Let’s all do the wave!
What if I show up and I am wearing two different colored socks?! OMG.
I received this fantastic little update email from the HMBIM with all those important last minute details like this is where you are starting, this is where you shouldn’t park if you want to find your car when you’re done and the half marathon has gotten so big that we are going to do a wave start.
Wave start? Instant anxiety. Where do I go? What do I do? I’m positive I didn’t provide them with my estimated finish time so we must be assigning ourselves or can I do it today at packet pick up? What if I get lost? What if I never find the start line?
As you can see, I am perfectly rational at this point. But the email actually says this:
“The first WAVE will be at 7:00 a.m., and will include the FEW RUNNERS who truly expect to contend for the top overall spots in the race.”
This totally makes sense to me. I’m totally fine with it. And then this horrible realization came:
7:00 A.M. Half Marathon Start, Top Overall Contenders + Bib Numbers 600-899
7:02 A.M. Half Marathon Start, Bib Numbers 900+
I am bib 680 which would put me in the first group. Obviously, I’ll strategically move myself to the back of said group out of courtesy and for fear of my own life but what about those poor people behind me taking off two minutes later?
I am having images of a cattle stampede, particularly since the race has grown so much this year. I’ve been in starts like this before where even though I was in the 11-12 minute corral the runners in the over 12 minute group, including walkers and strollers took us down. My heels hurt for days after a particularly aggressive stroller pushing group of women spouting obscenities that we were in their way rammed a group of us moving over to the side to get the hell out of their way (and I’m pretty sure all of us finished about 20 minutes ahead of the Stroller Basher Brigade when everything was said in done).
Don’t get me wrong. I totally understand the function of a wave start. I am just scared to death that it’s by bib and not by pace because in that type of situation, even if I arrange myself at the back of my group, I am likely to be run over and left for dead on the side of the trail before I even get through the gate.
There is, of course, a simple solution. I’ll just slink to the back of the pack regardless of my bib number and save myself the terror and panic. That is of course what I will be doing. Duh.
In other news, though my cold lingers, it has managed to remain only annoying and not debilitating. I am pretty excited about that. I will get to test my cold impacted body at the Color Me Rad 5K tomorrow. If my skin appears tie dyed at the Half Moon Bay half, it’s not some strange disease. It will be the color I can’t get off me.
Don’t forget: If you are bored this weekend and want updates on your favorite fat chick runner, track me!
If you stay to the side and at the back of the corral for the first wave you should be okay. You can also ask if you can start in the 2nd wave. They may let you, or it may screw up the timing – so ask first.
Relax! 😉