tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183387786490322671.post6297153492381816303..comments2023-10-29T00:43:09.473-07:00Comments on RUN NOW...: "Runner's Education"Tom Craikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12788359983827033311noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183387786490322671.post-46969502327770592222010-07-14T08:02:44.924-07:002010-07-14T08:02:44.924-07:00Great response, Gary. Just a perfect illustration ...Great response, Gary. Just a perfect illustration of what I was saying. I love the bit about the racers toward the back of the pack hugging people and needing to be escorted onward. Hilarious, but shows such huge amounts gratitude. Thank you.<br /><br />Adam, again, amazing race. You are the human rocket and you raced smart letting the others push each other over their limits. Great to watch you race.Tom Craikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12788359983827033311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183387786490322671.post-86828076680034670312010-07-14T07:11:13.636-07:002010-07-14T07:11:13.636-07:00A great read and too true! Thanks for the cheers a...A great read and too true! Thanks for the cheers and to the volunteers...Adamohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05616913998029566385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183387786490322671.post-42802916967832265572010-07-13T23:33:44.543-07:002010-07-13T23:33:44.543-07:00Sorry, I had posted the same thing twice as it did...Sorry, I had posted the same thing twice as it did't seem to take the first time...garobbinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16576460882167758106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183387786490322671.post-80165564328939219532010-07-13T23:30:56.735-07:002010-07-13T23:30:56.735-07:00Mr. Craik! I really wasn't expecting to see my...Mr. Craik! I really wasn't expecting to see my name in this posting and I thank you for your kind words.<br /><br />I had an interesting experience at BC Bike Race in 2008. On day five I found that I was no longer able to continue due to injury. I was forced to drop out 3/4 of the way through the day, and was stuck at an aid station for the better part of three hours.<br /><br />I spent a lot of time there self loathing and even shedding a tear or two, the entire time sitting in a truck facing the aid station itself.<br /><br />I noticed that the further back in the pack a racer is, the more genuine their thanks seemed to be. <br /><br />The lead pack of racers rarely said a word.<br /><br />The secondary pack at least said thanks but they couldn't identify a single person at the aid station post race if their life depended on it.<br /><br />The next grouping would interact with the volunteers and thank them for their time.<br /><br />Finally, the last racers in the field would practically hug everyone they could find, thank them profusely for being there, and eventually be kindly escorted out and reminded that they were still in a race with cut off times!<br /><br />I think if the volunteers had only dealt with the fastest people they'd probably never come back again. By the end of the day they were revered as the saints they truly were for sacrificing their own time to ensure the successes of people they'd never met before.<br /><br />I know I've always been thankful to volunteers while racing, and have always attempted to communicate that to them while suffering away during an event. After BCBR though I told myself I'd ensure they knew how much I appreciated their support forever more. <br /><br />RACES DO NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT VOLUNTEERS, PERIOD! You do not get to tramp through 50km of mountain terrain with fully stocked aid stations without their help!<br /><br />It amazes me how many people complain about having to perform 4hr of volly work for their KK application or equivalent race. You'd think this would teach them something but some people just don't 'get it'. Hopefully a few of those will happen across your blog posting and take a few seconds to think about whether or not people KNEW that they were thankful to have them there on Saturday?<br /><br />Thanks for posting Tom, it needed to be said!!<br /><br />GRGary Robbinshttp://www.garyrobbins.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183387786490322671.post-39498941924138837132010-07-13T23:29:05.647-07:002010-07-13T23:29:05.647-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.garobbinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16576460882167758106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183387786490322671.post-30977896626929035732010-07-13T21:57:06.676-07:002010-07-13T21:57:06.676-07:00Fun , not so after looking at the first 10 runners...Fun , not so after looking at the first 10 runners! But wow quite impressed by committment of organizers and support people and the racers themselves. The last descent, technical and the runners were killing the slopesUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17467495792744184279noreply@blogger.com