Update 6/25/13: The timing company corrected the results online. Yay!
Ahh, local road races. We’ve had so many good times together over the past year.
Like this .
And this.
And then this happened.
Hello, my name is Runner 940.
Boo.
So let me back up. Even though I woke up feeling slightly dehydrated (and, in truth, probably a little hung over) from a fun-filled Saturday night of a BBQ with friends and the Stanley Cup Finals, I decided I’d still go forward with the Military Peer Support 5K, which was one town over from us, and only had about 100 runners last year. I had a feeling that if I didn’t go, I probably would blow off running altogether that day, and I didn’t want that to happen. And – if we’re being honest – that wh0le sub-25 goal was in the back of my mind. Because of my past success with small, local races, I thought maybe – just maybe – this might be my chance.
But the universe wasn’t having it.
It was one of those races where a bunch of annoying little things happened. You know, I forgot to turn my Garmin on until we were a few minutes into the race, so I had no clue where I was, distance-wise, because there weren’t any mile markers. It was HOT – 83 degrees at start time – but since I’ve done most of my races in the unseasonably chilly spring, my body is still getting acclimated to running in the heat and humidity, so I immediately felt slow and sluggish. And then, the elastic to my ponytail somehow slipped and nearly inched it’s way off altogether — which in my years of running has never, ever happened — and I had to slow down to fix it.
I finished in under 26 minutes, which was A-OK with me, given the conditions. I didn’t think placing was a possibility, so after cooling down for awhile in the shade, I decided to head home since we had a million things to do.
Later in the day, I went on Cool Running and saw that not only did they screw up my information, but I actually placed third in my age group, meaning I won a prize … which apparently was awarded to the woman who came in nearly a minute after me.
I immediately emailed the timing company and the race contact but as of Monday morning, I haven’t heard back. I don’t care so much about the prize, but I’d at least like the official race records changed. And while I know mistakes happen, I am a little peeved because I would have placed no matter what age/gender group I was in, yet they didn’t take that into consideration. Is this what I get for not sticking around for the awards ceremony?
Grrrr.
Anyway, this experience got me thinking about the pros/cons of local road races:
Pros
- Lower turnout means less crowding and jockeying for position at the start of the race.
- Most local road races are fundraisers, so it feels nice to support community organizations.
- Not as many “serious” runners turn out for these races, so if you have a time goal in mind, or want to see if you could place in a race, this is your best bet.
- It’s fun to run with your friends and neighbors and see people you recognize.
Cons
- Few local races have bib/chip timing or time seeding, which makes it even more important to be right at the start line to ensure an accurate time.
- Tend to be disorganized and hectic (Hello, Runner 940).
- Kids often participate in community races, which is nice, but often turns it into a chaotic and dangerous event. Anyone who has ever run a 5K that included kids knows what I’m talking about.
- They rarely have mile markers so unless you have a GPS, you have no clue where you are in the race. And while this hasn’t happened to me, I’ve had friends and fellow bloggers run road races where the routes weren’t even marked, so they ended up veering off course.
Overall, I think so much depends on your motivation for doing a local road race, and whether you’re running to set a personal record or if you’re simply out there for fun and to support your local community. My problem is that the competitive side of me is always looking to set a new PR 😉
Anyway, I try to look at every race as a learning experience. Sunday’s race was a reminder to always try and register in advance. Not that it means you’ll never get misidentified in a race, but I think it drastically reduces your chances. And if you think there is even a slightest possibility you may have placed, then stick around for the awards presentation, or if you absolutely have to leave, then talk to a race organizer and mention your concern.
Runners, have you even been misidentified in a race? Were you able to correct it?
Nicole@RunningWhileMommy says
Ahh, that is a bummer. It happen to my son and I in a small local race once. We didn’t place, but I still told them and they never fixed it. I do like the small races but I do hate the lack of mile markers and official timing.
Sheri says
I was irked in May when they didn’t post the times for nearly a week! However, I was pleased that I beat my personal best…then again, wondering if they got the time right.
Chelley @ AIsForAdelaide says
Yes, I have. You should email and tweet them… tbey will get back to you and shoild be abke to help you out! Congrats on 3rd place!
Sharon - MomGenerations.com says
Congrats on ALL your races! If my name OR number was next to a 25, I’d be thrilled… but I certainly get your peeved-ness. Thanks for sharing…