Race was cut short because of the conditions. I have had a great time in Savannah. I am disapointed that I can't cross Georgia off my list. There is only so long that you can argue with a state trooper at mile 19. It was stupid hot and humid. I don't blame the race diector for shutting it down. I saw my share of folks leaving the race via ambulence. Someone died out there today, It seems a bit early to turn the 3:20 crowd around, but it's not my call. I have no idea how I placed today, because they turned everyone aroud at the same time. So the leader board has me as finishing 50th, behind some folks that ran 16 miles. It doesn't matter. I survived. After the sun came at mile 14, and punched me in the face, I changed my goal to 3:30. After some heated words with the officer, my goal changed to having fun. I did. I would have could have finished, and in ugly fashion, but was not allowed. After the race, I played some two hand touch. Me and my kids vs. A local dad (that did not run) and his kids. My legs are going to be hot garbage tomorrow.
Edit: - Added 11/15/15. About the race course. Not as flat as I was promised. Louisiana was much flatter. Especially on the second half. The majority of the second half is run on interstate overpass. Which is almost as exciting as it sounds. It is a long, boring stretch out to Savannah State University, and then back again. When you get there, the kids are really enthusiastic, but it is really a long boring haul out there. The frist 5 miles is through a fairly rough neighborhood. Literaly and figuratively. There was gravel on the road in places. Some folks were very politely protesting some police violence at mile 2. I could hear no band as we passed them, and through the thick fog, and the sound only of runners breathing and footsteps, it was a freakishly somber moment for a race. In short, this would be a decent place for a half, but not great for a full marathon. At least, not like they have it set up now.
This was my first Rock and Roll event. I feel like they had some planning issues. The expo / packet pickup is on Hutchinson Island, on the other side of the river. Since I was there when the place opened on Thursday, packet pickup was a breeze for me. If you went on any time on Friday, "Zoo" is the most common expression I've heard, describing things. 18,000 half-ers. 2,000 full runners. The most lop-sided race ever.
I heard from my share of half marathoners after the race that they ran out of water. The slower runners that had no water got angry with the people ahead of them for wasting and hogging all the water. That might be some misdirected hostility. That one is on the race planners, right?
Finally, the shutting down of the race. I get it. But how this was handled was really awful. There are a lot of ways I can get into how bad this is/was, but the best explanation I can give is that at this moment, 8 days after the race, they still have me listed as finishing the race. I have sent them 4 e-mails, explaining what happened on the course. The 2 responses "Ok, But you chip did come across the finish line??? Was someone else wearing your bib?" Wait a minute, slick. Are you saying I wasn't supposed to run the 3 miles to the finish line, where my family was waiting? What was I supposed to do? Whoa, is this because you think I am trying to game you into a free race? Please, I would much rather be done with Georgia. Don't promise a free race to the redirected runners, if you don't mean it.
They need to get a freaking handle on this situation. I am telling you right now that no more than 30 people finished 26.2 miles. The last guy to make it through mile 21 was the 3:15 pacer guy. Go check the results page. Right now it shows 1,249 finishers, with an ALARMING number of BQ's, I might add.
All at once, I am saddened by the lack of honestly of my fellow runners, frustrated by the event directors for not correcting the results in a timely fashion, and anxious to get to another race, so I can wipe this non-race from my memory. Whenever I cross Georgia off my list, I don't think it will be Savannah. And that stinks, because I really, really liked our trip there.
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