There was a 8k and a 5k race today in Melbourne (2+ hours away from where I'm staying) with some prize money on the line for each. The start time was supposed to be 30 minutes apart. I emailed the race director asking how easy/hard it would be to double. He assured me as long as I ran sub 30 in the 8k, I would be able to make it to the starting line of the 5k.
At check in, I asked again, same response. I even went up and asked the announcer who seemed to be controlling the start of both races, and he reassured me there would be 30 minutes between races.
My plan was to be conservative in the 8k, then see what was left for the 5k.
Coming down the last half mile, the 5k started (about 24-25 minutes after the 8k started). After finishing the 8k, I immediately turned around and went after the 5k crowd, but instead of having 2-3 minutes to recover and get to the start line, I got zero recovery and had to dodge baby strollers, walkers, etc (I don't have anything against them, but it just made my efforts more difficult).
If this had been some random race I showed up at and not checked into the details beforehand, I would probably not be angry about it. If the race director had let me know it would be difficult to do, I would have no reason to be upset about it. If I was the only athlete doing the double, then I probably couldn't be as angry about it. However none of this was the case, so I am angry about it.
My major beef is that I did my homework, and the event was poorly run. I wasted 4 hours driving, $75 worth of entry fees, and my Saturday morning because someone couldn't follow the schedule as advertised. I don't want bands every 1/2 mile, I don't care about aid stations, I certainly don't care about the tshirt or finishing medals, I just want the damn event run on time.
"I don't want bands every 1/2 mile, I don't care about aid stations, I certainly don't care about the tshirt or finishing medals, I just want the damn event run on time."
There was a 8k and a 5k race today in Melbourne (2+ hours away from where I'm staying) with some prize money on the line for each. The start time was supposed to be 30 minutes apart. I emailed the race director asking how easy/hard it would be to double. He assured me as long as I ran sub 30 in the 8k, I would be able to make it to the starting line of the 5k.
At check in, I asked again, same response. I even went up and asked the announcer who seemed to be controlling the start of both races, and he reassured me there would be 30 minutes between races.
My plan was to be conservative in the 8k, then see what was left for the 5k.
Coming down the last half mile, the 5k started (about 24-25 minutes after the 8k started). After finishing the 8k, I immediately turned around and went after the 5k crowd, but instead of having 2-3 minutes to recover and get to the start line, I got zero recovery and had to dodge baby strollers, walkers, etc (I don't have anything against them, but it just made my efforts more difficult).
If this had been some random race I showed up at and not checked into the details beforehand, I would probably not be angry about it. If the race director had let me know it would be difficult to do, I would have no reason to be upset about it. If I was the only athlete doing the double, then I probably couldn't be as angry about it. However none of this was the case, so I am angry about it.
My major beef is that I did my homework, and the event was poorly run. I wasted 4 hours driving, $75 worth of entry fees, and my Saturday morning because someone couldn't follow the schedule as advertised. I don't want bands every 1/2 mile, I don't care about aid stations, I certainly don't care about the tshirt or finishing medals, I just want the damn event run on time.
I dont understand your rant. If you really ran the 8k Conservative, then why would you need any recovery time???
As a race director myself, I could give a s**t about a handful of runners that already raced and wanted to run a second event. The director has to keep the masses happy, not just you. Are job is to keep the course safe and fun. Maybe something happened and the race had to start earlier then planned, or maybe the 8K started late therefore the 5k had to start early.
You have to realize, 90% of the weekend race directors aren't getting paid jack, and do it for the love of running. Give the guy a break.
But usually when I've been at double races, they wait like an hour between races... If I saw my next race starting while finishing a race, I'd be super pissed, unless they had panera bread.
I dont understand your rant. If you really ran the 8k Conservative, then why would you need any recovery time???
As a race director myself, I could give a s**t about a handful of runners that already raced and wanted to run a second event. The director has to keep the masses happy, not just you. Are job is to keep the course safe and fun. Maybe something happened and the race had to start earlier then planned, or maybe the 8K started late therefore the 5k had to start early.
You have to realize, 90% of the weekend race directors aren't getting paid jack, and do it for the love of running. Give the guy a break.
How many volunteers did you thank today???
You must not love running that much if you don't understand the concerns of both the mass amount of "runners" out there, and the individual true runner. Special needs must be met for true runners. Because honestly I don't give a s**t about the joggers you and your road races cater too. Get off their d**ks, and pretend running is a competitive sport for a change, instead of directing races like its an opportunity to have fat family fun time. Honestly if you aren't willing to start an event when you advertise it too, you're a pretty s**tty race director.
And a question for the OP, who the f*** does a 8k, 5k double? You knew all along you'd have 0nly at the most 20-25 minutes to prepare for the second race. If you were going to save everything for the 5k, why not just not run the 8k?
If you ran a conservative 8k like you said im pretty sure you weren't finishing up in 24-25min. So it sorta looks like it went off on-time. Plus, I ran a race down in Melbourne earlier this month and they all seemed very nice and considerate. Maybe you're just mad because you didnt run as fast as planned.
