Tower of Terror 10 Miler 2014

[Dis_Yoda]

Did 7 miles today, temp of around 85 and humidity probably somewhere around 60%-70% (based on averages for the day, forgot to look when I got back). It was brutal! I am glad that at least during ToT the sun won't be beating down on us though, I'm trying to tell myself that will help a little...I hope? Is there ever any breeze in FL in the evenings or just still humid air?

Humid Air.

Very rarely is there a nice breeze.

 

[RickFreeze]

DW and I ran 2 Sundays ago in Des Moines area in what is probably what we will be in for training this summer for ToT. 87 when we started 89 when we finished. Humidity was high, but not sure what it was, but it was like running thru Jell-O. 9.25 miles was plenty for that day. And DW felt it was good enough she decided that she needed to register for a 1/2 over this past weekend. That was a little cooler, In the 60's.

 

[sarasamsmoms]

Is anyone still in need of a tag? I sooo wanted to do this race this year but I went and got pregnant. Excited about a new little one but I was really looking forward to getting my body back. Looks like it will have to wait now. Please PM if you would like to purchase my tag.

 

[PrincessV]

Hee hee, love all the posts about running in the heat! My run around 6:30pm last night was a balmy 92* (with a Feels Like of 101*), but relatively low humidity at 62%. It would've been badbadbad in the sun, but I ran a route that was mostly shaded, slowed my pace by around :30/mile and felt pretty good.

I am glad that at least during ToT the sun won't be beating down on us though, I'm trying to tell myself that will help a little...I hope?

YES! Absolutely - no sun helps a lot. I mean, it's still hot, the air is warm, the asphalt is hot, but no searing ball of fire on your face/shoulders/back feels pretty good after a summer of daylight runs, I think.

Is there ever any breeze in FL in the evenings or just still humid air?

It's not impossible... but pretty improbable. Unless a storm is approaching, but we don't want that, either.

Well, unless you count the hot air that flew off of the fire ball that they had shooting in the sky in (was it? ) 2 spots along the course. That was a gust of air.... just a very HOT gust.

Poor fireball - we'll just never let that one go, will we?!

 

[cel_disney]

Hee hee, love all the posts about running in the heat! My run around 6:30pm last night was a balmy 92* (with a Feels Like of 101*), but relatively low humidity at 62%. It would've been badbadbad in the sun, but I ran a route that was mostly shaded, slowed my pace by around :30/mile and felt pretty good.

YES! Absolutely - no sun helps a lot. I mean, it's still hot, the air is warm, the asphalt is hot, but no searing ball of fire on your face/shoulders/back feels pretty good after a summer of daylight runs, I think.

It's not impossible... but pretty improbable. Unless a storm is approaching, but we don't want that, either.

Poor fireball - we'll just never let that one go, will we?!

What's the Fireball Story???

 

[annmarieda]

Poor fireball - we'll just never let that one go, will we?!

I am sorry... I just can't. WHAT was Disney thinking?

" Lets take the race we offer during the HOTTEST time of year and make it hotter. But how? OH, yes.. FIRE!!!"

Or... was it

"Gee, we know 90% of our runners are gonna be dying in the heat but wouldn't it be cool to shoot balls of fire into the air. That would then quickly heat the air around it and make sure to kill any of the other 10% who may still be around"

Ah... I am just playing. It wasn't THAT bad.

 

[annmarieda]

And to add a positive comment... the fireballs were a very cool affect. Should it have been cold out I would definitely have been singing it's praises.

 

[RickFreeze]

DW and I have been signed up for ToT since 2 minutes after registration opened. Our first real runDisney event. I can’t say I am counting CC5k from our first cruise as a real runDisney event. So we will be in WDW for ToT this October. We also were lucky enough to get registered for The Rebel Challenge at DL in January. This will be my first ½. It will be my wife’s 4th.
Since we are running a half at DL, I am thinking in 2015 we will need to go to WDW and run the W&D to complete our Coast to Coast. We will see if then we can swear off runDisney events… doubt it 

 

[PrincessV]

What's the Fireball Story???

So, the course goes around a cloverleaf interchange, right? And in the middle of that loop is a retention pond. The first year, it was empty, dark and just kinda creepy and boring. Last year, they had a giant fireball exploding up out of it. VERY neat effect, but holy Hades - that thing threw some serious ambient heat onto the course! Just such an... odd element to add to a race notorious for taking people down with the heat!

I am sorry... I just can't. WHAT was Disney thinking?

" Lets take the race we offer during the HOTTEST time of year and make it hotter. But how? OH, yes.. FIRE!!!"

Or... was it

"Gee, we know 90% of our runners are gonna be dying in the heat but wouldn't it be cool to shoot balls of fire into the air. That would then quickly heat the air around it and make sure to kill any of the other 10% who may still be around"

Right?! It was all a trade-off: "Okay, we won't make them walk up and down the Indy stairs for their bags... but we'll make sure they sizzle on the course!"

Should it have been cold out I would definitely have been singing it's praises.

Can you imagine on a cold marathon weekend morning? Nice!

We will see if then we can swear off runDisney events… doubt it

Good luck with that! (see my signature...)

 

[RickFreeze]

Good luck with that! (see my signature...)

Our local running club has on their vehicle stickers "We RUN this town" Maybe one needs made for runDisney "nuts"

 

[PrincessV]

Our local running club has on their vehicle stickers "We RUN this town" Maybe one needs made for runDisney "nuts"

There used to be a generic (non-race specific) rD sticker! Mine finally faded to the point of nonrecognition, but I haven't seen it again to replace it.

