Hey BOTs!
Figured I would try to post a race report tonight because I know I'll be jammed up this week.
Overall Hershey was a good experience and well worth the $50 fee. I bet they jack up the fee next year.
SATURDAY
Saturday day we headed over to registration at the Hershey Stadium. It was kind of hard to find as there was not one sign to tell runners where to go. People were all walking around aimlessly but eventually we found a way into the stadium. There was basically 2 tents outside by the field...that was it. No expo or anything. Okay.
After registering we hung out at Chocolate World for most of the afternoon. If you haven't been there picture a place that kind of looks like The Land at Epcot but full of chocolate. There's a little Hershey history ride and a 3D movie. We actually did this thing where you get to design your own chocolate bar...not bad.
At 5PM we headed towards the stadium for the kids run. Nothing spectacular but the kids enjoyed it.
The best part of the day was the free admission into the park. We basically got in around 6PM and the runners had the park to themselves for 3 hrs. It kind of felt like a shopping spree as we dashed to all the roller coasters and found barely anyone in line. We rode ride after ride with no wait. At times we got off a coaster and walked right back on again. They had one crazy coaster (Fahrenheit) that basically takes you up at a 90 degree angle 6 stories and drops you straight down and through loop after loop. That may have been the first time since I was a kid that I was a little scared to ride a ride but we did it in the first car. The worst part was going up that vertical climb.
RACE DAY - SUNDAY
The race was pretty good and the weather was awesome (48, dry, and sunny). There were only 2700 runners and it was the first time I ever got to a start area and found short porta-pottie lines. They had so many potties that the lines were only like 3 -5 people deep.
The start area was in front of the stadium and park. You basically lined up along an access road in front of signs based on your pace. It was kind of informal. When the gun went off there was a bit of a log jam for 1/4 mile. We ran around the parking area for about a mile and then went into Hershey Park. You only ran in the park for a short while and then it was back outside and into the town of Hershey.
The town is pretty hilly. They did their best to avoid the really bad hills but it's impossible to run through this town without hitting hills. It was actually a nice time to be running through Hershey since it was pre-fall and the leaves were just turning colors.
I hung around a 7:50 mpm pace for the first 5 miles and then the hills and my poor condition got the best of me. For the next 7 miles I just tried to run a 8:30 or so pace as the hills were killing me. The course got narrow at times as they made us run on bike paths at various spots. We ran through what was basically a residential area but the houses were nice and the people friendly...despite the fact that they could not get out of their driveways to go to church.
Around Mile 12 I could see the park again and got a little mojo back. I managed to pick the pace up the last mile as the course made its way into the stadium which was packed with people. We got to run a lap around the stadium track and it was nice to see the family in the crowd as I made my way to the finish.
Finished around 1:48 and change...my worst finish since my first 1/2. I just have not been in shape this year. Work, age, and bad eating habits have slowed me up. I foresee myself struggling in AC and Philly. I'm hoping I can reverse this trend in 2011.
PROS
- Free admission to the park and rides with no lines
- Cool medal (chocolate themed of course)
- Decent shirt
- Nice course (better then the DL 1/2 course as Anaheim was a nasty town) but hilly
- Cool finish in the stadium
CONS
- No expo
- Lame post race food...NO chocolate (come on it's freakin Hershey)
That's All Folks!
Lou
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. I'm so pumped!!!! I know, I know...but did anyone really care if I was in DC on Halloween? Besides, it's not like ALL the BOTS would be there anyway. Does anyone want my hotel reservation?? I think it's right by the finish line. Lemme know.
). We had such a fun time training for and running this race together, and I am so proud of her. You can find the video on the DIS Unplugged blog in the link below.
