My 5 Race Day Essentials – The Northern Prepster

Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend is upon us, y’all. It is once again time for me to pack my bags for race weekend at WDW. As if packing for a trip weren’t stressful enough, if you’ve packed your bags for a trip where you’re in a race you know it is 100x more stressful! Between reminding yourself to not forget your race waivers a million times to making sure you have your race attire put together, it can be quite the task. I am going to share with you all my 5 race day essentials! There is nothing special about them but I am always curious of what race gear others use, so I figured I would share! 🙂

This post is sponsored by Basin located at Disney Springs and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa 🙂

Lip Balm – I always remember lip balm when running long distance. Though I am only doing a 10k this weekend, my lip balm will still make it into my running belt. I apply before, during, and after the race to assure my lips don’t get too raw from the cold air on my face. I personally love the Basin White Vanilla Mint Lip Balm. It has SPF 15 which is super important and it keeps my lips super moisturized. I am a huge fan of mint flavoring in my lip balm, but if you aren’t Basin has a huge variety to choose from. My favorite part about this product, and all Basin products, is that they are not tested on animals 🙂 I love my fur babies!

You can buy the Basin White Vanilla Mint Lip Balm here for $3.99.

KT Tape – Okay I am not sure what crazy science is behind this stuff… But it works! I never do a race with out KT Tape. When I was recovering from my leg fracture last year this stuff helped me run again. There are a million way you can use it and tape it to help with different aches and pains. YouTube is a great tool to figure out how you need to tape yourself up! You can use this anywhere on your body; legs, arms, shoulders, etc. This past Princess Half Weekend I visited the KT Tape booth and for $20 I got a roll of tape as well as a certified KT Tape specialist to tape my leg for me so it was done properly. It is also waterproof and sweat proof. While it is pricey (around $20 a roll) your health is worth it and it really does work. Not to mention they have fun colors 😉

Check out their site here to learn more! KT Tape can be purchased at your local store like Target, Walmart, or Walgreens. I also recommend checking stores like TJMaxx because they often have it for a lower price.

Good Running Shoes – While I do not in the slightest consider myself a “serious runner”, do not make the rookie mistakes I made… lol. I never ran in real running shoes until earlier this year, which is why I needed so much KT Tape in the past haha. But seriously, even if you are just doing one 5k for fun, make the investment. Running shoes are not cheap, but this is a scenario of “would I rather pay $100 for shoes or $1000 for medical bills?” I went to my previously local running store, Up-N-Running, and was sized and fitted by one of their employees. It was a great experience! The worker asked if I had any aches or pains from running, how much I run, etc, then she gave me her best recommendation. From the moment I put on those running shoes I had instant relief from my shin splints. Don’t be stingy, invest! Plus they are great shoes to wear if you’ll be walking all day in any situation.

I wear Brooks Ghost 9s size 9.5

A Good Running Belt – Whenever I first started running I struggled finding the best way to carry my belongings (phone, keys, etc) in a way that wasn’t too inconvenient. I tried a running belt with the water bottles attached (which did not personally work well for me), a small fanny pack style belt (which was okay but not great), and finally the FlipBelt. I encourage everyone to try different kinds of running belts to see what works best for you. Your ideal belt may differ depending on things such as the distance you run, whether you run on flat surfaces vs. hills, body build, etc. For me personally I have had the best luck with the FlipBelt. I like it because it fits everything I want it to fit; phone (iPhone 6s Plus), small pack of tissues, chapstick, and my keys. I do wish I had a belt that was able to hold water bottles, but I haven’t found one I’m crazy about yet. I managed to get mine at Target on clearance earlier this year. That being said they are kinda pricey, but we all know running is not a cheap activity.

I have the FlipBelt Classic Running Belt in black. You can get it here or on Amazon.

Cute Running Outfit – The reason I love runDisney, and honestly don’t do any other races, is because of how much fun it is and how different it is compared to other races. If you know anything about runDisney you probably know dressing up is kind of a big deal lol. This will only be my 4th runDisney race (not counting the virtual races this past summer) so I don’t have many previous “costumes” from races.

But 2016 Princess Half I was Princess Jasmine

2017 Princess Half I did a slave Leia look for the half and the 10k I did a Hercules inspired look.

This coming weekend I am going to be running the 10k as a diner girl. Because it is Wine & Dine Weekend many people do a chef look or something to do with wine, but I am under 21 so I am doing the more age appropriate option lol. If you are looking for a piece to invest in for your races to be a part of a “costume” I HIGHLY recommend SparkleSkirts. I have one in gold that I wore for the Princess 10k and I can’t wait to wear it again. They are pricey but it truly is an investment plus they have built in belts and pockets. AND the built in shorts DO NOT RIDE UP! 🙂 Coming from a big thighed girl, I promise you these skirts/shorts are thunder thigh approved lol. I personally bought my SparkleSkirt at the Princess Expo (which their workers were so kind and helpful) but you can also purchase online.