Race Etiquette

During my half marathon experience last weekend, it occurred to me that it would be good to share my best racing etiquette rules.

Here is my list of racing rules...and if you see something I'm missing? I'd love to have you chime in!

Rule #1: Do not cut in line. You think this should be good common sense no matter what, but I encountered quite a few line cutters last weekend. Get there early and wait your turn. This goes for waiting for any shuttles/transportation, porta-potties, getting water, etc.

Rule #2: If you need to walk, move to the far right. It is a very frustrating experience indeed if you are trying to run and pass a walker in the middle of the road. I've had races where I needed to walk - including last Saturday. That's fine, just move right.

Rule #3: If racing with a friend, be mindful of others that want to pass. For some, running and finishing a race with a friend can be a very positive experience. Just make sure you are doing your best to let runners easily pass you and that you're not blocking half of the roadway.

Rule #4: When taking water from a water stop, move out of the way. All it takes is to have a few people slow or stop in the middle of the road for chaos to ensue. Most water stops are fairly long, so what I like to do is keep running until the very end of the water stop. This way I can get my drink quickly and move on. Again, just pay attention to others around you.

Rule #5: Do NOT throw your garbage in runners' paths! Believe it or not, it is perfectly acceptable to toss your water cup on the ground and keep running. Volunteers are there to keep things swept. However, it is extremely rude to splash your water or throw your garbage in the middle of the road. Runners can easily fall. Even worse, last Saturday I saw a girl spit - and I do mean SPIT on the ground just in front of another runner. Again, MOVE RIGHT.

Rule #6: Be aware of your conversation (if any). If you're going to say anything, make it positive. And don't be annoying. My friend Joan was unfortunately stuck behind a runner telling another runner what was coming up ahead in the course, etc. etc. It was irksome. She also encountered someone that had finished the race and had come back to spectate to tell fellow runners how the rest of their group was already pretty much done, but to keep going. I pretty much don't say much on the course. I did say "go, marathoners!" when the 1/2 and full course split up and I did hollar a bit at mile 11. But that was it. No need to bemoan your pain or suffering to other runners. Keep it to yourself. (Unless, of course, you are in need of medical attention.)

Rule #7: Don't be a snob. I'm not the fastest runner in the world, but I have a few race times I'm pretty pleased with. However, it's important to remember that whether you run the race in an hour or two...it's the same distance for everyone and a huge accomplishment! Remember to celebrate everyone that finishes. This is their race, too.

What else would you add to my list?

Photo credit Harrison Keely

Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon Race Recap

I'm proud to say I finished my fourth half marathon yesterday!

This was my first Rock 'n Roll event. There were some things I really liked about this particular race, and there were also some things I found incredibly annoying.

Let's start with the good:

::The weather was perfect! Seriously, I don't think I've ever run a race in better conditions ever. Upper 50's, low 60's, cloud cover...perfect.
::The course was mostly flat. Maybe you'd disagree with me if you were an out-of-towner, but as far as Northwest courses go? This one was pretty tame.
::The music/entertainment was great! I'd recommend this race for anyone with a super short attention span. There was ALWAYS something keeping you going on this course...bands, fans, water stations, and the like.

Now for the things that irked me:

::The pre-run stuff was not fun. The race starts in Tukwila and ends at Qwest Center in downtown Seattle. However, you had to park at Qwest and take one of the shuttles down to Tukwila. This took a long time. From the time we parked until we got to Tukwila? One hour.
::The corrals. While the race started at 7, it didn't start for me until near 7:30. UGH. I don't think I've EVER been in a race where it took so long to get the runners through the start line.
::My knee and hip! About mile 8 or 9, my left hip and knee started to feel buggy. I ended up having to walk a good chunk of the time the last 4 or 5 miles....which resulted in a not-so-good overall finishing time for me.

That being said, here's my stats...

Time: 2:47
Place: 12,879/17,593
Gender Place: 8,634/12,560
I finished before 39.5% of the people in my division

This is definitely a far cry from my PR of 2:10 (in 2005), but I am glad to have finished this race and added another medal to my collection.

Of course, I had to pull all my medals out tonight. I'd forgotten my first half marathon was in 2003...to think I've been doing half and full marathons for seven years now surprised me!

Pictured: (from L-R: 2003 Seattle Half Marathon, 2004 Vancouver Full Marathon, 2004 Seattle Full Marathon, 2005 Federal Escape Sprint Triathlon, 2006 Seattle Half Marathon, 2007 Disney World Full Marathon, 2010 Seattle Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon)

Not Pictured: 2005 Mercer Island Half Marathon. They did not give out medals for this race, and it's a crying shame. That's the race I got my 2:10 PR on!

I have a couple more things I want to share soon as I've reflected on marathoning. They deserve their own posts though...so stay tuned.

Tomorrow is race day

Ah....the day before a race.

How am I feeling? Nervous. Excited. Ready to go already. Ready to be celebrating my accomplishment, sore feet and medal hanging from my neck.

I can't believe here I finally am. After starting out of shape and overweight several months ago, I've lost most of the weight and am capable of finishing a half marathon without killing myself! The human body is truly an amazing thing. While I wish I would've pushed myself harder to have lost those last few pounds, I am truly grateful at the progress I have made.

Yesterday I picked up my timing chip and racing bib. I must say that most of this last week I haven't really been "feeling" this race. And then something happened when I walked into the expo. Maybe it's the loud music and flashing lights. Maybe it's being surrounded by hundreds of runners that are gearing up to run the same race. Or maybe it's the memory of preparing for my first half marathon several years ago. Whatever the case, I can say I'm ready!

I was talking to my friend Denise last night on the phone. I had the pleasure of training for and running my my recent marathon, The Disney World 2007 Marathon, with her. I was telling her how as I left the expo yesterday, I was fighting back tears. She understood exactly what I meant by that. There is just something so powerful, so moving, and life-changing about the marathon process. I can't fully articulate it (and I am a person of many words).

I feel so blessed that after two kids, I'm still at this. And no doubt tomorrow, even after 3 half marathons and 3 full marathons, there will still be a few tears of hard-earned accomplishment.

Time to eat some pasta, put my feet up a little, and picture that finish line.

See you on the other side!


Pictured above: my running shirt, bib, and swag from yesterday's Expo