On Saturday we had the 10th annual running of the Great Bay 5K. It is also the final race of this year's Seacoast Series, in which anyone who competes 6 of the 8 participating races earns a cool custom jacket. This is the 4th year for the Series. We expanded the Series from 6 to 8 races this year, and didn't know what the impact would be. It has been phenomenal, with over 800 people participating. So we expected we'd have a good turnout at the GB5K this year. This was also the first year we were using chips, and some of our race committee, who are not runners (but are great organizers), were a bit freaked out by the changes chip timing brought that affected everything from pack-out to finish line management (which now included chip collection, and then putting all the chips back in the numbered trays in which they arrived). So we had to walk these chip novices through the entire process several times in the months and weeks before the race and promise, promise, promise them that everything would be OK. And it was. Our limit for the race was 1,000 entrants. Ten years ago, we had about 250. Last year, 805 registered. Our non-runner committee members were also freaked out about how we would handle people who showed up to register if we reached our limit and had to turn them away. I had to promise, promise, promise that I'd be at registration to handle that situation, if it arose. We registered 998 people. Rats! I wanted to sell out! Oh well - something to shoot for next year.... As registration was closing, and there were still people milling all over the place, our announcer asked if I planned to start the race on time, which would be in about 10 minutes. I never considered starting late, and told him so. The gun went off promptly at 9:00. I drove (somewhat over the speed limit) to start the split clocks at 1 an 2 miles, and then to the finish of our point-to-point course to survey everything there. The chairs were out at the finish line and volunteers were set to help runners remove their chips; other volunteers were at the end of the coral to collect chips and dispense water bottles; the clothes van had arrived and was being emptied of runner's bags of post-race warm clothes; the spread at the food tent looked spectacular (I would have loved to stop for a bite); the band was playing in the barn, awaiting the tired runners; the awards were on display; the post-5K Fun Run course was set up and ready to go. The first runner came in at 15:32 (he and his wife both finished first for a good pay day!), and it never stopped from there. Almost everybody was in at 9:50 when the Fun Run started. It was fun to see the 5K runners make room for the kids as they sped through the parking lot and cheer them on. As all this was happening, we were posting results; volunteers were walking through the crowd with hot pizza for anybody who wanted it; the band played on; and we checked the final stats for the award ceremony. Andy tapped his mike and started the award ceremony and then, all of a sudden (or so it seemed) it was all over. Everything was cleaned up and put away, and we were saying good bye and thank you to the few volunteers who remained, and DW and I were going out for a late breakfast before I went home and wrote some post-race reports for the local papers. It was 11:15, and I had been there and on the go since 6:45. I was exhausted but very pleased with the way everything went, and with the great work of our race committee and volunteers. Sure, we had a few problems and miscues. I don't know if, in an event this fluid and fast-moving, if it is possible to be perfect in absolutely every respect, and for every single person. Something to shoot for next year... Then I remembered that I had signed up to racewalk a half marathon the next day: Brilliant. Jay

Jay, that sounds like work!!! As a racer, thanks man. This was a great read from a different perspective.

Jay, it sounds like you did a fantastic job of organizing and running the race. All of us who participate in races owe a great deal to people like you who do so much to make the races happen and go off well. Thanks. TomS