Race the Pace Car 5K---- what a disaster!!!!!!!!!!
so at 3:30 today i just randomly decided to check the website for the 5K. hmm. says here race starts at 7:30. thats weird. when i signed up for it, registration said it started at 8:00.... i call co-worker, who's also running it, she checks the website (different one then mine, apparently) hmm.. her website says 8:00. registration says 8:00. the 7:30 thing i found must be a typo.
so i call the two fellas running with me and we all decide to meet up at 7:15. fair enough. co-worker and i drive in, caravan style (i'm following) and we get to the speedway at 7:00. perfect. we take a right, heading to the gate.... closed. hmm. okay. keep driving. next gate. closed.... keep driving, next gate. closed. uhhhhh??? co-worker calls and we decide if we just keep following the road around, it must, eventually, loop back around to the front. right?? so ok. we're fine. at this point, its 7:20.
ring-ring. Radio Boy calls, is at the speedway... hey... this race starts in 10 minutes.
WHAT????
yeah. i dunno. they said it starts at 7:30, where are you?
I DONT KNOW!!!!! i cant find the damn entrance to this place where the #@^&* is it?
oh uh.. yeah, i had to drive around too, you'll get to it. but uh.. what should i do? should i just wait for you or should i go run?
OH HELL I DONT KNOW... i dont know i dont know. i dont even know where i am. just... i dont know. just go, or just wait. i think we almost found it..ok, yeah, yeah, i think its right here. ok bye.
ring-ring. Soccer Boy calls and tells me.... hey. i'm at the starting line. where are you?
SHIT. i'm coming. is it seriously starting right now?
yeah. umm..
::both of us laughing not knowing what to do::
ok.. listen, i dont know if i'll make it. you run, i'll be at the end taking your picture...just, just go, i dont think i'll make it
you sure?
yeah...just. ::hysterical laughter:: yeah. just run. have fun
ok, bye!
(parking/getting out of car) HEY!! co-worker... hurry up the race is about to start
WHAT??!! where do we go..
SHIT! i dont know!!!! security guard...where to??
over there!!
okay. shit, go go go!!!
(people at the front table with race numbers)... is this race seriously about to start? yeah, we're so sorry, we dont know what happened with that 8:00 thing... did you pre-register? yeah.. name? Alejandra! ok. here's your number. (i hold it up, look around)... uh. how do i put this on my shirt? with pins. SHIT! was i supposed to bring my own PINS!? shit shit shit, i dont have pins (i start freaking out...they start laughing at me) no, no... pins are over there... where? there? (boy at table)...oh, sorry, we're out of pins. WHAT?? what do i do? uhhh...... (they find pins.) here ya go. (6 left i take 2)... okay.. GO GO GO. co-worker, where're you going? I GOTTA PEE!!!! ok, we're going. OKAY!!! radio boy... where are we going? I DONT KNOW! shit!! ::much much laughter:: this is the most unorganzied piece of crap i've ever been a part of what IS this? i dont know!! ::more laughter:: there, over there, there are people!! ok...go!!! (we run to track)
shit. where's the line? (we glance around...) SHIT! down the track about a quarter of a mile... hey. SHIT. i think they're over there. SHIT! ok. RUN RUN RUN... (we're sprinting. i dont sprint. i'm about die. i cant breathe. my legs are tightening up) ::much laughter:: what are we DOING? i dont know
(on loud-speakers)RUNNERS OUT THERE, YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES, GET TO THE LINE!!!!!
yeah no shit, WE ARE, dont you see us running? JEEEEEsus. ::more laughter, i think i'm going to cry out of pure confusion:: holy shit, radio boy, i'm already tired. yeah me too. HEY! (i look over) co-worker, there you are!! where are we going?! HELL IF I KNOW!!!! ::laughter::
(get to table. velcro-y thing thrown at me.)
what is this? chip timer! ok? what do i do? i dont know... soccer boy..hey!! glad you made it!! yeah, me too, what do i do with this?? put it on your ankle! oh... (i strap it on) well great. thats not going to be weird...
lunge...lunge...(attempting to catch breath and stretch) WOOOP WOOOP WOOOP race starts.
holy shit... AND WE'RE OFF!!!!!!
