The worst-run race I ever experienced ... and why

  But first, full disclosure. I’m not actually gonna tell you which race it was. Not worth the litigation exposure.

 Any runner who has done more than a few races can tell stories of the best and worst run events. Be they 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, full marathons, or ultras, each race has a story.

 

This is not that race.

 

What lessons can be learned from the worst of all races?

 A few years ago, I splurged on a fancy themed destination half marathon, starting and finishing on an historic resort property. The website was flashy. The swag looked swell. The course photos were scenic. And a friend was an enthusiastic race ambassador. So I signed up.

 Oh, boy. Was I in for a surprise or what?

1. The entry fees were higher than most major races. This might have been OK, if the race was aimed at benefiting some worthy charity. But nope. It was all for-profit.
2. The race expo was miniature, despite big hype beforehand. Basically, the only exhibitors were the race company, the pacer organization, and a couple of referral/multi-level marketing (read: pyramid) sellers hawking scents and soaps and such. There wasn’t a running-related vendor in sight.
3. The swag tees were flimsy and cheap. To make matters worse, several runners didn’t receive the sizes they ordered. And for those who did, the fit wasn’t as expected.
4. The race map was generic with no race info. The race company had simply copied the resort’s publicity map. No race directions, course routes, or other relevant information was added.
5. The location wasn’t all it was advertised to be. Who knew the pretty lakefront locale would be overcome by lake algae, with wave ripples sending sludge and foam along the shoreline running path?
6. Parking was very limited. Runners who opted not to stay as guests at the resort property had to park along the edge of a busy, curvy county highway and hoof it to the race location. They also neglected to arrange for shuttling relay runners to the midpoint. (I didn’t do the relay, but I heard this was a real quagmire.)
7. They had no PA system for the start (or finish). This led to some confusion, as mid-to-back-of-pack runners could not even hear the start. And it was a good thing runners knew the national anthem by heart, even if we couldn’t find the flag anywhere around.
8. The course roads were open. Ever run a half marathon on the narrow or non-existent shoulder of a county highway? (Remember what I said about runners having to park out there too?) OK, some of the course traced a running path, but after the first mile or so, the course hit the roads. And so did the traffic.
   
9. No split clocks on the course. Hey, they barely even had directional signs. And that’s only if you count chalk arrows on the ground at various turns. (And don’t get me started about the total lack of course marshals to direct runners and vehicular traffic.)
10. What? Only two aid stops for a half marathon? And all they offered was water -- lukewarm water on a hot summer morning.
11. The final stretch ran across loose gravel and the resort’s lawn. Tired runners trudged through bumpy terrain to reach the finish line. Smile for the cameras, folks! And don't step on those flower beds. Just leap over them.
    
12. The finish line ran out of waters before half of the field finished. Who counted the registrants and then planned the purchase of finisher water bottles?
13. The post-race breakfast ran out of food. The race promotional materials highlighted the fancy eggs Benedict and bacon breakfast. Photos displayed tables of colorful fresh fruit, elegant pastries, and assorted giant cookies. But anyone crossing the finish line after the first 100 runners or so had to settle for a paper cup of warm water and a granola bar.
14. One bartender was expected to serve hundreds of runners at the after-party. Mimosas for everyone! Well, only those who got there first or stood in a line that wrapped around the whole crowd.
15. The race organization became my permanent pen pal after the event. Despite many unsubscribe requests on my part, they continue to flood my email address with announcements for this event and others they hold in various destinations. I think I will pass.

 

What were the pluses?

 They had fabulous pacers (actually a different company) and really spiffy finisher medals. And my friend (the race ambassador) gave me a 10% discount code on the event.

 Was that enough?

 

Related Items:

·        Choosing running races: How do you pick which races to enter?

·        Race aid stations - What are they serving this time?

·        Race management: 10 tips for choosing race tees

·        Race volunteers are both valued and violated

·        Sports nutrition: What runner foods do you hate?

  

Image/s: National Parks Race - public domain photo

 

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Activity trackers -- You're never fully dressed without a dial

“Hey, running pals. Wait for me! I’ve gotta charge my tracker again.”

Are you with me? How many times have you mustered the wherewithal to step out for a run (especially a longer run), only to glimpse at your Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Watch, or other activity tracker (or even smart phone app) and groan? Then, of course, you have to stop and plug the thing in, so it won’t quit along the way.

After all, do miles really count, if they aren’t counted?

Sure, they do. But somehow the trip seems different to us, if it’s not recorded electronically.

Runners find it rewarding to reach our daily distance goals. We love the startling buzz (or pulse or beep), when an activity tracker alerts us that today’s step count has been met.

We’ve all known the disappointment of having a device run out of juice during a record run or a big race. So we sit in parking lots with our car engines running, willing our gadgets to charge faster. We duck back indoors and plug our wristbands in to top off their batteries. We close out inactive apps to keep our phones from running down too fast while we run.

And there’s that dreaded day when a runner discovers mid-run that he or she has slipped out without strapping on that wristband. It’s a scary naked feeling, to be sure.

Remember the scene from Annie, when the kids sang “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile”? Take a look and a listen:

Runners have a slightly different version. We feel less-than-completely-clothed when we skip our trackers.

We're never fully dressed without a dial.

Last week, I joined my chorus onstage for a performance. The costuming required me to leave my Garmin behind until we returned to the backstage area. It was almost creepy. All I had on my left wrist was a slight tan-line.

