I agreed. So, I registered.
Oh, do I ever regret the day I did that. I could go into a massive critique of the race, but let’s just say that Jackie, Sarah and I had no idea what was in store for us as we drove to the National Harbor.
(Jackie wanted this picture because she figured nobody would believe that she had driven to a race with two other runners dressed like this.)
We foolishly thought that the worst event of the day was behind us when Sarah’s car wouldn’t start that morning. Um, no. We just ran over to my car and drove to the massive backup that was I-295 leading to the National Harbor.
Then we walked a mile and a half to the start line. And kids, that was after we paid $10 for our parking pass. We walked pretty quickly to try to make the starting time. Then, because of catastrophic organizational failure, we waited in the corrals until 70 minutes after racing time to start running.
SEVENTY MINUTES.
At least it gave Sarah and I time to discuss recent poor life decisions we'd both made. And then we were sent off on the course, which may or may not have been short, to battle loose gravel paths, hairpin turns, and running against a freeway.
Rather than continuing to critique the race, let’s just do a numbers rundown:
Number of dead animals I had to run past on Indian Head Highway: 2
Number of Mack trucks I ran right next to on Indian Head Highway: 12
Number of times we tried to start Sarah’s car before jumping into my 17 year-old station wagon: At least 10
Number of Ghirardelli squares I stole at the finish line party: 20
Number of minutes I spent running: 82 (finish time 1:22:04 for an 8:49 pace)
Number of runners who got a Garmin reading of 15k or more on the course: Zero
Number of obnoxious running costumes in our car: 2
Number of times our $10 parking pass was checked: Zero
Number of miles walked between our car and the start/finish line: 3
Number of minutes Sarah and I spent discussing the 2012 racing season: At least 800
Number of times I will do this race again: Negative 14
Have you ever been to a poorly-organized race? Did you steal chocolate in revenge?
Ouch. SEVENTY minutes? That's a LONG time to be waiting outside in December. Unless you're in Southern California or something. Which you were not.
ReplyDeleteAnd the course just sounds like the organizers were waiting to get sued... running alongside Mack trucks? Really?
I blame you.
ReplyDeleteI think you posted about this race a while ago so I signed up because it sounded like a lot of fun. I also talked a friend into it. From picking up the packets to trying to get out of the parking lot after we finished it was one massive cluster****. I should have had the presence of mind to steal some chocolate!!
There's a fun new FB page that's been created for the race, because RAM was deleting all the negative comments from its page.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Epic-Fail-Hot-Chocolate-5k15k/204729599607902
Ahahah. I love every review I've read of this race, including yours.
ReplyDeleteI really am glad I did this one.
HAHA... I love how you wrote this up!!!!
ReplyDeleteI wish I stold chocolate too!!! We just need to organize our own chocolate run next time :)
Love the costumes! Is that a figure skating outfit?
ReplyDeleteWell done! Other stats:
ReplyDeleteNumber of people I saw trip over haphazardly placed orange cones: 23
Number of freezing people who were refused hot chocolate pre-race (nevermind the fact that the race was already 45+ minutes behind schedule with not start in sight): at least 100
Elbows taken to the ribs: At least 3
Number of people I saw almost get hit by a truck: 2 (I'm amazed no one did!)
Minutes I was glad to be running this race. ZERO.
Man I didn't even see the chocolate squares at the finish line. I did enjoy the fondue though. But yea...otherwise epic disaster.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad I missed this because MAN, would I write a great race report!
ReplyDeleteHaha I went around that whole little square making sure I got a handful from each volunteer. Honestly, I'm glad I was there, if just for the story. What a mess. I still can't believe I never found you.
ReplyDeleteThe 5k was no better. We waited nearly an hour to start and then had to run the course backwards. By all accounts, the 5k was actually 3.3, not 3.1 miles. One of the reasons we started late was that the incoming late 5k arrivals and 15k arrivals were directed up the 5k course (which wouldn't have been nearly as big a problem if we'd run the course in the correct direction). I heard one of the incoming runners complain to a volunteer that we should be told to move over to get out of their way. The path was already just 3 people wide and we were racing and she wanted us to move to 2 people wide. What a crazy day! I looked for you, but had forgotten to ask what you'd be wearing. I'm pretty sure I would have found you, if I'd known about the figure skating outfit! ;)
ReplyDeleteI did not see chocolate squares at the finish line!!! But I rushed through my fondue and hot chocolate so I could get the eff outta there!
ReplyDeleteWow, craziness. And I think that chocolate was YOURS fair and square since you paid the registration fee.
ReplyDeleteWow that's not fun at all. Sorry you had to endure that. But at least you have lots of chocolate :) Congrats on the fast finish!
ReplyDeleteIt almost seems like it would have been worth it to enter this race for the story. Almost.
ReplyDeleteThank you, for bringing some humor to this situation.
ReplyDeleteAnd more importantly, where did you get that skirt? I'm running a double in Disney in 4 weeks (clearly I'm crazy) and I need another awesome skirt!
You guys are now an exclusive club. You should get shirts made, "I Survived the Running for Hot Chocolate 15k". Seriously, Im sorry this race was such a disaster!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I switched down to the 5K and avoided running on the highway. But I'm not glad I spent all morning standing around freezing my butt off to run 3.1 miles. At least our course was marked properly, even if we did run it backwards :)
ReplyDeleteUgh, I've heard so much about how bad this was! I heard really good things after the Chicago one and signed up for Dallas in Feb…I hope it goes better :) Sorry it was such a disaster!
ReplyDeleteHahaaha. Haha. Hah. Sad!
ReplyDeleteI've had a couple snafu-ed races, but nothing quite as exceptional as this. I did run a half marathon last february on the new hampshire coastline based on an advertisement of a massive chocolate feast at the end.
