Mar 23, 2009 10:40 AM Posted by AlisonMorris ....Is give Patrice a chance. And maybe give another marathon a chance.
In the past week, a lot of our viewers, and fellow runners have gotten some frustrating news; the marathon is full, and in spite of all your efforts, you just can't run it this year. Many of you are upset, and rightfully so. There's nothing fun about training your butt off for two months, only to get cut from the big event. We've gotten a lot of emails and phone calls from runners pleading with us to make their case, to find room for them, to fix the problem. But capping the marathon isn't an arbitrary decision. A lot of it has to do with the safety of those involved, and making sure there are enough emergency medical workers and police protection to keep everyone safe.
Andy and I have seen firsthand just how hard Marathon Director Patrice Matamores has been working to make the first "re-running" of the Pittsburgh Marathon a success. And let me tell you, keeping some 9,000 runners happy and safe is no small task. Sure there are going to be problems and mistakes made along they way, but I'm asking all of you to be patient and continue to be supportive. A good marathon this year, will mean an even better one next year, and better one the year after that. Let's keep supporting the efforts of the marathon organizers...offer them constructive cricitcism as well as kudos along the way, so we can keep the marathon in Pittsburgh indefinitely.
With that said, I sympathize with those of you who got shut out this year. Rather, I empathize cause it recently happened to me. Last winter I started training for the Long Island Half-Marathon, with the intention of running that race in May, and then New York City in the fall. Born and raised in New York, it had been a longtime dream of mine to run those two races back-to-back and I thought 2008 would be the year to finally do it. I ran the Half-Marathon, beat my goal time by 7 minutes, and was really excited to train for New York. I registered online and started running....anxiously awaiting the email with my chip number. But instead of a "Welcome to the New York City Marathon" email, I received a rejection notice. I wasn't picked in the lottery, though some 40,000 other runners were. At first I was really disappointed and pretty mad. I had been working hard, running early on Saturday mornings when all of my friends were sleeping in, and for what? I was training for a race I couldn't run. But instead of giving up, I decided to start looking around for another race that fall. Dublin, Ireland? A little too much of a trek. The Marine Corps Marathon? Also full. And then I stumbled on the Philadelphia Marathon....and it was perfect. It was still a "Big City" marathon, but with only 18,000 participants there'd be room to move. It was an easy enough flight for me from Pittsburgh, and a short drive for my parents to come from New York to watch. Plus it was a few weeks after New York...I'd have more time to prepare. (I could take a week off of training and relax during my summer vacation!) I even convinced Andy Sheehan to do it with me. It wasn't New York, but it was a goal to work towards and something to keep me running.
While it didnt seem that way at the time, getting shut out of the New York City Marathon was a blessing. The Philadelphia Marathon was the perfect venue for my first shot at 26.2, even though the day itself was far from perfect. Temperatures at the starting line were in the 20s (about 30 degrees colder than expected), my IPOD broke at mile 10 (leaving me without music for the last 16.2 miles), and because of the cold, I couldn't feel my feet for the first 6 miles (leading to a less than ideal finish time). But when I crossed that finish line, I cried when they called "Alison Morris from Pittsburgh!" It was an awesome experience, and probably the best feeling of accomplishment I have ever had. It wasn't where I envisioned running my first marathon, but it turned out to be just right for me. So now my plan for the year has changed from "Long Island-New York" to "Kicking Asphalt Across the Keystone State: Philly then the Burgh."
If you haven't been accepted to the Pittsburgh Marathon this year but have already put in the training time, why not consider running another one? The Cincinnati "Flying Pig" Marathon is also May 3rd and still has openings. The Long Island Marathon is May 3rd too and is still open for registration. It's a great run. And the weather on Long Island is usually warmer and even sunnier than Pittsburgh in May! Give another marathon a shot. Keep training. And make it your goal to run Pittsburgh next May with an even better time. In the meantime, you just might find an unexpectedly great running experience. I know I did.
Mar 2, 2009 12:02 PM Posted by AndySheehan My
father, the late running guru, used to travel from marathon to marathon, giving
inspirational talks and selling his books. At the signing table he would hear
from each book buyer on everything from how running had changed their life to
their nagging Achilles tendon injury. Returning home he declared: “Every runner
has a story and I don’t want to hear it.”
I won’t bore you with mine, but
suffice it to say it involves an aching knee and the prognosis is not good. My
doctor told me “If I didn’t know you better, I’d tell you to take up swimming.”
He was right. I haven’t taken to the pool, and I’m fully intent on running the
Dick’s Sporting Goods City of Pittsburgh Marathon in May.
