How a Back-of-the-Pack Runner Finished Dopey from the Last Corral Interview with Page Bitner
Season 3 of Running to the Castle Podcast w/ Dr. Ali Marty
Episode 212 How to Survive Dopey When You Start in the Last CorralrunDisney Races
In this episode of Running to the Castle Dr. Ali sits down with Page Bittner to walk through her full journey from a gymnast who hated running to a Dopey Challenge finisher, and not just any finish, but one that required adaptability, trust, and grit in brutal race conditions.
Page shares how she went from sprinting and pole vaulting to her first half marathon on a whim, fell in love with runDisney, stepped away for years, and then returned with a renewed purpose, including tackling Dopey 2026.
The conversation dives deep into her structured, type-A approach to training, how she practiced race logistics down to the minute, and the mindset shifts that helped her succeed, especially when things didn’t go as planned.
From panic over starting in the last corral, to navigating heat exhaustion symptoms mid-marathon, to ultimately choosing to walk and still finish strong, Page’s story highlights the power of slowing down, trusting your training, and redefining success.
Along the way, she also shares how this journey changed her relationship with her body and what it meant to model resilience for her daughter, making this episode both practical and deeply meaningful for any runner who’s ever doubted themselves.
