my two cents to runners and race managers

Last Saturday, I ran a 5K in support of the cross country program at the high school where I teach.
 

@ The Chiefs 5K

I ran this last year, but they, thankfully, changed the venue. Previously, it was at a park with a gravel path in a primarily wooded area. You had to loop three times to make the course 5K - I hate looping - and by the end of it, I had all kinds of bug bites on my legs.

So needless to say, I was super excited to find out that this year the race was going to be at the new outlet mall in our area. I was eager to run this race, and I did okay. Certainly, it was not my best time, but you can't expect much better when you haven't been running regularly and have been eating poorly the past couple #summer months.

It was chip timed, and here are the results that were sent to me via e-mail: Your 5K time was 33:30. Your pace was 10:47/M. You were number 147 overall. You were number 4 of 10 in your age group 36-40.

Those results look better than I did by the end of this race...

Me leaning on a parking sign.
That was appropriate since my butt was PARKED there for awhile trying to catch my breath.

Afterwards, as I reflected on this race, I realized that after running over twenty races, I've learned a few things about running and 5Ks that I'd like to pass along. There's wisdom here folks - running and race coordinating wisdom. Take it to the bank!

Proverbs 28:26 Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

So, here it is! My Two Cents To Runners and Race Managers

1. Runner - Go pee before the race starts. Yes, I know you went pee before you left the house this morning. And yes, I know you don't feel like you need to pee right now. But mark this down, if you don't pee before you start a race, you WILL have to pee at some point during your run. And that is #nofun.

2. Race Manager - Do NOT advertise that your course is mostly flat if it is NOT mostly flat. If it contains some rolling hills for about half the course but then is mostly downhill afterwards THEN SAY THAT! A runner has to get herself mentally ready for the challenges that lie ahead, so your false advertisement is frustrating to realize in the midst of running a 5K. Besides, when it comes to races and signing up for races, if you lie to me, I will not come back next year! DON'T LIE!

3. Runner - If you want a good 5K pace and overall time, train for it! If you don't train for speed, you will be disappointed, and no one wants to leave a 5K disappointed in her performance! Along these same lines, if you eat garbage leading up to your run, your run will be garbage. Do yourself a favor. Don't sabotage yourself!

4. Race Manager - Never. NEVER run out of t-shirts. This is a huge #nono. Especially if you advertise that you are going to have awesome technical t-shirts instead of the ratty cotton ones. PLEASE! Do not run out of said awesome t-shirts! This makes me really REALLY not want to invest in your race again next year - or ever. Yes, I ran the race to support your cause, but typically, I run for two other very important reasons: to be able eat more without guilt AND to get another racing t-shirt. When you run out of shirts, you seriously injure one of my racing passions - collecting 5K shirts.

Well, those are just a few words of wisdom to myself, to fellow runners, and to race managers that I gleaned from this particular 5K experience and that I have gleaned from my racing "career" as a whole. Take it or leave it; the choice is yours.

Today's forget-me-not: "Before anything else, preparation is the key to success."
  - Alexander Graham Bell