Do you remember the Nike Woman’s marathon last year where one of the regular people finished way ahead of the elite runners by chip time, but her gun time she was slower. Nike didn’t want to acknowledge her at first because she was not in the elite group which to me makes no sense whatsoever. You go and run your race and if you win you win, I don’t think that the position in the field should have any merit on the results, period.
Interestingly, when we were looking at our results on line, some of my buddies noticed that their chip time was the same as their gun time. This did not make much sense since they were way back at the start of the race. Well apparently they “placed” in their age group, but because of this particular rule if you place in the race your chip time is overruled simply because if you knew you were that good, you should have gone to the front and battle it with the other folks that placed too. For my buddies and myself that does not make a difference, most of us are just looking to go have fun and have the best race we can, but if somebody place in their age group, they should have the recognition they deserve.. right?
I have to say that this particular race there so many people >3000, and all runners lined up at the start whichever way they could. Some of them went to the front and others, like me, wanted to get to the front but could not, and some like my other friends, they stayed back. The point is that I think that if there is not money involved, everybody should have their chip time reported, after all that is their real time, right? if money is going to be involved, then the people battling for the money can go to the front and gun time applies, Right?
Just after the race and before going to a "fun" ball game.. From left to right, Fred, Me, Joe, Calvin and Michelle in the front. The Fun
This race was a fun one; I belong to two different groups, one eating club and one drinking club, both with a running problem. The Mid Peninsula running club and the Top Shelf Runners in San Carlos. Both are great and I love being able to run twice a week with my friends and then we go eat or drink depending on the day and the running partners.
This past Sunday, my Top Shelf Runners and I went to San Francisco to run the plate to plate 5K. I got to say I was skeptical abut this race since it is relatively short and relatively expensive too. Needless to say it took some convincing, but once I got into it I was eager and happy to be able to go do it. But it did not help that I had a couple of friends visiting from Houston so the night before I went to bed really late… but it is only 3.1 miles right? how bad can it be?
We met at the ATT stadium and had enough time to go for a little warm up run, and then it was time to go to the starting line. I was not counting that there were going to be so many people. I could not get to the front and I had to stay behind. The gun went off and everybody started moving slowly towards the front. When I finally reached the front it took me a whole lot to navigate through the mass of people, I knew right then that it would be impossible for me to PR this one.. I finished in 21:14 or so, not my best time, but I had a great time in this race nevertheless.
After the race we all congregated in a corner and cheer for the rest of our team members, once we were all accounted for, we went to get something to eat. No luck, all restaurants had an incredible waiting time and provided that our party was very large there is no way they were going to be able to sit us. So we decided to go to the ball park and eat ball-park food. I had an overpriced vegetarian burger, it was decent.
And finally we went to see the Giants beat the Rockies. And being the BB fan that I am, I was rooting very hard for someone to win, please no Extra Innings. I just wanted this to be over with so I could go home. Finally after an exciting game (I was told it was very exciting), it was time to go home. And that is how it ended.
In my way to the home plate and a 21:14 5K run.. 
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