Five years ago, Scott Fais was the guy on the sofa who said he'd only run if his life depended on it. A lot has changed. The News 13 reporter finished the Walt Disney World Marathon on Sunday along with thousands of other runners.

At 5:30 a.m. Sunday, more than 26,000 people gathered at the Epcot, ready to run 26.2 miles. The Walt Disney World Marathon is dubbed “the most magical race on Earth.”

Runners began their trek at Epcot and headed to the Magic Kingdom. From there, it was off to the Animal Kingdom where runners eventually made their way to Disney’s Hollywood Studios before finishing in Epcot.

The oldest runner in Sunday’s race was 79 years old.

Fredison Costa of Brazil is the five-time Disney World Marathon champion.

Costa of Kissimmee, won the 23rd annual 26.2-mile race with an unofficial time of 2 hours, 33 minutes, 22.45 seconds.

Natasha Yaremczuk, pictured left, claimed victory in the women’s division with a time of 2 hours, 52 minutes, 23 seconds.

Our own Scott Fais completed the grueling run in 4 hours and 53 minutes! While running the race, it dawned on him what an international event the marathon has become.

"I had athletes from Brazil in front of me, and a lady speaking French next to me," Fais said. "As we ran past the Contemporary Resort, my thoughts turned back an hour to an interview with Tetsutomo Iizuka from Japan, who has become a regular at the marathon dressed as Minnie Mouse.”

Athletes from 63 different nations took park in one of the four races that make up the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend.

Fais became inspired by watching friends finish the Walt Disney World Half Marathon. He trained for this latest marathon by joining the MarathonFest training program in Winter Park, working up to runing a half marathon distance every weekend.

“I felt good all the way up to mile 20," he said. "Then it felt like someone put both of my legs in a vice grip. I had visions of my Grandfather’s workbench in Ohio. I began to visualize the vice and my leg stuck inside of it, getting tighter and tighter. Then I saw the Tower of Terror on the horizon and snapped out of it. I told myself to keep moving.”