The team rocked the Country Music Marathon! They tried to rain on our parade (literally) at the beginning of race day but thankfully it stopped before the race started. 30,000 people lined the streets of Nashville to start the marathon or half-marathon.
I was prepared to traverse the city streets of Nashville in such a manner that I would see 28,500 of these individuals at least once. I had my map in hand and I knew the course like the back of my own hand. I went off in an early corral to ensure that I wouldn’t miss any of my team. I knew that it was going to be a long day, since the talent disparity between the team was so vast. I had a plan and was hoping that it would come together without a hitch.
Since I was the only Michigan TNT Run Coach assigned, I made it a point of seeing every participant for both the half-marathon and he full. Nashville is a great course to coach because the layout is conducive to just cutting over a few blocks and you’re back on the course again, minimizing the number of miles that you have to run. I never had an opportunity to see the lead runners but I wouldn’t have known them anyway.
I love to see the faces and attitudes of the runners in the first few miles, everyone is so full of enthusiasm and energy. Then you flash forward to the latter part of the race and it’s a complete 360º! No matter how much you preach to them, it falls on deaf ears. I was pleasantly surprised to see Christy from Nashville within the first mile of the marathon. Even though her training wasn’t what she planned she was out there running. I also saw her at mile 19 and she was still smiling, but not having as much fun.
One strange thing I noticed about this event was they were handing out tambourines to participates at mile two! So as the runners realized how difficult it is to carry a tambourine, run and take in fluids, the tambourines were being discarded in record numbers. Maybe this would have been better served at the end of the race?
It was a successful event for the Michigan Chapter of TNT. We had runners completing the races in times ranging from 1:41 for the half until 6 hours for the full. Unfortunately I must have been wearing five hour sunscreen, so I’m now sporting a tank top tan!
One of the funniest lines I heard was on the bus after the marathon. One of the TNT participates was asking if anyone wanted her unused gels, because she was never eating this $hit again in her life! I guess we won’t be seeing her at another marathon.
One down and a few more events to go!
I was prepared to traverse the city streets of Nashville in such a manner that I would see 28,500 of these individuals at least once. I had my map in hand and I knew the course like the back of my own hand. I went off in an early corral to ensure that I wouldn’t miss any of my team. I knew that it was going to be a long day, since the talent disparity between the team was so vast. I had a plan and was hoping that it would come together without a hitch.
Since I was the only Michigan TNT Run Coach assigned, I made it a point of seeing every participant for both the half-marathon and he full. Nashville is a great course to coach because the layout is conducive to just cutting over a few blocks and you’re back on the course again, minimizing the number of miles that you have to run. I never had an opportunity to see the lead runners but I wouldn’t have known them anyway.
I love to see the faces and attitudes of the runners in the first few miles, everyone is so full of enthusiasm and energy. Then you flash forward to the latter part of the race and it’s a complete 360º! No matter how much you preach to them, it falls on deaf ears. I was pleasantly surprised to see Christy from Nashville within the first mile of the marathon. Even though her training wasn’t what she planned she was out there running. I also saw her at mile 19 and she was still smiling, but not having as much fun.
One strange thing I noticed about this event was they were handing out tambourines to participates at mile two! So as the runners realized how difficult it is to carry a tambourine, run and take in fluids, the tambourines were being discarded in record numbers. Maybe this would have been better served at the end of the race?
It was a successful event for the Michigan Chapter of TNT. We had runners completing the races in times ranging from 1:41 for the half until 6 hours for the full. Unfortunately I must have been wearing five hour sunscreen, so I’m now sporting a tank top tan!
One of the funniest lines I heard was on the bus after the marathon. One of the TNT participates was asking if anyone wanted her unused gels, because she was never eating this $hit again in her life! I guess we won’t be seeing her at another marathon.
One down and a few more events to go!
5 comments:
Phhhhheewwww! At least I'm not the only one with the crazy tan :P
Awesome job there coach!
I got the crazy tan too..well, actually really sunburned.
Thanks for being out there and cheering everyone on...even if I wasn't a TNTer.
Glad to have finally met you!
Nice race report!
Glad everyone tried to have a good time, but tambourines at the beginning, YIKES....you're correct, the last mile would have worked better (less clean up too!)
Ken great job. I am late to the post but wanted to let you know.
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