Marathon Weekend 2026

[Mr_Incr3dible]

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

Woo hoo! Enjoy!

As for pre-race nutrition. I had a half a couple of years back wherein I stayed on my high protein/low carb diet right up to the race, didn't do any pre-race carb loading, and had minimal in-race carbs. It didn't go well and I was miserable afterward. I did a lot more nutrition research (and very appreciative of all of the data from @DopeyBadger) and (I think) have my nutrition act more together. After several years of trying to cut carbs, it is still a bit disconcerting to do pre-race carb loading, but this morning I had a waffle with my protein bar in light of my Thanksgiving Half.
I have also started having a handful of peanut butter filled pretzel bites before my training runs, and I took an Untapped and had it at the mid-point of my 6-mile run yesterday. In the past, I'd have done the whole thing with no fuel and no hydration until I was back to the car.
I'll get the Pop pasta dinner the night before the race, and eat part of it and put the rest in the fridge. After this past SS, and realizing that I was spending a lot of $$ for milk and breakfast cereal for supper after being in the parks all day, for MW I think I'll be taking more of my own food and doing breakfast and dinner in my room, unless I happen to do an all-you-can-eat breakfast (love those!) or get dinner with someone. Oh, for race morning: my cup of coffee and fig newtons or blueberry newtons on the bus, plus I'll take a small bottle of water and a honey-stinger waffle for later in the corral.

 

[Herding_Cats]

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).

Some? Some of the disney jr characters? I'm not sure you knew any of them!

To be fair though, DJ characters are very much an age-based thing.



If I want pasta on my own schedule, Morimoto Street Food has a ramen bowl and something else (looks like it's new since March) that isn't horribly expensive. I like it for the carbs and salt the night before the marathon.

I'll also add that if you are staying at an on-site resort that they almost always have a special race-weekend pasta dish that may or may not show up in the mobile order menu on the app. If you're like me, and only mobile order and then send your significant other to fetch the food, you might never see the sign in the food court/QS counter area letting you know this is available.

 

[Dopey 2020]

SAFD round 2, Dumb luck on timing this weeks question with the first of my two Dopey simulations. I don’t only carb load on race day but also for long runs. Usually around Thanksgiving and Xmas I run 5/5/10/20 on Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon and see how I’m feeling as well as try out anything new fuel wise. Shorter runs I eat pretty much anything but starting Sat night I lean into the protein and carbs. This past weekend was my beautiful wife’s secret meatloaf with a healthy side of garlic naan bread for dinner Sat, then breakfast was toast with homemade strawberry jam and a black coffee Sun followed by my 10 miler. Recovery from that was some leftover pizza. Lunch was leftover meatloaf and cheese sandwiches at noon and around 2, yes I eat all day. Dinner was a large plate of chicken francaise over fresh pasta (did I mention my wife not only loves to cook but is absolutely amazing at it?). Also shouldn’t forget the few beers thrown in for good measure. This AM was a coffee and the last of the naan bread, then out the door for 20 with a half dozen gels, two of which were a new flavor + caffeine for their first long test run. No stomach issues to report so now it’s a couple days off and then get back to it.

 

[rick1zoo2]

I'll also add that if you are staying at an on-site resort that they almost always have a special race-weekend pasta dish that may or may not show up in the mobile order menu on the app. If you're like me, and only mobile order and then send your significant other to fetch the food, you might never see the sign in the food court/QS counter area letting you know this is available.

That is a great tip! It reminded me that we ordered the kids pasta with marinara one night of this past Wine And Dine Race weekend from Roaring Forks at Wilderness Lodge.

And just a tip for making dining reservations for 2 people - if there doesn't seem to be much availability, try reserving for 3, there is usually a lot more times available. Then you can try to modify down to 2 and if that doesn't work, just check in for 2. We've never had a problem with that.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD: I booked brunch at Summer House on the Lake for Saturday before the Marathon. That will be our big meal for the day. First time trying that restaurant, but I’ve seen good things about their brunch and I think the odds of gastrointestinal problems are equal whether going somewhere for the 100th time or trying some place for the first.

We are offsite, so we are planning to have pasta/carb options at our rental to prepare for dinner depending on how we feel. Planning brunch/lunch instead of dinner out gives us more control over our sleep schedule while still giving us the option of fueling more later in the day if needed.

 

[rick1zoo2]

It's turning into a marathon of eating...