 

[annmarieda]

Since we are running a half at DL, I am thinking in 2015 we will need to go to WDW and run the W&D to complete our Coast to Coast. We will see if then we can swear off runDisney events… doubt it 

And that is how it starts... you might as well do one in WDW since you want to get your C2C medal. Soon you will have a signature like PrincessV

Right?! It was all a trade-off: "Okay, we won't make them walk up and down the Indy stairs for their bags... but we'll make sure they sizzle on the course!"

Oh yeah! I forgot about the stairs. I bet this year they will find an entirely new way to torture us. Funny thing is I love this race!! I think it has some of the better course entertainment. So no matter what they throw at us... I will likely keep coming back.

 

[DOOM1001]

There used to be a generic (non-race specific) rD sticker! Mine finally faded to the point of nonrecognition, but I haven't seen it again to replace it.

I believe I've seen this one sold online on the Disney website.

 

[Waiting2goback]

I am sorry... I just can't. WHAT was Disney thinking?

" Lets take the race we offer during the HOTTEST time of year and make it hotter. But how? OH, yes.. FIRE!!!"

Or... was it

"Gee, we know 90% of our runners are gonna be dying in the heat but wouldn't it be cool to shoot balls of fire into the air. That would then quickly heat the air around it and make sure to kill any of the other 10% who may still be around"

Ah... I am just playing. It wasn't THAT bad.

Sounds like the best way to prepare for the race is to just light myself on fire and go for a run on the hottest part of the day or maybe even run on a treadmill inside a sauna.

 

[annmarieda]

Sounds like the best way to prepare for the race is to just light myself on fire and go for a run on the hottest part of the day or maybe even run on a treadmill inside a sauna.

It really is a miserably hot race...but well worth it if you can manage. Last year I let my core get way to hot in the first couple miles. I think I went in far less hydrated than I should have been... and then didn't drink those first couple miles. It was a mistake of mine. So hydration...rest and limited Food and wine festival right before the race are important. Well, important if you want to perform well. If you won't hate yourself if your pace is slower than you are use to and can enjoy the race for what it is... It think you will more than enjoy what this race has to offer. Which...IMNHO is pretty cool. Just anticipate your pace may not be what you are accustom to it being and enjoy yourself!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

If you really hate yourself & want to prepare, Clermont Florida is doing a 10 Miler tomorrow called the Summer Death race.

Event schedule and times


1:30 PM Saturday, June 21, 2014
Clay Road Clermont
Summer Death March 10 Miler and 5K wiil
both start promptly at 1:30 PM.
No children under 16 please.
Finisher medals to all that have the fortitude to finish

 

[SunDial]

That sounds appropriately named. You would be finishing about the time the afternoon thunder storms would be starting. At least if you were in South Florida.

 

[PrincessV]

I believe I've seen this one sold online on the Disney website.

Oh good - they must still be around, then! Thanks!

Sounds like the best way to prepare for the race is to just light myself on fire and go for a run on the hottest part of the day or maybe even run on a treadmill inside a sauna.

Yes, you've totally got this!

It really is a miserably hot race...but well worth it if you can manage. Last year I let my core get way to hot in the first couple miles. I think I went in far less hydrated than I should have been... and then didn't drink those first couple miles. It was a mistake of mine. So hydration...rest and limited Food and wine festival right before the race are important. Well, important if you want to perform well. If you won't hate yourself if your pace is slower than you are use to and can enjoy the race for what it is... It think you will more than enjoy what this race has to offer. Which...IMNHO is pretty cool. Just anticipate your pace may not be what you are accustom to it being and enjoy yourself!

I just love this: "It really is a miserably hot race...but well worth it if you can manage." I keep saying almost the same thing when people ask - it's not really a ringing endorsement, is it?! And yet we keep going back for more...

ITA with everything annmarieda said there. You kind of have 3 choices with TOT: go for broke and risk heat stroke, play smart but push for time, or forget time and make it a party race. I pushed harder than I thought last year, only because I genuinely felt good... but I really paid for it afterward. Nothing atrocious, but I must have been way low on sodium because my blood pressure crashed hard after, which meant no rides. I've got my eye on some other races in cooler weather to run for time, so I'm going into this one determined to stop for pics and really have fun with it, which should mean finishing feeling good enough to enjoy the after-party!

 

[annmarieda]

I just love this: "It really is a miserably hot race...but well worth it if you can manage." I keep saying almost the same thing when people ask - it's not really a ringing endorsement, is it?! And yet we keep going back for more...

Even if I wasn't trying to go for "legacy" I would still be doing it. I have great memories of this race and despite some of the downsides (like the heat) I really do think it has a lot to offer that is positively fun!

ITA with everything annmarieda said there. You kind of have 3 choices with TOT: go for broke and risk heat stroke, play smart but push for time, or forget time and make it a party race. I pushed harder than I thought last year, only because I genuinely felt good... but I really paid for it afterward. Nothing atrocious, but I must have been way low on sodium because my blood pressure crashed hard after, which meant no rides. I've got my eye on some other races in cooler weather to run for time, so I'm going into this one determined to stop for pics and really have fun with it, which should mean finishing feeling good enough to enjoy the after-party!

I am taking a much more "just have fun" this year than I have in the past. I KNOW it will be a difficult run. I do know though that I want to be back in time to enjoy the party a bit. So the balance becomes pushing hard enough to get back in time but not so hard that I am going to feel too ill to enjoy the party once I do get back. So I guess I will fall into the second option... play smart but push for time.

 

[AThrillingChase]

Poor fireball - we'll just never let that one go, will we?!

Hysterical. I am laughing in my office right now at this photo after seeing youtube clips of the ball of death.

I am about to call rundisney and add people to my room and add tickets now that we've cemented the trip. So exciting! What are we at now, 104 days?