Calgary Marathon 2015

[taco.vidal]

Its also poor running ettiquete to put yourself infront of faster runners and a good way to get run over by people who are racing.

If you are new to running events you will learn after a few events how to eyeball where to seed yourself appropriately. It can be quite dangerous as the speed discrepancy of front of pack runners can be significant compared to a midpack runner who has placed themselves too far forward. Its a goodway to get yourself runover by a pack as runner more than 1 or 2 behind you cant see you and when ther person beyind you dodges you, the next person goes right into your. Dont under estimtate he discrepancy and closing speed difference between a 5min/km pace and a 4 or less.

Originally Posted by Shazam

This time, position yourself near other runners that run the same pace as you. That way you don't have to run through slower people. That is poor running etiquette.

[flamesgirl18]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Jack

The Oatmeal's enthusiasm for running is pretty well known so you may have seen this before, but now that we're down to the final few days, it's a good review for your race checklist:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/marathon_do

I've never gone full marathon distance, but I've still experienced most of these things, particularly the self-waterboarding at drink stations and interaction with better/worse runners.

Speaking of the Oatmeal and running, I just saw that they started up their own marathon and I think I may be adding this to my list of future races

http://www.beattheblerch.com/

[jeffporfirio]

Question related to the Marathon.
My kids are taking part in the kid's marathon (10 AM start time), and my wife insists we drive there (stroller, bags, etc.). We are coming in from the NW.

Does anyone have any past experience on what would be the best route to get there, and where to park?
Thanks

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

Its also poor running ettiquete to put yourself infront of faster runners and a good way to get run over by people who are racing.

Well yeah. But I can tell you it's a pretty good bet that OP should've been certain that he's faster than a family with kids and therefore should've placed himself in front of those people. Just sayin'.

[Inglewood Jack]

11 hours to start time...by now we've all picked up our race packages, tapered(?) and are having a go-to final dinner. I do best with Neapolitan pizza for some reason, which is perfect for finding yet another reason to eat pizza. seems to cause the fewest err...on course problems.

Anyone else got jitters yet? Don't worry, there's at least a few thousand others that are simultaneously chewing their nails off in anticipation.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by jeffporfirio

Question related to the Marathon.
My kids are taking part in the kid's marathon (10 AM start time), and my wife insists we drive there (stroller, bags, etc.). We are coming in from the NW.

Does anyone have any past experience on what would be the best route to get there, and where to park?
Thanks

Ignore your wife and take the train, in any event with masses of people completing for parking the train is easier.

That said

I would try to park in the gravel lot outside the dome or on street on 12th ave or 11th ave west of 1st SE. For a route check the closures on the website and avoid crossing any of the route. I think the center street bridge is a good choice to get inside the race path downtown as the race course goes under it.

[Clarkey]

Is it true they won't let you use headphones??

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

Is it true they won't let you use headphones??

Nah half the people there will have them on. The only time you'll really get in trouble is if you cause a collision or go off course cause your music is too loud.

Many people are able to just focus on running and get in the zone without tunes. I'm not one of them...need my awesome mix to get through this early morning Iditarod through heck.

[pgsieve]

That was quite hot. I'm really interested to hear the number of DNFs. Lost my lunch about 4 times from the heat

[Inglewood Jack]

I was too close to blacking out at the finish line to barf, but I did see a girl making velociraptor sounds into a garbage bag, putting the bag down to do a cute pose for the race photographers, then picking the bag up again to resume the exorcism.

and this was just for the half, which mostly missed the quickly rising heat. you guys that grinded out the full and ultra, especially with those evil hills after 17th ave, I salute you.

I heard the guy that was supposed to win it got DQ'd because he only did 41 km.

[Harju]

As I heard (with nothing to confirm this) where the course heads north down 14 St SW it turns east into Mount Royal then makes it way back to 14th. Two runners kept going straight down 14th and back onto the course a few blocks later.

[taco.vidal]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...fied-1.3094795

[MillerTime GFG]

Originally Posted by Puxlut

I heard the guy that was supposed to win it got DQ'd because he only did 41 km.

My parents actually had him over the night before the race for dinner, as he was billeting with neighbours 2 doors down from their place.

I feel awful for the guy. My dad even asked him "so what makes Kenyans so good at marathons?", to which he replied "It's because we need the money". First prize was $3500 for this marathon.

[pgsieve]

I personally don't see how they miss that turn. The whole course is covered in pylons and it was wildly obvious that you had to turn. I remember thinking to myself that it would sure be nice to keep going as I had no interest in a very unnecessary diversion on the road, but my moral compass told me to follow the rules.

If they were truly "mixed up" I hope they never run trail. If you can't follow a set of obvious pylons, good luck following some back country ribbon every 50 meters or so

[Inglewood Jack]

Not just the pylons, but there's a motorcycle leading the pack that's supposed to show you where to go. There's also all the volunteers and spotters along the road, so it's hard to imagine missing the turn unless he was really out of it.

For the half marathon, I saw a guy cheat by crossing over the Memorial drive median long before the actual turnaround point. Why would you do that in front of hundreds of people? I mean nobody really cares since he's not in contention to win, but guy just wasted the $90 registration fee and a perfectly good weekend sleep-in for that.

[Arsenal14]

My understanding is that the motorcycle had turned off 14th already with the lead runner and that the two guys who missed the turn were not in front before that. So, they probably ended up ahead of the motorcycle when it got back onto 14th. I've also heard that the volunteers had moved the barricade on 14th to let traffic go through and hadn't moved it back, which is why those two runners thought they were supposed to continue straight. Who knows. I just have a hard time believing that two elite marathon runners would decide to cheat in an obvious way.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Arsenal14

My understanding is that the motorcycle had turned off 14th already with the lead runner and that the two guys who missed the turn were not in front before that. So, they probably ended up ahead of the motorcycle when it got back onto 14th. I've also heard that the volunteers had moved the barricade on 14th to let traffic go through and hadn't moved it back, which is why those two runners thought they were supposed to continue straight. Who knows. I just have a hard time believing that two elite marathon runners would decide to cheat in an obvious way.

That's what I understood too. Especially considering that the marathon organizers are trying to make amends with the disqualified runners, from CBC article:

The Calgary Marathon Society plans to fully compensate the other two men who travelled a long distance to get to the race.


"We feel badly they came all this way, and they were clearly front runners in this race, and we'll make sure they're taken care of," said Fleming.