It’s that time of year again!! The air is getting crisp, the days are getting short and there is pumpkin everything EVERYWHERE!
You know what else it’s time for?? A hint…
That’s right!! The two runDisney nighttime running events are coming up!!
First up is the Tower of Terror 10-Miler, the first weekend in October —
And, once again, a bunch of my blogging friends are getting together to help you out, whether this is your first ToT or you’ve done it every year! When you get to the bottom of this post, just click the link and you’ll be magically transported to all the information you could want or need!!
What I’ve decided to tell you about is really, how to spend your day to get the most out of your night!! Not only are you going to be starting a 10 mile run at 10 at night, don’t forget – there’s the Villian’s Bash following until FOUR A in the M!!! (Last year, and I don’t know why, it cracked me up when I wandered back to my hotel in my costume to pass people in the lobby heading to the airport! Okay, maybe it cracked me up because I’d been up for over 24 hours at that point!)
I’m going to mention meals, but my friend Julie over at Run, Walk, FASTPASS, Repeat has got you covered on fueling your day so check that out!!
Anyway, if you’re not used to staying up late (I’m certainly not!) and you’re definitely not a night time runner you’re going to have to be prepared. And RESTED!!
First things first though – I *know* it’s exciting to be running at Walt Disney World! Heck, even being there is a huge energy boost and there is a tendency to want to do EVERYTHING!! This is not the day for that!!
Let’s say you aren’t running the 5K Saturday morning. This means you should probably SLEEP IN if you can do that!
Then, have a good breakfast when you wake up.
And, I *know* it’s tough to avoid the parks but you must resist! If you must go to the parks, limit your time on your feet, take it slow and don’t feel like you need to spend the whole day there. Let the non-running folks in your party be the park ninjas for the day!! You? You should maybe head for a pool!
Personally, I think that the Florida weather makes a day at your resort pool (or your hotel pool if you’re not staying onsite) very inviting. Just remember sunscreen (nothing worse than running with a fresh new sunburn!) and, while they are very tempting, leave the pool drinks for later!! But you do need to remember to hydrate. And get up every now and then to walk around and give your legs a little wakeup! And maybe now’s a good time for a light lunch, or at least a snack.
Just say no to this!!
And say YES to lots of this!!!
I’m not a huge napper, especially when I’m at the World, but if you can nap, I’d recommend it. Plan your afternoon nap to give you plenty of – non-rushed, no-stress – time to have dinner and get dressed. If you can’t nap, at least lay on your bed for as long as you can stand it!! If you’re taking event transportation to the start line, I’m a huge fan of getting there early. There is always a lot to do, friends to see, dancing to be done…and, less risk of stressing out over ‘traffic’!! The first bus should be at your resort around 7:15 and it’s recommended that you be on a bus no later than 8:15. So plan accordingly – and set an alarm or two!!
If you’re running Mickey’s Happy Haunted 5K you won’t be able to sleep in, but it will be super easy to get back to your room and nap!! And the good news is – you only have to wake up early ONE time this weekend!!
So there you have it — 600+ words reminding you how important it will be to stay off of your feet as much as possible on race day!! You’re gonna want to have energy for that medal-brandishing ride on Tower of Terror aren’t you?!! And hold that medal up high for the picture!!
Do you have any tips for getting to a night time run with energy to spare?!!
outrunningthefork 
I love night races- I really do. BUT, the temptation to overdo during the day is great. While I did spend a wee bit of time at Epcot the morning of the 10-Miler, I did exactly as you described here; I lounged at Stormalong Bay for the rest of the afternoon. The race was a wonderful excuse to slow down! I couldn’t nap, but I did decompress in the room after pool time. Since the heat and humidity during this weekend (at least the past 2 years) was absolutely oppressive, I spent a good deal of time with my Nunn bottle too. 😀 Thank you for sharing your tips with us once again Anne- sounds like PR material to me!!
I’m like you, tough to nap, but somehow sitting by the pool is just as relaxing! And, it’s really difficult for me to say “no” to the parks!! But I’m getting better at it!!
While I am going to the parks, it’s only for a couple of hours and then I’ll be heading back for a nap in the afternoon!
Yeah…I’m not good at staying away from the parks. And if you follow up with a nap you’re all good!! 🙂