Some Tips for Race Day

This post has been edited to reflect the announcement about chips.


Following are some common questions about the race experience. This list is by no means all inclusive, so feel free to post a question or ask your leader.

When is Packet Pickup: Athleticare (next to Fit Club South) on Saturday, August 18, from noon to 5.

What's in the Packet? Your race packet will contain your race shirt, your number bib, and assortment of goodies donated by sponsors.

What do I do with the bib? You can either safety pin the number bib to the front of your shirt or shorts, or if you have a race belt, you can use that to secure the bib. It's important to have your number facing front for identification purposes. Tip: Don't pin the bib to both shirt and shorts, this complicates things in the restroom.

Should I wear the shirt at the race? Race tradition has it that you do not wear the race shirt during the race. If you want to change into a dry shirt afterwards, that's acceptable. (ok, so it's a bizarre rite of passage --- I can only guess that the idea is that you have to earn the right to wear the shirt.). For next year's race, wear your shirt from this year. People will know you are a veteran.

What's all this about Chip Timing? In your packet, there will be a small plastic microchip thing-a-mabob. It will either be affixed to an ankle strap, or on a sturdy plastic string that is attached to your shoelace. It is very important to make sure that you wear your chip on race day. When the race starts, you pass over a "pad" that reads the signal from the chip and records your start time. There's another pad at the finish line. Chips are collected after you cross the finish line. If you see someone coming at you with scissors aimed toward your foot, don't panic, it's just a volunteer collecting your chip. If you lose your chip, there is a charge to replace it, so don't walk off with it still tied to your shoe (this happens a lot!).

What time should I get there? The race starts at 7:30, so you should be lined up and ready to go no later than 7:15. You might want to jog a little beforehand to get warmed up (don't overdo it!). Line up according to how you might finish. For example, if you think you will finish in the middle of the pack, find a spot in the middle. Slower runners (like me) should move toward the rear. This keeps you from getting trampled, which is not a good thing.

Do I need to carry water? No, there will be tables at various points along the course with volunteers who will hand you water.