I’m not falling for that trap today. I just have to rev the thing up before I slip it on again.

“I’ll be along in a few minutes. I’m up to 60% already. C’mon, tracker. Charge up!”

Images:

Adapted by this user from public domain artwork

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Race management: 10 tips for choosing race tees

Sweet swag attracts runners.

That’s sort of a given. Sure, runners pound the pavement to become fit and reach personal exercise goals. We enter races, hoping to motivate ourselves to run faster, record personal best times, and perhaps even earn medals and age-group or overall awards.

At the same time, many of us enjoy collecting commemorative event tee shirts and other race-related promotional items. We tend to wear race tees, hoodies, jackets, caps, visors, headbands, and other swag in subsequent races and all over town, as these tees sort of become badges of honor for repeat racers.

NOTE: Written by this author, this copyrighted material originally appeared on another publisher’s site. That site no longer exists. This author holds all rights to this content. No republication is allowed without permission.

Are race tees a bonus or a booby prize?

Running race tees can be delightful or drab. These logo-sporting garments may be wonderful or altogether unwearable. Seasoned racers know the drill.

How many times have we anted up big bucks to enter fun runs, charity races, full marathons, or triathlons – only to donate the hard-earned tee shirts soon afterwards, simply because we could not (or would not) wear them?

Race management: 10 tips for choosing race tees

  

What are the features of the best (and worst) race tee shirts?

Here’s a basic checklist of commemorative race apparel features, so event planners and participants may evaluate choices.

1. Fabric

The best race tees usually are constructed in today’s high-tech athletic textiles. These lightweight and breathable fabrics are comfortable to wear, layer well, and actually wick moisture away from the skin. Traditional jerseys and knits are fine for casual wear, but they are not nearly as popular for actual runs and workouts as tech gear.

2. Fit

Well-tailored running tees are a blessing. Poorly constructed ones are a drag. How many avid runners eagerly pick up race packets, only to find the event top is not true to size? For example, a popular national night light run was recently flooded with return requests, when its adult-sized tee shirts turned out to be too small for young kids.

3. Color

Color selection is key, when it comes to race tees. This spring, a Midwest charity run presented participants with pastel-colored tops that proved to be see-through and looked more like underwear or pajamas than actual garments. Plenty of entrants complained about the choice.

A popular winter race series recently sported white tech tees, which were almost altogether see-through. Those tops are fine for layering, but that’s not practical in several seasons.

4. Style

Race organizers choose to offer tanks/singlets, short-sleeve tees, long-sleeve tops, half-zips, or even warm-up jackets to participants. Design is critical, as some runners may appreciate more coverage than others. A midriff or singlet, for example, may not be universally popular. A more traditional tee top might be.

5. Gender/age designs

Increasingly, running events offer a wide selection of tee shirt sizes for men, women, and kids. These may even be constructed in different styles to suit these divisions. Women’s styles tend to be more contoured (and perhaps fit tighter), so many women opt for men’s tops when offered the choice.

6. Fashionability

A dowdy race top is unlikely to win rave reviews. Savvy race organizers track current styles and patterns from top athletic apparel makers for ideas.

7. Logo/emblem

Race tops invariably feature their event logos, often accompanied by those of the event sponsors. Frequently, the race date and location are included as well.

Race logo design can add interest and appeal, or it can fall flat. A few weeks ago, a 5K fun run to raise awareness of sexual violence against women featured a rather suggestive woman’s silhouette in its event logo. More than a few participants and spectators suggested the graphic may have been too graphic for the cause.

8. Race-specific options

Plenty of running events include kids runs, 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, or other multiple distance options. Race planners then must consider whether they will offer different tee shirt designs for each event or one for all. At a major city marathon/half marathon event, some 26.2-ers complained that the 13.1-ers received the exact same shirts. Others didn’t seem to mind this at all.

9. Seasonal applicability

Although veteran runners often do not wear same-day event tees, saving them instead for later, a fair amount do don them immediately. For this reason, these garments should be seasonally relevant. A lightweight tank might not work for a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, when a race jacket or half-zip fleece might be just the ticket.

10. Price/value

Race tees may be tagged as event swag (or give-aways), but runners tend to expect fair value for their paid entries. Racers appreciate quality garments.  Experienced runners are clued in, fully aware that large race organizers and charity run planners generally are able to enjoy significant discounts for their bulk orders. Cheaply made, poorly constructed, flimsy tees may send participants running to other events in the future.

Will race tees make it into the closet or the clothing donation bag?

A month ago, close to 1,000 runners paid $30 apiece for a local running event. The race tees were made of cheap nylon fabric in faint sea foam blue and light pink with crooked side seams. The logo printing on the nearly transparent fabric was flawed and positioned unevenly on the front of each shirt. The product labels could be clearly read through the back of each tee. The trim on the v-neck openings in the front of the shirts would not lay flat. Even the most fit women runners sported some bra bulge in the back in these scanty tees.

Although runners said they were pleased to donate to the worthy cause this event represented, many expressed their disappointment to find they would probably never wear the tees. Onlookers have to wonder how this race tee choices may affect the popularity of next year’s race.

Overall, if race tees are worth doing, they are worth doing well. If runners are proud of their race-wear, they are more likely those items wear it again and again. And that spells greater visibility for the events they have chosen.

Images:

Public domain photo

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