Alright, fellow runners! For those of you in Orlando this weekend for the Disney World marathon and half-marathon, it’s time to decide where those all-important pre-race carbs are going to be consumed!

Carb Loading Tips: Experts say the best carbs for increasing those super-important glycogen stores come from starchy carbohydrates like pasta, bread, rice, and potatoes. You should also have some protein alongside your carbs. Try to avoid sugary options, such as fruit and baked goods.

So let’s take a look at a few of our favorite carb-tastic treats!

Dinner Carb Loading

When planning for an early morning race, it’s at dinner the night before where you’ll truly pack your energy stores. And when it comes to starchy carbs, everyone knows the king of eats is pasta!

Epcot
Epcot‘s Italy is THE place to find incredible dishes that will help you distribute your energy throughout the race.

My first pick? Definitely Via Napoli. This place has incredible pizza, but the pasta selection is fresh and delicious as well.

Be warned that the options here are baked and tend toward the heavier side, so you may want to make a few special orders to lighten them up a bit.

Next door to Via Napoli you’ll find the more upscale Tutto Italia. You can’t go wrong with either location when carb-loading.

Magic Kingdom
If you find yourself in the Magic Kingdom the night before your big race, head over to Tony’s Town Square for a traditional dishes like their Chicken Parmigiana or [Read more…]