91: The 5 R’s at Disney – Running, Resorts, Races, Restaurants, & Rides

Calling all fans of Disney, Running, or Inquiring Minds about how much protein to eat. We have the episode for you.  You’ll hear all about the MAJOR pixie dust my son William received at Typhoon Lagoon, the best places to run at Disney World, where to eat at DW, what rides you must ride, and the resorts my husband Robert and I recommend.  Becky Kotsifas is back to tell us about her third half marathon this year at Disney, the Disneyland Half Marathon, and compares it to other runDisney races she has run.  Serena Marie, RD,  talks all things protein and then Serena and I discuss our training for the Chicago, NYC, and Philadelphia Marathons.

Want to know about how you too can have the gift of running be a part of your lifestyle? Head over to therunninglifestyle.com/join and you’ll receive the 11 Strategies to Live the Running Lifestyle.

Special thank you to Jeff Galloway and ElliptiGo for getting me ready to run the Chicago, NYC, and Philadelphia Marathons.  ElliptiGo is like a an elliptical machine/bike that you ride outside. It gives you a great runners high (and I mean HIGH) and lets you “run” without the impact!

William Gormley

·         How to experience the ultimate pixie dust at Disney World, which is opening a park.  William Gormley shares with you how he was “Big Kahuna” and what that means.  And how you can be Big Kahuna someday.

Robert Gormley

·         What resorts to stay at and running around the Boardwalk, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom (don’t do it!), and Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter

·         New restaurants we tried 

·         The restaurant which is the best value when it comes to Crab Legs

·         The number one tip when eating at Be Our Gust

·         Favorite restaurants we go to every time

·         What dessert NOT TO MISS at Boma

·         What rides not to miss at the parks

·         What great tips we received from The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World by Bob Sehlinger and Len Testa.

The big takeaways when it comes to the interviews with William and Robert Gormley is that you need to get to a park early, if you want to be able to open it.  We strongly recommend running at the Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter Resorts.

 

Some restaurants not to miss are Cape May Cafe, Be Our Guest, Boma, Sanaa, California Grill, Wolf Gang Puck Express, and Narcoose’s. Our favorite rides include Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Toy Story Midway Mania, Soarin, and Test Track. We booked directly with Disney World this trip.

 

When we don’t go through the Disney World Reservations to book our trip, we have been very happy and satisfied with David’s Vacation Club Rentals.  Through David’s service, we have been able to pay a moderate hotel’s price, but stay at Deluxe Resorts including Bay Lake Tower, Beach Club, Animal Kingdom Kidani Village (with a savannah view) and the Boardwalk Resort.  Every time we have requested a certain type of room, David’s team has been able to come through for us (thank you!).

Becky Kotsifas 

·         Discusses her year of Run Disney - Princess Half, Tinkerbell Half, Disneyland Half, and Wine and Dine Half

·         The special medals Becky has received for running multiple races

·         Celebrating the 10 year Anniversary of runDisney

·         Highlights of the Disneyland Half Marathon

·         The signs along the course

·         The breakdown of men vs. women in the Disneyland Half

·         Why the Wine and Dine Half Marathon is a favorite among many people

Serena Marie, RD, 

·         Why you need protein even if you’re not lifting a lot of weights

·         Serena’s explanation of how much protein a runner needs & how to do it

·         How to estimate your protein needs depending on your running distance and goals

·         How to estimate a portion of protein if you are a man or woman

·         Where to go for a list grams of protein in foods

·         What are great sources of protein

 

The big take-aways from our talk with Serena are to know how much protein you need based on your goals, weight, and distance.  If you’re training for for 5ks/10ks or recreational running aim for ~1 gram of protein per kilogram.  If you’re training for  marathons should aim for ~1.2-1.4 gm/kg protein. If you’re training for endurance events in conjunction to heavy strength training regimen ideally aim for ~1.6-1.7 gm/kg.

Go to https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/eat/fd_exch.htm (which is actually a site through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, but refers to the American Dietetic Association food exchanges) to get a list of how much protein is in a serving. You can estimate protein by looking at your palm.  If you’re a woman, your palm can be estimated to be a 4-5 ounce portion of high biological value protein (meat, fish, eggs). If you’re a man, your palm will represent 5-6 ounces of high biological value protein. Each ounce of animal protein has 6 grams of protein.  

Please say a prayer, send positive intentions, that Serena’s knee gets better. Another way to support our efforts is to donate to Team Kari and Serena Run NYC and Chicago for Action for Healthy Kids.  Every dollar makes a difference in helping a child eat healthier foods and move their bodies.

Next week we’re going to hear from Dr. Vinny Kripalu, MD, an internist who practices an integrated medical approach and is a fellow marathoner.  Please subscribe to the podcast through iTunes, Stitcher, or whatever podcast app you use.  You never know when a surprise episode comes up and by subscribing, you won’t miss it.

:-)