Manchester Road Race - RunOther


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Manchester, Connecticut
United States
40F / 4C
Precipitation
 		Total Time = 50m 36s
Overall Rank = 6326/8285
Age Group = F 19-29
Age Group Rank = 624/821
Pre-race routine:

I was supposed to run this with my best friend, but she bailed, and it was raining so I told my husband to stay home, so I headed out to Manchester by myself. I parked at a local community college so I could take a shuttle bus to the start.
Event warmup:

Walked a long way from the shuttle drop to Main street. Waited in line for the porto, then jogged to the start and attempted to get into a corral that wasn't all the way in the back.
Run
  • 50m 36s
  • 4.75 miles
  • 10m 39s  min/mile
Comments:

This race attracts thousands and thousands of people so I knew I wasn't going to break any record because it's just so damn crowded. It started pouring just as the race began, so I just wanted to get this over with. It took me 5 minutes to get to the starting mat, and it never really opened up until about mile 3. I just enjoyed the spectacle that is the Manchester Road Race: thousands of spectators along the route drinking and cheering and playing music, people of all kinds chugging up Heart Break Hill, splashing through poorly draining streets, runners in costume. I did this race beause I wanted to do something fun and different on Thanksgiving.
What would you do differently?:

Get to the start earlier and try to get a little closer to the front.
Post race
Warm down:

There was nothing warm about this warm-down. I was soaked and frozen, and after the race I promptly began walking in the wrong direction to get back to the shuttle pick up. After about a half mile I realized my idiocy and turned around and walked back where I had come from. Once I got to the shuttle pick up area I stood in line for about 20 minutes waiting for a friggin school bus to schlepp my cold wet self back to my car. After a tough drive home (you try driving in wet clothes with fingers that can't move!) I got into a hot bath for a half hour :). I earned my turkey yesterday.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The crowd and the rain, but that was to be expected.

Event comments:

I did this race for fun, and it was fun, and I'll be back next year.




Last updated: 2006-11-06 12:00 AM
Running
00:50:36 | 04.75 miles | 10m 39s  min/mile
Age Group: 624/821
Overall: 6326/8285
Performance: Average
Course: All I noticed was the never-ending hill.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5]