Harrisburg Mile Race Report

On Wednesday, July 20th, the hubby and I participated the Harrisburg Mile.  This was our fourth running of it and it is exactly as it sounds, a one mile race.  And let me tell you, at this time of year, one mile is all I can take!  The temperatures yesterday hit approximately 98 degrees with a heat index of over 100.  At race time, the temps were to be 91 with heat index of 98.  I believe it.  Oddly enough, it seems that this week is always the hottest of the summer.  I'm not sure what the organizers of the Mile did to tick off the powers that be, but man, enough already!

Anyway...enough about the heat that can kill.  Hubby and I are officially now in different age groups, so his heat went off at 7:15 p.m.  He had a goal of a sub-6 minute finish.  I would tell you how he did, but he can do it so much better.  My heat went off at 7:25 p.m.  It is a very competitive race.  People run mid-4 minute miles to finish.  Craziness.  Anyway, I headed out when the bullhorn went off and as predicted, back of the pack and fading fast.  LOL!  Honestly though, I finish last every year.  I'm ok with that.  I figure someone has to be last and since I'll never run those types of times, I'm ok with it.

I hit the quarter mile mark much faster than I thought I would....or at least it came up faster than I remember from past races.  I had Garmie on, but apparently I hit the wrong button and the time didn't start.  I did have MPH going and at one point I was at 7.8.  ROFLOL!  Yea, that could be how I came up on the 1/4 mile marker so fast.

As I came up to the half mile marker, I was pleasantly surprised to see I was at exactly 6 minutes.  I was still in last, but having not run in 6 weeks and all my running for the past year has been for distance, I was impressed with my 6 minute half mile.  I will admit though that the race was kicking my butt.  (Prefacing this with a please don't worry about the next sentence) I was having a hard time getting air in.  With the excessive heat advisory and air quality advisory in full force, I believe this is what they were talking about.  I did feel better in the second half of the mile, but I also slowed down.  Bah.

As I came up to the 3/4 mile marker, the person with the stop watch was chatting with someone.  I yelled out "Time?"  To which I was told she had already stopped the watch for the next heat.  This made me exceedingly mad.  I have done this race three years now and never once had that happened.  And she was snotty about it.  Like I was taking her away from her precious conversation.  Grrr...

But what made me even angrier was a few feet past there, some random guy came over and asked if he could run with me.  Uhhhh...ok?  He then proceeded to tell me that I was in last.  Yup. Got it.  That with my projected time, I was going to finish slower than him.  Yup. I'm a slow runner. (ass)  I then proceeded to share with him I've run a half marathon.  I run distance, not speed.  That shut him up pretty quickly. He shortly left me.

At this point I could see the beer tent and finish line.  I had nothing in me to sprint, unlike last year when I sprinted to the finish line.  I just kept going.  Had some cheers from the crowd and then it happened.  I looked to the timing clock.  And it had reset for the next heat.  It had never done that before.  I was ticked.  I finished my race, but was so upset over the clock having be reset that I never really looked at it after that.  I finished the race with only one person at the finish line congratulating me.  Which is a departure from previous years when no matter how last I was there were plenty of people there saying great job.

Hubby is always looking out for me.  He walked up to me with a nice cold bottle of water.  Oh thank heavens!  I say this because last year, when I finished (with many heats still left to run) there was no water. And when I asked about it, I was told very snottily that I should just use the water in the ice bucket.  Apparently, there must be snotty people volunteering at this event.  Ugh.

We met up with our friend Jim who introduced us to the Mile several years ago.  This was his first running in several years due to asthma issues.  He also did great! He has a 10 minute goal and smashed it coming in in the 9's.  Then it was off to the beer tent!  The best part of the race is the beer tent.  I'm not going to lie.  After running in 98ish heat, a cold beer is necessary.  :-) 

So, here's my honesty for ya.  I'm slightly annoyed with the race.  I paid my registration fee and yet when I crossed the finish line I had a vastly different experience than those who finished earlier.  I do not like feeling like a second class runner because I am not fast.  I run just as hard (for me) as they did and I deserve to be treated the same.  If this race is only for those who can run a sub-10 minute mile, then there should be something on the website stating that.  And I would be ok with that.  I can either train to run a sub-10 mile or I don't run. It then becomes MY choice.  Instead, they welcome all runners, but treat those who cannot run under 10 minutes with less courtesy.

I'll leave you with something more positive than my race opinion - the sun setting over the Susquehanna River.