Letter to the Race Organizer

Dear Race Organizer,

Thank you for your recent event.  I felt  better during and after the marathon than I ever have before.  The support on the course was fantastic between the aid and hydration stations and the entertainment and cheering crowds.  I very much enjoyed my actual running experience.

But I have a few complaints.  The goody bags were pathetic.  A few coupons and some dish soap samples?  Come on!  Not even a t-shirt -- you had to FINISH the marathon to even get an event shirt.  That's stupid -- at least you should get the t-shirt for paying for the event and trying to finish. Granted I finished, but thats not the point for all those depressed DNFers out there.

I have never before been to a worse expo.  Running is not all about Nike.  The fun of an expo is wandering around, looking at new products, trying some out and getting free stuff.  I do not need to try on Nike sport bras or sign up for Nike Plus or get my picture taken in front of a Nike sign or drink more Gatoraide (I drank enough of that in training).  The expo was small and essentially lame.  We were in and out in 5 minutes.

As for the race, can you please announce race and running etiquette before the Start?  Like for all those people who decide to walk.  PLEASE walk off to the side.  A marathon is long enough without having to dodge walkers.  Please, please, please do NOT run with change in your pocket!  It is extremely irritating to hear the jingle for miles when I don't have the energy to sprint past you (or when I finally do, you decide to pick up the pace and pass me back).  Ughhh!  And for all you Team in Training Coaches out there...  please don't dash in front of other runners, to get to a teammate to cheer them on.  Plan better, or be on the correct side of the road, or something... anything!  But don't make me slow down or stop for you to do your coaching thing.

Now to the race finish.  You promote the Tiffany bling as the race "medal" at the end.  But all it is is a tiny little necklace with a microscopic charm on it that looks nothing like what you'd expect out of Tiffany.  And, pardon me, shouldn't the Marathoners get something different from the Half Marathoners?  Come on!  We raced twice as far, shouldn't we get a little more of an award???  Frankly, I'd rather have the traditional Marathon Medal -- so much cooler.

And last, but certainly not least... No post-race food at the finish after 26.2 miles, except water and a cold bagel?  I thought this was an anomally of poor planning at the Las Vegas Marathon, but apparently it's a chronic problem that race organizers let the Half Marathoners eat all the food before the Marathoners can get there.

So thank you for the experience, Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco, California.  I'm glad I ran and finished your marathon.  It was an accomplishment.  But I won't be back.  Next time, I'll be running the Napa Valley Marathon where my "goody bag" is an actual dufflebag or back pack.  Where at the finish, I'll get a real medal.  And where there's hot showers and an actual meal, including hot soup, waiting for all the finishers.  Maybe you should look into that.

Sincerely,
Marathon Finisher

NWM 2011, Running the Stats

Mile 24

After an 18 week training plan and 584 miles of running, I have finished my 3rd marathon.  The Nike Women's Marathon was held last Sunday, October 16th in the beautiful (and hilly) City of San Francisco.  I drove up on Friday morning (did you ever realize how boring the 5 Freeway is?) and arrived just in time to hit 5 o'clock traffic.  Thanks to Rae (and her husband Chad who has every connection imaginable) we got rooms at the St. Regis, just a short walk to the expo and start of the marathon at Union Square.  Some very ritzy accommodations for the very down to earth runners that we were.  I probably will never see the inside of that hotel again, because I never could afford the regular price of the room.  But I must say we were very intrigued by the offer of the Krug Ultimate Bath which cost a mere $1600 and included champagne and caviar.  Maybe next time.

Saturday we headed out for a short run to loosen our legs and find Union Square. And after a carb-rich breakfast, we wandered down to the expo to register and pick up our packets.  The expo was the worst marathon expo I have ever been to.  No offense Nike, but not everything is about Nike!  How about some vendors and free stuff?!?  We spent the rest of the day hitting Nike Town (can you say mad house?) and doing too much pre-marathon walking on the streets and warf of San Francisco.  Our day finished up with some good ole' carbo loading pasta with red sauce.

Race morning, we were up bright and early.  I hit the instant oatmeal (not so tasty) and a banana for some pre-race fuel, suited up, and headed out at 6am to walk to the start.  Nike hype and estrogen abounded in Union Square where approximately 22,500 runners (mostly women and a very few men) waited for the start.  I took my place in the 7:30 to 8:59 minute per mile corral and at 7:00 am it was go time.  My first 3 miles were in the low 8 minute/mile range.  Matt had to point out that my 4th mile was one of my slowest, probably because I panicked that I was running too fast.  The course was hilly, especially the first half, but thanks to my Sunset Road running, I breezed through them.  At mile 11, we headed deeper into Golden Gate Park and about 18,000 Half Marathoners broke off to head to the finish.  Suddenly the masses of runners and the crowds of spectators were nearly gone, and we marathoners headed off into almost weird quiet.  Where did everyone go?  At mile 16, we rounded the corner close to the Finish Village  We got a glimpse of the finish line and a taste of what was to come after another 10 miles, and then started out along the Great Highway and the Pacific Coast.  After a lap around Lake Merced, we headed back up the coast toward the finish.  At mile 24, I saw Willem who ran beside me and captured my sweaty, tired form on film; and at mile 25, Chad and the Idaho contingent cheered me in.  Shortly before mile 25 a pacer caught me and led me in to finish at goal time and with my fastest mile the entire marathon.

Here's the stats:
My finishing time: 3:50:28
Overall Place: 223
Place of Female Marathon Finishers: 188
Place in Age Division (F35-39): 29 out of 831
Total Marathon Starters: 6324
Total Marathon Finishers: 4771
Females: 4389
Males: 382

It was my best marathon yet (although not my fastest by 5 minutes).  I felt great, I never wanted to walk, and I finished strong.  And the next day, only my knees were a little sore and my legs a little achy; and two days after, even that was gone.  Next up, maybe the Napa Valley Marathon on March 4, 2012.  A little running, a little wine, and some beautiful wine country... what could be better than that?