(inner dialogue) what the hell just happened? i cant believe i'm actually doing this. i thought this was going to start at 8:00, i didnt even get to stretch. i'm still trying to catch my breath from sprinting for a quarter mile down here. this is so ridiculous, why doesnt this happen to anyone else? what is going on. (i look around) holy shit this is a huge track. i have to go around this twice? shit... well, i'm definitely going to fast for this, i gotta slow down
hey!! soccer boy and radio boy... dont run with me!!! what?? why? BECAUSE!!! i'm going too fast. i dont like to run with people it screws up my pacing. just leave me. go! are you sure?? yeah!! i'll see you at the end (i get a weird look from soccer boy) ok!! bye!!
(inner dialogue again) ok now that thats taken care of maybe i can manage to BREATHE. for crying out loud this is ridiculous. i run further than this all the time. its 3 miles. its 3 miles. an easy 3 mile run. no big deal (cant breathe) SLOW YOURSELF DOWN you aren't racing... (i glance behind me) holy SHIT i'm super close to the end. SHIT! what if i'm last. i dont want to be last. thats so embarrassing. i have to run 16 miles tomorrow. why am i even HERE. this was so dumb. i'm a huge idiot.
beep beep beep beep beep (watch tells me i've gone 1 mile)
sweet. one mile. (runner comes up next to me---Asthma Girl, she's also struggling) hey!!! we just went a mile!! oh really? yup. cool!! yeah!! wait... just one mile?! yeah... shit!! oh. sorry... (we continue running same pace, start talking...)
so we run and talk and run and talk and its going pretty well. i can feel my body finally realizing that i'm USED TO THIS, so the running is becoming easier and i start to sort of feel warmed up. okay. i can do this....
VROOM VROOM. holy SHIT thats the pace car.... what the? WOOOOSH. i get lapped by super fast runner boy. awesome. WOO-WOOSH...WOOSH.. lapped by 3 more dudes...
Asthma girl and i continue to run/talk/laugh at how slow we are. i accept the fact that i'm towards the end, but decide screw it. this was supposed to be fun.
hey... its 2.34 miles!! cool. yeah!! listen...i'm going to pick it up for the last half mile, okay? (that was me talking) ok, yeah..me too. cool! (run..run..) ok. half mile, lets GO!!! (run...run) we run for a minute, Asthma Girl informs me...oh god. its getting hard to breathe... dont worry, you can do this. we have less than half a mile. we got this (i pep-talk her as best i can)...(we run some more, we have .3 to go. i can feel my body wanting to sprint...i start going) i think i'm going to have an asthma attack..
(inner dialogue) WHAT???? shit!!!!!! i dont even know this chick. shit. what do i do?
are you okay? yeah.. i'm good
(inner dialogue) shit shit shit. i could really go faster right now.. what do i do? i cant leave her, what if she dies? i'll be the girl who left her. but i'm so close. I'M JUST SO CLOSE
hey..i'm fine. go ahead. you sure?! yeah... ok! you're doing awesome!!! bye!!
(inner dialogue) GO! GO! GO! GO!
(i see clock at finish line...my goal time was 35 minutes) 34:42....34:46..:47...:49....35:00 NOOOOOO!! i'm not there yet!!!! RUN FASTEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! 35:06 WHOOSH, i'm done!
I DID IT I DID IT I FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hoorah for me!
::hysterical laughter::
(inner dialogue) now that was some messed up shit!
-----------
and that, my running-blog-family, was my first race experience.
and YOU said it'd be "no big deal"... (!!!)
Comments
DATE: 10:53 AM
I'm cracking up here. Seriously. Because this sounds like something I would have happen in my own little world of 'not-really-a-runner-but-I'm-running-for-my-life' life. Keep on running. And I'll keep reading.=)
Posted by: Shelly | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 2:48 AM
Congratulations on your first run, way to go. Great account of the experience, try to get there earlier next time;)
Posted by: Jack | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 9:00 PM
totally cute, funny post. nice job on your first race!
Posted by: partyrunner | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 7:06 PM
On the brighter side, you didn't have to stand around the start line with a case of the Nervous Nellies wondering if you were "good enough" to beat the people around you. It was a cluster f**k of a race so you can write it off as having done better than the organizers. Good luck with the next race.
