Sounds like you nailed it! Good show! As long as the drums dissipate the heat as fast as it's generated by the shoes, no problem if they get too hot to touch. When the heat goes into the drum faster than the air passing over it can blow it away, you get "fade"- - - -lots of pedal pressure, but no stop. That's one of those "OH S--T!" moments, especially if there's cross traffic!
Jerry