I received my postcard in the mail today with bib number.
do the numbers mean anything as far as your start position? do they do different waves based on paces at G'mas or is the number just assigned based on the order in which you registered?
Tammy
Good Bad & The Monkey
The start is a big big open area with pacers holding signs. You line up where you believe you should.
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
Got my bib number too!
As Trent said, there is an open starting line, and people are asked to line up according to expected finish time. The pacers are spread out, but the starting point is a 2 lane highway (which is completely closed for the race -Old Hwy 61). There is plastic fencing on each side of the road. Fitting 5 to 7 thousand runners into this space usually means the width of the road fills up, and there is some difficulty getting to some of the pace groups by about 15 minutes before the race. This is especially true near the 4 hour group, which is the median time frame goal - although the average finishing time is 4:30. This means if you are looking to start with the 4, 4:15, or 4:30 pace groups, it sometimes gets hard if you wait too long.
I only ran it twice so far, but seem to remember that the crowd opens up by miles 2 to 3, so if you start in the back, it is easy to catch up. Most people go out way too fast, as there is a slight downhill slant to the beginning. This is true for some of the pacers also, so if you just settle into your own pace, everything usually works out.
2018 Goals:
Get Lucky Half 1:47:59
Grandmas Marathon
Fall Marathon - Twin Cities??
Thanks. That's helpful information.
I've only run in 2 marathons before and both had different ways of starting. The Newport marathon was small so you just lined up whereever. I don't even recall pace groups. and it was just a gun fire that started us off. Seattle R&R had waves you were assigned to. I liked that kind of start for a large race because it spread us out and within the first mile you could find your own space to run in.
#2640
I never received a card in the mail - Although the site says I am registered
The 1st time I ran Grandmas I was a 3:00-3:05 marathoner, so I lined up by the 3:00 sign. As I watched 70 year old ladies lign up in front of me and then had to struggle passing all the misplaced people the 1st 2 miles, I figure out a better way. I look at the results and know around what place I will finish and line up a few rows back from there. So, if I think I will finish in the top 200, there are say 12 wide each row - thats 17-20 rows deep. That would be @ the 2:30 or 2:40 sign and not the 3:00 sign.
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
Marathon starting lines are replete with overindulgant optimism.
I think the 70+ year old woman that started by the 2:30 sign was a little more than just optimistic. Safety becomes an issue when this big horse has some pretty wide hips, she could find herself in the ditch by the tracks.
Maybe she thought it was the HM.
that was my thought - maybe she thought it was the HM - but then she was at the wrong starting point I suppose. or she just wasn't paying attention.
I'll be WAY back from most of you. but I might just wander up there prior to the start to see what the real fast people look like.
I'll be wearing the Oregon shirt. provided I can find one in dri-fit . . .
She said it was her 12th or 13th Grandmas - She knew what she was doing.
Except that she didn't/
I'll be wearing something with a monkey on it.
my favorite are the 4-5 body builders who line up one row behind me. they actually run pretty well. I would line up behind them DB.
Still no bib number unless the wife tossed it. Maybe as she just asked me last night if I had anything going on that weekend. Yes, I am drinking beer with Jeff - Jeff - Trent and anyone else that can stand me.