Race Day!

The Running For Risa Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K, and Fun Run that I helped organize was Saturday April 23rd.  We were meeting there at 5AM to start setting up.  I checked Google to see how long it should take me to get there but with no traffic at 4AM, I got there quicker than I expected.  At 4:45AM I arrived to a locked gate and a dark park. 

We started setting up a little after 5 with flashlights until the sun started to rise.  I hired Rouge Multi-Sport to do chip timing for the race.  I told Chuck from Rouge where to setup for the starting line and helped figure out packet pickup, registration, and bag check.  I quickly realized it was a bad idea to have assigned myself to the registration table.  I was being pulled in different directions so I had some people help out at registration so I could work on other things.

Rouge Multi Sports Van

Packet Pick-up

I made a "finisher's chute" with long stakes and caution tape and also marked some of the tricky curves into the finish with caution tape so people couldn't take short cuts.  At just before 7AM I got on the loud speaker, explained the course to our 18 Full Marathon Runners and started them on their way.  I ran new registration forms down to the timing trailier, made sure our volunteers were getting all the info we needed from new people registering, answered questions on the course... I was busy. 

Full Marathon Start

Around 7:30 I heard some of the volunteers who were supposed to mark the turn around points for the Full, Half and 5K were having trouble finding the stakes at those points.  I hopped in a car and helped mark the turn around points with chalk.  I made it back to Boat Ramp C in time to start the Half Marathon at 8. 

Random pic of runners I snagged off Facebook

Things were getting really busy by then.  The 5K was our biggest race and they were showing up to pick up packets, register and get ready for the start at 9AM.  Andrea, both of my sisters, my neice Alyssa, and some of my friends ran the 5K.  The course was basically up and over a big hill (called Scott Hill) then you turn around and go back up and over the hill to the finish. 

Things getting busy at packet pickup

Leah and Jenn Starting the 5K

Andrea was a little worried since she hadn't been training as much as she would have liked to but she did really well.  Even with the hilly course, she was under 30 min.  In her division, she finished 18th out of 118 runners! 


Andrea Finishing the 5K!

A few of my friends also came to volunteer.  Jonica, Jeanie, and Mike helped me clip off the timing chips from the runners after the finished.  Leah, Alexa, and Jenn also helped after they ran the 5K.

We had a full on BBQ for the runners after they finished provided by Bon Apitite. 

We had prizes for the first place winners from each division.  Lots of people left right after their races so we didn't get them all handed out.

As the last runner came in from the Marathon, most people had left already and the BBQ was all cleaned up and catering company was gone.  We had Marathon Pizzaria bring pizza for the volunteers and we shared with the Runners who missed the BBQ.

The weather was amazing.  It was the nicest weather we have had all year.

The overall winners of each race were:
5K Preston Bahr 17:20 (5:35 Pace)
Half Marathon Douglas Denny 1:26:00 (6:34 Pace)
Full Marathon Kevin Dean 3:17:56 (7:33 Pace)