OK, it looks like our choices for a spring 2008 out-of-town Half Wits half marathon have come down to Cincinnati Flying Pig or Louisville Kentucky Derby.
Both races have good reasons to run either of them.
Cincinnati: everyone wants that damn pig shirt/medal! Also, I have heard nothing but positive things from people who have been there in the past. Plus, the RRCA national convention is in Cincinnati for the Pig next year. The race is on a Sunday, though.
Louisville: it's on a Saturday and we could have a great time that night and I have heard the Churchill Downs experience is very cool.
I love doing Saturday races so you can party that night, but I also like taking days off and would be more than willing to take Monday off after a Sunday race so I can party Sunday night.
So, let's again get some feed back on this.
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THE PIG!!!!!
Horses are always so much faster; especially when they "run" on Saturdays! And you can drink mint juleps after running! Oh, and horses are so much cleaner too!
P-U Pigs! :):):)
Although I don't oppose to the Flying Pig! :)
Would consider going to the Pig race with everyone. Would possibly consider even doing the marathon. Would probably not consider Louisville.
My vote is for pork.
Oink, Oink!!!!!!!
Everyone knows pigs are smarter than horses, right??
Kim N said:
My vote is for Flying Pig. My husband's birthday is May 2nd so I can drag is ass to the race. I'm sure that is just how he wanted to spend his 45th!! I have 2 friends that ran it and said it was alot of fun. Who knows, after several cocktails, maybe we might even spot one!!
Do you think one of the pigs could fly back to Spfld and take my kids to school on Monday? If not, I will have to run with the horsees on Saturday.
Amy
I thought we were coming back Sunday night on a bus? Wasn't that the plan?
Hmmmm haven't heard that one if we do the pig. just assuming so from tim's post of willing to take monday off. that is why there is an option of a saturday or sunday race. i have kids too so the pig would be out for me if there is partying after the race on sunday and come home on monday. saturday race would work perfect to then come home on sunday.
NAYYYY!!! I vote for horses
Tammie
Here are my thoughts.
I have actually run both venues as a marathoner. Both are fun. The PROS for the Pig, great fan support and they do give you a lot of cool stuff. The CON, Sunday race and there really isnt a nightlife (sunday) in the downtown area. At least when I did this 3 years ago.
The Derby, Pros - great fan support upto the 1/2, but you do get to run the track and its a Saturday race and of course the nightlife is fun. They have a downtown block area where its covered and you can hop from one place to another. Plus, if your spouse is into betting, they do have horse races going on that weekend. The only con that I do remember is that if you do a full marathon, the fan support goes down quite a bit.
Both races offer hills so its a wash.
I really dont care either way but I would tend to lean towards the Derby just because its a Sat race and it would be better as a group outing.
But for those who want to do something individually, the PIG is the best choice.
I vote for L'ville. I've done Cinci already and I DID NOT have a good experience. Stood in the pouring rain waiting for my relay exchange. Got on a bus with one lone runner who started talking about VietNam. SUPER HILLY! Bad post-race organization.
And hey, doesn't my vote count at least twice?
I think there are enough Half Wits to have a decent showing at both races. Why can't there be two groups and let everyone choose which one to do based on personal preferences and schedule needs? I was going to do the Pig whether it became the "official" Half Wit race or not, so I'm already committed. Besides, if there is enough interest for having a bus and block rooms for both races, what's to stop us from organizing those things separately for both races?
Wendy,
I think we did the PIG the same year. We had a large SRRC contingent that year and it was fun till the rain came and came and came. You are right about the bus. Funny story here, Nicole Metgzer and I got on one of the buses after the race thinking it would give us a ride back. We sat and sat and sat...asked the bus driver when it was taking off. He said, it wasn't going nowhere. It was just there as a resting station. We had to hobble back at least 2 more miles to our hotel in the rain and wind. ;(
I've done both races and definately prefer the Cincinnati Flying Pig. Easy access to start/finish (no buses if you stay downtown), great crowd, & a great course ....
like Chuck I have run both as a marathoner and Pig has more hills and is more difficult. Running through Churchill Downs racetrack was exciting. From the road you run in a tunnel underground and come up on a road around the track inside and they might have some horses out exercising. It runs through some parks which makes it a prettier race.I prefer L'Ville
The flying pig is a great race. Challenging but, a lot of fun. I vote for the Sat. race along with Em. Gotta get the kids on the bus on Mon. morn.
PS-- Love Indy also, and would love to go back there next year.
L'ville sounds like fun!
What I love about HalfWits and all the different training groups - big and small - is the dynamics in training for a specific goal. I don't think it really comes down to a specific event - rather it is the weekly training is what makes us a group. Getting through the blizzards, the wind, the hills, the insecurities and doubts, the illnesses and injuries and family commitments - that's what us HalfWits.
