A Marathon!
I keep saying that completing a marathon as a relay team is still a marathon, but of course I realize the difference. Seeing those people who ran an entire 26.2 miles all by themselves was very humbling. I have so much respect and admiration for anyone who has done it. I've gotta say, though, this relay deal was pretty sweet!
What's in a Team Name
Choosing the team name may have been the most challenging part of this race. Well, maybe running on a warm May morning was more difficult, but the name was still not easy. We were a hodge-podge group. Of course, it started with the BF and I, and then added in the BF's Friend (DDS) and two of my coworkers (DZ and KP).
So, we don't all work together. We don't all live in the same city. We don't have any easy-to-point-out similarities, except, of course, that we are all runners. Yay! So, who cares what name we chose? We were a team!
Coordination
I know I've heard some people say that coordinating a relay is a lot of work. It was work, sure, but this fine group of people made it pretty easy to coordinate. Everyone was easygoing and excited. None of us had done a relay before, and all of us were up for something new.
The race directors could have worked on their coordination, though.
Here's my quick list of pros and cons:
PROS:
* Plenty of water, Gatorade, porta-potties, and volunteers. Yay! (I have to mention that the porta-potties at the 4th exchange point smelled like cinnamon. For real! Amazing! I told DDS I'd blog that. :)
* Lots of crowds on the route. That's always nice. Green Bay really comes out for this.
* Misters and sprinklers were on most of our routes. (more would've been even better, though.)
* Free beer, brats, cookies, chips, etc. post-race. Nice.
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| KP and the BF post-race. Cheers! |
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| The BF, DDS, and DZ with more cheers! |
* Nice medal, nice shirt.
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| I particularly enjoyed that you have to read the very tiny print to notice it says "relay" he he |
* The relay exchange points had good parking, restrooms, and space
* The virtual goodie bag was nice. Most of those coupons would've been wasted trees for us. It was nice to review them, know they're there if we want them, but not feel bad recycling them all when we got home.
CONS:
* The relay legs (distances, anyway) changed at least two times from the day we signed up. That's fine, actually, but we were never notified of the changes. I happened to notice it on the web site. After the second (or third, I can't remember) time it happened, I emailed the race people. The director replied with a bit of a snippy attitude, explaining construction and things causing changes. That's fine. JUST TELL THE FREAKING CAPTAINS. All I was asking for was the courtesy of being informed. We got plenty of other junk emails from the race, but not important ones explaining our distances would be different.
(Ok, rant over)
* The information given about the relay implied that only one person HAD to pick up race packets, but what they meant to say was that only one person COULD pick up the packets. So, KP picked them up, because she was there first. The BF and I were meeting with DDS prior to figure out the driving route, and the instructions would have been nice. Then, when they made KP pick up the packets and shirts, she was told that the relay teams didn't get a bag. Half and full marathon runners got a plastic bag for their stuff, but the TEAM of five shirts and stuff gets no bag. I just don't get that.
* We were not told that instructions for the driving route would be provided. They were GREAT instructions, but we had been given the impression that it was going to be each team for themselves. Again, we just would have appreciated more communication.
* This is a minor one, but by the time we got to refreshments, the condiments for the bratwursts were all gone. They were great brats, but I really wish I'd have had mustard. :(
The Expo is Important!
I always love a good expo, as you know. Unfortunately, DDS was like FIFTEEN MINUTES LATE for our planned time to leave for the expo. Don't worry, I've forgiven him. I'd never met him before, but he was just as funny as he is on twitter.
The expo was held in the Lambeau Field Atrium. It's a nice, open space for an event like this.
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| I enjoyed posing with superheroes. |
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| DDS pointed out the Spartan. Of course, I ran over for a photo. |
I got a red flower for my hair from a booth of www.fellowflowers.com I chose a red one because I had just chosen a red tank for race day, and red is my favorite color. Also, the saying associated with their red flower is, "It takes strength to do what you love."
Of course, if I can do ANYTHING to feel more girly as I sweat and get all red-faced, I'm so going to do it. A flower in my hair as I run? Why, yes, thank you!!
The official race gear "store" didn't tempt me at all. Good thing, cuz I'm normally a major sucker for that. None of the shirts or anything seemed all that great, and not surprisingly there was nothing relay-specific. Easy to pass through there without a purchase.
