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@katerunsthirteenpointone
Denver, CO Raving since 2024 Active 7 months, 3 weeks agoAbout Me
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Organize, track & review your races and personal bests here.
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| Race | Distance | Location | Date | Paid |
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Past Races (1)
| Race | Distance | Location | Date | Result | My Raves | My Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slacker Half Marathon | Half Marathon | Georgetown, CO | Jun 22, 2024 |
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Slacker Half Marathon
Lots of Potential; poor management
Slacker Half Marathon
The week of Slacker Half, I received multiple emails with important race information. One email dealt with traffic - the race said I-70 gets crowded on weekends and frequently has … MORE
The week of Slacker Half, I received multiple emails with important race information. One email dealt with traffic – the race said I-70 gets crowded on weekends and frequently has backups and accidents due to overheating vehicles. They recommended arriving very early.
The race began at 8am. I planned to arrive at the race venue by 7:15, which should’ve been plenty of time. However, the exit for the start line at Loveland Ski Area had a 2+ mile backup, clogging the highway and bringing traffic to a complete stop. I waited in traffic for forty minutes. Other runners were getting out of their cars and jogging down the shoulder of 70 to make the race start. I saw another runner abandon her car on the highway.
I got to the race start at 8:01am. Everyone was just milling about, but there were no audible announcements. I asked a bunch of fellow runners what was going on until one told me the race start was pushed to 8:30.
I have no idea why the race didn’t email this information. Runners risking their safety on a backed-up highway is unacceptable – the race should’ve just sent an email announcing the later start. This would’ve given stressed-out runners peace of mind. And why, in the pre-race communication, did they not mention that traffic at the start/exit gets severely backed up? This is more helpful than vague advisories about “overheating cars.”
Which brings me to the next point: an 8am start time in late June is already pushing it. 8:30?? We were all overheating on course by the final 5k.
The course was gorgeous, but even as a Denver resident I felt the altitude. Be prepared! Despite the net downhill, this is still a tough course and unlikely to lead to a PR. I ran this race for fun and am glad I did – it was hard to maintain an “easy” feel and I wasn’t even trying to push my pace.
I’ve done dozens of half marathons and sadly, this was the worst managed one I’ve ever completed. There’s a lot of potential with the course, but the management needs to improve their communication and start time.