Some of the responders so far have missed at least one point each.
Bombkicker: OP's not complaining only about having no recovery time. He's complaining that the second race started before he even finished the first one, turning a possible 15-16 minute 5k into an 18-19 minute 5k, and effectively putting him out of contention for the second race. Can't be in two places at once.
Pickles: OP doubled an 8k and a 5k because there were cash prizes for both.
Dixon: OP was 24-25 minutes with about a half mile left in the race. Some people consider 27-28 minutes conservative for 5 miles.
At that point I think it would have made more sense to not attempt the 5k and just ask the race director for a refund for the second race's entry fee. It sucks, but there's really nothing you can do about other peoples' mistakes.
I had about .5 to go, probably less, at the 24-25 minute mark, I haven't seen the results, but I would guess I ran mid 26ish (about a minute slower than my PR). Considering I have sub 5:20 pace for a 10 miler, I would say it was a "conservative" type effort.
The reason for doubling was to win some prize money and just to get a get a few more miles of racing in because a decent half doesn't fit into my travel schedule currently. So I decided to race the 8k, win a few bucks, then come back in the 5k.
My plan was to run as well as I needed to in the 8k, so I could run harder in the 5k if I had to. End of the day the plan was to at least cover travel/entry, and get 8 miles at a solid pace in. I wasn't trying to set a PR.
As for the race director who posted. I specifically asked if doubling would be a problem. Every person/time I asked, the response was, "yeah, shouldn't be a problem. There WILL BE 30 minutes between the races." The response was never, "you might be out of luck if we don't run the event on time" or "you might be able to". It was slam dunk, I'll bet the farm on it, you can do it. Even the masses want an event that is run on time, so that excuse doesn't fly with me.
You must not love running that much if you don't understand the concerns of both the mass amount of "runners" out there, and the individual true runner. Special needs must be met for true runners. Because honestly I don't give a s**t about the joggers you and your road races cater too. Get off their d**ks, and pretend running is a competitive sport for a change, instead of directing races like its an opportunity to have fat family fun time. Honestly if you aren't willing to start an event when you advertise it too, you're a pretty s**tty race director.
And a question for the OP, who the f*** does a 8k, 5k double? You knew all along you'd have 0nly at the most 20-25 minutes to prepare for the second race. If you were going to save everything for the 5k, why not just not run the 8k?
How many races have you put on?
On second thought, how many races have to helped out in?
I had about .5 to go, probably less, at the 24-25 minute mark, I haven't seen the results, but I would guess I ran mid 26ish (about a minute slower than my PR). Considering I have sub 5:20 pace for a 10 miler, I would say it was a "conservative" type effort.
The reason for doubling was to win some prize money and just to get a get a few more miles of racing in because a decent half doesn't fit into my travel schedule currently. So I decided to race the 8k, win a few bucks, then come back in the 5k.
My plan was to run as well as I needed to in the 8k, so I could run harder in the 5k if I had to. End of the day the plan was to at least cover travel/entry, and get 8 miles at a solid pace in. I wasn't trying to set a PR.
As for the race director who posted. I specifically asked if doubling would be a problem. Every person/time I asked, the response was, "yeah, shouldn't be a problem. There WILL BE 30 minutes between the races." The response was never, "you might be out of luck if we don't run the event on time" or "you might be able to". It was slam dunk, I'll bet the farm on it, you can do it. Even the masses want an event that is run on time, so that excuse doesn't fly with me.
I gotta say, I understand why you are frustrated. However, it is bordering on being petty to complain. True the RD did give you a time frame, although not a hard & fast one based on what you've said, but why should a RD cater to a few (maybe even one) runner so they can win more prize money? I wouldn't do it if I were the RD. If a race I put on had 10 spots for money to be won, I'd want 10 different people winning money, not 5 or 6. Besides you never know why the race started when it did. It might not have even been the race director who started it, he may have been busy doing something else. You never know.
Again, I do hear what you are saying and the RD probably should never have told you what he did, or at least said, "I can't promise anything, however . . ." Did you get some bad information? Sounds like it to me. But I can't say, in this circumstance, it is worth of complaining.
On Memorial Day weekend in Baltimore there is a 10k/5k event that features separate start times, almost specifically for the purpose of doubling. Every year a handful of pretty elite dudes and chicks will race both to double down on the dollars.
I have only run a handful of races that have ever gone off on time. I would be annoyed, too, if a race director told me that I should be good to do both - but things like that happen and you just have to deal with it.
Bottom line is the race is over, you know how it went. Don't need to go back next year!
I was in Melbourne last weekend too, but I ran the full (the only event with no prize money). I understand your frustration, how hard is it to not start things early. Sunday's events started on time, but there were several things that I thought could easily be improved.
I think with smaller races you have to have realistic expectations, but starting early seems like a fair complaint to me.
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