Last Saturday was the Firefly 5k and 10k in lovely, suburban Plano, Texas. I had some friends running the 5k, but I opted to do the 10k to help prepare for the Wounded Warrior Half Marathon I'm running next Sunday.
The race was for a great cause and it's a really cool concept. Instead of running in the morning like most races in the area, this one is done at night. Participants are given blinking armbands and glow-in-the-dark bracelets and encouraged to dress for the occasion. Like all races, there were people dressed to have fun and others dressed for business. One guy was literally dressed for business and ran in a full suit. . .in June. . .in Texas. It was hot.
Sadly, this race was a complete bust from the minute we parked. Red flags to pack it in and head out were all over the place, but we'd paid or $40 and we were determined to run. So let's break it down:
I have a really hard time with packet pick-ups at 99% of the races. I don't have the time to leave my office during lunch, so when packet pick-up is between 8am and 6pm during the week, I have to get my gear on race day. This means I get to suffer through a long line, I get that, but even the longest lines move quickly when the race is organized well.
This was not one of those races.
Since race day packet pick-up wasn't opened until 90 minutes before the race, you had close to 1,000 people (if not more) NOT including those hoping to register trying to get their bibs and gear. This meant despite arriving on time, we waited in line for an hour before arriving to the log jam - a woman saying we needed to get our bib numbers from her before we could pick up our packets. One woman. For 1,000+ people. With one list of names. Yea. Seriously.
So by the time we had our race bibs and had a chance to stash our merch with friends who wisely chose to participate in the race by tailgating the finish line, it was time to race. I hadn't really had a chance to stretch, I was wedged in with a bunch of people wearing oversized fairy wings and goofy hats and the dreaded stroller runners/walkers. . .awesome. The race began and I did my usual deadsprint for the first couple minutes to beat the crowd.
But the crowd would not be beaten!
The race route was planned terribly. After running one way for 3/4 mile, we had to cut back and run back down the same route. This meant I was now running back into the throng of people I had just busted my ass to avoid. The massive crowd wasn't paying attention to the race route or that there were people running back towards them. Picture this scene. A sweaty (yes, already, it was above 90), guy wearing flashing lights running directly into a sea of people while screaming like a mad man. I literally shouted until my voice was hoarse to try and get people's attention that we were headed back down the hill. Did people acknowledge this? No. Did I end up elbowing some people (un?)intentionally? Yes. Did I get elbowed by a few people (un?)intentionally? Yes. I finally made it through the crowd and was free and clear again.
But did you really think it was going to be that easy?
I ran past the first water station and avoided it. I usually don't grab a water during a 5k or 10k, and when I do I make sure I'm more than halfway done. So I chugged along down the route where we had to do ANOTHER cutback sending me back, screaming like a madman, into another crowd of people. A few minutes later I was on an almost deserted street, finally able to hit my normal stride. . .for five minutes. Then I was back at the start of the race.
Friendly FYI for non-runners: It's not common to have a 10k that is just two loops on the same 5k trail.
When I got to the finish/start line again, the crowd wasn't thick yet, but I had heard that it caused quite the bit of confusion for other runners. It was unclear where to go to finish the race or continue the 10k. Some runners accidentally crossed the finish and their 10k times weren't registered. Unexcusable.
I made it about a mile through the 10k (just passed the stupid cut back) when I ran into a brick wall. . .of people. . .walking. This is why you don't loop a 10k. The fun walkers were doing just that. . .walking, having fun, laughing, chatting, etc. They started in the back and I can't get mad at them for being in my way now, this fall's on the organizer. However, here's where I CAN get mad at the fun walkers.
My second loop around, I was in need of a quick drink. When I got to the ONE water station I saw it was being used for social hour. A swarm of people laughing, joking, glugging down cup after cup. I didn't want to wreck my time trying to fight for a cup of water and so I pushed ahead sans drink (no, I don't advocate this idea. . .always make sure you're hydrated).
I finished the race after a glorious sprint the last 1/4 mile passing the two guys I had been pacing (I also beat the weirdo shirtless guy with nipple rings I see at EVERY SINGLE RACE). When I finished, though, there was no one to direct me to where I could get some water. I asked a lady carrying 5 bottles where she got hers and she said 'From over there, but they're out.' Of course, she did not offer me one of her five. I finally found a volunteer who said 'I think we're out.' Luckily, they weren't, the volunteer was just clueless, and I finally got some hydration.
I wanted to stick around to see if I had placed in my age group, but a volunteer couldn't tell me when they would be announcing winners. He did say if I wanted I could peruse the massive sheet of runners to see my clock time. . .but I had to know my clock time to do so. I'm not even going to start ranting on this one. . .too much anger for such stupidity. I did also hear a guy complaining to volunteers about parking. It seems some cars had been permitted to park in the parking lot of the after party. . .which was going to be closed to entry or exit for the next few hours. Awesome.
When it was all said and done I placed 3rd in my age group. I loved the concept, loved that the registration money went to a great cause and loved running the race with friends. . .but I will absolutely not sign up for this one again.
I'm Joe.
