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gretriever
Hipster Doofus
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Joined: 16 Jul 2003
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Location: A moving target in a firing range.
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 Posted: 04/24/04 - 17:45 Post subject: "Everything In Its Right Place" (long race report)
Crazy Legs 8K, Madison WI
When I said "a cast of thousands", I wasn't kidding. At the last minute, I joined 6,740 other runners, and at least 4,000 walkers in this event. Arrived quite early, and at about 9:20 or so, coming bouncing down the steps at the State Capitol is Shelee, with my bib and pins (she got me registered yesterday). She's special to yours truly as she's the first Riff Raffer I ever met (granted this occured at the other place), and while we've been at a couple races, we never got to run in the same race. Until now.
She's very nervous about the run (which adds to her charm, actually) - she's got a borrowed watch, and all she could talk about was the HRM the watch was giving her, and how nervous she is. I asked her, "Would you like me to run with you?" She said it wasn't necessary, but I think she was hoping I would.
Briefly met Randy and four of his friends - they scooted off to their corral (want to say 6 1/2 minutes?). We went between 8 and 8 1/2 (first time I used a corral). It was cold, but with everyone crowded together, the body heat took care of that.
Race begins and right away we know it's going to be a slow one. After a loop around the Cpaitol, we start off down State Street. The entire width of the street, as far as the eye can see are runners. This happened only once before to me, at the start of Beach to Beacon. Little did we know this was going to be much of the race. Shelee gets the brilliant (really, not meant sarcastically) idea of running down the sidewalk. Surprisingly not a lot of them do. From State we wind our way through the UW campus (I screw my clock up again, so no splits. To their credit, they did have clocks at each mile marker).
At about 2.5 miles, I get something I never got since I started running over a year and a half ago... back spasms. Not bad, but enough to let me know they're there. At about 3 miles, Shelee says "Looks like this one's in the tank." I don't tell her about the back 'til we come to about 3.5, and I knock over several pylons (so much for dancing my way through the crowds - more like the Curly Shuffle). By 4 miles the spasms are going away, and are gone totall by 4.5. All this time, Shelee keeps saying (I think to the both of us) "It's a fun run", emphasizing the fun. At that stage, we're approaching Camp Randall Stadium, and the run onto the field - the finish is at the fifty-yard line.
Never got to run a race in full with anyone - but today, happily, the crowd kind of made that happen. Neither Shelly nor I ever had more than a five yard lead on the other. She would look back to know I was there, and vice versa. Beautiful pacing, and so easy despite the crowd ("Games? I've seen better organized riots." - Sam Mussabini, Chariots of Fire) At the end, instinct, I think, makes us grab each others hand and raise them as we cross. Unbelivable.
After some time, we do find Shelee's mom, but never found Randy or anyone else who may have been there. Huge as the crowd was, I still got a PR for an 8K. We started together, we ran together, we finished together - our time was :41:54.00 (old PR was :43:03.00), and finished tied for 1946th. On working my way out of Madison, I inadvertantly wound up going past the finish for Mad City next month. Or was it?
Thank you, Shelly, for getting me in the race, and for letting me run with you. I've run faster races, but none was ever more fun. Or special. 
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Cappy
Excelent
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Joined: 16 May 2002
Posts: 27368
Location: Spreadsheetylvania
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Posted: 04/24/04 - 17:47 Post subject:
Wasn't the first Riff Raffer you met Library Chick 
Great report, congrats on the PR
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TimRuns
Member
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Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 10062
Location: Coquitlam, British Columbia
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Posted: 04/24/04 - 19:03 Post subject:
congrats on the pr!
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jrjo
Gone Fishin
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Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16451
Location: Lake Wobegon, MN
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Posted: 04/24/04 - 20:09 Post subject:
A buck oh nine off the old PR! That rocks gdawg. Marathon training is doing you good 
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kattzoo
Member
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Joined: 28 Feb 2003
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Location: Happily at the back of the pack
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Posted: 04/24/04 - 21:24 Post subject:
Sounds like a fun one, with a great race buddy to boot!
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TriBob
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Joined: 29 Aug 2002
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Posted: 04/25/04 - 09:11 Post subject:
Great races are not always about time. 
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Kimba90
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Posted: 04/25/04 - 17:33 Post subject:
Sounds like a fun time AND a PR!
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runaroundsue
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Joined: 18 Sep 2002
Posts: 6629
Location: supporting GREENer pastures
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Posted: 04/25/04 - 19:30 Post subject:
dodged me again, eh? 
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rolling rock
The Pinball
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Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16218
Location: unknown zone
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Posted: 04/25/04 - 19:38 Post subject:
great report -- running with a riff raffer rocks!!
good job both of you. 
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elkid
Member
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Joined: 18 Nov 2002
Posts: 8353
Location: hiding out in Philly
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Posted: 04/25/04 - 20:59 Post subject:
Sounds like a good race, but with WAY too many people.  I've crossed the finish line before with someone, and completely get how cool an experience it is. Glad you got to do that, too.
But hot damn, you're getting fast!
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robp
Pyromaniac
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Joined: 26 Jul 2002
Posts: 16242
Location: Waiting in line at the beer store...
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Posted: 04/26/04 - 07:37 Post subject:
Excellent report Gdawg. Sounds like the two of you had a good time.
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runswithscissors
Member
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Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 8797
Location: In a badger state of mind
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Posted: 04/26/04 - 11:43 Post subject:
"Briefly met Randy and four of his friends - they scooted off to their corral (want to say 6 1/2 minutes?)"
Um, no...we were at 8:30 as well - looked for you guys and sorry we missed you! We didn't have as much luck getting around the pack, but had just as much fun. 3 of us finished together within 15 seconds.
Great report, Steve, and very nice to meet you! Oh, and Shel and I ran into each other outside the stadium afterwards for a quick pic - I'll put it up in a couple of days!
Randy
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genie
Master of Prissface
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Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 16194
Location: Finding serenity one day at a time
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Posted: 04/26/04 - 11:52 Post subject:
Great job, G-dawg!!!!  Very cool that you got to meet a coupla the gang as well. I'm jealous you got to run with my good buddy shelee!
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Pug
The Movie Geek
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Joined: 21 Aug 2003
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Posted: 04/26/04 - 12:14 Post subject:
Very cool, and good job!
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