Keller Defends Title At Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 13K
Posted Thursday, 30 October, 2008
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.— (Oct 26, 2008) – Tim Keller (Tempe, Ariz.) wins the 2008 Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 13K at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. Keller, 27, defended his title as he finished the 8.1 mile course in 46:56. Keller defeated the nearest competitor by 11 seconds although he was over three minutes off last year’s pace (43:31). Michael Creason, from Charlotte, N.C., who won his age group (35-39) last year and finished fifth overall, crossed the line in second with a time of 47:07. The 37-year-old improved on his time from the 2007 race by over a minute and a half (48:43). Nathan Buttrick, 28 of Boston, Mass., finished third with a time of 47:28.
Julie Stackhouse (Jacksonville, Fla.) won the women’s open division in a time of 51:47 besting her nearest competitor by over two minutes. This was the second victory of a women’s race at Disney for the 29-year-old assistant track and cross country coach at the University of North Florida as she previously won the 2007 Race for the Taste 10K. Kristen Zieminski, 23 of Orlando, Fla., crossed the line with a time of 53:53 to finish second and Courtney Phillips (Neptune Beach, Fla.) rounded out the top-3 with a time of 54:05.
In the Master’s division, JP Hendricks, 41 of Parkland, Fla., led the pack crossing the finish line at 48:00 and finished sixth overall. Jean Schalk (Pompano Beach, Fla.) won the women’s race. The 45-year-old finished with a time of 56:41 defeating the next nearest competitor by nearly six minutes.
The second-annual nighttime race kicked off with a dazzling fireworks display at Disney’s Hollywood Studios before runners begin the 8.1-mile night-time journey across Walt Disney World Resort. Runners will venture off to Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex before heading back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios where they ran through the set of “Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show” and past Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat.
At the finish, each participant received a medal shaped like the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride and included a retractable elevator. The athletes were also able to enjoy an exclusive post-race party at the Disney-Hollywood Studios that featured live music and deejays spread throughout the park. The runners attending the party, along with their family and friends, also had the opportunity to take exclusive rides aboard Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith, The Great Movie Ride, and the Star Tours – the ultimate Star Wars thrill ride.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 13K is one of the many races a part of the Endurance Series at Walt Disney World Resort, which includes marathons, road races, adventure races and triathlons for all ages and skill levels that give recreational athletes the chance to walk, jog, run, bike, and swim their way “around the world” of the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort often to raise donations for charitable causes.
Popular Endurance Series events are the Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon (January), Disney’s Princess Half Marathon (March) and Disney’s Race for the Taste 10K (October).
For more information on Endurance Series events at Walt Disney World Resort, please visit www.disneyenduranceseries.com.
About Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex
Opened in 1997 at Walt Disney World Resort, Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex is a leading sports and entertainment venue for amateur and professional sports in the United States. The sprawling 220-acre state-of-the-art complex features The Milk House, a 165,000-square-foot field house which seats 5,500 for basketball; the 9,500-seat Champion Stadium ballpark; Hess Sports Fields, which include multiple baseball, softball and soccer fields; and Jostens Center, an 80,000-square-foot multi-sport field house. In addition, the complex has 11 tennis courts, including a stadium court, and a track & field complex. The complex is home to more than 180 amateur and professional sports and entertainment events each year, including the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp, the Major League Baseball Atlanta Braves spring training, a Tampa Bay Rays regular-season series, the NBA Pre-Draft Camp, the Pop Warner Super Bowl, Chelsea Football Club events, the Special Olympics Florida Summer Games and the AAU National Championship events. Visit www.disneysports.com for more information.
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