Regardless of location or distance, every race has a similar feeling of anticipation before the starting gun goes off. A few overly eager people loosen up their legs with a light jog along the street. The stragglers squirm in their lines at the portable toilets, debating whether they really need to go. Most people line up tightly in the corrals, doing their final stretches or chatting with those around them. I have been in each of these groups at one point in my life, but races are becoming so routine that I am usually just relaxing in the corrals and observing the sights around me.
One thing that was refreshingly unique about the Bellingham Bay pre-race was the amazing announcer. He picked people out of the crowd at random and made up stories about their credentials and goals for the race. If anything he said came to be true, I would have been in the presence of world record holders and other running celebrities! It's always nice to laugh in an otherwise tense environment.
I had not really looked at the course map in advance of the race, but I was really surprised by the diverse terrain covered. It took runners through many twists and turns, including a few unpaved paths, and even a long deck that stood over the water. If it weren't for the many wonderful volunteers, we would have surely gotten lost (like the recent Bangalore marathon, where the leading runners went off-course and had to borrow money to take public transport back to the finish line)!
The weather ended up being a little cooler and mistier than the forecast predicted, but it was perfect for running in Washington State. I used to love the autumn for football season, but now, I love it for the crisp running weather (and football).
The crowd support was actually better than I anticipated for such a small city. In fact, I could barely find parking before the race in the downtown area but I appreciated the decent crowd support near the end.
The finish line had a good party atmosphere, complete with live music and food trucks. The band was also quite good and a lot of people stuck around just to listen to their music. Another unique element of this race was the selection of candid pictures, already printed and displayed for anyone who wants to pay $10 on the spot for a nice souvenir.
I am curious how many more purchases they get when the picture is already printed. In my experience, most people just screen shot the copyrighted photos and shamelessly post them all over social media with the watermark clearly visible across the picture. Kinda like this:
Yes, I know my shirt is hideous.
I have purchased a few good pictures in the past, but my typical modus operandi is to just save the copyrighted version. I was, however, tempted to buy this one gem - taken of the man behind me who clearly was not camera-ready at this point in the race:
Running is a hobby that can become routine and dull very quickly. For me, racing is one way to keep me motivated because I get to discover new places and fulfill my competitive drive. I found the Bellingham Bay Half Marathon to be a very interesting course and with some entertainment that exceeded my expectations.
One thing that was refreshingly unique about the Bellingham Bay pre-race was the amazing announcer. He picked people out of the crowd at random and made up stories about their credentials and goals for the race. If anything he said came to be true, I would have been in the presence of world record holders and other running celebrities! It's always nice to laugh in an otherwise tense environment.
I had not really looked at the course map in advance of the race, but I was really surprised by the diverse terrain covered. It took runners through many twists and turns, including a few unpaved paths, and even a long deck that stood over the water. If it weren't for the many wonderful volunteers, we would have surely gotten lost (like the recent Bangalore marathon, where the leading runners went off-course and had to borrow money to take public transport back to the finish line)!
 |
| The most scenic part of the course |
The weather ended up being a little cooler and mistier than the forecast predicted, but it was perfect for running in Washington State. I used to love the autumn for football season, but now, I love it for the crisp running weather (and football).
 |
| Misty weather and Native American art |
The crowd support was actually better than I anticipated for such a small city. In fact, I could barely find parking before the race in the downtown area but I appreciated the decent crowd support near the end.
The finish line had a good party atmosphere, complete with live music and food trucks. The band was also quite good and a lot of people stuck around just to listen to their music. Another unique element of this race was the selection of candid pictures, already printed and displayed for anyone who wants to pay $10 on the spot for a nice souvenir.
 |
| Live entertainment at the finish line |
 |
| Candid photos for sale at the finish line |
I am curious how many more purchases they get when the picture is already printed. In my experience, most people just screen shot the copyrighted photos and shamelessly post them all over social media with the watermark clearly visible across the picture. Kinda like this:
 | ||
| Here I am crossing the finish line |
Yes, I know my shirt is hideous.
I have purchased a few good pictures in the past, but my typical modus operandi is to just save the copyrighted version. I was, however, tempted to buy this one gem - taken of the man behind me who clearly was not camera-ready at this point in the race:
 |
| One of my competitors |
Running is a hobby that can become routine and dull very quickly. For me, racing is one way to keep me motivated because I get to discover new places and fulfill my competitive drive. I found the Bellingham Bay Half Marathon to be a very interesting course and with some entertainment that exceeded my expectations.
 |
| Bellingham Bay Half Marathon Medal |
No comments:
Post a Comment