Scotty, from the "for what it's worth" department, I have quit making donations to Wounded Warrior as it has all become too focused on fundraising for my tastes. They have a CEO who is paid more than $300,000 per year and only about 55% of the money they raise goes to actual programs. They spend the bulk of the rest on fundraising. Moreover, I am not at all convinced that the bulk of what they do isn't already done by the VA. (Disclaimer. I served in the military for 28 years and I have a relative who is 100% disabled from a combat injury. Neither of those facts require me to turn off my skepticism meter).
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Beat's the heck out of me. The thread was totally deleted. My profile still exists on that other place along with other activity. I assume it was something I posted via my phone. Last comment I had made was about the going rate of Baltimore races. Yea, really stirring things up. There was some R&R and Disney bashing, as well as bashing of RW's race. I would prefer the slightly longer course as well. Although my garmin has done so many wonky things with maps that unless it is way off, I just take the RD's measurement as accurate. Apparently I have gone swimming quite a few times during races, funny I don't remember doing so.
Beat's the heck out of me. The thread was totally deleted. My profile still exists on that other place along with other activity. I assume it was something I posted via my phone. Last comment I had made was about the going rate of Baltimore races. Yea, really stirring things up. There was some R&R and Disney bashing, as well as bashing of RW's race.
I would prefer the slightly longer course as well. Although my garmin has done so many wonky things with maps that unless it is way off, I just take the RD's measurement as accurate. Apparently I have gone swimming quite a few times during races, funny I don't remember doing so.
Your kid on the trail thread is still there.
As for portables I met with a guy who was on the race committee for a half. The folks on the committee seemed like non-runners so hired an RD to do the race. The guy I spoke to complained about the bill for portables more than anything else. So year #2 sure enough 1 portable on the entire course. I was pissed when I found that out as I had recommended the race to a lot of folks. I emailed 1 of the guys and he asked if they should put out a 2nd one. When I ran it I saw just the one. I won't do that race again.
I won't do themed races, or do one outside of MA normally. I will go back to New Brunswick though.
I won't pay $75 for a RW half in the burbs.
I won't pay much for parking which leaves out Boston.
Your kid on the trail thread is still there. As for portables I met with a guy who was on the race committee for a half. The folks on the committee seemed like non-runners so hired an RD to do the race. The guy I spoke to complained about the bill for portables more than anything else. So year #2 sure enough 1 portable on the entire course. I was pissed when I found that out as I had recommended the race to a lot of folks. I emailed 1 of the guys and he asked if they should put out a 2nd one. When I ran it I saw just the one. I won't do that race again.
The other thing with the port-a-potties, they need to be stocked. I get that after large races, the toilet paper will be gone. But having 5 or so port-a-potties for a few hundred people, being out of TP at the start is a problem. I keep some in my car as tissue, so I had my own and I shared. I think these were "owned" potties, race was at Pimlico race track. I tried not to think about what else has gone on in them.
Yea, everything but the race thread stayed, not sure if that means temporary or what. The only questionable thing I had seen in the race thread was someone posted a "please support me running this race for charity" that also got posted in a few other forums.
+1 to scottydawg. There is a 5k/10k around here that requires $300 in fundraising. Sure, it's for a decent cause, but who am I to hit people up for money. If people want to give, they should give because they want to, not because they are my friend, enemy, family, etc.
I also try to avoid races with poorly planned out converging of routes.
I try to stick to certified courses, but I do have my second race coming up of an uncertified route.
I'm selective about which races I compete though occassionally I'll enter one that breaks one or more of the "deal breakers" listed. I'm a visual artist and a professional graphic could be a deal maker I won't told it against the race for a poor design. I don't rely on port-o-pots; take care of that at home or be creative. I prefer to keep my re-hydrating to a minimum therefore aid stations aren't a priority. I don't recall a single race I've run where there weren't fluids when I came through [can' speak for those that followed].
Youth Has No Age. ~ Picasso / 1st road race: Charleston Distance Run 15 Miler - 1974 / profile
I'm selective about which races I compete though occassionally I'll enter one that breaks one or more of the "deal breakers" listed. I'm a visual artist and a professional graphic could be a deal maker I won't told it against the race for a poor design. I don't rely on port-o-pots; take care of that at home or be creative. I prefer to keep my re-hydrating to a minimum therefore aid stations aren't a priority. I don't recall a single race I've run where there weren't fluids when I came through [can' speak for those that followed]. Disrespect for the core values of our sport. Inaccurate or unmarked course. Lack of awards. Poor organization / ill-prepared volunteers. Cost of entry fees vs service[s] provided. Mega or gimmick races [Disney / T-n-T / color "runs"]. Description of services / benefits don't live up to the hype. Pay for parking [not a personal issue due to my warm up but don't appreciate "milking" the customers].
