher with a time of 1:27:33. In the men’s wheelchair division, Scott Parson, 50, of San Jose, Calif., crossed the finish line first with a time of 48:55. There were no participants in the women’s wheelchair division this year.

Approximately 13,500 runners from 50 states and 13 countries registered for the magical 13.1-mile Disneyland Half Marathon this year, putting the race at full capacity. The field included first-time half marathoners as well as veteran runners. The course traveled through two Disneyland Resort theme parks and along Anaheim streets with landmarks such as the Honda Center and the Angel Stadium of Anaheim, while Disney characters and festive entertainment inspired them along the way.

Runners who completed the half marathon received a commemorative Sleeping Beauty Castle medal, the signature medal of the Disneyland Half Marathon and one in the Disney’s Endurance Series collection.

The second annual Coast to Coast Challenge Race medal was presented to approximately 1,751 runners who completed the Walt Disney World Marathon, Half Marathon or Disney’s Princess Half Marathon this year at Walt Disney World Resort and then also completed the Disneyland Half Marathon. The Coast to Coast medal showcases the iconic “Partners Statue” of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.

The 2010 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend is scheduled for Sept. 3-5, with the Half Marathon being held on Sunday, Sept. 5. So start planning now.

The Half Marathon is just one of 11 weekend events that make up the Disney’s Endurance Series, which gives recreational athletes of all ages and abilities the chance to walk, jog, run, bike and swim their way “around the world.” From running marathons to road races and triathlons, participating athletes at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World compete to stay in shape, achieve personal-best times and raise donations for charitable causes.

( all photos courtesy Disneyland )