Two Lindt truffles per person. That was it. I'm still pissed!
Oooh, cute outfit, ja?;)
I never made it to the race. I was in backed-up traffic at 7:48 and was going nowhere. Bummed I didn't get any chocolate.
ReplyDeleteYour time as great!
20 pieces of chocolate can not possibly make up for that race. It's a good try though!
ReplyDeleteI almost missed the chocolate squares at the finish--I should have taken more! I guess I'm lucky that I only had 1 roadkill sighting! Did you see that the Wilson Bridge Marathon folks posted that they capped their event at 4,000? Huge difference!
ReplyDeleteOh my god. That race sounds so terrible. They better give you a full refund.
ReplyDeleteThere was actually a Pittsburgh Yelp discussion linking to the DC yelp review of the race. Word is getting around about just how badly this was organized. I think they should do some serious damage control with free chocolate.
ReplyDeleteI think I wouldn't still be angry at RAM Racing if I had stolen chocolate. :)
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شركة تنظيف ابوظبى 0567410494 التاج الملكى
ReplyDeleteشركة التاج الملكي أرخص وأفضل وأكبر
شركة تنظيف ابوظبى
، فتمتلك العديد من المقومات الرائعة التي تميزها عن غيرها من الشركات، حيث أن التنظيف يعتبر من الأمور الشاقة للغاية للمرأة خاصة إذا كانت المرأة تعمل فيكون ليس لديها وقت فارغ لتتم عملية التنظيف، حيث أن
شركة تنظيف فى ابوظبى
تمتلك عمالة مدربة على مستوى عالي من الجودة ولديهم خبرة تتعدي الخمس سنوات في مجال التنظيف، فالمرأة تكتشف البقع من بقايا المشروبات والطعام فلابد على أي مرأة أكتشافها لهذه البقع أن تقوم بالأتصال على الفور على
شركة تنظيف مسابح ابوظبى
، حتى تعمل
شركات تنظيف المنازل ابوظبى
على تنظيف جميع الغرف والمطابخ والحمامات التي توجد في البيوت.
تنظف فلل ابوظبى
ماذا تقدم لعملائها
تقدم
شركة تنظيف شقق ابوظبى
العديد من الخدمات والمميزات لعملائها حيث تعتبر من أفضل الشركات التي تعمل في مجال التنظيف، فتستخدم
خدمات تنظيف ابوظبى
العديد من المساحيق التي تعمل على إزالة البقع نهائياً.
حيث تستخدم
تنظيف منازل ابوظبى
مساحيق خاصة لأزالة بقايا الطعام من المطابخ وخاصة السيراميك فالمطبخ لابد من تنظيفه جيداً وعدم أهماله حتى لا تتراكم الدهون والشحوم، كما أن المطبخ لابد من تعقيمه وترتيبه بأستمرار حتى لا يراكم الحشرات الزاحفة والطائرة وتعمل على تلوث الطعام وإصابة الإنسان بالأمراض.
كما أن
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تعمل على خصم خدمة التنظيف لجميع العملاء، حيث أن
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تمتلك مهارة فائقة في مجال
خدمات تنظيف ابوظبى
التنظيف وتمتلك أفضل المعدات والألات التي تستخدم في مجال التنظيف، لذا لابد من التعامل مع هذه الشركة لأنها أكبر
شركة تنظيف بالبخار ابوظبى
تمتلك خبرة وجودة في الوطن العربي كمام تقدم
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منها
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مكافحة حشرات الامارات
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ReplyDeleteافضل شركة مكافحة حشرات ابوظبى
، حيث تعمل على أبادة جميع الحشرات سواء الحشرات الزاحفة أو الحشرات الطائرة، وجميع الحشرات تضر بصحة الإنسان خاصة الأطفال لذا لابد التخلص من جميع الحشرات التي تؤذي صحة الإنسان، حيث أن
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تستخدم شركتنا العديد من المبيدات الحشرية الغير مضرة بصحة الإنسان لأنها مصرح بها من وزارة الصحة بابوظبي، لذا فأنها أمنة جداً ولا يوجد بها ضرر، لذا لابد أن نتخلص من جميع الحشرات حتى لا يحدث للإنسان أي مكروب وذلك لم يحدث إلا عن طريق
شركة مكافحة حشرات ابوظبى
.
أهم المميزات التي تقدمها
شركة مكافحة البق ابوظبى
شركة مكافحة حشرات فى ابوظبى
شركتنا تعمل على مكافحة جميع الحشرات، حيث تعتبر أحسن
شركة مكافحة النمل الابيض ابوظبى
، وتعتبر أفضل
شركة مكافحة الثعابين ابوظبى
، من ثم نعرض لكم جميع المميزات التي تخص
شركة مكافحة الرمة ابوظبى
:-
• عند أكتشاف أي نوع من الصراصير فعليك أن تقوم بأستبعاد القطعة التي يوجد فيها هذه الحشرة حتى لا تنقل العدوي لغيرها من قطع الأثاث، حيث تقوم
شركة مكافحة الصراصير ابوظبى
بعمل معاينة لجميع قطع الأثاث وعمل أبادة تامة من هذه الحشرة التي تعمل على تلوث الطعام وإصابة الأطفال بميكروب، وتستخدم شركتنا لمكافحة الصراصير أفضل أنواع المبيدات لطردها نهائياً من المنزل وعدم عودتها مرة أخرى.
• وعند أكتشاف أي قطع من الملابس ممزقة فلابد من البحث عن وجود نمل أبيض، حيث تقوم مكافحة حشرات الامارات
بعمل معاينة أولاً لمعرفة المكان الذي يأتي منه النمل ثم تستخدم الشركة المبيد الحشري المناسب لكي يعمل على طرد النمل نهائياَ من المنزل.
الجميرة
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