Why is this race 41A instead of plain ol’ 41? A few miles got cut out of my route (you’ll see why), so I won’t officially count this one in my challenge, but I still wanted to tell you about it. (It’s a great race I’d recommend/do again).
I was staying at a hotel very close to the finish line. There were free shuttles run by the race from the finish to the start. (This was a point to point race.) My shuttle was going to leave at 6:30.
I woke up around 5:45. I called down to the front desk asking for a cab at 6. Then I started brushing my teeth, putting on sunscreen – generally getting ready for the morning.
My dad called around 5:55 to say good morning and see what’s up.
Daddy: So, what time does your race start?
Aurora: 7.
Daddy: 5 minutes from now?
Aurora: An hour and 5 minutes from now.
Daddy: You’re in Arizona, right?
Aurora: Yes.
Daddy: They don’t have daylight savings in Arizona.
Aurora: I know. My phone says it’s almost 6. It shouldn’t have changed. I called down to the front desk and said I wanted a cab at 6. He didn’t say anything about it…
Daddy: Huh. Well, if he didn’t say anything about it, maybe it is 6 out there.
Aurora: But you’re really making me nervous now.
Daddy: Well, just call the front desk and call me back.
I got off the phone with dad, googled “What time is it in Arizona?” Sure enough, it was almost 7! The cab called and said they were there. I grabbed my bib and safety pins, and ran out the door.
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(You can skip this side note if you want to keep the flow of the story…)
Side note: I knew it was the night of daylight savings and that Arizona did not partake, and I was worried about this very thing happening. So, I thought I had set my settings on my phone to make it so that it would not adjust for daylight savings. I did not do that correctly.
Also, I tried to get a wake-up call, but the hotel I was staying with was under renovation. There was only one person on staff and he was being run ragged with people who needed him because various things weren’t working. I eventually gave up trying to get my wake-up call. I don’t blame him. He was working hard. And I had his attention when I checked in and should’ve had the foresight to do it right then.
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I told my cab driver that I needed to get to the start line and gave her the map that I had. We –
A) got a little lost.
B) Got a little diverted because of closed streets.
I ended up getting to the start at 7:30(!)
The timing mat had been taken up. There were a group of runners there who, I think, were in the same boat. They said there were going to drive and catch up and asked if I wanted a ride. I said thanks, but politely declined. I wanted to start from the beginning and catch up on foot.
I started asking around at the start line if someone could just write what time I started so that I could still get counted as an official finisher.
Everyone there said they weren’t a race official or someone with the timing company. So, I just looked at one guy and said, “What’s your name?” He said, “Ryan.” I said, “Okay Ryan. When I talk to the timing company at the end to try to get an official time, I’m gonna let them know that you were a witness to my start.” He said okay.
So, I start running.
This is where I’ll pick up Thursday.