Half-Assed Runner

Get Lucky! 7K

Today I ran the Get Lucky 7K in Minneapolis.  I had signed up for this race – along with the Polar Dash – way back in early December.  My wife was running this one as well, so I planned on running with her even though she runs at a slower pace than I do.  Due to the odd distance, I was guaranteed a PR and there were 8,600 other runners, so slow and easy wasn’t a difficult decision. [They later announced that this was the “largest, timed race in Minnesota”]

Do you see the start line (left corner)? This is the middle of the wave!

We drove separately as I had to check in at work and she had plans with her family.  The race began at 9 am and I was at the starting area around 8:20.  As there were a ton of runners, it took a while to find each other.  Our plans of running together were dashed when Miss Micro-Bladder jumped in the porta-potty line.  I waited for about 20 minutes and then told her I would get a spot in the (rapidly swelling) starting area.  That was the last I saw her that day.  There were banners denoting the various minute per mile markers.  I settled into the 9:30/mile section.  My wife texted me about 10 minutes before the race began and I told her where to meet me, but the crowds were too thick by that point.

Guthrie Theater

It was a beautiful summer day…in March…in Minnesota.  It was 70 degrees (on the way to a record high of 80) with a slight breeze and 80% humidity.

The Guthrie again...from the other side

At 9:00 am the race began.  I was ready for a long, halting walk to the starting line, but the human traffic flowed better than I anticipated.  By the time I got near the starting line, there was already spacing between the runners and I crossed the starting mats at a slow jog.  My wife complained that it took her 25 minutes to reach the starting line, but looking at the results afterward, I crossed the starting line 7 minutes after the gun and she crossed 6 minutes after me.  Time is a slippery concept to my wife.  She swears she was in the porta-potty line for only 10 minutes (our texts show it was at least 25 minutes) and her 13 minute wait to cross the starting line seemed twice as long to her.

Minneapolis

There were a ton of runners, but I rarely felt crowded.  There were fewer walkers than I normally encounter at the beginning of a race.  About a minute in, I came across a wall of six abreast walkers.  I delivered on my promise of throwing elbows and thumped the dude on the end as I passed him.  Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, asshole.

We saw the finish line about 1 mile in

The course was stunning.  The beautiful weather, the thrill of running with 8,600 other monkeys, the scenery, and the costumes meant there was never a dull moment.  We crossed two bridges (including the Stone Arch Bridge) and ran past the Guthrie Theater and other landmarks.  The terrain was a mix of streets, sidewalks, some wooden planks, and even cobblestone.  I avoided the cobblestone by running on the smooth cement strip (drainage?).

Cobblestone street...yuck

Since I wasn’t too concerned about my pace, I snapped pictures with my phone.  They turned out better than I expected considering bouncing about due to running.

I had a blast running on the Stone Arch bridge and seeing the river of green clad runner ahead and behind me.  After the Stone Arch bridge, I finally put on my ear buds and listened to music.

Stone Arch Bridge

I ran a pretty steady 9:45 for the entire race.  This is slower than I expected, but I was more into enjoying the experience than trying to run fast.  There was one water stop around the halfway point.  I grabbed water and walked a bit so I could drink.  Other than that, I took no walk breaks.  Nor did I expect to.  4.35 miles is about my average run nowadays and I can tell the voice in my head asking for a walk break to piss off.

Entering the Stone Arch Bridge

I was surprised at how hot it was.  This was the first run of the year where I felt my energy being sapped by heat and – again, in MARCH – humidity.  I was a sweaty beast about halfway into the run.  When I got to the end, I didn’t really have the energy or desire to sprint.  This was okay as I also did not have the room to do so.

Minneapolis

The "hill"

Running the "hill"

There was a huge crowd of finishers in which you had to navigate your way to get your medal.  They were also handing out bottled water, but I knew that there was a bunch of post-race goodies a couple of blocks ahead near the starting area.  I slowly made my way to this area and the crowds dissipated.  I grabbed a bottle of water, a Muscle Milk, and the “traditional” Team Ortho food bag: chips, Pearson Nut Roll, and banana.  By this time I had to leave to get to the office.  As I was walking to my car, my wife texted me to say that she had just finished.  She enjoyed the race, but was disappointed with her pace.  Kinda like me. 

After Finish Line

Overall I really enjoyed the race.  The day was majestic, the course was gorgeous, and I felt that Team Ortho handled the number or runners very well.  There were some complaints on Facebook after the race, mostly pertaining to the 1/2 marathon (held in a different location in Saint Paul).  It seems that they ran out of cups at one point so runners were unable to get water…on a day where it was very much a necessity.  There were also some complaints about overcrowding in the 7K.  I experienced neither issue, but what I did see that pissed me off was posts complaining about the race being deleted from Facebook.  I love your events Team Ortho, but you have to take the good with the bad – especially when the good outnumbered the bad about 10:1.

Medal