There will be runners representing Springfield at both races and other races as well next spring - each race brings something different for the individual runner, whether they're looking for an oinkin' good time, or just wanting to horse around. I think showing both L'ville and Cinciwhat Springfield can bring to a race would be kinda cool - we can plan on a tent at each event and let the individual runner decide.
I'll be running the Pig so that my husband and I can run it together (since he delivers the mail on Saturdays - he misses out on a lot of what HalfWits really is).
It's not the final race that's important - but the training we can do together along the way - very cool.
HalfWits - celebrating the power of a group!
Awwwwwwww!!!! That was so nice and so positive Mary!!! :):)
-Em ;)
Mary always puts it in perspective! I agree with her that it is the journey...not the destination!
I have another question, since there are concerns about getting back in time to get kids to school, work on Monday, etc. if we do a Sunday race...
Here's my thinking...
If we do want to look into the bus trip idea, then...
if we do a Saturday race (Louisville) then I would think we would want to leave Friday morning to get us there in plenty of time to check into a hotel, get to the expo, grab dinner and get to bed at a good hour.
If we do a Sunday race (Pig) then we could leave later on Friday or even on Saturday morning, but maybe not come back until Monday so we could have fun after the race.
Or we could just leave it up to everyone to get to a race on their own (maybe even carpooling) and that way people have more flexibility.
Either way, if we take a bus, I would envision that either the trip down or the trip back would be on a weekday.
I really don't relish leaving on Saturday morning for a Sunday race and returning Sunday after the race. If that was the case, I don't see organizing a bus...my vote would be for people just traveling on their own.
More thoughts? Are people thinking that same way?
Anyway that you look at it~people will need to take a day off from work.
If people can swing it I'd definitely leave on Fri for a Sat. race. A lot of the fun is before and after a race, however I understand people with school age kids can't do that.
Barb B
Considering both race are 5 hours away, it is true that it would be better to leave either on a Friday for a Sat race or return on Monday for a Sunday race.
I actually had already anticipated on wanting to leave early Friday. I can get the kids to school by 7:30 AM and have my parents pick them up in the late afternoon, have them keep my kids over the weekend and I would get them whenever we get back on Sunday. Just easier for me so I don't have to put my parents through the torture of getting my cranky kids ready for school on Monday morning. It's NOT a pretty sight! :):):)
I really do wish I could do the pig! I have never done it. I have done Lville and loved it. Looking forward to going back. Blogger Jogger is right~~~ it is a really pretty course. I did my first marathon at Lville in 2004. I have heard it has grown. The half always had a good size, but I guess the marathon is getting popular too therefore I am sure the crowd appeal has become better! But I am going to do the half. Oh and the nightlife downtown is so much fun! You'll love it!
But regardless, if some of us are with the pigs, and some of us are with the horses, we are all still coming from the same (funny) farm and running together in spirit right? Heh! Heh! I soooo crack myself up!!!
-Em :)
I've heard great things about the Flying Pig. My vote is for the PIG in 2008.
I'm thinking more and more about the Pig. We can always do Louisville in 2009. By the way, I live in Louisville for two years. It is a beautiful city and a great place to party. Helen Knecht
I plan to do the half at the Pig.
Okay, let's stop the voting and just do two seperate trips. We will have fun wherever we go!
Awesome run today! We had a great group and everyone seemed happy :). Karen and Jan, you both did 15 and looked great. Trish, good for you keeping up with the big dogs (Kim and Chuck). It was a fantastic day to run 13 miles. Can't wait for the 14 miler next week :). We'll have Jennifer, Pete and Mike running a marathon yet.
Barry, how was your Abe's run?
Mary, how was your bi? Or is that tomorrow?
Pamela
The tri was a ton of fun - pretty tough and I finished way down the pack, but hey, I'm used to it! 2 1/2 hours of swimming/biking/running is just going to have to take the place on my long run this weekend - 'cause I'm completley worn out!
Mary - what tri did you do? Way to go girl! You rock!!!!
Thanks, Anne! It was in Decatur - Rodney Miller Lakeside Triathlon.
3/4 mile swim, 19 mile bike, 4 mile run. Swim was great (31 minutes) - bike was kinda slow (1:11) - run was better than I expected (39:40). I had issues with the transitions, though - too many logistics!
Stoneman Sprint is a good one for rookies - Anne are you up to tri-ing it?
Stoneman Sprint...hmmm. Can I use a noodle in the water?????
I am having aero bars put on my bike tomorrow (ooooh), so maybe! Those darn transitions sound tricky. How did the clothing thing work out? Did you wear tri shorts? I'm thinking there would be major chafing!
the clothing thing was a disaster - cost me a lot of transition time. I wore the shorts for the bike and run - no problem. PUlling them on over a wet swimsuit - that was a problem!
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