First race - Race for Taste or ToT 13k?

[BrianD]

I am a very new runner, and am shooting for the WDW 1/2 marathon in January, but I'm looking for a "warm up" race along the way in my training, and both the Race for the Taste 10k & Tower of Terror 13k seem to fit in a nice place on the schedule of my training for the 1/2.

So, my question is, and this being my first race period, for those who have run these, which of the two races would you recommend? Which one do you think is better? Which is better for a first time race?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[CarolA]

I have not run Race for the Taste.

I will say that I did ToT last year as my first "Disney" race and it was nearly my last "Disney" race. I was very "unimpressed" with the overall organization, the cost, the "party" afterwards etc. Now I assume they will do better, but if they don't.......

 

[andromedaslove]

Not having any experience with Race for the Taste, I can't really comment on that one. However, if TOT had been my first WDW race I may not have done another. Things may change this year (those of you going will have to let me know), but I was VERY disappointed in the way things were done. The start was incredibly delayed because they had trouble getting people out of the parks. The course itself wasn't too bad, lots of dead spots for a shorter race (I say shorter as in compared to the Marathon and Half in which you expect some dead areas). There weren't ANY characters on the course, unless you count the psychos on the trail to WWoS. There was one little kid pretending to be dead on the grass next to the track at WWoS though that was pretty cute. The party afterwards wasn't anything to brag about either if you ask me.

I do have to say though that maybe my expectations were a little high. I have not done ANY races that weren't Disney. My first race was the full in 07, then I did TOT, then came back for the full this past year. So, maybe I expected too much.

Dana

 

[BamaEd1]

Hey Brian,

I haven't done either but am thinking about doing the ToT for one reason. It has a shirt and Race for Taste has a mug. A very shallow reason for sure, but....if the shoe fits. Good luck with your training; I just did my first 1/2 and I'm hooked! I wish I had entered the WDW 1/2 but I didn't make it in time. I'm still thinking about the full and have almost decide to go for it. Again, good luck and have fun!

 

[Maherae]

Brian, and glad you found us.

I've done both as a walker.

RFtT is a 10K, day event, NO CHARACTERS, goes through HS and EPCOT. This is a small race (2,593 finishers last year), but is treated as a serious race. The time keepers at the miles are dressed in chef's jackets and hats. I only remember one dj for entertainment. Race pace is minimum of 15 min/mile. There was regular after race food: bananas, muffins, and water. You will get a wristband to wear to the "Taste Stations" that are in the parking lot where the Finish line is. The year I did it, there were five stations: salad, veggies, salmon, blackberry cobbler, and drink. "Taste" portions, so don't get excited. The souvenir pint glass is new this year; there was no shirt for 2006. There were shirts for sale at the packet pick up. The medal is a chef's hat with a tiny fork, spoon and knife dangling from it.

ToT is a 13K, night event, NO CHARACTERS (except as Dana says, the escaped asylum folks along the baseball field and track..), follows the same course as RFtT with the addition of going behind WWoS. Last year was the inaugural, so there were things that need to be fixed. Time keepers and mile markers were sporadic. I was surprised to see that the number of finishers were about the same (2,590) as RFtT, but for the first year, there was a 6K that started at the same time which gave a really crowded feel to the start. This event is really advertised as a "fun" event with a 16 min/mile pace. That pace is in question right now, as several WISHers have received emails from WWoS stating a longer time. There are no corrals, simply self seeding. Once you entered HS, things got confusing with non runners crossing the course. Your race fee includes the "After Party" which, depending on your pace, could be good. The COTTON T-shirt last year had glow-in-the-dark writing on it, as does the finisher's medal's ribbon. At least, this year, they're offering a tech shirt! Of course, the medal this year won't have the 6.5 on it. Nothing special in the after race food. I think there were muffins and water. You'll probably never find another 13K event!

Hope this helps!! Anne

 

[andromedaslove]

Anne... just one minor correction. The Shirts for TOT (which was another complaint of mine) were supposed to be glow in the dark shirts, and when we arrived we got cotton tee shirts with a little glow in the dark writing!! I was really hoping for a short sleeve tech shirt.

 

[Maherae]

You are quite correct, Dana! That was a disappointment for us, as well. Thanks...editing now!!

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Dana: another item was the started was delayed to 10:00pm. This years race isn't even scheduled to start until 10:00 pm. I did it last year and will skip it this year. They romved DVC discount so the race is $25 more than last year. For DW and I it would be $170 for a 8 mile race.

 

[getnthinr]

Brian, I've done both races as well.

I guess I'm in the minority -- I loved the ToT 13K! I loved doing a night race (never done that), I loved the glow-in-the-dark writing on the shirt and on the medal's ribbon, I loved that the little elevator actually moves on the medal, I thought the Disney folks playing psychos on the course (they'd been there a long time by the time I arrived, and they were still in character) were sufficiently creepy to be very cool, I loved the brief gravel road part of the run (nice to get a break from the asphalt), and I loved that the race schedule meant my trip could easily include a visit to Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party. Personally I'm a morning person, so the party held no interest for me -- I was quite happy to go back to the room to sleep afterwards. Yes, the traffic snafu that resulted in a late start was a hassle, but I've experienced similar problems at non-Disney races, so that didn't bother me. And I was spending my time talking to WISHers and Disney Deads and watching music videos on the jumbotron, so I had a blast while I waited. Heck, I'm at WDW -- I'm going to have a good time!!!

I liked the Race for the Taste, too, but it felt more like a normal race to me. The premium for the race changes every year. The year I did it, it was an insulated lunch bag. The medal is (as are Disney medals are) quite cool. And it's not a bad race -- it just felt more like a local race I'd do around here, except for the medal and the waiting in long lines in the sun afterwards for the taste of gourmet dishes they had there. Oh yeah, and they had buffalo wings and some other spicy food at the race start, which I loved but others thought was kind of poor planning for pre-race food. My brother and I did one of the special events at the Food and Wine Festival that trip. That's cool too.

Honestly, you probably can't go wrong. They don't go all out with these races like they do on marathon weekend -- It doesn't generate the numbers or the income, I suppose -- but they are still races that offer unique Disney aspects that you can enjoy. And yes, they are overpriced, but as I tell my husband, where are you going to get a Disney experience at non-Disney prices? (But those prices are why I largely travel alone every year.)

Have a great time, whatever your decision.

 

[BrianD]

Thank you all for your information and helpfullness. I am currently in the midst of the C25K. I have done some fast walking off and on over the last year & a half, I haven't been interested in running until now. I'm in my early 30's now, and still not in good shape, so it is time for a change. I initially gained interest in these races (& running in general) through Mike Scopa's blogs/articles on allears.net and hearing him on the wdwtoday podcast. Then I found disneyrunning.com, and now of course this board on the Disboards! I have been around the DIS for quite a while but have usually stayed around the Theme Parks & Resorts boards. But now I'm stepping out.

Thanks again for the info & support!

 

[Hockeychic]

I also did ToT last year and although I wasn't impressed with the delay etc, it was alot of fun, we walked it with some WISHer friends but the party after, wasn't much of a party in my mind, we only got to ride ToT once.

We are going this year but just to hang out with WISH friends we aren't planning on the race itself.

Kim