I got to the race around 2PM to start setting up. I was amazed to find that Andrew, his wife, and 2 other volunteers had already set up the huge finish line, set up the packet pickup table, and were in the process of setting up the aid station. Andrew had already marked the course and we were good to go.
Folks started trickling in to pick up their race packets. Along with the regular race goodies (bib, other race flyers, power bars, coupons for stuff) we also gave everyone a flashlight and an aluminum water bottle. For fun we also threw in a tiara pin, pumpkin necklace, and a pumpkin lollipop with a glow stick as the lollipop stick. If nothing else, we had a great time shopping for stuff for our race goodies.
A few folks took off at the 3PM start. Some folks wanted to be finished long before midnight and others wanted the extra cushion. It was 95 degrees around 2PM but after a brief shower the temps dropped to 88 degrees. We all had a fear that the small shower would turn the race into a sauna but fortunately it didn’t.
We tried to ensure every participant got VIP treatment. This went double for the out of town folks. We had a family (all 3 were participants) drive in from Minnesota the night before. I am amazed that folks would put themselves in a car for 2 days (one way) for our race. I was determined to ensure that they had extra special VIP treatment due to their marathon effort just to get to the starting line.
I had previously arranged to run with a fellow MM, Melody, so at 5:15pm we took off. We wanted to add a buffer for hills, heat, and humidity. The course starts off by looping around the club house to the beach area on the lake. The lake is calm and serene. The view is beautiful. Then the road takes a turn for the first of many up hills that were to be faced on the looped course.
I didn’t know that the woman I arranged to run with was actually a speed walker. My (slow) run was faster than her walk so I joined her in speed walking so we could maintain our conversation. There is no PRs setting at MIBM so what the heck. I can walk fast during a race but this woman could move. I think she slowed it down a touch just so I could keep walking pace with her. I believe our pace was 14:20 min mile pace up the hills and 13:45 down the hills. For someone not versed in speed walking this was a challenge.
The race twisted and turned through the neighborhood of Lake Wildwood. There were small hills, killer hills, slight elevations, and an occasional 10 foot stretch of flat road. There are no mile markers so you have to judge your mileage by either Garmin (wasn’t wearing mine) or by the aid stations.
The two manned aid stations had water, poweraid, PB&J, pretzels, power bars, homemade muffins, bananas, cold wet sponges, and so much more. The volunteers there were exceptional at encouragement and getting you out as quickly as possible. There were also 2 other unmanned aid stations with water, power aid, and buckets with cold wet sponges. I believe the longest mileage between aid stations was approx 1.8 miles. We were hoping to prevent folks from dehydrating on their race.
I made it to the manned aid station at the midway point. I was ever so thankful to see the cheerful volunteers and a bit overwhelmed that we had only traversed 3.7ish miles. The weather is hovering around 88 degrees but it seemed so much hotter than that. A few more hills later we hit the second unmanned station climbed a few more hills and headed toward the completion of our first lap.
Somewhere on that first loop I started listening to what my body was telling me. If my body could actually form words it probably would have been name calling. I had been so focused on getting participants checked in, sent off, answering questions, making small talk with the runners and volunteers earlier in the day that I had forgotten to eat. I had lunch around 11:30 AM and somewhere on the loop around 6PM my body told me with no uncertainty that it was NOT happy.
We finally make it to the main aid station and I tell my partner to go on. I stuffed my face with PBJ, poweraid, and some cookies. The volunteers told me that they were overwhelmed with checking runners in, tracking runners as they looped, and maintaining the aid station. (There were only 3 of them). Glow sticks still needed to go out on the course to light up the signs and they were unable to break away to do this. I think a good RD would have called it quits right then and would have gone into volunteer status but I went out for one more loop so I could at least finish up a half marathon. I feel a bit bad about that.
So I took off with my iPod for company to complete my last loop. I caught up to my running partner and another woman walking. The other lady was also a MM and was really struggling. She was a bit upset that there was no Gu at the aid station when we stated there would be some there. (Inner monolog: Dang, she’s right. We totally messed up on that one). Melody gave her a Gu to the woman and I offered her my fanny pack full of gels. She took the Gu and rejected my fanny pack as she didn’t want the extra weight. We parted ways with the struggling woman. I stayed with Melody as her company was much better than my iPod. I shared how awful I felt about not having Gu at the aid stations and she pointed out that there was so much food at those stations that I shouldn’t let it bother me. Good point. I stopped worrying about it…..but there will be some GU on the tables next year.
Somewhere along this second loop the heavens opened up and the rain poured down in bucketfuls. My first thought, dang, there goes all of our chalk markings. We have signs up where to turn but we also put chalk on the road to help encourage runners that they were still on the course on those long stretches.
We continued on in the rain feeling rejuvenated. The rain washed off the early miles of sweat and discomfort and offer hope of even cooler temps. It also offered blisters but that is a small occupational hazard. I kept my phone with me during the race to alert home base if water was needed at the unmanned aid stations, found a down runner, or if someone was lost trying to find Lake Wildwood. Sadly, this rain also marked the end of my phone. Phone + rain = dead, short circuit, broken phone.
Even with the rain, the second loop seemed more difficult than the first loop. I was never so glad to reach the finish line and collect my medal. Also worth noting, each participant received a generic running medal where on the back of that medal was an inscription of the race and the participant’s name. That nice touch was Andrew’s idea. Folks really seemed to like that.
I changed into dry clothes and morphed into a volunteer. We assisted folks with food, encouraged runners when they came by, and provided assistance when it was needed. Several folks I noticed changed their mind along the course route and also downgraded to the half marathon. Several of these were even the MM that came from out of town for the race. I guess the race was a bit more to swallow for others as well as for me.
A half marathoner from Savannah was about to start her race. I noticed that she had the glow necklaces around her neck for safety but she didn’t have a light or any other reflective gear. Since I wasn’t going out at night I offered her my head lamp. She reluctantly took the light but declined the reflective belt. We try to stress how dark this neighborhood is at night. On this 6.55 mile loop there are maybe 10 street lights. When she finished she shared that was glad to have had the light. (Yet another good reason to have quit running at the half mark)
I had obsessed for nearly a month about having enough safety measures on the course to help keep runners safe. The Middle Georgia Emergency Medical Services were kind enough to donate an ambulance and 3 medics to our race. Thank goodness! The lady who was struggling ended up collapsing and needing attention. One other runner needed to be pick up on the course by the ambulance as well due to severe cramping. Both runners are doing fine but DNF.
Several local Macon Tracks trickled in to start their half marathon race or come to help volunteer. I really can’t say enough for the folks in our running club. One person became the race photographer and took pictures as folks finished and received their tiara and medal. More people assisted with the aid station and met the needs of runners. Most importantly, they hung around after the race and helped us break down the aid station and clean up.
Overall the race went much better than expected. Andrew and I can’t take very much credit for this. Rather the credit goes to the 5 core volunteers that arrived at 1PM, help set up the race, worked the race, and broke down the race. They called it a day around 1:30 AM for a 12+ hour day. We had several volunteers do amazing work but these main 5 folks organized those folks to where they could best serve. I do some volunteering in races during the year to help out and give back. I will make it a point to try and do that at least once a month (two months at a minimum) to give back just a portion of what was given so freely to me. | 