Monday, August 20, 2007

Denver Marathon Capping the Field


The Denver Marathon recently announced that they will be capping the field of runners at 10,000. Personally I think they should be more careful about how they phrase these press releases because on the streets where I grew up, getting 'capped' is slang for getting shot. As in "yo, Slim narced to the po po and got his self capped fo' it." OK, well maybe not 'the streets where I grew up' but not far from there. Like less than 45 minutes away if traffic's good. Look, all I'm saying is that you have to be careful how you phrase things. It reminds me of the time that time I gave myself the nickname fly-head, because I have beautiful swept back features as though flying through the air. I'm afraid some people mistook it for meaning I had a head like that of a fly. I ended up having to get all new business cards made up.

The field was restricted this year (see, isn't restricted a much less confusing word) after registrations jumped up three fold from last year. I like to think that this occurred right around the time that I registered and word began to seep out that the suave, debonair blogger, Vanilla had signed up. At least that's the rumor I'm trying to cultivate. If you've only recently started reading Half-Fast then you might not have known that I was going to be running my first half marathon in Denver on October 14th, now with only 9,999 other people. Thus far in my running career (3 years) the only official race I've run is the Bolder Boulder 10K (three times) and it occurs to me that I have never even run a 5K and probably won't before October 14th. How many people can say that they have run a half marathon prior to ever running a 5K? Maybe that will be my thing. I'll be known as the runner who's never run a 5K, I could even have a jingle or something.

According to this article, the field is being restricted so that organizers can adequately meet the need's of all the runners, and I certainly appreciate it. I for one would hate to get to the water table and find them out of water and CLIF shots, or even worse get to the finish line and find them out of medals. You had better believe that I will be taking a medal home with me even if I have to steal it from some kid who finished ahead of me.

So if you want to run with me in Denver you'd better get signed up quickly because the word is out and the registrations are pouring in.

10 comments:

  1. I ran one 5k before I ran a full marathon. That was it. My only racing experience was for a work-sponsored 5k with about 20 other peeps...guess how surprised I was when I showed up in San Diego??? Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend it.

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  2. Fo' sho!

    If it was closer, you bet your Momma's sweet behind I'd be there to catch Vanilla in action ;-)

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  3. Quick story about being careful how you phrase things:

    My father is a retired oral surgeon who made his living primarily by extracting people's wisdom teeth - aka the "four 8s." You see, in the exciting world of dentistry, all the teeth have numbers associated with them. The 4 wisdom teeth are numbers 8, 16, 24 & 32 - hence, they are referred to as the four "8s."

    By the mid 1980s, he had finally pulled enough wisdom teeth to buy a nice new Cadillac - complete with vanity plates that read
    "I DO 8S"

    My dad drove around like that for about a year before someone told him that his plates implied that he regularly snorted whole 8-balls worth of cocaine.

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  4. Now I won't do that race. You see I only do large HMs. Those that have over 20k runners. That way it's less likely that I'll finish last.

    I think you're on your own. We'll, if you consider 10,000 people, on your own.

    gotta run, pat

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  5. I was thinking of running the Bolder Boulder next spring, was it awesome?

    Sorry, can't make the Denver half mary this year, maybe another year, homie.

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  6. AHAHAHAHA Fly-head! That is just too good! But truly...no doubt the *restriction* is due to you, baby...who wouldn't want a chance to run with Vanilla?

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  7. I'll be honest, I didn't read this post, I'm too busy for such trivial things, but the photoshopping is getting more shoddy no??? You couldn't find a similar font and write "half"?? You just use the "erase" tool and hand write it? Come on... slacker

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  8. Jess, you would have a blast running the Bolder Boulder, it's an awesome event.

    And Amy (sis) I'll be honest, I didn't read your comment but I assume it was to thank me for all my work on the maps for your wedding. Hey, don't mention it!

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  9. Hey.. those maps gave you something productive to do while you were at work, you should be thanking ME!!!

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  10. I actually heard the 2006 Disney Marathon ran out of water...and our recent Chicago Distance Classic (1/2 marathon) ran out of cups. I am all for the "capping"...as long as nobody gets hurt ;)

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