#19 “Friendship at the Finish Line” with runDisney and the Halloween Half Marathon Racers

HypeFriend! with Ashley Eckstein & Michael James Scott

From Halloween candy debates to inspiring runDisney stories, we’re celebrating the magic of friendship and community at the Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon Weekend where costumes, courage, and community come together! Michael gripes about ungrateful trick-or-treaters, Ashley makes a very controversial Halloween snack confession (spoiler: it’s not all sweet!), and we learn about a certain cute French bulldog named after a character from The Office. After Ashley shares how the Ahsoka 10K with her dad (“Papa Tano”) turned her into a believer, the feels hit hard in her chats with runDisney participants: like Annie, who proves that living with epilepsy can still be pure magic; Aaron, who found new energy and purpose after the Air Force; and two teachers whose friendship motto— “Fix your friend’s crown”—might just change how you show up for your people.

(00:00:00) Cold Open: Trick-or-treat jingles, spooky sound effects, and Ashley’s new favorite button

(00:00:23) Welcome: Glimmers, runDisney 101, and why the hype is real

(00:02:41) How Disney’s Ahsoka 10K and “Papa Tano” inspired Ashley’s marathon journey

(00:05:41) From ellipticals to track teams — Michael and Ashley’s running origin stories

(00:09:39) Allergy-friendly treats! An “Ashley Bakes” shoutout to YumEarth candy

(00:13:06 - 00:25:42 ) Hypes & + Gripes!: Allergies, ungrateful trick-or-treaters, and the pumpkin truffle taste-test showdown

(00:14:20) The ‘Office’-inspired origin story of Michael’s French bulldog

(00:16:50) Meet “Mama Tano”: Ashley’s mom powers through a knee injury to stay the ultimate HypeFriend fan

(00:21:46) Michael demands respect from trick-or-treaters

(00:25:42) Good Gossip: A shoutout to the Balloon Ladies — runDisney’s ultimate HypeSquad!

(00:30:25) Should HypeFriend join a runDisney race?

(00:34:44) Ashley hits the course: Interviews with runDisney racers

(00:35:40) From Air Force to HypeSquad: Aaron’s runDisney journey of self-discovery

(00:40:21) From dog park pals to marathon mates — friendship that goes the distance

(00:44:58) Racing for a cause: The impact of charity runs and the Gen Z vs. “Elder Millennial” divide

(00:49:48) Two teachers share lessons in friendship, costumes, and community through runDisney marathons

(00:55:03) How runDisney helped Annie reclaim control after a late-in-life epilepsy diagnosis

(01:00:49) Motherhood, motivation, and glitter — the art of hyping your friends through their exertion “wall”

(01:04:51) Running for remembrance: Honoring a dearly departed friend through every race

(01:13:02) One Last Thing!: The runDisney stories that gave Ashley & + Michael all the feels

Join the HypeFriend movement—one (magical marathon) at a time. 🏃‍♀️💖🎃