I talked to JT, and he was told it was "closed" two weeks before. Other sources said it was closed a week before. Still others didn't report it was closed until a few days before the race.
At the race, an hour before start, one of the club members and race volunteers was surprised to find out registration had closed and that there was no race-day registration.
The RD is a good guy, and this is a great race, but it has always been a small-local event, and this year it kind of exploded into a very big thing. Bigger than expected. So communication and organization in some areas kind of went out the window. Those who got registered were well-organized, and once the race started, it was business as usual: a very good time.
But I did not get registered in time. Dave Black and his son Joe did. Anita F also didn't get registered. This was FUBAR - the plan had been for Dave, Joe, and I to drive down to Colorado Springs to camp on Anita's floor, then all four of us carpooled down to Pueblo Saturday morning. But only half of us ran the official race.
Anita and I ran the whole course starting 40 minutes before everyone else, so we had a roving ring-side seat.
The forecast was for colder, windier, and even some wetness. It was dry and (almost) nice.
I ran the whole course for free, but without the extra oompf from competition, and $40 cheaper.
Haven't you read TJ's link about bandits? :) JK. I'll take free. Love that beard...don't know how he lives with it!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I didn't actually "bandit" the race. I started 40 minutes before and never interfered with any racer. There are parallel paths, and I ran the return on concrete path to avoid the racers on the trail. There were sections with only one path, but only the male winner passed us, and we got off and cheered him on from the sidelines until he passed. Then pulled off the course when the finish came within sight.
ReplyDeleteWhen waiting for Dave and his son at the finish, I was surprised at just how many bandits were running the race, apparently starting with the pack and running the whole thing across the finish-line, even as the RD was yelling repeatedly to the returning runners, "If you do not have a bib, please exit the course before the finish!" It was extremely rude to the RD, the volunteers, and the other registered racers. There's a right and wrong way to do everything.