Summary
Salisbury Half Marathon, 2:10:20
Not Race Related
Aside from being flat, I wanted to do a race in Salisbury. My grandparents had retired to the area (they are no longer alive), so I was down here quite a bit as a kid. Plus, I did my undergrad at Salisbury State University (the state was dropped after I graduated, but the diploma in the bathroom says SSU, so I still call it that). I also have done loads of miles cycling on these roads, so I knew it was truly flat, aside from some overpasses and the park. It was a cool thing to run on the route of the Seagull Century, identified by painted birds on the road, the bridge at mile 7 or so really sucks in mile 90 something.
Goals
No A, B or C. PR (2:05:41).
Pre-Race
I drove down to Salisbury Friday afternoon. I took about 2.5 hours, a little longer than I thought it would, and I would have to do that post race. I stayed at a La Quinta within walking distance to the start & finish. Friday evening I drove up to the Walmart to get some Gatorade for post race and cheap socks to make some arm warmers.
Saturday I set my alarm for 6:30. I got woken up just after 6 by loud ass people in the hall. Free breakfast started at 6:30, so I killed a little time and went downstairs. Pretty much everyone up at the time was there for the race. I had on street clothes, everyone else was in full race attire, numbers included. I’m too clumsy, no way do I want to risk spilling breakfast all over myself.
I walked to the starting area at the city park and was there by 7:30. I immediately go in the POP line. There were 5. 5 for 1000 runners! Walking up, I got in line roughly at the same time some guy, but I know I was before him. He somehow weaseled himself in front of me. Then after about 10 minutes, the bitch he was with appeared after hanging by bag check and decided that line saving is cool, so she cut in. Additionally, I had 2 locals in front of me who kept running into people they knew. Saying hi is ok, getting in line with them is not cool. The locals then did a pre-race prayer, I bit my tongue to not say something really snarky about the Golden Rule. I hope they all got lots of blisters and chafed in unmentionable places. I was still in line at 8am, but they claimed additional waves. Or, they let us know they had POPs on course. WTF, I’m stopping on course unless it’s an emergency.
There was 1 POP designated the “qualifying toilet” for those looking to run Boston or NYC qualifying times. It was also gag inducing when opened. Bitch with the guy decided to get in the qualifier line. I passed the duo 1.5 miles in while they were doing 10-11 mm. They were younger than me, pretty sure that ain’t even close.
Miles 1-3 “The Park” 9:20, 9:20, 9:19
The “additional waves” were a lie. Instead, as you got up to the start, you started. According to Garmin, I started at 8:08. I feel really bad for the lady I spoke with on the walk to the start. She was a slower marathoner, so I’m guessing it was very lonely. The first mile was in the park, the biggest natural hill was here--basically a river goes through the park and the houses are uphill, but it’s short. Then up into a neighborhood, then back to the perimeter of the park. Nice & shady. Around mile 2, I started catching the slowest runners. Mile 3 took me by my grandparent’s neighborhood. Still shady. It was a bit crowded in places, usually with people 3 abreast and across the entire road.
Miles 4-8 “Country” 9:22, 9:37, 9:35, 9:24, 9:43
After leaving the park areas, it was on to open fields. I braced myself for wind, but there was none. That never happens. We were out in the sun too. I took some water somewhere near mile 5. That was also where the traffic control was a little iffy. Cops were directing traffic, I had to slow as they let cars across the route. WTF! No! Now I don’t know if this was because I was “back of the pack” by virtue of the POP fuck up, but still, not cool.
Mile 6 and 7 I started getting an awful side stitch. I slowed to walk a few times to try to get it to ease up. It eventually did. I was still in the ballpark of where I wanted to be.
Miles 9-Finish SU campus & surrounding neighborhoods 9:46, 10:40, 10:21, 10:28, 11:05, 10:08
It was probably around mile 8.5 that I knew I was in trouble. We had come back from the country and were now in a business area that did not exist when I went to school there. Full sun. I felt a chill and noticed despite being hot, I wasn’t sweating. This isn’t good. Mile 9 it became an effort. I just wanted to be done, but even shuffling along felt like a 5k effort. I wanted to smack anyone who said “you’re almost done, only 2 miles, 1 mile, etc to go”. I had been throwing some water on myself at each stop, but it really didn’t do much after the initial chill. Those were the longest 4 miles ever. Somewhere in there, my goal became just don’t require medical attention.
In a really cruel twist, the finish was on the Main Street plaza. Uphill and on uneven bricks. Seriously, that’s just wrong. Forget looking strong, I didn’t want to roll an ankle.
Post Race
Got my medal & pint glass, a cold water and then went straight back to the hotel.
