I arrived on time, a lot of people already. This series of event is capped at 99.
But no one is checking registration.
Need to sign a waiver (but no one is checking), and they want your birthday (no idea why, so I told them that I put down a fake birthday).
A table from Brooks Running (see photo), we were encouraged to try their running shoes.
So I put one pair on, and left mine on Brooks' shelf.
There's another table recruting members. I forgot which organization it is.
Julia told us the route, and we were supposed to turn around at Julie's Landing, and the screening will start at 11am.
She and a few others in REI labeled running vests were employees who would herd us.
We were not given any label. All kinds of people, including parents pushing strollers with baby onboard.
It was in a party mood.
We started running. The Brooks shoes feel very good running (very cushy), but a bit strange standing and walking (the thick sole thins out towards the toes, so I feel that I'm wearing a wide platform heel). Once on WestLake ave, I was lagging behind. On streets with traffic lights, I could catch up with the front, where they waited for red light. Soon, I took off my shell. It was still drizzling, but I was generating more steam than the sky. Walking at times, running at times. I realized that I'm really out of shape. At some point, seeing runners running towards me (turned around), but I never saw where Julie's Landing was. There were still runner going forward, so I followed. All the way wondering where is my turn-around point. But my phone is in my shell pocket, now in my backpack (under a rain cover), so I didn't check sooner. I ran over Fremont Bridge, and down to the north side of Lake Union. There, I think I definitely ran too far. Got out my phone to check where Julie's Landing is. By then, I probably already did 5K one way. I really didn't expect so many runners out on a drizzling day. Yes, all along, both directions, I saw runners.
I returned to REI at 11:20pm. The guy from Brooks was packing up. I asked him for my shoes, and he said he gave them to REI. So someone knows one person is missing. Do they think I stole the shoes? We both went into the stores and inquire about my shoes. No one knew about it. We went to the classroom where the movie was screening, and dragged an employee out. He went to some employee-only area, and I waited. The Brooks guy returned to his shoes. He and Julia showed up with my shoes. Julia didn't seem to care, didn't say anything at all. The guy commented that I did a good run. Now that I put on my own shoes, I could feel that Brooks shoes had a lot more support. Returned the shoes to the Brooks guy. He was so apologetic. It was 11:30 now, and the store feels too hot, especially the screening classroom (full of people). No more food.
Some take-aways:
- I need to track my location always, cannot depend on the organizers. They may not care, and it's difficult for them to tell which runners are in their group, which ones are not, without giving us labels.
- I may need to run more to get in shape. I will try my new On shoes: bought over a year ago but never used. Now that I know their 5k route, I may join again, or I can just run in the gym of my building (which I never went in).
- Hikers/runners eat a lot. If you are late, there'll be no food left.
