Grace: Rest Day Don'ts and Twilight Tower of Tower 10 Miler

Rest Day

Rest days are strictly what is says it is for. My rest day was certainly not spend doing the right thing walking around the Disney parks all day long. Now I will not justify it by saying that we get to sit down on occasion because we get on rides, but the majority of the time you are on you feet walking around whether you are walking around the park or waiting in line to get on a ride.

Proper pre-race nutrition is hard to consume as well when walking through an amusement park. I would suggest if anything to park some healthy pre race snacks to take with you. I had packed some banana chips and some cashews, as well as, a emerald bag of nut mix. I also packed my own water bottle so I could just refill it throughout the park and not have to worry about buying another one.
We didn't pack any lunch so when we ate I tried to eat the healthiest things possible. First stop was lunch in Asia. I had a chicken salad sandwich, which was huge so I cut it in half and got apple slices with it. I wasn't that excited about the apple slices cause I have never been a fan of apples. I tried them and I actually liked them.

We used most of Saturday as a rest day. We got up and picked up our race packets around 10:30am. It included out bib number, a event guide for race day, last minute tips, our race shirt, and tons of mini shops to look at at the expo. After the expo we met Cass' friend at the Lululemon Outlet, one place I should always avoid! From there it was some much needed relaxing by the pool and then back in for dinner and race preparation. While by the pool we had to make sure we kept taking in some water, after all the sun does drain you.

*Rest Day Don'ts
1) don't spend the whole day prior to your race on your feet
2) don't eat unhealthy food
3) don't to workouts that are back and leg heavy (hamstrings, quads, etc.)

Twilight Tower of Terror 10-Miler

We were both super excited to run this race, and I was also really really nervous. It was really humid out last year when we ran and yes we ran in a sports bra and shorts last year. We were all ready to go and started to head out the door only to make a Uie right at the gate because of a forgotten ID.

One thing I like about the Disney races is that you get your name put on your Bib, even if you want a nickname on there. They also place your Corral in the top right hand corner.

I was placed in Corral B and Cass was in Corral F, I believe. Our corrals were based off of a previous 10k race time, with proof from that race. My corral was 10 miles in under 1:30.00.

