i was first female in this particular race a few years ago so i babied my ego and registered under an alias name, ali asname. ba dum chhh! (i'm not even linking to that race recap because i was a whiny brat about it).
there was also a half-marathon and 10k held in conjunction with the 5k. both the half and 10k start times were delayed 20-minutes for reasons i don't remember, but the 5k started at the scheduled time. clearly the race directors need to rethink the start time(s) or the course because 1-mile into the 5k i, along with hundreds of others, had to stop and wait on a freight train...
from the race results it looks like 5 people made it across the tracks before the train came through (there's a gap in results from 19:00 to 21:00, and i have to assume there were people who could have finished in those two minutes). it wasn't a big deal to me (or ali) since i was just running for fun, but i am sure it annoyed some of the other runners. it does allow me to subtract at least 5 minutes off my time though, right?
overall the race went well. i ran with a friend at her pace, and while i probably could have gone a little faster, it was good that i didn't overdo it. i know i get carried away in races and sometimes run harder than i'm ought to be (am in shape for), and i'm certainly not in any condition to race a 5k again.
two of my sisters ran the 10k (for one it was her first!) and josh ran the half. even though josh hadn't run in like two weeks and his last long run was 9-miles over a month ago, he still managed to run a sub-2:00 half.
.JPG)
here's one sister finishing.
as you can see i'm an excellent photographer,
and yes i am available for weddings.
ps: if anyone has better suggestions for alias names please share! the only ones i've thought of are male names (ie: "miles long"). oh but just as i typed that i remembered "mary thoner". i should have used that one, dang it!
Congrats Ali! So funny. I'll bet it felt good to be back out there, regardless.
ReplyDeleteYou're the second blogger I've read who ran a race that got stopped by a train! There was a 5K in downtown Columbia a few weeks ago that did, and the train literally STOPPED on the tracks so people were going through the spaces between the cars to continue their races until the organizers diverted them away somehow by changing the course. I don't even think I've ran a race that included a train crossing on the course, actually.
ReplyDeleteI've never registered under a fake name, but the guy who owns the timing company here in town and his wife are my friends, and it's a small town, so there would be no way I could get away with it unless I traveled for a race (and I would want my real name on that since it would probably be a half or something if I traveled for it). But honestly, I wouldn't have even registered under an alias- who cares if your time is slower? You have been through a lot and I highly doubt people would notice or be out there comparing someone else's race times.
Stop and wait for a freight train is a pleasant anecdote ... For the rest being, in turn, the first woman to participate in the race is all a real privilege... Good workouts..!!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you got get out there and race! Sorry about the stupid train. Sheesh! That is definitely poor planning. And I love the Alias. Too fun. Keep it up. You'll be back to winning in no time. :) ANd congrats to your sisters and Josh. That is great!
ReplyDeletethanks! the train situation was humorous. it wouldn't have been had i been running with a serious mindset... but luckily it was all in good fun, for me at least. i just wish i had my camera to properly document it, i imagine it's not often a race is interrupted by a train!
DeleteGreat alias! Glad you are back at it...
ReplyDeleteI think Ali Asname is pretty good! I didn't even get it right away! LOL! Yay for having fun at a race -- the train thing, though, sounds really dumb.
ReplyDeleteRunning weddings are your definite niche. No suggestions on a new alias, sorry.
ReplyDeleteAllright Ali! I knew those chocoturds would help. Yes you can deduct 5 minutes for the train. That is so funny though and I love your art work man. I have used (male of course) the alias of Frankenstein before. It was around halloween though. But sometimes I will answer my phone as David Hasselhoff.
ReplyDeleteHaha, here in Africa we sometimes get stopped for weird things and also trains. I'm glad it happens in other countries as well. Funny about the alias. At least I am always slow under my real name and they actually look at me funny if I'm a bit faster under my real name.
ReplyDeleteDidn't anyone have a train schedule??!! Congrats Ali....hee hee! It took me a few seconds to get that one! I like mary thoner too!
ReplyDeleteI like the alias name but how do you pick up your bib then? just by address?
ReplyDeleteAnd the train. I get pissy waiting for it in the car!
you had to look up your name on a list of registrants and find your bib number, then give the # to a volunteer who'd give you your race packet. the races around here have never required id at packet pick-up so i wasn't too worried about being denied. just in case, i had a copy of the registration confirmation email with me though.
DeleteWelcome back, Ali! ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou and Jeff should get together and start your own photography biz!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the race-next stop, Milwaukee?!
hahaha. so true, jeff is also skilled like me with a camera!
DeleteI should run my next race under the name "Fatbo Yonadiet"
ReplyDeletehilarious! surely the name is a bit inaccurate for you though.
