St. Louis, MO

Missouri

State #30 

The St. Louis Track Club put on the

39th St Louis Half Marathon, Clayton Police 5K for Special Olympics & Youth Run on

Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018

It was a smaller race, but well attended and well organized.  I decided to race this one because I needed Missouri and it met my time frame.  I was in Seattle for the entire week prior and this race was the only one on the way home in a state that I have not already run.  At some point, the logistics of this venture dictate that one simply takes what one can get, where and when one can get it.  I had originally planned to run a different race in St. Louis (a bigger, more popular race), but when I found this one was on my way home from a long trip, I just decided to take it.

There were some pros and some cons to this race.  I'll start with the pros.

PROS 

It was only $65 total

It benefitted the special olympics

It was on my way home from Seattle

I was able to pick up my race packet on race morning

I was able to get relatively inexpensive accommodations (AirBnb) within a mile from the start/finish

Easy in and out, to and from the airport

Plenty of nearby "healthy choice" restaurants

I think the course would have been very scenic (see cons)

55ºF -- (this will get a pro and a con)

Race volunteers were incredible

Post-race food was decent
Oh, and I got a PR (personal record)  -- Always a plus!!

CONS

Hills -- many hills

Rain, Rain, Rain!!!  It started raining about two hours before the race start (as I was walking to the race) and never stopped the entire race.

Wind, Wind, Wind.  Nothing like a lot of wind to accompany a cold rain.  Up one of the hills a strong wind blew by and I looked up to see several runners leaning 45º -- looked something like this:

55ºF -  seemed like 35ºF when a cold, stiff wind blows by your already soaked body

Fan support was minimal because of the rain, but I was surprised to see several people out there cheering.

Another "free-for-all" start -- see below.

No pictures before, during, or after the race... so, this is what you get:

One other CON that really turned out to be a PRO was the walk back to my room.  It was about a mile and it was straight back down the end of the race.  As I walked back to my room, I was encouraging the runners who were still out on the course, telling them they were doing great and only had a mile or less to go.  As it turned out, they were even more encouraging to me... smiling and yelling "GREAT JOB!" and "CONGRATULATIONS!"... lots of waves and thumbs up.  It was a nice feeling.  I wanted to encourage them, but they were even more encouraging to me.

Free-for-all Start

The start was really pretty funny.  Before the race everyone gathered in the recreation center because of the foul weather.  The National Anthem was sung by a sweet young man with Down's Syndrome in the rec. center. Then there was an announcement about 5 minutes prior to the start and everyone filtered out the little door to get to the start.  There were self-seeding signs for pace at 10min/mile, 9:30/mile, 9:00/mile, 8:30/mile, then 8:00 and under... which was a tiny little area that would hold maybe 50 people.  The announcer was well behind everyone in the starting area and a speaker was being used to amplify his voice... but no one in the front area could hear him.  He gave a "ready, set, go" and it took a good 10 seconds for the front runners to recognize that the race had started as the racers toward the back pushed forward and yelled, GO, GO, GO".  It did not affect anyone much, but it was fairly humorous.  

Police support was really good in most areas, but the streets were not all completely closed to traffic, so there were a couple of times where the cars were turning in front of me and trying to pass.  I really prefer to run alone, so I usually find a "pocket" in front of the "pack" so their stomping and wheezing and coughing and spitting do not interfere with my stomping and wheezing and coughing and spitting... so, this must have appeared to be an appealing place to drive or turn or cross for the vehicles.  I thought I might get run over a time or two.  Should have run faster I suppose.

Once we got into the park, where the majority of the race was run, there was no traffic and there was great volunteer support to give us water and Gatorade and Gu gels as well as proficiently direct runner traffic.

Then the race continued back out on the city streets toward the finish.  It was still raining and gusting.  Somehow I eeked out a PR of 1:36:56.  I was feeling pretty good, although I was fighting cramp for about 5 miles, telling myself I would speed up as soon as I got rid of this pesky cramp.  Once I finally did shake it, the course seemed to be entirely uphill and I could not muster the extra effort.  This became painfully obvious when a girl passed me followed by a guy who was apparently 20 years my senior, followed by another guy who was likely in my age group.  I never caught them, but refused to let anyone else pass me at this late stage of the race and even passed a few others.  I did manage to get 5th in my age group, and I was happy with my time.

Next race is Philadelphia this weekend.  I will be traveling alone again this time.  Just a quick in and out race.  I am not really looking for a PR, just a fair, decent race.  The one after that in Memphis, 2 weeks later, is the one I am shooting for another PR.

I'll update you after Philly.