The Start
I was curious about how this was going to go off...and by this, I mean 22,000 people starting at one time, in ONE place; 7,000 cap on marathoners, 5,000 cap on 5 person relay marathoners, and 12.000 cap half marathoners. Even in Houston, they start the half'ers and the fulls on separate routes the first few miles and its still a cluster. Here is where the difference is and if anyone out there is or knows someone over there at Houston/Chevron/Aramco...take note...
When I signed up for the half in Dallas, they asked me for a pace per mile for your distance. Not an estimated finishing time like Houston and so many others that I have done. What that does is it places everyone in 1 of 2 corrals (Houston is the example here). So you have thousands and thousands of people who are running, lets say the half, anywhere from 2 hours to 4 hours (the cutoff for the half but lets face it, if the cutoff for the full is 6 hours or more, doesnt that give the half'ers 6 hours or more?) So those people are just all intermingled together...4 hour marathoners (walkers) are up in the 2 hour half marathon spots etc.
You follow me?
Buuuuuuuuuuuuut for Dallas/White you give a pace. Then at the end of your number on your bib there is a letter anywhere from A-N, and all back behind the Start line there are little corrals sectioned off by rope. You can look around and see who is supposed to be in there and who isnt. Its by PACE not by finishing time, and there are more than just 2 corrals. I dont recall what pace I gave but I am figuring it had to be around 9:40 or so because I had an F behind my number. Sweet!
They waited approximately 2 minutes in between each section of runners. Sweet!
When my group started off, and I was at the front of our group, I NEVER weaved..I NEVER had to squish in between the friends that run together stay together...even when walking ... I didnt have to slam on my brakes because someone was doing run 1 min/walk 1 min intervals...I wasnt passing a million people up nor was I getting passed by a million people....why you ask?
BECAUSE WE WERE ALL RUNNING RIGHT AROUND THE SAME PACE REGARDLESS OF WHAT RACE WE WERE ACTUALLY SIGNED UP FOR!!!
Genius I tell you! Genius!
Again I don't know if this is standard for this race in years past or something new, but damn it man, it rocked my world. Now I will tell you this because I had friends all behind me in different corrals, and one of my friends doing her first marathon was in N. The very last corral. She didn't cross the Start line for almost an hour. This kinda sucks. I had another friend in K I think it was and she crossed the Start line in about 25 min I think...Can't really remember. Anyway, obviously the farther back you are, the long its going to take, but I think thats the same thing no matter what the circumstances are. Except in this case the people that should have been in earlier corrals WERE and not mixed in with those that shouldnt...Not to say someone can't lie about their pace to be seeded differently but I think this is a little different.
The other thing about the Start, and this is purely ridiculous I know, but damn it they were pumpin' some awesome music while we were waiting around! I was so pumped up and ready to run by the time I got to the front and before they dropped that rope and said GO!! over the loud speaker it was almost comical...I love me some hip hop/rap/booty dancin' music and they gave us that and more...Right as I got to the front to wait...I heard the familiar sound of what was going to be "I Got a Feeling" by the Black Eye Peas and if you would have seen me, you would think I was Secretariat being held back behind some iron gates ready to capture the 3rd race for the Triple Crown.
Race Start = A++++++
4 comments:
Would you believe they actually added corrals? I have a friend in P. So there were more than N. The problem I have is for first timers, like me, who registered in June... I had no clue what my pace would be! It took me 35 minutes to cross the start in corral K. I was famished by time I got there.
lesley: the best thing a newbie should do if faced with this is take your goal time and figure out the pace per mile you need. i can see where that might be a problem so far out but usually one has some idea of what their goal pace would/should be.
great job!
What a smart way to start off the race! Sounds great! :0)
Wow, sounds like they did an awesome job.
Houston would be improved if they added more waves even if they completely ignored pace -- just because smaller waves would be so much less crowded! Two waves for 20,000 people just isn't enough. They advertise that the courses don't join until mile 2 or whatever, but come on -- in reality, they essentially join up about 0.25 miles in on the Elysian Viaduct. The downside, yes, is that a lot of people would have to wait longer before they crossed the start line...but it would be a more pleasant race experience all around. I'm a slower runner so I'd be waiting longer to start -- but I'd still vote for more waves.
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