Sporting Life 10 KM

tgilpin · Postby **tgilpin** » Wed May 08, 2013 10:58 am

Who's in???

Although I am only 3 days out from running the Toronto Marathon, I am very excited for this race. After running it about 4 times, I am for the first time, running it with my daughter

She just turned 13 and it will be her first 10 km race (she has done two 5 km races and also runs at school and plays rep soccer) so although she has not done much specific training, she will do fine. I am just hoping to keep up to her so we can finish the race together on Mother's Day!!!

Double Bellybuster · Postby **Double Bellybuster** » Wed May 08, 2013 11:43 am

AjaxRunner · Postby **AjaxRunner** » Wed May 08, 2013 1:07 pm

Me and the beautiful wife.

Bradsgrl · Postby **Bradsgrl** » Wed May 08, 2013 1:30 pm

I am!
I just picked up my race kit (as well as a few others). There was no "swag bag" given this year and they would not even give me a plastic bag to carry all the bibs, tshirts and safety pins to carry back to my office (Which was a subway ride and 25 minute walk away). My purse was too small to carry all the stuff.
Really annoyed!

AjaxRunner · Postby **AjaxRunner** » Wed May 08, 2013 1:40 pm

Bradsgrl wrote:I am!
I just picked up my race kit (as well as a few others). There was no "swag bag" given this year and they would not even give me a plastic bag to carry all the bibs, tshirts and safety pins to carry back to my office (Which was a subway ride and 25 minute walk away). My purse was too small to carry all the stuff.
Really annoyed!

I agree....same with Goodlife last weekend.

O Z D · Postby **O Z D** » Wed May 08, 2013 4:45 pm

Picked up my "kit" and could not help but think how weird it was that there was nothing.

Seems pretty odd to me that they could not find a few relevant companies that would be interested in some pretty direct marketing to a niche target market of 27,000 people.

Maybe I am an odd one, but I actually like checking out product samples in race kits. Look forward to it even.
I read the magazines I get (have even subscribed to ones I have gotten in event kits) and have used the free appetizer coupons.

I am sure there will be some excuse after the fact

That said, they had lots of blue bags to give me when I went.

Jwolf · Postby **Jwolf** » Wed May 08, 2013 5:45 pm

A lot of races are moving toward "virtual race kits" for environmental reasons. I think it's a good idea because most of that stuff ends up as waste.

tgilpin · Postby **tgilpin** » Fri May 10, 2013 8:18 am

Well I a agree that it would be environmentally good to ask runners to bring in their own reusable bag, but they should put that on their website and maybe note it on the email they send you with your bib# that way you don't show up expecting a swag bag and have to carry everything.

As for the phamphlets...at Good Life expo everyone was shoving them in my hand, yet there were no "samples" for good stuff. I would rather they keep their race phamphlets to themself and rather give me a sample of Advil or Laundry Soap

I have a friend picking up my SL kit so I will not have to worry about it this time.

Good Luck everyone - looks like rain won't be an issue and I am actually looking forward to the cooler temperature for the race!

shannybear13 · Postby **shannybear13** » Fri May 10, 2013 9:13 am

I am in!
And I agree with some of the comments here. I look forward to the samples and have ended up purchasing a few of the items that I have been given samples of. I would rather pay an extra $1 on my race fee and get a re usable bag if it is for environmental reasons. It just isn't the same not getting a swag bag.

O Z D · Postby **O Z D** » Fri May 10, 2013 12:16 pm

IF (and that is a big if) the case is that they are forgoing the swag bag for environmental reasons that is fine, but mention something in the emails you send out asking people to come in and get their kits. Talk about doing something for the environment on the website so people know what is happening instead of just ignoring it.

That being said, this race's whole existence is about getting more money into the hands of Camp Oooch right? At Scotia Waterfront, (and I assume other CRS races) it costs $5k just to put a single pamphlet into each bag; at least that is what I was quoted. I can only imagine a race that is bigger would be able to charge even more.

Wonder if Camp Ooch is ok with giving up $50k extra and have people pissed off they cant even get a bag to carry their shirts in.

If the environment is the reason, cool, but you have to let people know or it will do no good.

lorei · Postby **lorei** » Fri May 10, 2013 2:58 pm

I'm in!!! Love the route, interested to see how the corrals work this year!

ETA: I'm indifferent about swag bags, I end up throwing most of that stuff out or pawning it off on others. As long as the t-shirt is good, I'm happy! I like this year's Nike tech shirt

tinyterror · Postby **tinyterror** » Fri May 10, 2013 9:21 pm

I'll be there! With my husband who is cursing me because he is not a runner and sortakinda misjudged what 10k is

. Really like the shirt this year, but yeah, I could have used a bag to carry everything. All around me when I picked up our bibs yesterday people were exchanging their shirts for different sizes. That could be interesting for people who pick up at the last minute.

tgilpin · Postby **tgilpin** » Sat May 11, 2013 7:13 am

Is it just me or is there no athlete tracking option? I remember in years past we could sign up for sportstats and get facebook tracking for this race. I can not seem to find anything about what timing service they are using this year.

purdy65 · Postby **purdy65** » Sat May 11, 2013 7:47 am

It is not sportststats. I believe that its chip results?

MrBond · Postby **MrBond** » Sat May 11, 2013 8:40 am

With 27,000 entries one would think the show would have been more together ?
Have not been impressed with Jay Glassman's events these last few years, too bad he and Alan Brooks couldn't come to some better arrangement....

