Hi Theresa,
Congratulations on registering for your first half marathon! The
Walt Disney World Half Marathon was my first half marathon, too! Once I ran through
EPCOT and
Magic Kingdom Park, I was hooked and I’ve run more
runDisney events than I can count, so start thinking about what your next race will be.
You are very wise to plan your
pre-race and post-race meals early. Fueling up with a table service meal before and after a run is a great way to celebrate. Before races, I usually opt for a light pasta or pizza option. My family loves
Via Napoli in EPCOT for a pre-race meal. Dining at EPCOT will also give you a chance to scout out the course and imagine yourself running past Spaceship Earth. Another option is
Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano in Disney's Hollywood Studios, which offers several pasta options on the lighter side. My other recommendation is to make a dining reservation at one of the restaurants at your
Disney Resorts Collection hotel or a nearby hotel. There is often a “runner-friendly” menu option. This will help you stay off your feet and allow you to return to your room for a good night's sleep since that wake-up call will come early!
Once the race is over, you will be ready to celebrate! If you have a favorite restaurant, that’s where I would head. I am a big fan of
50’s Prime Time Café and their Peanut Butter & Jelly Milkshake after a race and have made a tradition of dining there and taking a post-race picture with
Gertie the dinosaur. Theresa, is there a
Signature Dining restaurant that you have been hoping to try? Now is the time to go for it! As you make your reservation, keep in mind your anticipated finish time, factoring in that the Walt Disney World Half Marathon might take longer than a typical training run because there are fabulous Character stops that you will want to visit. Make sure to enjoy a banana or other refueling option at the finish line to get your body in recovery mode.
Theresa, I’m so proud of you and hope that you celebrate well after your race! Be sure to take your finisher medal with you for some great photo ops and to share in the comradery with other runners. Please let us know if you have other questions; we have lots of runDisney enthusiasts here at planDisney.
Hoping every mile is magical,
Shannon