Des Moines Half Marathon Race Report
When: Sunday, October 15, 2017
Where: Des Moines, IA
Weather: 40s, windy
Division: Open
With a recent severe cold and sinus infection, my training had been majorly derailed in the four weeks prior to the race. Before that, I'd managed to get a couple 10-milers in, and I knew I'd be able to finish the race, but my previous goal of 2:50 would be out of reach. I set a new goal of under 3 hours and knew I'd need to keep a good pace and not fall apart to get there.
Arrived downtown about 45 minutes before the start - used the hotel shuttle, so I can't comment on the parking situation, which I'm sure was disastrous. The start/finish area moved a couple blocks away since last year, so once again I found myself unable to locate ANYTHING, thanks to Des Moines' consistently terrible start/finish area organization. Why is this so difficult? This year was even worse, because everything was spread out on this cross-shaped section of downtown, meaning that you had to go around the corner to find stuff, and there were no signs either pointing the way or labeling the areas themselves. Example: bag check was in a parking structure, and there was no sign on the structure telling you this. You literally had to wander around and hope to find it. I discovered after the race that there was a map posted on Facebook. Why they couldn't put the map at the expo, in the race program, or email it to participants pre-race, I have no idea. The port-a-john situation was good, though, lots of areas with multiple toilets so there was hardly any line. Much better than having one giant line of port-a-johns.
I was near the back of the start corral and could barely hear the anthem, let alone any announcements. Crossed the start line about 6-7 minutes after the gun, which is decent. People had sorted themselves pretty well, considering there are no assigned corrals. Got a good pace going and kept it for a very long time. The course was flat, with the only hills coming at a couple of bridges (only one hill, at mile 11, was big enough for me to switch from hip flexors to glutes, so I was glad I had trained on flats - essential for this race).
Miles 4-9ish are basically a huge out-and-back section, with a loop around Water Works Park at the end. This was great for seeing lots of runners, but it made for a tight squeeze on the fairly narrow road, especially when bike patrollers needed to go by. Mile 6 we saw an aid station with bacon (typical Des Moines, LOL), then a bit later a stage with people in unicorn costumes with rainbows on them hula-hooping to the song "Rhythm is a Dancer." NOW I'VE SEEN EVERYTHING. Honestly, this is EXACTLY the sort of fabulous entertainment that should be at *every single race on the planet.* It felt like I was watching a mini-challenge from RuPaul's Drag Race, which is exactly as cool as it sounds. Kept going and passed a run/walker who was "singing along" with her phone, which was playing...spoken word slam poetry. What the heck. I guess, if it keeps you motivated. It was no "Rhythm is a Dancer," though.
Mile 7's aid station was staffed by National Guardsmen, who with one exception were polite and encouraging. The one exception was yelling at people to stop walking and start running, that walking was for wusses. Um, bro, this is the 3-hour half marathon group. Walking is part of the plan. I think he thought he was being all drill-sergeant encouraging, but no, dude. No. Meanwhile I got a couple of "you are a FAST WALKER"s from my fellow racers, which always makes a gal feel good.
After the out-and-back (where we were passed by the full marathon leaders at around their mile 20), we looped around Gray's Lake as always. There was a group of four near me and one of the dudes had on a flower lei. I was like "yay, you got lei'd!" Laughs all around. After mile 10 I started kind of feeling the pain a bit. My shoes were pretty new and I'd tied them a bit too tight maybe, because they were bugging. Bottoms of my feet had hot spots but no actual blisters. And my hips were fatigued due to undertraining, which I'd expected. Overall I felt pretty damn good considering I hadn't walked much in 4 weeks. I spent my time encouraging those around me, which is a good strategy for feeling encouraged yourself. Got up the one hill and over the bridge, then we went down MLK on a flat and wide road. Luxury!
After mile 12.5 we had to turn left into downtown for the finish, and a volunteer was yelling at us "walkers KEEP RIGHT! STAY RIGHT UNTIL THE END!!!" I was slightly right of the center of the lane so I glanced over my shoulder and saw...nobody coming. Whatever, lady. Also I was walking as fast as everyone else was jogging, but she was still yelling at me specifically to move my ass over. I didn't. I walked where I wanted to and was in nobody's way. We made two left turns and the finish was right there. And I hit it in 2:59:37 on my watch. Goal: achieved!
After the race I got my bag, stretched, then tried to find food. Couldn't. Asked someone else, and they helped me find it. What the HELL, Des Moines. People who are finishing a marathon need food RIGHT IN THEIR FACE at the end. Don't make people have to go searching for it in an alleyway (seriously). The food, once I found it, was great. Beer, nachos, pork sandwiches, pizza, strawberries, cookies, bananas, peanut butter. I wished they'd had those bags of Baked Cheetos but beggars can't be choosers.
Good:
-swag. Shirt was a much better color this year, and I bought a t-shirt that is super cute.
-course. Flat, but enjoyable.
-bike crew once again has everything you could possibly want.
-medal is one of the best, every year.
Bad:
-weather, but that's nobody's fault. Just too windy for how cold it was. Hands were numb.
-start/finish organization. HORRIBLE. Inexcusably horrible year after year. UGH.
Race Grade: B. Besides the start/finish area, this race is a solid one for those who want a good flat fall run.