Wailulu grill
Kona Cafe
'Ohana
Steakhouse 71
Tony's
1900 Park Faire breakfast

 

[accm]

SAFD: I don't trust my appetite during a race weekend, so I'll have a Maurten drink mix 320 the day before the half and full, then I'll eat whatever sounds good for dinner, making sure it's nothing too heavy that will keep me awake. Then for breakfast, I'll have an english muffin with almond butter and honey. Staying in a DVC villa definitely helps during a race weekend.

 

[Baloo in MI]

SAFD:
Thank you @Erika10021 for this week's question! And congrats @camaker, hope you are having a wonderful trip!

My first runDisney Weekend, MW2015, I ran Goofy. We had an ADR after the Half at Ohana; which unfortunately I have a difficult time not trying to eat my weight in noodles and then steak. It was a later dinner, 7ish and the next day I experienced the most difficult, painful and bathroom focused marathon before or since. So I learned that for me it had to be a light meal no later than 4-5pm and light on protein and smaller than my tummy is telling me I want... I tend to have a big late breakfast/early lunch early in the day and then light dinner now. I also focus on hydration, especially on the years the race is run on the surface of the sun - and as a Northerner, it always feels that way when running in Florida! Often we either cook the dinner in the room before the marathon or I just get a noddle dish. But I make up for it post Marathon when I am happy to return to Ohana or Boma and partake!

It has now been 4-weeks since my half marathon where I came out with significant hip pain. It continues to get better, but was not going fast enough so I stretched 2 weeks into three and then four. First run is tomorrow. I have been walking a lot and have been having good results. Going to shift down from my 3:00/:30 to :30/1:00 and am ready to drop it further if I feel I need it. I feel ok in that I went into the half having put in a lot of work but will not lie; getting nervous. Will only do one simulation, with shorter distances. Why on a year when I am going to stamp my 10th Dopey and first Coast-to-Coast at the DL Half in late January. Prepared to do a lot of walking.

 

[scrowl]

SAFD: I love seeing everyone's fueling strategies and dining locations! I'll eat normally before the 5k and 10k, but will start carb loading before the half and full. This includes carbs in food (Mickey pretzels!) and drinks (juice). I will also have an LMNT for additional sodium and electrolytes. The morning of the longer races, I'll have six graham cracker sheets with a little PB before I leave the hotel, and a Performance Fuel gummy bar thing pre-race.

I know a lot of people do coffee pre-race. I love my coffee but am always nervous about it on a race day. Any strategies for how early you have caffeine on race day?

 

[Dopey 2020]

SAFD: I love seeing everyone's fueling strategies and dining locations! I'll eat normally before the 5k and 10k, but will start carb loading before the half and full. This includes carbs in food (Mickey pretzels!) and drinks (juice). I will also have an LMNT for additional sodium and electrolytes. The morning of the longer races, I'll have six graham cracker sheets with a little PB before I leave the hotel, and a Performance Fuel gummy bar thing pre-race.

I know a lot of people do coffee pre-race. I love my coffee but am always nervous about it on a race day. Any strategies for how early you have caffeine on race day?

I can’t say if it’s a strategy but I head out of the resort with a 16 oz cup and a PB and J and drive myself sipping a little, then walk into the pre race meetup with the rest. Usually I’m there about 3 and the coffee is gone before 3:30. Eat the sandwich, hit the porta before the corral, and then go for a run. Local races I’ll drink one on the way. I think the key isn’t the time as much as it’s ONLY ONE. I had an extra cup on a longer drive to a race once and well… nope, the gut doesn’t like that.

 

[MissLiss279]

SAFD: I love seeing everyone's fueling strategies and dining locations! I'll eat normally before the 5k and 10k, but will start carb loading before the half and full. This includes carbs in food (Mickey pretzels!) and drinks (juice). I will also have an LMNT for additional sodium and electrolytes. The morning of the longer races, I'll have six graham cracker sheets with a little PB before I leave the hotel, and a Performance Fuel gummy bar thing pre-race.

I know a lot of people do coffee pre-race. I love my coffee but am always nervous about it on a race day. Any strategies for how early you have caffeine on race day?

At home I try and have coffee about 45 minutes to an hour before I leave my house. It’s best if I am just sitting and relaxing and slowly waking up. At Disney, because the races are so early, I just make it when I get up and drink while I am getting ready. It hasn’t had a negative effect on me during races, maybe because travel affects my ‘processing’ anyways.