ToT 13K Race Report(Pics Added-Brief for Now)

Lisa - we probably were running near you. We were both wearing WISH tanks and both had on fanny packs. My sister's was jingling the whole time (it was annoying!) I think it was from the double zipper. My pack did that at the minnie this past year and it was awful! I found a better one. I was also wearing my minnie marathon drawstring bag on my back, but around mile 3 it broke and my camera went flying to the ground!!

Kristi - Aw, I wish I had known!

Becky
 
Great reports and pics everyone!

SIL Deb and I headed down to the Pop bustop for MGM about 7PM, a car was cruising in front of the stop, a woman rolled down the window and asked us if we wanted a ride to the race. SIL yells out "YES", thinking these friendly people must be WISHers, as she had met many of us Friday night at MNSSHP. Well they weren't:lmao: :lmao: The two women had just met in the parking lot and decided to go by the bus stop in case anyone needed a ride since Disney said they weren't providing transportation. So, stranger danger aside, we caught a ride with Katie and Renee and got to MGM with no problems.

We met Deb's friend Mike (he was staying at CBR) right away, and it was easy to spot the group of WISHers and just chill until race time. It is always so cool to see everyone and I for one was glad there weren't any corrals so that we could all hang together, especially since the start was delayed for 20 minutes.

I liked the course and had a great time. Deb was having a little trouble, and Anne was kind enough to stay back with her, while I kept Mike company.


Thanks Anne, you were wonderful!

It would have been nice to see a character or two along the way, but it was great to take a different route than I have seen before. The volunteers were enthusiastic, especially the one woman handing out medals at the end - she'd hold up the medal and yell encouragement to the finishers, she was having a blast and it was fun to watch her have so much fun!

Afterwards we grabbed a bite at the place just outside of the RnR area. I don't know where everyone was running into price gouging, but I got a small diet coke for $1.29 and I think the fries were $1.99 (I know, not exactly the best nutrition, but it sure tasted good!).

It was about 12:45 or so and Deb, Mike, and I decided we'd better head to the front of the park to see about catching a cab back to our resorts. A bunch of WISHers kindly offered to provide transportation - Rhonda and her DH were staying at Pop, so they gave me, Deb, and Kathy a ride. It worked out great. Cam and Howard very generously offered to give Mike a ride to CBR before heading back to their place, but it turned out that Disney HAD provided buses to the resorts afterall and Mike was able to catch one.

This confusion was my biggest gripe about the race - with less than a week before the event they announce a change in the packet pickup location, they announce that no transportation would be provided (very confusing because Fantasmic was at 7:30, so of course buses would be running between MGM and the resorts until at least 9PM), they announce that road closures would begin at 8:30 and they began at 7PM, and then they did provide bus transportation after the race. I wonder how many people rented cars because they thought they needed transportation, and I wonder how that impacted the traffic pre-race. I hope this year's experience will help Disney straighten out these minor details by next year.

I'll try to post a few pictures soon!
 
Got back last Tuesday and was back at work on Thursday.
ScottH and Lynn: thanks for the glow necklaces and bracelets! We had so much fun talking to you and my pre-race anxiety was almost non-existant thanks to you!
Steffwalks ( and friends) great to meet you and chat.
My first thought after I finished? That was fun, I'd do that race again!
 

ghoulishgirl, you are most welcome, Thought about you when we heard about the earthquake, then saw your post that you were on the plane.

Our trip is almost over and on the way home, setting the clocks back last night helped.

Looking forward to the 1/2 in January, still thinking about the Minnie.
 
ESPN Thursday

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LTT Friday

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ToT Group Picture

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Great pics, Pat!

Now where was I during the group picture? I thought we all were preoccupied and didn't do one. Oh well!

I will try to get some of my pics posted later today.
Right now, time for some xt cleaning this house!
 
Just got back from Raleigh's City of Oaks Half where our own jeanneg (Jeanne) kicked my butt! She mopped up the floor with me! Now, THAT lady can walk! Wow! :teleport: It was great to see another WISHer there, though -- even though all I saw was the back of her fading into the distance! :rotfl2:

I am so far behind on my forum reading that I'm just going to have to drag up a bunch of old posts -- Please forgive me for not responding sooner! Work is CRAZY!!!!! (I'm actually working from home this weekend (between races). :rolleyes:

The medal is pretty sweet- did you see the words on the lanyard glow in the dark?!

Jen, I just noticed that the other day when I had to photograph it for the local running club's newsletter. Too cool! BTW, loved the photos of you and Emma -- what a sweetie!