Double Bellybuster · Postby **Double Bellybuster** » Sat May 11, 2013 8:52 am

purdy65 wrote:It is not sportststats. I believe that its chip results?

It was last year so likely again:

http://www.chiptimeresults.com/resultsreader.php?y=2012&r=SportinglifeS.htm

QuickChick · Postby **QuickChick** » Sat May 11, 2013 10:24 am

I'm in! I really liked the no-paper-no-pamphlet thing, personally. I also registered too late for a shirt, but unless it's significantly different from years past, I'm ok with that. I haven't liked the feel/fit/colour before.
I think 10K is going to feel like a loooooong way tomorrow but I'm looking forward to it!

lorei · Postby **lorei** » Sat May 11, 2013 12:02 pm

tinyterror wrote:I'll be there! With my husband who is cursing me because he is not a runner and sortakinda misjudged what 10k is . Really like the shirt this year, but yeah, I could have used a bag to carry everything. All around me when I picked up our bibs yesterday people were exchanging their shirts for different sizes. That could be interesting for people who pick up at the last minute.

Went this aft to pickup a bib for a coworker -- there were no more small or medium women's shirts left. Too bad

Double Bellybuster · Postby **Double Bellybuster** » Sat May 11, 2013 12:56 pm

tgilpin wrote:Although I am only 3 days out from running the Toronto Marathon, I am very excited for this race...

I did the same combo last year and it worked out great. Even with litle recovery, a 10K PB it was. So also trying the same combo this year.

lorei · Postby **lorei** » Sat May 11, 2013 8:10 pm

It's a bit late, but I have an extra bib (for free) if anyone feels spontaneous and wants to run tomorrow? I live near the start so it won't be a hassle to meet up to do the pass off .

PM me...

AjaxRunner · Postby **AjaxRunner** » Sun May 12, 2013 10:31 am

Also not impressed with the Glassman runs I have done this year, but today was better than the Goodlife race last weekend.

Maybe because I ran better? :lol:

44:17 PB today. Happy with that.

Double Bellybuster · Postby **Double Bellybuster** » Sun May 12, 2013 11:00 am

AjaxRunner wrote:Also not impressed with the Glassman runs I have done this year, but today was better than the Goodlife race last weekend.

Opposite here. I didn't see first-hand the issues at the Marathon last weekend.

The issues were starting to develop as I finished today, however. I finished at 8:52, 52 minutes after the first wave started and 2 minutes after the last wave started. Less than 4K of more than 27K+ runners were ahead of me. By that time, the third of 3 timing mats was blocked by multiple groups of runners who had stopped to chat with each other. I squeezed in but I understand many later runners had to wait multiple minutes to finish.

I spotted a major contributing factor as I quickly moved from the line to not compound issues. Police were using a ridiculous skipping rope barricade that took time to extend and retract to keep runners from entering traffic. Which would have been fine...except that cars had the right of way not the quickly assembling mass of runners...and this skipping rope system wasn't just at busy and distant Lakeshore Boulevard, it was also used at the closer and empty Fleet Street where alternatively all cars (up to the 5 or 10 that had assembled) and the 75 or so runners (of 500 assembled at first but later thousands) would be allowed to cross.

By the time I went by on a school bus at 9:15, there were thousands of runners behind the ropes at the two intersections.

Jwolf · Postby **Jwolf** » Sun May 12, 2013 12:25 pm

AjaxRunner wrote:Also not impressed with the Glassman runs I have done this year, but today was better than the Goodlife race last weekend.

Maybe because I ran better?

44:17 PB today. Happy with that.

Great run!

Robinandamelia · Postby **Robinandamelia** » Sun May 12, 2013 12:49 pm

AjaxRunner wrote:Also not impressed with the Glassman runs I have done this year, but today was better than the Goodlife race last weekend.

Maybe because I ran better?

44:17 PB today. Happy with that.

Heard a lot of complaints about the logistics of this race. Glad you had a good one...super super super fast, congrats on the PB

QuickChick · Postby **QuickChick** » Sun May 12, 2013 3:07 pm

Personally I had no issues with the logistics, but had I arrived early enough to check a bag, I could see bag check being a bit of a nightmare. It was on a huge truck and unless they had bins in the truck I can't imagine how they'd organize everyone's bags by number before people were done running! I thought it was weird that there was no clock at 5K though. Luckily I told a wee white lie that I was going for under 49:00 and I got my corral changed on Thurs so I could start at 8. I think it would've been much more congested in the later waves.

I had a great run- I am running "for two" so my only goal was not to breathe too hard, hehe. It's the first 10K that I've done in probably a month but I've done 7 or 8 km at least once a week for the most part (and 2-4 other shorter runs). I was astounded to see that I ran 53:20... my pace lately has been more like 5:35-5:50 and it has felt HARD some days to run... I guess the downhill and race day adrenaline combined to make it feel easier. I even had a negative split, probably because in the last 2km my IT band started to complain and I find if I run faster, with a quicker turnover, it sometimes works itself out (thank goodness it held up). Pat ran with me, which I appreciated in case anything were to happen. I felt fine though, and didn't have to walk or pee (was worried about that!!). So, a great day!!

Does anyone know if the race raised $20 per runner for Camp Ooch again, or if it's less this year than it was last year?