Since my diagnosis, I’ve met others
who had the same and are still out pounding the pavement – one workout at a
time. Some I spoke with just this Saturday after the annual “Spring Thaw” in North Park. There
were close to 800 in all, who ran either 10, 15 or 20 miles. I think it’s a fair
assumption that most of them will be running either the full marathon or the
half now just two months away.
There’s tremendous enthusiasm for
the return of the race as evidenced by the pre-registration that is currently
crowding the 6,000 mark – about twice the anticipated registration. Much this is
can be attributed to the spirit of race director Patrice Matamoros – a whirling
dervish of activity - who has set a tone of inclusiveness among the running
faithful and is harnessing the energy of an army of volunteers.
Here at KDKA, Alison Morris and I
will do our small part. We’ll be keeping you up on marathon developments by
airing stories on training techniques as well as some human interest pieces on
some inspiring people running the race. I’ll also be updating this blog from
time to time to keep you abreast. For now, time is of the essence, and during
this month of March, you’ll need to be getting in those long runs to get ready.
See you on the trails. Sep 29, 2008 10:38 AM Posted by KDKAJen  Eric Burnett (Jon's son) won the Great Race's 5K, with a finish time of 15:13! What a turnout! Just under 12,000 people took part in the City of Pittsburgh's Great Race this year. Congratulations to the organizers who worked so hard to make it a success -- and to everyone who participated! We'd like to extend a special congrats to an extended member of the KDKA family, though! Jon Burnett's son, Eric, was first to cross the finish line in the 5K! Way to go, Eric!
The race may be over.. but we'd like to hear your feedback! While the adrenaline is still pumping -- we want to know what you thought about the race! Were you a first-timer or an old pro? What were your impressions of the race? Was the course as challenging as you had hoped? If you were in charge, would you do anything differently -- or keep it exactly the same?
Just click on the comments link below to share your feedback on this year's Great Race! Sep 25, 2008 9:56 AM Posted by AndySheehan It's a
shame how we runners are. How hopelessly self-involved. Wars rage around the
world, we teeter on economic chaos, and all I can think about it my bum knee. A
sharp, nagging pain in the side of my knee. A pain that recedes and then returns
and won't go away. My wife's sees me staring into the distance and asks me what
I'm thinking. I tell her: "I'm thinking about missing the Great
Race."
My father,
the running doctor, used to say; "Every runner has a story and I don't want to
hear it." It's universally true. Nobody wants to hear about your training, your
last race or most of all your latest injury. But when you get a sharp pain in
your knee, it's like your own a personal earthquake. Only another runner could
understand.
For the
past two weeks, I've been icing my knee, doing stretching exercises, and eating
ibuprofen like M&M's. Dr. Maria, who sits besides me, advises rest. But she
knows I won't listen. "Rest?" I say. "Be reasonable. I'll do anything but rest."
She just shakes her head, and I continue to train with inconclusive results,
hoping against hope that I'm not doing any permanent damage.
So, fellow
runners, I will try to be there on Sunday. I can't bear the thought of not
being with you at Frick Park awaiting the starting gun. But of course, you'll
be focused on your own race.
To me missing the Great Race race would be almost
tragic, but I'm sure no one else will notice my absence.
Sep 15, 2008 5:59 PM Posted by AndySheehan Could there be a better time of year? The weather's crisp, the kids are back in school, the baseball playoffs are about to begin, and most importantly, the city of Pittsburgh Richard S. Caliguiri Great Race is only two weeks away.
If you haven't trained, it's probably a little late in the game to consider running the Great Race. (You won't enjoy yourself, and you'll risk injury.) But if you have done the training, you've put yourself in the position to enjoy one of America's great road races. Fast and mostly downhill, the 10-K course is a sumptuous showcase of the city -- a lovely romp from Frick Park to Point State Park with stunning vistas in between.
To me, the Great Race is the perfect kick off for the fall -- a favorite season for runners who find an ally in the cooler weather. Gone are the sweaty slogs of August, and suddenly in September, the chill in the air is a shot of adrenaline. Your pace quickens, and you realize you're in better shape than you initially thought. Your legs become springy where they once were leaden. You feel ready to take on the world. (Or at least a 6.2-mile run through Pittsburgh.)
So here's hoping you were looking ahead and put in the requisite mileage.
In the past few weeks, I've seen hundreds of runners at races like the Brookline Breeze and the IKEA Half Marathon, who appear to be more than ready.
The Great Race has been growing steadily over the past few years, and the organizers would like to top the 10-thousand-plus registration of last year.
 Click here to register for The Great Race now | |
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