Greetings!
Like a bad penny, I'm back.
Just a few final thoughts to wrap up this year's Steamtown Marathon:
Photos - official race pics are up at www.runphotos.com. Unofficial pics taken by Steamtown race committee member Dr. Sheryl Oleski have been posted to Steamtown's Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/steamtown.marathon.
Helpful advice: My gut tells me this "Facebook" thing is nothing but a fad. Suggest you hurry and look at the unofficial pics before Facebook dries up and blows away.
Results - Many thanks to those of you who e-mailed to tell us your race results were incorrect. Our timing and scoring vendor Mark Courtney has done a good job getting everything straight.
Apparently, we did a poor job explaining that you were supposed to tie your timing chip into your shoelace as some of you stuck it in your pocket or Scotch taped it to your forehead.
Here is a link to our results: http://www.runhigh.com/2011RESULTS/R100911AA.html
If your time, place, or hometown are still incorrect, please send an e-mail to Mark at smc@runhigh.com and cc: me at racecommittee@hotmail.com. Once we stop getting e-mails we will know we have our official results in place.
Feedback - thank you again for your praise and complaints. All will be reviewed by our race committee. Members of our committee who did a bad job will be thrown into a volcano - or forced to watch the new Oprah network.
There have been quite a few comments posted to marathonguide.com about our race. Feel free to post your good, bad, and ugly at: http://www.marathonguide.com/races/racedetails.cfm?MIDD=540111009
Race Booklet - we (and when I say we I of course mean just me) are working on the post race booklet. Once we feel that our results are offical we will be able to finish the booklet and mail it to each of you. Then maybe "we" can finally get some rest.
Planning for Next Year - Next year's race date is Sunday, October 7. Registration will open on April 1, but we will probably pick a time other than midnight to start taking registrations. We'll pick a more convenient time like 3:00 a.m. No! We'll pick a more humane time so you don't have to wait up all night trying to get into our race. Check our Web site as April 1 approaches.
Field Size - our cap this year was 2,620. We actually ended up signing up well over 2,800 runners when we include the Wait Listers. Unfortunately, more than 500 sent us e-mails telling us they were dropping out (mostly due to injury). Another 400 were no shows on race day. In the end, "only" 1,910 started our race.
Those of you who are race directors can just imagine the logistical difficulties when we have that many no shows. We ordered (and paid for) way too many buses, medals, etc... Not sure what we can do about this but our committee will be meeting to discuss ways we can reduce our rate of no shows and get more runners on our course on race day.
Traffic on Course - we understand that a car got loose on the course around mile 20 (I told you Stella Grumpheimer and her bran muffins would not be denied!). Our apologies. We'll try to do better next year.
Well, I guess that's about it. Nothing more to see here people. Go back into the safety of your homes.
See you next year,
Jim "The iPhone is a silly fad too" Cummings
Assistant Race Director
Here is a link to a cool but really long video:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/85354/spirit-of-the-marathon