I am wandering near teh entrance to MGM lost adn this nice woman in a cool shirt tells me where to go. As I am about to compliment her on her shirt, she says, "I'm getting thinner BTW."

Here's me thinking that's great, very happy for you, now why did she tell me that???

Duh......

She was gettinthinr! lol. A little too much stress for me, I think.

Carrie, that cracked me up. Yeah, I was in my "Disney Dead" wear, so I kept having to introduce myself to all the WISHers I saw -- I didn't even wear my smiling cheshire cat visor because it was night-time, so NOBODY knew who I was. Too funny!!!

I 'ran' (walked really) into Wendy (getnthnr) towards the start of the 13K. I don't know how I recognized her since she wasn't in WISH nor her Chesire Cat visor. She was sneaky blending into the darkness with her black shirt. She pulled up next to me and then away as expected. She can move like the wind :teleport:

Oh! I stand corrected -- Diane knew me! That's amazing -- Apparently I am WAY too recognizable! Glad to meet you!

Before I forget, I think I saw Wendy in a tour at MK on Saturday. If it was her, she was over by Pirates. They all had on little earpiece things and looked very official. I walked by and did a doubletake, but I didn't want to wander up to a stranger and start asking if she was "getting thinner!" :laughing: I really think it was though...

It was me! I took the Keys to the Kingdom Tour at MK and LOVED it! I am such a Disney fanatic that all that trivia and history and "backstage talk" absolutely thrills me. I can't wait to do another tour now! (And if you use your Disney credit card you get a substantial discount.)

I must be pretty easy to please -- I really enjoyed Tower of Terror. I was there waaaaaay early, so no traffic problems for me, and I spent the 20 minutes chatting with Deads and WISHers and having a grand time, so "no worries". I loved the course, though I should have prepared better mentally for all the twists and turns at Disney MGM. I keep believing all those well-meaning souls who'd say "The finish is just around this corner." Liars! ;)

I also had a great time today at the City of Oaks hilly Half. Every time I do a half I wonder why I ever want to do another marathon! A half is the perfect distance -- not too hard, not too easy, and you're done in time to go out to the Sunday breakfast buffet afterwards. :)

Congrats to all the finishers and award winners! I loved seeing you guys! What a blast!
 
Pat--I love the group picture! That is awesome. How obnoxious are Stephen and I?????? ;)
 
Pat - great Pic!

Robert- I think YOUU were wearign teh invisinility cloak!

HoosJen - I can't believe you didn't say hi!!!!! I was just showing dh the pix and tellign him I was bummed I never saw you. Then I read that you saw me!! :-O Promise me you'll introduce yourself in January!!!

Diane - I know we've met twice now, but it walways seems like I'm in a whirlwind. I know you (and I'm thinking SUsan) were wearign teh great ToT costumes. Sorry we didn't have more time, though.

Cobbler - Yes, we live 45 minutes apart adn have yet to meet. That is sooooo sad!
 
Hi Carrie!

We were the bellhops withOUT the hats :) There were 4 of us but I was the one yelling at you LOL

I have to go back and catch the other 2 Bellhops names the ones WITH the hats. Their hats are very kewl! I can't believe they kept them on the whole way! And then they had their photo with a real ToT Bellhop. I was so out of it that night. Mom had a camera and we only have 1 from before the race and then the ASI ones for after.

As long as I can figure out with to do with my phone for the marathon I am planning on my WISH shirt for that race. I'm going to keep in contact with DH for that race so he can carry my spare water and goo around for me. :) Poor DH and Mom will be our pack mules for the day LOL
 
:guilty: I knew it. ;)

It's those zebra stribes that make me blend in, isn't it?

So, is the skirt black with white stripes or white with black stripes? (Just checking to see if anyone is paying attention on the KS ride at AK.)
 
DH ran the 13k and echoed most of the same complaints that have already been listed. He ran a solid race, but was off his goal time by about 3 minutes (55 minutes was goal time). By race time, we'd already been at WDW a week and his legs were feeling tired before the race started. That, coupled with the heat and incredible humidity made his original goal impossible.

As for the race itself, he said the race was great (except the dirt/pothole/gravel path leading into the WWoS), but the organization was quite poor. The kids and I were spectators and were told about 10 different things in regard to what spectators were supposed to do to get into the park. No one publicly announced the race had begun to the spectators, so we really had no reference of time and when DH would be approaching our location.

Overall, he said it was great to be part of the inagural, but was pretty disappointed in the organization of the event as a whole.
 












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