Posted by: David | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 5:03 PM
Dude, you are awesome! If I had to sprint 1/4 mile to get to the start, I would have called that my race and that would be the end of it! Great job, the first of many, I'm sure.
Posted by: Mia Goddess | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 3:40 PM
ha, we really did have similar experiences. however, at least you knew your time! i also love love love your description of yourself on your profile. i often consider myself the same way.
Posted by: SashaF | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 1:23 PM
Nice job!ps - you need to change the name of your blog because you ARE a runner now!
Posted by: 21st Century Mom | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 1:21 PM
Hee! Just take away your clothes, and that's the absolute nightmare of any race. You managed to rebound amzingly well, though. Just think, it'll never be this bad again!
Posted by: Noames | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 1:16 PM
First, congratulations for finishing your first race. It's a wonderful thing, even if it was a bit goofy.Race day rule - Show up at least one hour before start time. That allows you to stretch, relax, etc. And if you're 30 minutes late, you still have time. That applies more and more strictly as race distance increases.This made for a great story, though. And it was a shorter race, so no harm done.
Posted by: Tom | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 12:08 PM
Make sure you find 300-lb beefatron with a palpitating heart eating Krispy Kremes and smoking a cigar to run with.
Posted by: Viper | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 10:53 AM
yup, dang-it, i think i might be... i just signed up for the susan g. komen 5K.... sunday!!.i'm SO showing up at LEAST an hour early.and bringing my own pins! ;)
Posted by: a.maria | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 10:47 AM
Well, despite it all you did it - congrats! Hooked yet?
Posted by: Riona | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 9:42 AM
Once, while driving to a race, I had to pull off the road to let the runners pass. Now, I try to get there an hour early. These goofy things always make the best stories.
Posted by: Scooter | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 8:22 AM
Great race report! What an experience for your first race. My first 5k race, when I crossed the finish line I swore I would never run again.Congratulations!
Posted by: Ali | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 8:03 AM
what a trip! schfthirty-schfive o schfvix... you rock!
Posted by: Raudel | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 5:52 AM
I'm outta breath just reading this post! Good job on fianlly getting the the start and finishing strong!
Posted by: Flatman | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 12:53 PM
Oh wait...we didn't mention the part about being 'hazed' did we? Ooops, sorry!But see, now you'll be prepared for whatever gets thrown at you NEXT time. If it makes you feel any better, at my first race, we didn't have chips; we had to rip a number strip off the bottom of our bibs and hand it in as we crossed the finish...Only I had already ripped mine off - BEFORE THE RACE STARTED - cuz I didn't know what it was...so I ran the whole race with the strip tucked in the waist band of my shorts. And then had to hand it in, all sweaty. Nice, huh?
Posted by: Running Chick | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 9:51 AM
That was hilarious!! You had me on the edge of my seat wondering if you were going to bag it (I kept thinking, "no, no, keep looking!!") and you made it!The part about the safety pins was sooo true, and funny! Who can ever remember to bring that shit? And then the shoe chip...aiyeee!!Those people should be locked away for screwing you up so much. And oh, ashtma girl just had to choose you to run with! I could feel the angst!But in the end: GREAT JOB!!
Posted by: jeanne | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 8:39 AM
yeah you did it!! woohoo! the first race is in the books for A. nice job! too bad about the race organization but now you are prepared to take on anything that any race throws your way. you'll always be able to look back at your first race and say, bring it on!
Posted by: brent | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 6:37 AM
what a great story... sounds like some seriously shoddy race organisation... but damn, you ran a great time... woohoo, congrats!
Posted by: dg | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 6:21 AM
Holy criminy, A!!!!I know it's not nice to laugh at other's misfortune but this post made me laugh aloud (much to the confusion of my dog). You captured the confusion and I could hear/see you react.OK, the nice part of me offers condolences on a truly messed up race. And oh, you are not the only one this happens to. I went through the same thing in last year's Marine Corps Marathon, barely getting to the line as the horn blew after running all over creation to get there.So much more to comment on but I'll leave it at that. Keep posting like this; it's real.
Posted by: Viper | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 5:39 AM
Sounds like you made the best of a very poorly organized event. Great job!
Posted by: Keryn | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM