Marathon Weekend 2026

[The Expert]

SAFD and happy anniversary @camaker
I've paid some attention to fueling, but mostly regarding what I can't or shouldn't have. This training cycle I'm noticing that runs feel easier and my paces are faster, and I honestly think it's in part because of diet. We've had a weekly farm vegetable share all summer and picked up another for fall, so we've been cooking a lot and eating lean and balanced meals.

We're traveling this weekend and my diet is different, and I noticed my hour long easy run felt much harder than it should have. I also forgot to bring my fuel and didn't eat anything before I went. So food is clearly impacting my runs far more than I thought. I'm going to start logging it so I can confirm and watch for patterns.

 

[RuntheMouse]

SAFD: I’ve never met a carb I didn’t love so I’m not lacking in that department on any given day. So prerace, at Disney especially, I don’t do much different the days before other than focus on hydration and picking something yummy for dinner. I have oatmeal in the morning to top things off.

My marathon last month was the first one I made an actual attempt to carb load and holy cow was that hard! I ended up drinking a lot of juice to get relatively close to where I was shooting for.

 

[Naomeri]

SAFD: I don't eat a wide variety of foods, so I don't have much trouble finding something to eat before the races. I do have a few rules about what not to eat though. No rich ice cream in the late afternoon/evening (a Mickey bar is OK in the afternoon, but no malts or sundaes), and definitely no hot dogs--I get the worst burps if I run within like, 12 hours after eating hot dogs and it's just too gross to put up with.

I usually opt for some french fries or a Mickey pretzel for dinner the night before at Disney, and a burger at lunch. I don't worry about carb loading specifically because I already eat a bunch of carbs.

 

[Kerry1957]

SAFD: I'm an in-control Type 2 diabetic, so i have learned to live (and run) eating very few carbs. Carb loading for me is a bagel with peanut butter and a banana the morning of the race. I do try to pack in some extra calories the night before the race but it's high protein, moderate fat, very low carbs. I'm only only running the HM this year so it is not as critical. On course nutrition is thus important for me, but that's another SAFD for another day.

 

[FFigawi]

SAFD: My primary pre-race meal is a big breakfast in late morning the day before the race. I follow the advice of my former coach who told me before my first Ironman to “eat as many pancakes as you can. Then have one more.” Works great for marathons too, which is why you’ll find me at Chef Mickey after the half. For dinner before a race, I keep it pretty light with miso soup, sushi, and plain rice. It’s a good mix of simple and easy-to-digest carbs and protein.

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

SAFD: I’m usually good with pasta, pizza, or maybe fish and rice the night before a race. We stopped eating meat six years ago, so a margherita pizza is usually a good choice.

I’m not a breakfast fan, and I hate bananas (I know that’s not a popular opinion, sorry) so I struggle to eat early in the morning. I usually eat a Clif bar on the bus, then down a Gu or Roctane in the corral. That’s just about all I can do that early.

Happy anniversary, @camaker! We want to hear about Scotland when you’re back!

 

[AZMermaid]

W have a 3:55 Via Napoli for the night before the marathon. At home, I tend to eat fairly balanced meals and don’t really prep differently for my long runs, but maybe I should.

 

[lilmc]

(I know that’s not a popular opinion, sorry)

Don’t apologize, they’re totally evil

 

[Herding_Cats]

SAFD:
I don't specifically/strategically carb load, but I do love carbs. They are not hard to find at Disney. This summer when I was training for my trail race I would have an overnight oats (chocolate/peanutbutter/banana flavor) before my long runs. Since it's made with milk I try to have it all down an hour before I run so the dairy doesn't shake around in my stomach. But I can really eat just about anything and run, as long as I don't eat too much.

 

[PrincessV]

SAFD: I’ve had chronically low blood sugar my whole life - the trick to keeping it relatively stable is 3 full meals + 2 snacks per day, each a balanced combo of lean protein and complex carbs. And I’m mostly vegetarian. And have some food allergies. AND prefer to eat a wide variety of vegetables and legumes. All of which makes eating at theme parks challenging, race in the mix or not. Any years I’ve done the marathon or Dopey, I rented a villa with a full kitchen and prepared the bulk of my own meals. I do what I can for halfs, trying to find a decent QS sandwich or salmon entree at my resort. I can pretty much eat whatever before a 5 or 10K. At home, I make my own pizza the night before a long run, but WDW’s pizza does not compare lol! For fueling on race day, I have a good breakfast before leaving my room: either oatmeal with berries and a blob of PB or half a wheat bagel with PB and a banana.

 

[Disney at Heart]

… But I can really eat just about anything and run, as long as I don't eat too much.

Me, too! I have some carbs and protein with whatever meal I eat, but it’s best if I eat early, like 4:00-5:00, and not eat too much before a long run like a half or full. I do avoid big salads or anything else with high fiber just to keep from “unloading” during the run.

ETA: Peanut butter granola cracker or honey stinger waffle just before the race so I have something in my stomach.

 

[Erika10021]

I am pretty sure everyone here has already got the races they want but, just in case, half marathon has been available a lot this morning.

