Post-race report: Pre-race, Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4 (1), Stage 4 (2), Stage 4 (3), Stage 5
UNICEF, Charity Stage: 7.7k, I'm walking this one!
Disclaimer: 99% of the time I take a positive outlook, and generally, I don't want this blog to be 'political' but I feel strongly about this, so here we go.
New to this year's race is the UNICEF charity stage, a non-competitive 7.7k stage that doesn't count towards standings or time. In the 27 previous years of the MdS, this day would have been competitive stage 6 and would cover a half marathon making the full race about 250km.
While I'm sure every competitor supports raising awareness for good causes (most people were probably raising money for some charity), I don't think the organization of this charity stage was the best approach.
Here are my thoughts on how it was handled/ could be handled better:
1 ) Poor Communication - Explain this when racers sign up and give them a chance to raise money/ awareness in advance. The fact that there would be a non-competitive stage was not made clear when we signed up (click HERE for my initial thoughts when I first found out in March). We were not made aware that the race format was changing nor were we given a chance to raise money/ awareness.
2) Why Non-Competitive? - Make this a competitive, charity stage. At the end of stage 5, we cross the 'finish' line, are given medals and told 'congrats, you finished!' This race is more mind than body, and once these things occur, your spirit all but shuts down. All the little things that were suppressed, now become magnified. This makes getting up and preparing the next day all the more difficult.
3) Give the Injured a Break - Offer transport to those in serious need. Many people push themselves to the brink to finish this race. Over the week, I saw feet, injuries and exhaustion the likes of which I never knew. But, in the same breath that these people are told to kick back and relax because 'you did it!', they're reminded that they have to do it again tomorrow.
Please don't think I'm angry about this stage. It was actually quite nice. I spent the time walking and chatting with my tent mates. I just think it should be handled differently.
Anyway, the 8k took us about 2hrs, and we were on buses back to a shower and a bed.
UNICEF, Charity Stage: 7.7k, I'm walking this one!
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| tent 58, prepped for the UNICEF Stage somehow, Meghan, tent mate and top woman!, got cut from the right |
Disclaimer: 99% of the time I take a positive outlook, and generally, I don't want this blog to be 'political' but I feel strongly about this, so here we go.
New to this year's race is the UNICEF charity stage, a non-competitive 7.7k stage that doesn't count towards standings or time. In the 27 previous years of the MdS, this day would have been competitive stage 6 and would cover a half marathon making the full race about 250km.
While I'm sure every competitor supports raising awareness for good causes (most people were probably raising money for some charity), I don't think the organization of this charity stage was the best approach.
Here are my thoughts on how it was handled/ could be handled better:
1 ) Poor Communication - Explain this when racers sign up and give them a chance to raise money/ awareness in advance. The fact that there would be a non-competitive stage was not made clear when we signed up (click HERE for my initial thoughts when I first found out in March). We were not made aware that the race format was changing nor were we given a chance to raise money/ awareness.
2) Why Non-Competitive? - Make this a competitive, charity stage. At the end of stage 5, we cross the 'finish' line, are given medals and told 'congrats, you finished!' This race is more mind than body, and once these things occur, your spirit all but shuts down. All the little things that were suppressed, now become magnified. This makes getting up and preparing the next day all the more difficult.
3) Give the Injured a Break - Offer transport to those in serious need. Many people push themselves to the brink to finish this race. Over the week, I saw feet, injuries and exhaustion the likes of which I never knew. But, in the same breath that these people are told to kick back and relax because 'you did it!', they're reminded that they have to do it again tomorrow.
Please don't think I'm angry about this stage. It was actually quite nice. I spent the time walking and chatting with my tent mates. I just think it should be handled differently.
Anyway, the 8k took us about 2hrs, and we were on buses back to a shower and a bed.
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