A few thoughts - Running from the back of the pack.

This post goes out to all of you that run. 

Fast or Slow. Long or short distance. This is especially for all of you race directors or those who help plan or sponsor or volunteer or support a runner - celebrate slow!

I want to talk for a moment about running in the back of the pack. Being slow isn't a curse. It isn't something to be ashamed of and it isn't something that should be punished or disregarded.

We work just as hard and sometimes harder than those that running is more natural. We push, push, push, push, do hill workouts, and do short speed interval and long speed intervals. We do tempo runs and we sweat just like everyone else oh and we cry. Some of you have been witness to my mental and physical break downs. We don't all look like runners. Some of us are older, or short, or fat, or skinny, or injured, or sick in some way that doesn't show...we are diabetic, or battling mental demons, we are strong, and we broken, but we keep going day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year.

I am not taking anything away from the quicker runners and am only speaking from my humble perspective. I admire you. I love watching you run. You make it beautiful. I am jealous. I want to be a gazelle not a rhino.

Here is where I get ticked off...

I have had more than one person say you did a marathon? You mean a 10k? Or you mean a half marathon? NO I DON'T MEAN EITHER OF THOSE. I RAN A MARATHON. A WHOLE MARATHON. 26.2 LONG, HOT, PAINFUL MILES. ALL OF THEM NOT HALF NOT OR SOME SMALLER PORTION. AND YES I AM YELLING.

I have also had well meaning people tell me they are amazed at how much exercise I do and that I am not much smaller than I am. I am not tiny, but I am fit. I see my doctor regularly and I have stellar bloodwork. On paper I am the model of health, but no I am not tiny. 

Okay and my last rant.

My race rant.

I trained for my race for about 28 weeks. I did not just decide to DO a Marathon a few weeks prior. I did months of base runs and speedwork and long long long runs. I did my research and chose a race that was not only slow runner friendly, but also walker friendly. There was only one cut off point and I would need to maintain a 16 minute mile pace up until about mile 22. 

I maintained somewhere between a 13-15 minute mile pace for the majority of the race. I made it to the cut off point with a little time to spare. As I have mentioned in my other posts my feet blistered. So my last 3.5 miles or so were much slower and the pace was about 19 minute miles, but since we had passed the sweep point it didn't much matter because I was going to finish.

Here are the parts of the race that really hurt as a back of the pack runner...and I wasn't last and I had actually passed people.

When the race brags about having each mile marked with different groups to cheer on the runners and when I get to several of the mile markers the tents are deserted or the groups are breaking them down it hurts. I was doubting myself. Why was it that the back of the pack runners are not receiving the same fanfare? I know that many of these  stations are manned by volunteers, but have them come in shifts...have them manned until the cut off point is reached. Celebrate Slow! Now the tents that were still manned were awesome and I appreciate each and every one of those volunteers that waited and cheered and shook those cowbells.

The back of the pack is thin. Sometimes there are very big gaps between runners. I am sure this isn't the most thrilling part of the race, but it is the most thrilling for us.

When I crossed the finish line, a good portion of the volunteers there, were there because they had come with me. My entourage (I have always wanted to say that) consisted of 15 people from 6 states and more than half of them had volunteered. I didn't expect masses of people, but it was even thinner than I had anticipated. The race store was closed. The race barriers were being broken down. By the time I waddled over to where the post race party was being held it was a ghost town. The only food available for the runners was BBQ - I don't eat meat. I asked if there was anything for a vegetarian...and was told there was pasta salad but it would cost me $3. Three dollars. Really? I just ran 26.2 flippin miles. I didn't bring my wallet. Oh and then they were out so it didn't really matter anyway. The beer truck was still there, but it was packed up and pulled out not more than ten minutes after I got there. All I wanted was something to eat, a beer and a place to sit, but the chairs had all been put up. We had to get our own chairs and put them back after we watched the food area close and the beer truck drive away. 

I felt that I was an afterthought. My accomplishment was not as important as those that finished in four or five hours. This was my first marathon. This may be my only marathon. I wanted to feel this was as big a deal as I thought it was. If you are going to advertise being walker friendly...those that cross the line last should feel as special as those that finish first. We were out there for seven plus hours. Moving. Running. Walking. Crying. In pain. For seven plus hours. We deserve all the same rewards. 

This was the seventh year of this particular race, not the first. The finish times from last year are similar to this year. This shouldn't have been a surprise.

I filled out the post race survey with my concerns and I also emailed the organizers. My response was basically we will take it into consideration for next year. I feel like my concerns have been swept unter the rug and I am still a wee bit angry. 

I think that is all. 

Please don't pity the people at the back...cheer for us, motivate us and celebrate our accomplishments - BECAUSE WE ARE RUNNERS TOO!