ETA: Telegram has not been terribly accurate lately.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Me, too! I have some carbs and protein with whatever meal I eat, but it’s best if I eat early, like 4:00-5:00, and not eat too much before a long run like a half or full. I do avoid big salads or anything else with high fiber just to keep from “unloading” during the run.

ETA: Peanut butter granola cracker or honey stinger waffle just before the race so I have something in my stomach.

I mean....I ate a turkey sandwich in the middle of refereeing for 6.5 hours on Saturday during a 7min break between games. I think the only thing I've ever really regretted eating before a run was tacos because of the burps, but I also think if I'd waited an extra 20min I would have been fine.

 

[jrsharp21]

SAFD: I try to go carb heavy for breakfast/lunch the day before races start, then go something easy on the stomach for dinner. I have a hard time sleeping for the races, and having something heavy sitting in my stomach, and also any after tastes from it, make it harder to sleep. I think this year going to try to order some grocery delivery from Trader Joe's and get the chicken fried rice to heat up in my room. That is what I have been eating before tri races, and going to try to keep that same strategy for this MW.

 

[MissLiss279]

SAFD: I probably got this from @FFigawi a few years ago, but I do really like pancakes and eggs for lunch before a marathon. At Disney that’s a little harder to find, so it has been Mama Mellrose mostly, with Chicken Parm and spaghetti. Now to find something new. Also, now that I rent a car a little more often, I have gone off property a couple times for that meal. Then for dinner (supper), I usually try to just find a sandwich or something light, and not greasy or too spicy.
For breakfast before a race or long run, I do my normal breakfast - plain Greek yogurt and granola and coffee. I try and eat that at least an hour or two before my run. I used to like to eat a pop tart about an hour before a race, but I finally decided that was what was causing my ‘stomach’ issues. So now, just my normal and it works for me.

I get to start running again this week. Yay! I had surgery a few weeks ago, and recovery has gone really well. I am hoping I will be able to run/walk my way through Dopey, but I know that I may have to take a DNS or DNF for the marathon, and I am okay with that.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Very sorry to hear about the heart thing. Hits close to home.

Also, how do we feel about multiple half marathons being halfs vs. halves? I think technically it’s halves, but it just looks so wrong in this context. Is anyone else bothered by this, or is it just me?

This! As OCD as I am, it sure seems like it should be Halfs, not the more grammatically correct halves given the context. Glad it isn't just me.

As for photos: I normally don't stop for photos until at least several miles into the race, mostly because I don't want to stand in a crazy long line for a character that isn't all that in terms of my interest. BUT, last time I was there, Captain Jack Sparrow was at mile .8! I still could hear corrals being started through the trees.
I nearly ran past him, saw him in the dim lighting, stopped, and the line was almost nothing. So that was the day I caught Jack Sparrow!
Definitely make the time for a photo in front of the castle. The lines looks long, but they have a bunch of photographers and the lines move quickly. So totally worth getting that memory.
Perusing through photos, I haven't been stopping so much of late, mostly due to not being into a particular character, or not knowing who they are (cue @Herding_Cats laughing at me not knowing all the Disney Jr characters). For this past SS, I stopped for Mr Incredible and the Mandalorian, plus a few selfies. The longest line I stood in was for one of the characters in the staging area before the race, which was cool, but cut into pre-race socializing.
YMMV.

 

[radiodome21]

SAFD: Well my preface meal for the SS 10k in April was basically an example of what not to do the day before a race. We flew out of O’Hare and had an early breakfast in the United Lounge. Food was good but it was three hours earlier than when I normally eat. Basically skipped lunch altogether with the exception of 2 impossible meatballs they were giving out at the expo and then a Mickey pretzel in the park later. Really didn’t drink much water and had more DC, which I rarely drink. The race was during lent so we didn’t want to eat meat and ate dinner at Tony’s town square at MK because it conveniently aligned with our Tron lightening lane. And I only ate half of my vodka pasta for fear it would upset my GI system during the race. (It didn’t). So those day before race meals, or lack thereof were one reason why it was not a great race. For W&D HF, while we returned to Tony’s again for convenience sake I ate most of my chicken parm for dinner. But I ate well throughout the day and carbed up for the race and was prepared for race day. I have another HF coming up in April in Chicago and will carb load the day before and probably have some salmon too at dinner.

 

[ReelBigPenguin]

Huge morning today. I was finally able to upgrade from the half-only to my second Dopey. The excitement/regret roller coaster has left the station

 

[ReelBigPenguin]

For any of my fellow Mama Melrose fans in mourning, check out Tony's Town Square Restaurant at MK. Similar menu and vibe. Trattoria al Forno at Boardwalk is also good. The menu is more varied, but they have chicken parm and other pasta options.

 

[rick1zoo2]

In advance of the half and full marathon days, I am going to make sure I eat the most carb loaded, cheesy dinner I can find, even if it's not a Tour of Italy. Fortunately, this will not be too difficult at Disney.

Taking that hint, I booked us at Tony's for the afternoon before the half...