When is enough enough though? I have a friend who places in his age often, and has for years so a lot of hardware. He is very talented and a nice guy though. Race shirts are also big for him and he pulled something in his shoulder once moving a box he keeps them in. In his case it seems like a hoarding element.
As far as the races that are a tad off as far as actual distance I saw this happen the other day at a church, but found it real cool what they did under the circumstances. This race was in year 3 and was fun in the past, but being a church they had a funeral scheduled an hour later. They moved the start and finish lines in order to keep these 2 crowds from interfering but they were slightly off. No one I talked to complained about the .1 or therabouts shortage.
Some people collect finisher medals, some collect awards for winning / placing. I'm usually pretty close to placing in my A/G, so for me it's not about the collecting, it's more an added motivation / challenge to perform. But whatever keeps you lacing up, stepping out the door year after year works for me. My booty isn't of the muscle-straining point just yet.
In 2011 I ran a race that involve a major course malfunction [luckily for me it for the shorter event I wasn't involved]. Someone left the 7k turn around sign @ the brewery and everyone in that race was screwed, not knowing where to go. To their creidt they fessed up to it at the awards / post-race bash and even made this cool video to mock themselves for their blunder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0U3-raEtPBE
If the race is short and the RD acknowledges it and offers an explanation, I'm OK with it. I did a 10k where I think they awarded 2 people prize money due to a routing snafu--it was for a charity, so nice gesture on their part. If the RD takes a defensive stance, I will write that race off for the future. I can't watch the video from work, but if they were willing to poke fun at them self, I would definitely give them another chance.
Runs4Sanity
I don't have a lot of reasons for not doing a race.... but
Normally if there are any issues - course, aid stations, portapotties, etc.... I check to see how long that race or RD has been going on, I've found that most races can still be tightening the loose screws for the first couple years, more so if the RD and vo,unteers are new to the "business". And then you might just have a dickhead race ran by a douche RD or an idiot......luckily I haven't had any real negative experiences with races....yet.
*Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*
PRs
5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace)
10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)
15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)
13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)
26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)
Skirt Runner
For "not doing it again" basically if something about the race that is likely to happen again made the race not enjoyable for me I'm likely not to do it again. For example if it was something that is not the RD's fault such as I just had a crappy race, the weather, ect that won't deter me from the next year. Also, if something goes wrong that is he RD's fault but I feel is likely to be rectified the next year (for example if they ran out of beer after the race but there was an apology via email the next day that read something like "so sorry we underestimated what alcoholics runners were, we will get twice as much beer next year" then fine). But if it is something like: I didn't like the course, it is way too crowded and the field is the same size the next year, the course was significantly short or long like a 6.8 mile 10K, it is very poorly organized, or they blatantly lied about something they used to promote the race (ie promoting a tech shirt on social media and it end up being a cheap, scratchy cotton shirt).....then I may not come back. The more expensive the race and the less convenient from home makes these standards higher. If something is very cheap and/or convenient I may be more forgiving.
As for not doing a race in the first place, if the race has an awful reputation from people who have done it in the past I usually shy away. I also tend to shy away from inaugural races in order to let them work the kinks out first (though not to say I haven't done a few inaugurals). And as mentioned before my standards increase in proportion to distance from home and price. If I'm travelling far and paying a lot I want great bling and swag, a nice spread of edible and alcoholic refreshments at the finish, numerous and well stocked aid stations, ect. If it is a local and inexpensive race I rarely have a reason for not doing it if I am available that day.
PRs: 5K- 28:16 (5/5/13) 10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13) 4M- 41:43 (9/7/13) 15K- 1:34:25 (8/17/13) 10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14) HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14) Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)
I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to
Barking Mad To Run
I hear you, LTH. That's why I usually do my local events to support this cause - we have a lot of organizations that are completely separate from WWP and they raise money on their own and then and the funds raised go to help the Wounded Warriors in our area - and we have a LOT of local organizations that support the Wounded Warriors, of which we have MANY since Brooke Army Medical Center is a huge treatment center for the Wounded Warriors, as well as the Center For The Intrepid being here that is a huge rehab facility for them.
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt