• November 14th, 2015
• Sacramento, California
• Beat The Blerch
• Sharon: 2:31:10
• Tim: 2:30:15

 

This run made both of us realize how much we missed doing races. Given how I felt about the last month of races during our HM project this was a surprise to me. We have decided to try to do a HM about once a month leading up to our full marathon.

We got a late start (because we are getting old and dotterly) Friday morning so we didn’t get to Sacramento until after 5pm. I think we hit the after work rush at packet pickup. Although the line was long it moved pretty fast. At one point a guy in a blerch suit worked his way up the line, handing out candy and encouraging everyone to carb load.

We got our packets and jumped into another line to get Matt Imman (The Oatmeal) to sign our book and Exploding Kittens card game. There was blerchy merchandise for sale. Tim got another t-shirt (!?) and I got socks. We both got blerch stress balls.

Tim also got a picture with The Oatmeal like the fan boy he is (his words).

Race morning was perfect. It started out a little chilly but was perfect running weather.

A lot of people dressed up. The pre-race was very festive.

Our packet came with temporary blerch tattoos but we forgot to put them on. I found a girl who put her tatto in the same place I had planned to put mine and she graciously let me take her picture.

They did a great pre-race party. This was the funnest race I have ever done.

There was a pretty long line to get a picture with these guys so we skipped it. I want to know where to get Nutella in the, bigger than a yeti’s head, size.

The race itself was great. Tim had a bit of a flareup with his afib at the beginning but it settled down and he was able to run most of the race. They picked a nice route. I was surprised at what a beautiful city Sacramento is. There are lots of paths by rivers and great bridges.

We ran past the capital building.

I heard lots of people laughing when we went by this sign. I wish I had a pen on me so I could have written, “Don’t Jump!”

As awesome as the scenery was it was the people who were the most interesting.

Me and Tim ran together most of the race but I had to stop and go to the bathroom around mile 6. One of my only complaints about this race was the lack of bathrooms on the course. I was directed to a building (after asking at 2 aid stations) and there was someone with a blerch suit pointing out the bathroom. Because I came in the wrong door I lost about 5 minutes to 5 seconds of peeing. Tim ran ahead but I did manage to catch back up to him but I ran faster than I should have, trying to do so and payed for it that last 3 miles. I was sore and had to slow down towards the end. A race with cake and Nutella should have more bathrooms, in my opinion.

Most of the running surface was smooth pavement and nice bike paths but there was one section of bumpy wood boardwalk that tried to trip me.

Once we got close to the end Tim was trying to speed up while I had to slow down so I told him to go. Coming through the finish chute I got boxed in by a group of people in banana suits pretending to fly.

Tim was waiting for me across the finish line. The finish line and food line were too close together. This was the only other thing about the race (bathrooms being the first) that was less than ideal. I discovered that banana with Nutella is a perfect after race food.

Cons

• A couple more bathrooms on the course would have been appreciated (although they did have a few)
• Finish line chaos

Pros

• Great pre-party fun vibe
• Pictures and book signing at the packet pickup
• Great shirt and swag
• Well organized
• Great volunteers
• People dressed up
• Awesome food (during and after the race)
• Beautiful course
• Bridges and rivers
• Ending on the track
• Cool medal
• Fun
• Free pictures

This was one of the funnest races I have ever done. I was never bored even though I forgot my music in the hotel room. It was so fun to run almost the whole way with Tim. This race would be the perfect gateway drug into racing. It was beyond beginner friendly with many half marathoners coming in over 3 hours. It was almost completely flat and had lots of aid stations. Did I mention how fun it was?

Here I am looking like a beet dressed like hipster, posing in front of the Tower Bridge on our way to dinner Saturday night. After dinner we watched the Ronda Rousey fight. I was shocked that she lost.

And here is Tim on our way to dinner and the fight.

When we got home as soon as Tim sat on the bed he was wearing a cat.

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