Well, this one is done and over with. Overall a nice event but not spectacular as some of the local media are hyping. But then again, I didn't really stick around or take much advantage of everything they were offering.
There were an awful lot of people participating. Something like 14000 participants plus all of the support and spectators.
All I know is that it was crowded and tough to get from one place to another. Anyway, I did push my way to the (roughly) 9 minute mile area of the start. No problem, right? Wrong. The "gun" goes off and the crawl to the line is deadening. But before I know it, there is the timing mat... and no one is running! Oh my GOD!!! RUN!!! IT IS A RAAAACCCEEEE!!!!! I don't think I have ever started a race where we were not in full stride when we hit the mat. Sigh. So finally it gets moving and I realize the people lining up at 9 minutes are actually, oh... 10 or 11 minute milers. And do they create some lanes for people to get around them. Hell no... just a line of 10 runners shoulder-to-shoulder draggin' along without a care in the world. At one point I growled at some of them as I moved laterally (the entire street) to get around them. That happened a lot as I weaved through the crowd... not the growl... the runners that believe they run faster than they do. Thanks for making me hate running events even more. Tools. Even at the end I'm going as hard as I can and people were stopping before they even hit the timing mat. I just about plowed into the runner in front of me because they stopped in the middle of the mats. I'm sure the guy behind me didn't appeciate it either as I hit full stop. Sigh... There was also a lot of food... except with the volume of runners going after the food... I had a hard time trying to grab even a bananna. And no cookies! What's wrong with you?! I don't need another keychain bottle opener and I don't drink Mic Ultra... who drinks after a run, let alone before 9 in the morning? Whew!
On the flipside, the weather was awesome! Low 50's. Low humidity. Blue sky with puffy clouds. And a light breeze. But it was a little chilly at the finish. I didn't bring a dry shirt so that light breeze chilled the sweat still ooozing from my pores and trapped in my shirt.
Anyway, I'll check to see if the event photographers got a shot or 2 of me. And if they have a good one, I'll post it up in a follow-up.
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