Conserve your energy. Don't walk all over the parks the day before the race--or the day before THAT, either. At a place as wonderful as Disney, this is difficult, but save your touring as a post-race reward. Pay attention to your water and food intake. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

If you're worried about finishing, remember 2 things: Trust your training, and respect the distance. All the miles you've logged in training will have taught you what you can expect from yourself--remember that on race day. You can do it, if you run the way you've trained to. Don't let others faster than you intimidate or excite you into going out too fast. A marathon is a long race. Negative splits (or finishing the miles in the last half of the race at a faster pace than those you ran in the first half) are your friends!

Lay out all your race gear the night before the race. Buses at Disney resorts begin boarding for the trip to the starting line as early as 3:30 a.m. on race day. No one thinks clearly that early in the morning, especially someone preparing for their first marathon. You may want to carry your room/car key, a tiny one-use camera for race photos with characters along the route, and Gu, Power Gel, or other fuel you've tried beforehand.

If you like attention, put your name on your singlet. People love yelling "GO SUE!" (or whoever), and it can be a real morale booster.

Don't wear anything on race day you haven't tested by actually wearing during a previous long run (no new shorts, shoes, nothing!). If you've experienced any chafing previously, be certain to protect those areas with a suitable lubricant (such as Body Glide, Runners Lube, Sports Slick, Udder Cream, Bag Balm, or Vaseline petroleum jelly).

Check the weather reports and layer (or not) accordingly. Don't assume the conditions at the beginning of the race will be the same as those 4-7 hours later. If it's cold at the start, a pair of old socks work well as disposable mittens. You may also want to try wearing a garbage bag as a warm-up suit. You can wear it all the way to the starting line (and beyond, if you need it), discard it (where others won't trip over it, please) when you don't, and you have nothing (like warm-ups or jackets) to "check-in" or pick up later. Alternatively, go to your local thrift store and buy a long-sleeved T-shirt and wind pants to wear to the start. This is great for pre-race and can be discarded when you warm up. In the past Disney has donated all abandoned clothing on the route to local homeless shelters.

Having an old blanket to sit and lay down on before and after the race is a really nice treat--the alternative is cold asphalt to sit on. Hot coffee is not free and the lines were long.... so, bring your own hot drinks.

Line up based on your predicted finish time (that is, with slower runners farther back from--and faster runners closer up to--the starting line), especially if you expect to finish in the 5-plus hour range. Starting closer to the front than warranted makes for a demoralizing start for you (as you are passed by hundreds of runners), and an (at best) worrisome and (at worst) dangerous start for those trying to pass you in the crowded conditions at the beginning of the race. If you intend to run with someone, go together to the proper corral and stick together during the lineup or you may not find each other again. There are simply too many people.

Don't psych yourself out at the starting line by comparing yourself to others you see there. In fact, don't be shy--Talk to people around you, both before and during the race. It helps pass the time and you'll be enriched by the conversation. Marathoners are interesting people with a great deal to offer.

Be very careful as the race begins. You and several thousand new friends will be packed together, and it is not unusual for race participants to fall because of the early morning darkness and crush of bodies. You may want to adjust your pace to the pace of those around you until the pack thins after the first few miles. If the crowding makes you very nervous, stay on the edge of the road away from the spectators where crowds are likely to be somewhat thinner.

Now is not the time to experiment or try new things. Stick to the race nutrition plan you used in training--taking water, sports drink, Gu, or whatever, at the same rate you did during your long runs. Run the pace you are accustomed to. If you alternate running and walking, use the same intervals you did during your training; don't take fewer or shorter walks. Don't think because it's actually marathon day that enthusiasm alone can markedly improve your long run pace. If you feel strong after completing the first two-thirds of the race, then pick up your pace.

Be nice to the volunteers, race staff, and Disney Cast Members. Say thanks.

Don't forget you're doing this for fun. Enjoy the race! Enjoy the excitement! Being able to revel now is the reward for all those months of training you've done. Take the extra few moments during the race to high-five Mickey and Minnie as you round Main Street in the Magic Kingdom.

So your family wants to watch you on the course and see you finish the biggest race of your life (so far). In a marathon the size of Disney, that might be a bit trickier than you imagine. Here's some advice from a seasoned veteran and his family:

• Both the runner and spectator should wear something colorful that will stand out in a crowd. My wife still recalls a conversation during my first Disney Marathon in which she was talking to three others who were all looking for "a skinny guy in dark shorts and a white shirt." That narrowed it down to about 7000 runners!
• Big signs on a stick are helpful in a couple of ways. It encourages the runner and it makes the spectators easier for the runner to see. After the race it also makes reuniting really easy.
• Before the race, decide on spectator spots and which side of the road your support crew will be on. The runner can then move to that side, making it easier for both to find and recognize each other.
• Runners should calculate a fast and slow time for when they'll cross each spectator spot so the family member can gauge when to be in place to see them.
• If you want to see a runner at multiple places on the Disney Marathon course, remember it will take you twice as long as you expect to get from place to place. There are a lot of people who want to watch the runners and Disney's top priority isn't moving those people around. Expect delays and have backup plans.
• After the race, use the designated family reunion areas to regroup with your family or support crew. Disney also has a message board area that you can use if you're having a hard time reuniting. Also remember that after you finish the marathon, you will encounter some delays before you make to the reunion area--especially if you have a drop bag that needs to be retrieved. There are a lot of people trying to accomplish the same things you are: getting finish line photos made, refueling, retrieving drop bags, etc.
• Decide in advance on a "give up looking" time for reuniting after the race. That is, agree on a time that, if you haven't found each other by then, you give up and go back to the hotel and meet there. My wife and I had to do that last year when she experienced less than ideal conditions on the transportation system and it took her bus over an hour to get from the half marathon finish at the Magic Kingdom to Epcot where she was to meet me. The bus driver somehow got lost and a ride that should have taken 10 minutes took forever. We eventually met at the hotel.

Hopefully following these tips will help your spectating and reuniting go a bit more smoothly.