We are going to call this:

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON EVENTS FROM NOW ON.

let me start by saying that typically i am more towards the front than the back.

this event i came in with the only goal of just having fun and running with Pete, Amy, Sue, and Nashers. Pace goals, time goals, place goals, all out the window for this one as i am training for an event in June and this event was just used as a training run to get in some bonus miles (and a nifty pair of gloves!).

so, gun goes off and we are..........running? started way way in the back of the pack and wow, i must say, it was eye opening!! up in the front, true you do get boxed in, but the crowd just isnt there so if you do get boxed, its more of a step to the side and accelerate and you are out of it. here its step to the side and you still have a wall of like a kabillion people in front of you!!! hard to get into a pace when there is that many people on the course, kind of made you feel like a slinky!

next thing i noticed was that, although the people along the side of the course cheering were there, the energy level in which they were cheering was different......not as excited, which sucked as that is always great to hear and very motivating.

aid stations got CROWDED!!! up towards the front its a kind of process where you take the cup while running, move over and then drink, walking if you need/want to, but usually just keep on running and drink on the run. where i was the people would take the first cup available, stop, drink, walk a couple of steps, drink more.....then walk and throw the cup in the garbage can (something the front pack TRIES to do but is usually unsuccessful!)

once we hit the almost four mile mark, nash and i picked up the pace some. easier to hit a stride at that point, simply because there was more space on the path by then. however, the front runners were on their way back in causing even more of a traffic jam as in some spots you had them on your left and then trees on your right. no room to pass at all and you would come up on people walking side by side......that combination made the slinky sensation even more prevelant!! (oh and those guys up front? wow, they make some really ugly faces when they are pushing the pace like that!!!)

once we got to the 7.5ish mark, thereabouts, i seperated from Nashers and pulled away and then hit stride. as i was passing people some would make remarks. i would say it was about 50-50 good and bad. some would be the typical "looking strong, way to go" while others would be something along the lines of "um...seriously?" and the tone of those wasn't a joking around kind of thing but more of a annoyed, irritated tone. The kind that made me feel like turning around saying something, but instead just ran on.

got to the end, crossed the line and went right back out to cheer on Nash and sue and then run in with Pete and Amy. Came thru the line with Pete and Amy and then went into the area where the Post Race stuff was taking place, you know the food area!! only problem is that they only had beer and about 6 opened, grab what you want, bags of potato chips left. yep, all the snacks and beverages and the good stuff were already gone. Not sure if it was the planning on the part of the event staff or if it was more people taking two to three or more of different items. either way, the people towards the back of the pack had to go without, which sucks and it shouldn't be that way as everyone paid the entry fee which advertised this stuff included.....

so i have a whole new outlook and perspective of events now. I will do my part as best i can and give shout outs to those along the course and will also only take one of something at the post race festivities.

Thank you to Pete, Amy, Sue, and Nash for this eye opening experience!

another 1 mile out back onto the course and ran back in with Pete and Amy.