[Today’s run: 13.1 miles]
I ran in the Frostbite Half Marathon today over in Starkville.
I was one of the last finishers, 2 hours and 30 minutes. The course officially “closed” at 2:45.
I have run in a few races and worked (volunteered) at a few. Usually “closed” means that the traffic control goes away, the finish line is disassembled, the after race amenities (food and such) may be packed up. But, in my experience, nobody forces remaining participants to get in the sag-bus and ride to the finish line.
Every once in awhile you’ll read a story about someone who finished a marathon race hours after the course closed, sometimes lots of hours. They may be hobbling along on a crutch or be tremendously overweight, etc. For whatever reason, they just couldn’t go that fast.
I worked the finish line at a marathon in Fort Collins. The race director said that anyone who wanted to go home could do so. She had a finisher’s medal and she had the time on a wristwatch and would wait for the last person to finally arrive. She knew where that person was by means of a sag-bicycle that was out on the course acting as caboose and in radio contact with the finish line. (I was the radio guy.)
In today’s race there was one person out on the course when I left. I think it was about 3:30 after the race began. Volunteers at the final water stop waited, and the finish line people tore most stuff down but were still waiting when I left.
There is always the question of why someone would enter a race when they fully expect not to finish by the time the course closes. They may think they can just walk the last part as a regular pedestrian, not put anyone out. But it doesn’t work that way in my experience.
I’m conflicted about the issue. I think it is kind of rude to close up the race when there are still people doing their best to finish. But I also think it is kind of rude to assume the course workers will stick around. The easy case is when you have paid course workers, like police/traffic control. When they are done they are done.
I didn’t talk to any of the volunteers today to see if they cared. When I worked the radio at the Fort Collins race I was fine staying another 30 minutes. A rather large lady, with wraps on her knees and a very pained look on her face, eventually came around the corner and we all cheered and she got her medal and I went home.
(thinking about this some more, I think there have been times when I was one of those people that folks waited on. I don’t remember ever being the final-end-charlie, but I’m usually way back.)