BUT then again...when i see something that is such a disorganized mess... i gotta wonder if my funds really do go to where they are suppose to... for cancer research.
Sunday, September 25th
DARK AND EARLY.. yeah.. 4:30 am up and getting ready to drive into Philly to run the Philadelphia Zoo 5K...
I was VERY EXCITED for this race..! It was for cancer (so a good cause) and we were allowed free admission to the zoo after the race.. it was a win-win!..
BUT OMG what a DISORGANIZED f-cking mess this event was!
I have been to a LOT of races and this one almost makes the number one spot for disorganized mess. Let me bullet point a few things…
But before I do let me tell you what most runners like to do:
1) Get their racing bib
2) Get their t-shirt
3) Take their t-shirt back to the car
4) Find the potty
5) Warm up
oh yeah.. and preferably … BEFORE THE RACE…
Race is suppose to START at 7:45.. i waited to about 7am while some utterly confused girl tries to sort bib numbers… (I'm sorry is alphabetical sorting too hard for you and shouldn’t this have been done maybe the NIGHT BEFORE.. )
So ok.. I don’t have anywhere else to go but I do have to find the potty and would like to warm up since I am a bit stiff… The T-shirts and Potties are in there (lady pointing to the closed gate)… zoo keeper said NO ONE ALLOWED IN ZOO YET!
Seriously!?.. wait patiently… its now 7:15.. a HALF HOUR before the start of the race.. no one has their tshirts yet.. nor has anyone gotten a chance to go potty.. there are now about 300 people milling around….
So people start SNEAKING in.. swear to god… and you know what… so did I… f-ck that I mean I have to go!... so I get in and get my potty done and get my tshirt and sneak back out. Felt like a damn criminal!
BTW they did not let the masses in until 10 minutes before the start of the race… ridiculous…. Seriously.
So obviously the race is going to start late… and they gather everyone together I thought to give us a description of the course BUT OH NO they START calisthenics…WTF!??
I made friends with a girl in my age group (although they are not doing age group awards) its always nice to see someone you can compete against. AND HOW DID I find out her age?!.. IT WASNT ME THIS TIME.. she asked me! And you all think i am the nosy one!
I find out she did an Ironman before and well.. is a LOT faster than me.. she did Lake Placid in 11 hours and 30 minutes or so many years ago … to my Chessy man of 15 hours and 20 minutes. Was kinda funny when I mentioned my swim time being around 2 hours.. and she just said, "OH… "
heehheee
We come to find out that course will be two loops OUTSIDE of the zoo and then the final quarter or so mile inside the zoo… UM.. but what about the cute little zoo chart with animals on it...
We got to see the back alley of the zoo where the workers parked and where the drunks throw up... and cars... nice.. around and around we go... and as I was coming into the zoo after my second lap I saw walkers ahead of me.. WTF?
They only did one loop and cut the course? (they didn’t have a special finish shoot just for walkers and they didn’t have anything special on their bibs saying they were walkers) so they were being scored with us. PERHAPS that doesnt bother some people... but that damn well bothers me... !
Oh yeah and THERE AINT NO ANIMALS in the zoo at 8am in the morning! They must all be sleeping in.. so I went home and took my OWN animal pictures... .
I didn’t post a good run time and only got myself mad… but it was for a good cause and so chalk it up to a disorganized mess… I just hope the cause actually gets the funds…
Race Results: http://runccrs.com/results/?p=1925
