RunningAHEAD - Topic: Ever been on a training run and ended up in a race in progress?

JimR

posted: 7/25/2008 at 11:46 AM

This happens a lot in my area, the local park where I do most of my training runs is pretty popular for weekend races. I'll spend a lot of time running on the grass on those days.

C-R

posted: 7/25/2008 at 11:52 AM

Found myself in the middle of a sprint triathlon last weekend during my usual park run. I can feel like a "rebel without a cause" bandit runner without any of the guilt.

"He conquers who endures" - Persius
"Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel

http://ncstake.blogspot.com/

JimR

posted: 7/25/2008 at 11:56 AM

Quote from C-R on 7/25/2008 at 11:52 AM:

I can feel like a "rebel without a cause" bandit runner without any of the guilt.

and when you veer off course, they all look at you like you're cheating

Berner

posted: 7/25/2008 at 12:05 PM
modified: 7/25/2008 at 12:05 PM

The lakeshore path in Chicago, where I do most of my warm-weather running, is an extremely popular staging ground for races. On any given weekend, its more common that I do run with an organized race than that I don't.

How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

mikeymike

posted: 7/25/2008 at 12:05 PM

Yeah I found myself in the middle of a 24-hour ultra around a lake near me--come to think of it this year's race is tonight/tomorrow so I may find myself in it again this weekend. Let me tell you passing some of those people at 6 am who'd been running since 7 pm the night before did not make me want to try that. At all.

Runners run

BadDawg

posted: 7/25/2008 at 12:07 PM
modified: 7/25/2008 at 12:09 PM

I plan on doing it tonight at the Around The Lake Marathon in Wakefield MA. I'm obviously going to do my best to stay out of the way of the "real" runners, and I won't be using any race services (food or fluids) but I'll be running a couple of laps to support a running buddy (lostinthenet13) I won't be a bandit, because I'm not going to run the 26.2 but it will be interesting to be a pseudo-bandit for the first time. MTA: mikeymike and I were posting about the same race at the same time.

E.J.
Greater Lowell Road Runners
Cry havoc and let slip the dawgs of war!

May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your SPF30, may the rains fall soft upon your sweat-wicking hat, and until you hit the finish line may The Flying Spaghetti Monster hold you in the hollow of His Noodly Appendage.

Berner

posted: 7/25/2008 at 12:08 PM

Quote from JimR on 7/25/2008 at 11:56 AM:

and when you veer off course, they all look at you like you're cheating

I've had race officials try to physically restrain me because they thought I was heading in the wrong direction. You'd think the absence of a bib would have tipped them off.... I also like running across the staged finish lines well in advance of the actual lead runners. I always pump my firsts and cheer, sometimes confusing the volunteers who wonder how someone ran a 5K in 8 minutes.

How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

mikeymike

posted: 7/25/2008 at 12:14 PM

BadDawg stop stalking me. Actually maybe I'll see you over there if I get out for a run tonight. This mornings run was cancelled due to hangover. The good thing about the lake is you don't need to use any of the race's services--there is water 3 times on each lap and bathrooms available here and there too. Plus you can always pop into Honey Dew for a cruller if you get hungry. I was talking to one of the ultra freaks last night--she came to our 5k. She was actually the only runner who got lost on the course, she missed the last turn. I think one of my volunteers may have actually misdirected her because she was wearing a Yankees cap (come on, I'm kidding). At any rate she didn't seem to mind and I gave her a pint glass for being the runner who traveled the farthest to run our race. She had driven up from Philadelphia yesterday, she left early to get up in time to run our rinky dink 5K in an absolute monsoon. That deserved a pint glass in my book, even for a Yankee fan.

Runners run

xor

posted: 7/25/2008 at 12:32 PM
modified: 7/25/2008 at 12:33 PM

MM, that was Lauri (aka, 'elkid', maniac #116). Interesting that she got lost. Ha. She's running http://home.att.net/~lakerun/ (the 24 version, I think) this weekend. Say hello, baddawg.

mikeymike

posted: 7/25/2008 at 12:38 PM

Quote from xor on 7/25/2008 at 12:32 PM:

MM, that was Lauri (aka, 'elkid', maniac #116). Interesting that she got lost. Ha. She's running http://home.att.net/~lakerun/ (the 24 version, I think) this weekend. Say hello, baddawg.

Yup, we talked about the around the lake race. Should be a nice night for it...a lot better than last night.

Runners run

BadDawg

posted: 7/25/2008 at 1:47 PM
modified: 7/25/2008 at 1:48 PM

Quote from mikeymike on 7/25/2008 at 12:14 PM:

stop stalking me.

Could there be three less effective words in the English language? And you're just too easy a target, your pic looks just like Big Papi.

Quote from mikeymike on 7/25/2008 at 12:14 PM:

Actually maybe I'll see you over there if I get out for a run tonight.

Hey, wait a minute. Who's to say you're not stalking ME?

E.J.
Greater Lowell Road Runners
Cry havoc and let slip the dawgs of war!

May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your SPF30, may the rains fall soft upon your sweat-wicking hat, and until you hit the finish line may The Flying Spaghetti Monster hold you in the hollow of His Noodly Appendage.

Jill_B

I fly.

posted: 7/25/2008 at 1:49 PM

Quote from JimR on 7/25/2008 at 11:46 AM:

This happens a lot in my area, the local park where I do most of my training runs is pretty popular for weekend races. I'll spend a lot of time running on the grass on those days.

When I ran in central park I used to end up in races a bunch.

Bring it on.

turboterie1

posted: 7/25/2008 at 2:06 PM

I've had this happen. I went out for an easy training run last year. Come to find out the New Mexio Marathon was being run that day. Oops! Blush

I wasn't the only one out there not part of the race and the majority of the faster runners had already come through. By the time I got out to the trail, it was down to mostly walkers.

Finished my first marathon 1-13-2008 in 6:03:37 at P.F. Chang's in Phoenix. PR in San Antonio RnR 5:45:58!!!!!! on 11-16-08 The only thing that has ever made any difference in my running is running. Goal: Break 2:30 in the HM this year Jay Benson Tri (place in Athena category) 5-10-09

Ever been on a training run and ended up in a race in progress? (Read 719 times)