The Race Expo

Once you arrive in Orlando, one of the first things you’ll need to do is attend the Race Expo. This is where you’ll get your race materials and where you can shop for cute apparel! There is official RunDisney merchandise but also lots of other vendors. One of the most crucial pieces of merchandise at the RunDisney merchandise area is the “I Did It!” shirt. Now, while you might feel superstitious about buying your “I Did It” shirt before you actually do it, they sell out very quickly and you run the risk of not getting one in the size that you want if you wait until you have actually done it. The earlier in the week that you can make it to the expo the better; it gets very crowded. If you can’t make it until the day before the race try to get there right when it opens; you don’t want to waste your time at Disney waiting in line!

The Night Before the Race

If this is your first-ever big race chances are you are feeling pretty nervous right around now. It is unlikely that you will sleep very much the night before, so make sure that two nights before the race you get a good night’s sleep. The night before the race try to make an early dinner reservation at one of the many delicious resort restaurants on property or at Disney Springs. Try to find a place that serves fresh food with an emphasis on protein and vegetables (with some carbs though try to avoid anything too heavy!) Some suggestions include:

Grand Floridian Café
Frontera Cocina
Boma
California Grill (although you will be tempted by the wine selection here…)
Narcoossee’s
And many more! Check the website for availability.

After dinner don’t forget to run by your hotel’s café and grab a banana or apple for the morning. You’re going to need to eat something to get through this race! Try to get to sleep if you can; you have an early wake up call the next morning!

The Morning of the Race

BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ. Is that really an alarm going off at 2:30 a.m.? You might be regretting ever signing up for this race and that everything is stupid. We promise that it will all be worth it. Throw on your tutu and make sure you have the following:

Charged cell-phone
Headphones
Magic Band/ID
Race tracker on your shoe
Race bib
Anything miscellaneous you need to run (Kleenex, gummies, etc)

While running long races I love using my SPIbelt. It is discrete and holds SO MUCH. And you can’t see it under a tutu: http://a.co/aHQR83j

Where you are staying will dictate at what time you need to leave for the race. As mentioned previously, staying at a monorail resort greatly decreases the amount of traffic you’ll have to deal with to make it to the starting line on time. Most RunDisney races begin at 5 a.m. However, the walk to the starting line is about 20 minutes once you get to the actual race venue. We would recommend arriving to the race no later than 45 minutes before start time so that you have time to go through security and use the bathroom. Although you will most likely not be starting right at 5 a.m. (more about that later), you don’t want to miss your race!

Once you arrive at the race venue you will have to go through a security line. If you decide to check your items you have to go through a different line and get them searched. I have never checked anything; I prefer to just keep everything on my body so that I don’t have to deal with stuff once the race is finished. Once you make it through security you will essentially be in a holding area in a large parking lot. There will be music and porta-pottys for your convenience. Warning: tutus and porta-pottys aren’t always a great combo so be careful! After you have done some stretching and used the bathroom it’s time to head to the starting line!

Don’t forget to make a call on your banana phone before the race

Note: You will likely walk at least a mile to get to the starting line, which is not ideal. There are bathrooms right be the starting line as well if you’re like me and want to go right before the race starts. These do tend to be a little more crowded so just keep in mind when heading that way!

Once you finally make it to the starting line, you need to find your corral. There will be huge markers with the letters on them. I suggest trying to make your way to the front of your coral if at all possible and then doing some light stretching while you wait for the race to start.

The Race

Depending on your strength as a runner, this is either the part you have the least anxiety about or the most anxiety about. Don’t worry. People of all levels of physical activity finish these races with no problem; you got this!

As the start time for the race approaches, the emcees will lead the crowd through a number of chants and cheers. Then the race begins! Depending on the race corals might go as fast as every three minutes or as slow as every 15. It really just depends on the size of the race. Make sure to have your camera ready as you approach the starting line; there is Disney magic waiting to cheer you on your way

The starting line for the Princess Half Marathon

Once you cross that starting line your time has begun! The best thing about RunDisney races is that EVERY mile you will be greeted by some sort of fun surprise: Disney characters, dance troops, music groups, etc. You are going to want to stop to take photos with all of these things. And while that is one of the reasons to run this race, I would advise caution.

NOTE: Once the last racer has crossed the starting line the official time begins. RunDisney course trackers--the Balloon Ladies--will cross the starting line at a 16 minute mile pace. These ladies, while feared by many, are really there to help provide a visual cue for those runners who are maybe spending too much time in line for the bathroom or for a character meeting. If you get behind them during the race you are in danger of being swept. This means that you will be stopped from finishing the race, loaded onto a bus, and driven to the finish line.

The moral of this story is to PRIORITIZE. Unless you are running a six-seven minute mile (which is...not us), you probably do not have time to take photos with every character. Discuss with your group ahead of time who, if they should appear on the course, is a MUST DO. Of course every character is exciting, however that feeling of successfully crossing the finish line is much more satisfying than a photo. (Although getting a picture with these guys is pretty fun).

After the Race

Congrats, you did it!! You have that coveted race medal hanging around your neck. Make sure to drink lots of water for the rest of the day, especially if you are headed to the parks. Treat yourself to a special lunch (or dinner if you want to hang by the pool the rest of the day) and relish in the fact that you have met your goal; you have gone the distance!

After successfully completing the coast to coast challenge! Sweaty but happy!