Once we headed out to the race after turning around to get Cass' ID and I think I ran upstairs to grab mine as well, we went to ESPN Wide World of Sports to park the car and hop on the bus over to Hollywood Studios.

```Pre-race Party and Running Jitters```

Once you get to where the corrals are there is a pre-race party going on with tons of fun music to dance to, and places to take pictures beside a Twilight Tower of Terror sign. Stitch always seems to be the main character featured for the race, but throughout the race is almost all of the Disney villains. When you are at packet pickup they give you a clear bag and a sticker to put on your bag in that you can use to put stuff in and pick up after the race. We dropped of our bags at the bag drop to be claimed post race. I just wanted to be comfortable post race since we would be in the park until 4am.

My bag contained:

All the people in my heat and the 2 before mine
on the way to the starting line.

towelette wipes (to get some of the sweat off), my sandals, deodorant, clif bar for recovery fuel, money, ID and much more.

I was super nervous for this race. The previous week I couldn't run at all because my ankle was swollen, so the week of I ran 2 miles that Monday and 2.5 miles Tuesday, so my running wasn't where it needed to be. I was truly scared about getting an ankle injury during the run. I can't tell you how many times I prayed that I would do well and not get injured. We hung out with some of Cass' friend before and then I headed to my corral around 9:30pm. I stretched a little bit and next thing I know they were letting my corral out to make our, just about, .5 mile journey to the starting line. They had music playing but the speakers were acting up.

Standing there waiting was cool because you get to see the fireworks shoot off for the heats in front of you.

Fireworks for Corral A...
I'm next!

Once those fireworks shot off I only had 2 minutes before my corral started. I last minute remember that one of my friends had come back from SUT and texted him to tell him welcome home and then quickly turned my Map My Run app on so I could track my pace, and then hit place on my music.

We moved up closer to the starting line and my nerves started to go away. I knew I wouldn't be able to start out too fast because of all the people that were going to be in the heat with me, but I was closer to the front of my corral.

3...2...1....gun shot!

Thru the Miles...
Mile 1 was all uphill. We run right out under the entrance of Hollywood Studios and onto the highway and take a sharp left turn going up on of the onramps, and over the highway. Each mile is marked by a timing clock, which is one of the things I love about Disney, and a mile marker with a poster of a Disney villain. My pace was little under 9min, which I was surprised by but also kind of please with just hoping I didn't drop off too much from that pace.

And yes I grabbed something during each water/gatorade stop. I alternated between gatorade and water at each station. Water for my face and of course gatorade to drink.

At mile 2 there were people dressed in tribal and animal costumes because we were running into the entrance of the Animal Kingdom. Went around the large U-turn and headed back out and back on the main highway. On the way to mile 3 we passed the character Queen of Hearts. It's really cool how they have some of the Disney villains out on the run. Tons of people stop off and take pictures with the characters.

I can't remember all the other characters that were out, but there was some characters from Haunted Masion, The Princess and the Frog, and one of the hyenas from The Lion King. O and right toward the end the two sidekicks of Hades from Hercules.

All I remember is the first 2 miles feeling like the longest 2 miles I had ever ran. My legs were already hurting like crazy; my quads were pushing as hard as they could go but every stride felt like my legs were sore and I had done a thousand squats the day prior. I could feel the pounding on my lower back and knew that deadlifts on Thursday had been a bad idea, even before I actually decided to do them. And to think, my main concern had been how my ankles would hold up.

I mentally pushed myself to run until mile 5, I knew this would be the halfway point in the race, and heck if I could run 5 miles, I could run 5 more. Mile 5 went through ESPN Wide World of Sports alternating between gravel, track, pavement, and ball field dirt.

I wanted to stop running so bad, but just remember that I had only 3 weeks beforehand had run 13.1 miles without stopping, so I could definitely run this whole 10 miles. I had to push through the pain that my body kept reminding me of every step and mile I took. Now most of you are probably asking, why didn't you stop running? Well, I know what my body is capable of and how far I can push myself. That and I'm just plain stubborn. Knowing my body can do something only a couple weeks before I hold myself to those standards and most of the time higher.

I had finally made it back into Hollywood Studios and was passing the magic hat, where every time the DJ says on .1 mile to go, and he's wrong EVERY time. I remember running through the part of where you run through the costume shop and see where they make and store the character costumes and on my way through this there was a guy with two people helping him that was ghostly white and looked like he was going to pass out. I wanted to stop and help him, but two others were already there and I would have just been in the way. Still my concern for his health didn't go unnoticed in my mind. And lastly, just about three tenths to two tenths away from the finish line I started to feel it a little hard to breath. I was breathing deep every step that I took, and was wondering if it was just because I had almost started to cry the closer I got to the finish line. No, I wouldn't have been crying out of joy because I had completed this race, I would be crying because my back was in so much pain. And my bad knee hurt also, but no where close to how my back was feeling at that point. But I'm too headstrong and stubborn and don't allow myself to cry over things like that and sucked up what tears wanted to seep through and kept running. I was almost at the finish and just concentrated on keeping on taking those deep breaths that I was struggling to get and reminded myself in my head to remain calm and not become overwhelmed with the fact that I felt like I couldn't get air in my lungs. Calm, slow, and steady breaths. I don't remember how far I was but as soon as I saw the finish line I knew I was almost done, obviously. I didn't pick up my speed like I typically do at the end of a race. Everything inside of me was just screaming to make it to the finish line. I made sure I ran over both pads and then walked to get my finishers medal and then to the medical tent to grab some ice to be saran wrapped to my knee and back for a few minutes.

Cass and me post race with our medals. This will be an
annual trip for us.

After that I walked to clam my back and then to the family reunion area to meet with Lauren and wait for Cass to finish. She had seen my on my way to mile 3 and yelled my name. How I even noticed her I have know idea, but threw up a quick wave and kept on going.

After finding Cass we went and got her bag and then headed back over to family reunion area to meet up with Lauren, get food and went to have our fun on the rides until 4am. Once you're done with that race you forget that you just pounded away on the pavement for 10 miles and are walking around getting pictures with characters and having fun on the rides! It's only when you are having to stand in line for about 45 minutes that you realize what your feet and body have been through. Only ready and excited to figure out what Disney races you want to add to the list next year and when the Terror 10 Miler registration opens up for 2014!