The Spartan guy gave me a free candy bar (yum) and we all signed up for their email list (cuz it got us tough-looking t-shirts). www.spartanrace.com advertises 3+miles of insane obstacles. Insane is right. Yikes. Not sure that kind of thing is for me. Maybe someday. I'd love to see it, though.
I also got a brochure for the Fox Cities Marathon weekend www.foxcitiesmarathon.org for which I fully intend to register as a half marathon runner. DDS will run it, too. He's all wishy washy about it now, but peer pressure will get him in the end. ;)
I would have totally bought a tank that said "I don't sweat, I sparkle" but they were out in my size. My mom always told me that those things happen because I was looking for the most popular size. I'm pretty sure that was not the case this time. I highly doubt the most popular size for a runner girl is XL. Oh well. I might order online. It was a fun top, and they gave me a coupon. www.ruseen.com
I like the bright colors of their stuff for safety's sake.
Dinner and Planning
KP and DZ couldn't make our "strategy dinner" but the boys and I managed to plow through plenty of chips and dip on our own. The BF has an odd ritual of having Mexican the evening before a race. I'm cool with it, though, because I love fajitas. Man, did I want a margarita... we all resisted booze.
DDS and The BF got the route figured out, and then KP called to let us know she also had instructions with our race packets. OK.. we were all set. Next it was some rest and early bedtimes. 4:30am was going to arrive early.
Race Morning
Meeting at the Target near Starbucks might have been my brightest idea.
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| Americano and Blueberry Scone- breakfast of champions! |
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| In my excitement, I spilled my coffee a bit. The BF took this while I ran back for napkins. |
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| Relay Mobile with a very fine driver. :) |
We got to Lambeau and hit the atrium for one last pit stop before we sent the BF to the start line. We took a few photos, too.
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| I love this team. |
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| Every runner got a "We Run As One- Boston 2013" rubber bracelet. There was a 26 second pause of silence with everyone's hands up. I'm not sure how I feel about that yet. Nice idea, but maybe a publicity stunt? Maybe I'm a negative Nellie. |
Exchanges
We all agreed a relay was a fun way to run a race. We all traveled together in the "relay mobile" from point to point, and enjoyed each other's company. It was fun watching all the other relay teams exchange, and to cheer on our team. We also grabbed some fun photos.
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| KP is all smiley :) Wearing a skirt- yay! |
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| DDS and The BF- "Gotta have more cowbell!" |
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| Our sign really helped us find each other at exchange spots. It read "26.2- relay style!" |
Lambeau
Maybe one of the coolest parts of this race was that there was a relay reunite spot .8 miles before the end. We all got to meet up and run the last bit together. Basically, we ran into, around, and out of Lambeau Field. I know I am not supposed to openly admit that I am not a diehard Packer fan, but NFL just doesn't do it for me. I could see why this lap would be fun for fans, but it was a little lost on me. I was just enjoying finishing with my team.
This last .8 was my biggest fear. I'm a 10:30-11:00 runner, and these people average 9:00. Yikes! KP and DZ were all relaxed and chipper, making it look like it was no big whoop for them. The BF stayed with me, bless his heart (even though his first leg was an 8:30 pace, cuz he's speedy), and poor DDS was hot and tired from doing the last (and did I mention hottest?) leg.
So, confession: I used Lambeau as an excuse to "pause" for photos. Tee hee. Thank God, too, cuz those ladies were killing me with their pace. At the end, everyone said, "there's the finish, let's kick it up!" I about died! I was already "kicking it up!" Needless to say, I finished last. Hakuna Matata. :)
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| DDS looking confident and comfortable at the reuniting spot |
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| Tunnel into Lambeau- see the girls way ahead? |
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| That's the BF in red, looking all serious. |
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Isn't Lambeau a great place to pause a second and just enjoy? (wink, wink)
So, there we are. Finishers! I couldn't have asked for a more perfect group of people to share my first relay.
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So, there you have it. My first relay. I can mark it off my running bucket list. We finished close to the top third, with an admirable not-much-over 4 hour time. I can't begin to express what an incredible experience this was. The BF put it best when he said, "...before that day, the five of us were never together, yet we accomplished (26.2 miles) together." Together, indeed.
Together, we shared 26.2 miles. Together, we ran our first relay, and thus PR'd. :) Together we shared teasing, laughter, cheers, sweat, water, beers, and some of my very best running memories.
Thank you, team, for sharing that day with me. I'm still all lit up with smiles a day and half later.
Who's up for the same thing next year????
