12

TCS Annapolis Half Marathon (Dec 1) (Read 689 times)


an amazing likeness

    Anyone have any insights on this race in terms of size, course, organization,etc.  From poking around various web sites, sounds like the inaugural version was last year (2011) and had a few stumbles. I'm trying to decide whether to make the trek to Annapolis, and am hoping that it's a mid-size race (~1500 +/-), and they've got the course and logistics worked out for 2012, so any advice is welcomed.

     

    (I need to find a half on Dec 1 or Dec 2 that's fairly easy to get to from northern New England)

    Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

    ymmv


      Anyone have any insights on this race in terms of size, course, organization,etc.  From poking around various web sites, sounds like the inaugural version was last year (2011) and had a few stumbles. I'm trying to decide whether to make the trek to Annapolis, and am hoping that it's a mid-size race (~1500 +/-), and they've got the course and logistics worked out for 2012, so any advice is welcomed.

       

      (I need to find a half on Dec 1 or Dec 2 that's fairly easy to get to from northern New England)

       

      I ran it last year and will run it again this year. The biggest problem last year (for me) was that a course monitor misdirected runners, maybe all of them, and that shorted the course. You can check my log entry for it to see the size of the race last year. 


      an amazing likeness

        I'll be there. Gawd willin' and the creek don't rise...

        Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

        DukeDB


          Me too but after a PR effort in Philly yesterday it might be a challenge.  Anyone else going?


          Sub1:40orBust

            Arrive early. One of the snafus last year was a traffic backlog. The race started late and a number of runners were still looking for parking when the gun sounded. I enjoyed the 2011 race. The course should be better this year as the trail section is eliminated. Annapolis has plenty of history and scenery to make things interesting and the bridge was not an awful experience.


            an amazing likeness

              I'm looking forward to the "hot chunky tomato and spinach soup"...and seriously, 710AM start. That's uncivilized.

              Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.


              Don't call me Buttercup!

                I'm a local - not running this year, but wanted to say GL to those of you who are.  It's a gorgeous town, and I hope you enjoy the race! 

                Slow and steady wins the....  wait a second! I've been lied to! 


                Jess runs for bacon

                  I'd do it just to have an excuse to go to Cantler's (doing crab right) but my weekend is full. May have to put this on the list for next year. I love Annapolis.


                  an amazing likeness

                    I think course was short. Horrid start organization.

                    Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

                      That was one of the most F'd up things ever. Get misrouted at start (turn around, turn around) and still end up w/ a short course. I doubt ANY mile marker was a mile apart from its neighbor.

                      ymmv


                        I think course was short. Horrid start organization.

                         

                        It came up short on my Garmin, but is was a USATF Certified course, assuming that's what we actually ran. I was not able to find anyone to show me the certification documents before the race. It is too early for the documents and maps to be up on the USATF web site. Unlike last year, I see no differences between the course they linked on mapmyrun and the course I ran today. If I ran the USATF certified course, I'll call it a PR, otherwise, this race will go into the short-course bucket again.

                         

                        By the way, I'm a USATF course measurer (not for this race) so I have some idea about what is required to get a course certified.

                         

                        Did you start close enough to the front to see where they sent a whole bunch of front-runners down the wrong road in the first mile? That had to hurt. Also, any place there was an out-and-back, they lacked course monitors to keep people on the correct side of the road and we had to cross oncoming traffic at least 2 times.


                        an amazing likeness

                          The mile split markers were like traffic signals in Italy, just suggestions.

                          Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

                          ymmv


                            The mile split markers were like traffic signals in Italy, just suggestions.

                             Not that my Garmin is perfect, but Mile 1 was at about 0.8. After that, Miles 2 and 3 seemed to be spot on. I'm not sure where they started looking 'off' again. Certainly by mile 11. I'm hoping that the USATF Certification docs show the mile marker placements. They usually do that, even though they don't actually certify the mile markers, just the whole course. 

                             

                            I'm eagerly awaiting the discussion on their FB page. They really ought to be proactive and post the certification docs soon.

                              The mile split markers were like traffic signals in Italy, just suggestions.

                               

                              Perfect description.

                                Did you start close enough to the front to see where they sent a whole bunch of front-runners down the wrong road in the first mile? That had to hurt. Also, any place there was an out-and-back, they lacked course monitors to keep people on the correct side of the road and we had to cross oncoming traffic at least 2 times.

                                 

                                Yep. Lost nearly a minute (best guess -- I glanced at my watch and it took about 25-30 secs to get back on course). It was very tough mentally not to just quit right there. Thinking about folks going to NYC just to get race cancelled or Boston to burn gave me a little perspective.

                                12