DeleteYeah, the diet part is a total lie
Deletehaha...i had to re-read the Ali Asname part again before I got it. Was this the Earth Day Race put on by GTC? I think this was a new course this year, but I never checked it out. I did the 1/2 here a few years ago and the course was pretty brutal (busy roads, no shade, boring). Sounds like you had a good time though...congrats!
ReplyDeleteit was the earth day run. i've only ever done the 5k (twice now) but i do want to do the half at some point. i always figure this isn't nyc or san fran, so a long race course is bound to be kinda boring around here, but i also don't really care either way. just prefer a fast course for a good pr!
DeleteHa, ha, ha! This made me laugh. I can't believe the train, it would have drove me mad had I been racing.
ReplyDeleteSom racing names for you: Johna Fasta, Girla Mcspeedster, Iwanna Runfast, Chompa Champion
Good luck:)
the train would have irritated me too normally, but since i was just running for fun it wasn't a big deal. humorous really! you are so creative, thanks for the ideas :)
DeleteLOL, I've used Bret Farve on a couple of occasions. It definitely takes the pressure off........
ReplyDeleteyou need to be called up for an age group award or raffle prize under that name. people would be excited and then realize you're not "that" bret ;)
DeleteA train? Ugh!!!!!!! Good job not going all out. Spike runs under an alias anytime he isn't racing seriously and the looks he gets are priceless.
ReplyDeletehe must have a good alias!
DeleteMary Thoner! That is what you should do next time.
ReplyDeleteI was talking to my husband the other day about the intimidation of the clock and posted results to my name that keep me from truly having fun at races when I intend to simply have fun (or do it just to finish). I never thought of using an alias!
it was fun knowing i was running under an alias, even though no one else knew. definitely adds to a "fun" vibe and helps keep things relaxed. i mean, we don't want some alias earning our new pr! :)
DeleteThat's fun. I love Mary Thoner. I think I'll change my name to that.
ReplyDeleteit would be totally appropriate for you!
DeleteYou are too funny! Yea for racing even as ali! It took me awhile to get the title.
ReplyDeleteA train interrupted a race here and I think they subtracted times. The next year they changed things.
LOve love love your drawing of it.
i haven't seen any time adjustments yet but maybe they will think to do that. it doesn't really matter to me though, i knew my time would be slower and i was just out to have fun - mission accomplished, train and all!
DeleteThere are so many things I love about this race report. The alias! The train photo! The excellent photography (too bad I already got married!)!
ReplyDeleteI think I remember the race report from when you won the race a few years ago. I think it was one of the first posts I ever read here.
hahaha. i probably would have been a less expensive photographer you know... ;)
Deletei'm glad you didn't think i was a total brat after that other race report and stuck around! thank you! i can't believe i was so whiny!!!
Congrats on the race, but for me what is important is that the drawings are back.
ReplyDeleteJust do an entire blog posts of drawings with no explanations or anything and have people write captions for them.
Ali Asname.....love it!
You are too funny! It is really good to see you rebuilding!
ReplyDeleteI like that name.
ReplyDeleteWe have two local-ish races where there is a possibility you could get stopped at a train. The last time, they had people there with a clipboard that marked your bib number and would subtract the train time for you.
I would hope they would...the race is a Bq'er.
Ali and her racing family! I love your graphic of the freight train intrusion. Race directors nightmare. You can go up against my hubby for finish line photog expertise. That one is epic!
ReplyDeleteLook at you, racing already! I am impressed and love how you are progressing back into this so quickly. I bet your 5k time was faster than mine, even with the train stop. Hope the progress continues strong....I'm sure it has something to do with lucky monopoly pieces!
ReplyDeleteThat's hilarious everyone had to wait for the train to pass.
ReplyDeleteYou should register as someone famous like Jane Fonda, or Gween Stephani. That may raise some eyebrows when people check the finishers log.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your 5K, miss Ali! Oh girl, I would have been anggggry if I had been racing for real and the train came by...
ReplyDeleteBut maybe there was just one really fast person way ahead of the rest and that's why there was a time gap?
Creative name, much better than anything I could have thought of.
Glad to see you are racing again! Yay!!! Pseudonyms are great for athlinks. I will have to remember that. I will look up Ali Asname on there and see if anyone has claimed those times. ha.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was running my half marathon on Saturday, as we approached one of the bridges I actually thought the drawbridge was open. I was like "OH, SO NOT COOL WHEN I'M TRYING TO PR!" It was an optical illusion though.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your 5k! Glad you're running again!
Funny with the alias name! What if they asked for ID at packet pickup? :P
ReplyDeleteP.S. you better approve these
ReplyDelete