fbpx

Tag: Tower of Terror 10 miler

In Memory of the Tower of Terror 10 Miler

October 3, 2015

The first weekend of October used to be the weekend for the runDisney Tower of Terror 10 miler in Walt Disney World.  But rumor has it, they will no longer be running the Tower of Terror 10 miler.  That was one of my favorite races.  I was lucky enough to run it in 2013 and 2014.  It feels weird to know that this is the weekend of the event, yet it isn’t happening this year.

Most runDisney race weekends I don’t participate in the 5K because I travel in as late as possible so that I don’t miss too much time from work and my family.  Sometimes that means I can’t participate in the 5K because they happen on the day I am flying in.  With the Tower of Terror and Wine & Dine races the longer distance races take place at night and the 5K is the morning of the same day.  I didn’t register for the Tower of Terror 5K race last year but I did go to the race with Kim, Gail and Becca.

If you all know Kim, Gail and Becca they don’t hold back when putting together their race costumes.  I can’t even say that I wear a costume, when compared to them.  Their race weekend involves prepping for the race with various trips to costume shops, home improvement stores and craft supply stores.  They put a lot of work into their designs, and the end result is worth it.  But the harder part is, they still have to RUN in those costumes!

IMG_0693

For the 5K they were dressed as the hitch hiking ghosts from the Haunted Mansion.  I went with them to the 5K and loved the atmosphere of that race!  It was a rainy morning but just when it was time to leave the car and walk to the starting line, the rain has pushed away and there was a low ceiling of clouds with the sun just beyond it that really set the stage for a haunted 5K trail run through the ESPN Wide World of Sports.

The best part of that whole even was the headless horseman that makes his appearance just before the race.  Check it out.  I had an incredible viewing location for this!

The Tower of Terror 10 miler race takes place the night of the 5K race.  This year after the race I also participated in the after party.  The first year of the race, I did not participate in the after party because I had to fly home very early the same morning.  Last year I attended the after party, showered, and then hopped in the car to the airport to fly home and attend a family event.  I only napped while on the plane.  That was crazy but worth it!

The 10 miler race ran from Disney’s Hollywood Studios, down Osceola Parkway to Animal Kingdom, back up Osceola Parkway to a trail leading to ESPN Wide World of Sports and ended back in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  In previous years the weather had been very hot and muggy for this race.  Last year it was perfect.  The air was dry for a Florida night in October and the temperature was perfect for a night run.  The race course has a lot of character stops and the after party takes place in Disney’s Hollywood Studios with food (for purchase), some rides are open like the Tower of Terror and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and also some characters.  We stayed at the party until around 3 a.m. It was a long day and I had a flight to catch in a few hours.  But it was a very fun event.

IMG_0722

 

IMG_0723

 

IMG_0757

 

I am still hoping that the rumor is just that, according to runDisney Faith Dority the race is in the vault for now.  I am hoping they will bring it back at some point.  I do enjoy this race weekend with the Villains and the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party held in Magic Kingdom that weekend as well.  In 2013 it was my first runDisney night race and I really enjoy the night races.

One of the reasons why I love runDisney races, is because at just about every race I make a new friend.  I had the chance to meet two more Connecticut runDisney fanatics, Bob and Mary Perrotti when I got on the plane last October.  I sat with them on the plane and now I visit them at their local shop in Perrotti’s Country Barn in Middlefield and see them at local races in Connecticut!  My whole family has met Bob and Mary and I have also met most of Bob and Mary’s kids!  It’s so awesome how running can bring people together for more reasons than just races.

IMG_0614

Training for the Disney Tower of Terror 10 Miler

September 17, 2014

totThe Disney Tower of Terror 10-miler race is the first night race of the Fall season.  It begins at 10:00 p.m. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and runs toward the Animal Kingdom, back around to the ESPN Wide World of Sports and ends back through Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  I ran this race for the first time last year and loved it.  However, I did not understand with confidence, how to prepare for a night race.  Now that I have done it, I know what to do to prepare.

The mileage wasn’t an issue for me because I was preparing for the WDW marathon weekend.  But if this is your first time doing a night race, I recommend that you put in the miles prior to the race so that you don’t have to worry about running a night race PLUS running that distance for your first time.  Prior to the race weekend I had listened to the Mickey Miles Podcast Episodes 102 and 103.  Jeff Galloway had discussed with Mike and Michelle some tips on preparing for running a night race.  He did mention scheduling a long training run for the time of day similar to your race.  Where I live, it is a very rural area, and I just wasn’t comfortable doing a 10 mile run on my dark country roads in the open fields.  I also didn’t want to do a 10 mile run at 10:00 at night on my treadmill.  However, I don’t think it is a bad idea.

Another important element for preparing for the night race is your nutrition.  I feel that this is equally as important as the actual running mileage you put in for the race.  In my experience the third most important thing is resting prior to the race.  Last year, I made it a point to eat a turkey sandwich late in the afternoon and rested in my hotel room for several hours.  I could not fall asleep, but I was off of my feet and resting (not walking around the parks).

Hydration is also a critical component to having a successful race.  Even though the race takes place at night, it is usually still quite hot and humid in Florida.  We were pretty sweaty early on in the race.  So it is important to have a lot of fluids throughout the day and also during the race.

When it was time to head out to the race, we hung out in the corral area for a while prior to lining up in the corrals.  I had some apple sauce prior to the race.  Mentally, my challenge was realizing that it was 9:30 p.m. and I am usually getting my family and I ready for bed, and here I was preparing to begin a 10 mile race.  That was a little bit of a head trip.  Once the race got going, the adrenaline gets pumping and you don’t realize what time it is.  I really enjoyed the race and the location of it.  Running at night was really fun.  For some reason, I feel like I run faster in the dark.  I can’t explain it, but it is the way I feel.

I was hungry after the race.  That was weird, because by the time I got back to my hotel it was after 2:00 p.m. and I didn’t necessarily have “food” to eat.  Not to mention that I had to shower and get some sleep before waking up early for my flight home.

The points to take out of this when preparing for the Tower of Terror 10 miler is to be aware of what you eat the day of the race.  I had a hearty breakfast of pancakes the morning of the race.  During the day I made sure I wasn’t eating anything that would cause me any upset late in the day, and in the late afternoon I had a turkey sub with chips.  I felt successful with my food intake the day of the race.  In regards to resting, I also feel that I made smart choices by making it a point to be in my room, off my feet and resting.  If you make a priority to do these things you will be successful in this race.

Read my Tower of Terror Race Recap from 2013.

 

Skip to content