FInal Thoughts
I know the smart thing to do is race for the conditions. I know I can do that and it has gotten old saying I ran a slow race, but at least I ran it smart & even. I knew going for a PR today came with the risk of blowing up. Not my most spectacular one by any means, but at least I know I tried.
Results show me as 10/70 in my AG, which is probably highest I’ve done in a half.
I really wanted to like this race. The course on the right day is a PR course. For me to do it again, they have got to fix the POP issue. And honestly it pisses me off that they have not addressed it on social media. If you can post some pictures are coming, you can acknowledge this. NCR addressed it by the time I got home, heck, their 7 for 700 seems generous.
I can also say with 100% certainty I will never, ever do the 10k Across the Bay. Today was the first time I’ve ever faced 2 way traffic on the Bay Bridge. That was a special form of hell.
Nice job!
Ugh, 5 POPs is nothing! They should have gotten 50. 🙄
Damaris
As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.
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What were they thinking? 5 POP's?
10 out of 70 is a pretty decent performance by any standard.
I have no idea what they were thinking. After the POP debacle at the NCR half & full, I looked up what proper POP ratios. For events, it is 1 to 100, but add more for more women. Runner's World says 1 for every 50 runners and do bank teller style line (1 line, go to first available).
Oh, and apparently there were 2 hidden. They would announce those were open and then a mad stampede would break out from the back of the line.
When they asked for questions this week, by far the most asked question was bathrooms. To fail this badly is really inexcusable. And the race just posted how great the event was, blah, blah, blah. Acknowledge there was an issue! Yes, lots went well. But I spent 45 minutes in line for POPs that were clearly stretched to capacity. I've never seen ones this gross at a race.
Was it the same group managing both races? Sorry you didn't do as well as you hoped. After such a cold Spring, racing on a warm sunny day is hard. Same conditions a month from now would probably be fine.
Ginny, no, totally different groups. The Salisbury group did address the POPs later Saturday night, but I would have liked to have seen that in their "everything was amazing" post.
Here's a picture from the finish area from the race Facebook page:
Back of the POP line from the race's Facebook page, at least the park is pretty:
Probably a later POP line picture from a local news source. Notice it's less "line" like:
Warm&fuzzy
You ran a smart race. Your race was much smarter than their POP thinking.
Runner with a riding problem.
It is hard to race in the sun, and despite the insouciant manner in which some approach it, racing a half marathon is no joke. You did both to the best of your ability and that is all we can ask of ourselves.
Super B****
Wait, what is a "qualifying toilet"!? I'm so confused.
That sounds like it was a ... not so fun day. But you did better than 60 other people, which is a job well done.
chasing the impossible
because i never shut up ... i blog
Bluerun, if you were looking to run a qualifying time, you got to jump the line to ensure you would make the start. That then meant 4 POPs for the for the rest of us. It really didn't make a lot of sense.
I think the race got a lot right. But nearly 40 minutes in line at a race that size really overshadowed the good. It also put me in a really pissy mood to start.
The Half I ran last weekend also finished on uneven bricks but going down a steep hill to the ocean. Sure, it looks pretty but I was like "No F'in way". Glad you didn't twist an ankle.
Sorry about the PoP mess. Once a race screws you like that, it's hard to ever want to do it again. There's a 10K around here that only had stale onion bagels as the post-race food. Haha never again!
Bluerun, if you were looking to run a qualifying time, you got to jump the line to ensure you would make the start. That then meant 4 POPs for the for the rest of us. It really didn't make a lot of sense. I think the race got a lot right. But nearly 40 minutes in line at a race that size really overshadowed the good. It also put me in a really pissy mood to start.
I see what you did there...
delicate flower
Pooper line cutting is most definitely not cool, and neither is slowing down runners to let traffic go by. Seems to me most runners would ignore the cop and keep running at full speed anyway.
Nice job, Crazy 2.0. Sounds like it got pretty rough there at the end.
I had to do a double take while reading because I read "Salisbury Steak College."
<3
I still can't believe the POP issue!!!!
Miles 9-Finish SU campus & surrounding neighborhoods 9:46, 10:40, 10:21, 10:28, 11:05, 10:08 It was probably around mile 8.5 that I knew I was in trouble. We had come back from the country and were now in a business area that did not exist when I went to school there. Full sun. I felt a chill and noticed despite being hot, I wasn’t sweating. This isn’t good. Mile 9 it became an effort. I just wanted to be done, but even shuffling along felt like a 5k effort. I wanted to smack anyone who said “you’re almost done, only 2 miles, 1 mile, etc to go”. I had been throwing some water on myself at each stop, but it really didn’t do much after the initial chill. Those were the longest 4 miles ever. Somewhere in there, my goal became just don’t require medical attention.
That's happened to me before, too, and for me at least it's always turned into a death march. You clearly persevered, and still finished strong. I think you did a helluva job, despite all the crazy conditions, and ran a great race.