Ep 187 The Disneyland Hiatus and the Flying Fenglers

When a brother and sister team take on the Springtime Surprise 10-Miler, they don’t just participate. They make Run Disney history. They become the first siblings to win both the male and female divisions in the same race.

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Fast Pass to Victory: The Flying Fenglers Soarin’ at Springtime Surprise

This episode of the Rise and Run podcast features an extraordinary story of sibling achievement that made runDisney history. Liz and Steven Fengler are known as the “Flying Fenglers” in running circles. They accomplished something unprecedented. They won both the male and female divisions of the Springtime Surprise 10-Miler.

Their running journey is as impressive as their runDisney victory. Both began running in middle school, with Liz starting in eighth grade for outdoor track. Despite not being the best initially, a dedicated coach helped her refine her form, transforming her performance dramatically. By her sophomore year, she had become the number one runner on her team. She eventually broke school records for the mile in both indoor and outdoor track. Steven, inspired by his older siblings including Liz, started running in seventh grade. Training together with his sister during summers helped him develop into a formidable runner as well.

What makes the Fenglers’ story particularly fascinating is their local legend status before ever entering a runDisney race. Since fall 2022, they’ve won male and female divisions in the same race over 45 times. This achievement has earned them the “Flying Fenglers” nickname in their Connecticut running community.

The Springtime Surprise 10-Miler was actually their first-ever Run Disney event. Despite the 2 AM wake-up call and running in darkness, both dominated their respective divisions. Steven maintained a consistent pace around 5:30 per mile. He even stopped for character photos along the way. It was a bold move that didn’t prevent him from winning by 16 seconds. Liz, meanwhile, had built a three-minute lead by the finish line.

The Race Report Sponsored by Stoked Metabolic Coaching

In the race report spotlight we head to New Orleans where Season and Mark ran the Crescent City Classic 10k. This race is one of the oldest and largest 10k races in the US. This year’s race had close to 20,000 participants running the streets of New Orleans.

Disneyland races will pause after January 2026 for construction projects. We’re reminded that sometimes the most magical Disney moments happen when family crosses the finish line together.

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