The Power of the Force: California Native Celebrates Victory at Star Wars Half Marathon – The Light Side

Adam Roach of Pebble Beach, Calif., conquered the galaxy in the Star Wars Half Marathon – The Light Side at Disneyland Resort on Sunday. Roach, 32, who placed second in last year’s half marathon, beat two-time Star Wars Half Marathon winner, Nick Arciniaga of Fountain Valley, Calif., by over three minutes.

(January 15, 2017): More than 17,000 California runners were part of the 35,000 participants that joined the Rebel Alliances at Disneyland Resort in the third annual Star Wars Half Marathon – The Light Side. The race weekend featured several intergalactic family-friendly events, including a three-day runDisney Health and Fitness Expo, runDisney Kids Races, the Star Wars 5K, the Star Wars 10K and the Star Wars Half Marathon – The Light Side. (Disney)

Summoning the powers of the force, Roach launched into hyper speed to blast through the finish line at 1:10:31, just past the second and third-place finishers Bradley Apodaca of Santa Barbra, Calif., (1:10:37) and Robert Hernandez of Fresno, Calif., (1:11:32).

“Last year I was second and I really wanted to come back and win it,” said Roach of the victory. “Arciniaga, who won last year, was back so I knew it would be a really competitive race.”

Jennifer Brill, 27, of Washington D.C., also soared to victory as the female winner on Sunday with a time of 1:24:15. Second-place female finisher was 2016 Super Heroes Half Marathon winner, Lindsey Carter, 28, of Huntington Beach, Calif. (1:25:20) and third-place finisher was Kaili Zink-Hernandez, 29, Fresno, Calif (1:26:54).

More than 17,000 California runners were part of the 35,000 participants that joined the Rebel Alliances at Disneyland Resort in the third annual Star Wars Half Marathon – The Light Side. The race weekend featured several intergalactic family-friendly events, including a three-day runDisney Health and Fitness Expo, runDisney Kids Races, the Star Wars 5K, the Star Wars 10K and the Star Wars Half Marathon – The Light Side.

Runners also had an opportunity to test their skills through the Star Wars Rebel Challenge, running the 10K on Saturday and half marathon on Sunday. Runners who complete the Star Wars Half Marathon – The Light Side at Disneyland Resort and the Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side at Walt Disney World Resort in the same calendar year will earn the coveted runDisney Kessel Run Challenge medal.

The Star Wars Half Marathon – The Light Side was the first of the four runDisney race weekends scheduled for this year at Disneyland Resort, which hosts runDisney events along with Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Paris.

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