"Jim - Are you signed up for Idaho? I got an email last night with the
list of individuals registered and I did not see you on the list. Maybe
you signed up under a fake name."
All of sudden my heart dropped ... did I forget to sign up for the Pocatello Marathon??? Oh no! What if I booked my flight, reserved my room, trained all summer ... and I couldn't get a spot in the race??? What if I made the trip all the way to Idaho and the race officials wouldn't allow me run??? I mean, Idaho is like seven six States from my house ... I'm sure the folks there are terrific, but I have no other compelling reason to go there ... and I don't even really like potatoes that much!
I immediately picked up the phone and called my trustworthy wife, Michael, and asked her to register me for the race ... which she did, no problem! Whew, that was a close one!
After I got my confirmation email from Pocatello, I sent Bobby a quick message and thanked him for the "great catch". I actually met Bobby a few years ago at the Myrtle Beach Marathon. Around Mile 10 of the race, a guy ran up beside me and said "Are you Jim from 50after40?" We ran most of the remaining race together chatting about pretty much everything, and became friends after that. Since then, we've met for a couple of other races, and even play in an ESPN Fantasy Baseball league together every year. (Yes, we're both baseball nerds) At the time it was one of the first blogger sightings I'd ever had, and it was great to meet someone who actually read my blog on a regular basis. Pocatello will be the 4th or 5th race we ran together, and I look forward to hanging out with him again.
Anyway - just curious is anyone else has ever forgotten to sign up for a race and been locked out? There are so many marathons that I could have undoubtedly found another one fairly quickly. But not getting to run in the event I had trained specifically for all summer would have been a bummer. Have a great week!
... be great today!
Close call! I've definitely showed up to (local) races and couldn't remember if I'd registered or not. Then once I was told I hadn't, and believed them, but I actually had!
ReplyDeleteHa, they tried to double bill you
DeleteOh man, that could have really sucked! It totally sounds like something I'd do. Of course, I'd more likely wait on purpose (because I'm a elite-level procrastinator) and then be SOL because the race sold out. You definitely owe your buddy a beer!
ReplyDeleteNo doubt Kate
DeleteWow, count your lucky stars Jim. I believe Pocatello has a tendency to sell out too.
ReplyDeleteI had this happen to me actually at a race in Vegas this spring. I went to the registration table to pick up my shirt / bib and lo and behold they had no record of me. After checking my emails, I couldn't find a confirmation or receipt. This turned out to be a blessing though because I was injured and couldn't run the half marathon (I came to the event to get my shirt and offer my services as a volunteer). So it turns out I wasn't out the $70. I was walking on air when I left the expo because I always hate shelling out money for a race and then wind up not being able to run because of injury or sickness (it happens about once or twice a year). I did unfortunately lose out on my $120 for the Salt Lake City Marathon which was a week later because of that injury, though. So now I've got a $120 t-shirt... sigh.
Oh man, that's an expensive shirt for a race you didn't get to run
DeleteI'm always swooping in and saving you. Yep, saved a baby again. :)
ReplyDeleteYep, saved a baby!
DeleteSaved by the lady of the house! Nice catch by your friend that would have really sucked to get all the way there and not be registered.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt Christy
DeleteI had a bit of a panic a few weeks ago when I couldn't find confirmation of my registration for the Plaza 10K. I had signed up for it at the RTP expo and was told I would get an email confirmation. Then I forgot all about it. Later, when I did think of it, I couldn't find the email. I wrote to the organization and they apologized for failing to send it. Then they sent two confirmations.
ReplyDeletePlaza 10K is a fun race, we're still debating on whether or not to run it, it will probably depend on my post marathon health
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