Whole Lotta Waiting Going On

Waiting…sucks. I tried to think of a way to put it nicely, but really, it just sucks. I know, patience is a virtue, yada yada. I have no patience. None. I don’t enter contests. I don’t know what date movies are scheduled to come out. I don’t play the lottery. I’m an immediate gratification kind of girl and I DO NOT like to wait.

Yet, here, I am, impatiently waiting.

For what? Why, I’m waiting to for the chance to run seven miles, of course.

With hills, of course.

In August, OF COURSE.

Speaking of the course…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52wRx7DkjS0&w=560&h=315]

Yeah, those were hills you just saw.

Including this one, right at the end.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnBG-VNIZww&w=560&h=315]

I’m officially entered into the lottery for the 2013 Falmouth Road Race. And clearly, I’m insane because I’m actually hoping to get in.

I entered on the opening day of the lottery, which was a week ago, May 8th. They will notified the people that got in on May 24th.

I’ll do the math for you. That’s sixteen days of pulling my hair out. I’m going to (maybe) run (run/walk, let’s not kid ourselves) this thing bald at this rate.

This is my first lottery, and I kind of love/hate it. I know that there’s a good chance I won’t get in, being that it’s my first year and all. And I hate that, because I’m already attached to the race, in a way. But, IF I do get in, that’s going to feel so cool. And scary. Scarycool.  Still, there’s a lot of ‘if’.

BUT…

IF I get in, my girl Anne is going to come run with me. (We registered as a team, so it both of us or neither of us). She has plans to time her collapse on Ben Affleck’s lawn. Clearly, she is the brains of this operation.

IF I get in, I’m going to have to train all summer. In the disgusting humidity instead of my air conditioned gym.

IF I get in, I’m probably going to have a full blown panic attack and wish it had gone the other way, at least for a couple of minutes.

But IF I get in, I’m going to run Falmouth, one of this country’s premier races, which since its initial run in 1973 with 100 people, has grown to over 10,000 runners per year.

And I might be one of them. That’s nuts.

Since I’m a total newb at race lotteries, I asked a couple of my fellow Scooters about their experience with them.

Vic: More often than not, I’m a lottery loser. I’ve thrown my hat in the ring at least half a dozen times and was only accepted once (thank you Broad Street Run for picking me so I don’t have a complete complex). But New York City Marathon rejected me three straight years. The only positive from that denial was that it ultimately gave me guaranteed entry to the road race this year.

I’m not a fan of lotteries because they toy with my emotions. Lotteries build me up and fill me with hope, then usually dash my dreams and continue to send me charity and race emails to mock me.

Yep. I’d rather just register.

Meri: Generally speaking, I’m not a huge fan of lotteries. A dollar and a dream? How about work hard and get things done! I’m not a gambling type of girl so I have a love/hate relationship with running lotteries. I love them when I get in (Broad Street Run). I hate them when I don’t (Nike Women’s Half DC). 

I understand that lotteries even the playing field for runners who are unable to sign up at a specific date and time but I suppose since I’m always able to make that happen with other races, I just feel bitter and resentful when I don’t get into a race via lottery.

Also, I don’t like waiting. I need instant gratification. Don’t toy with my emotions, running lotteries!

I think Meri is my spirit animal. And clearly, Vic and Meri have both been through this enough to make an informed opinion. I still have that babe-in-the-woods, hearts and flowers, ‘of course I’ll get in and I’ll finish in amazing time and I won’t even break a sweat’ newbie hope. Ask me how I feel if I don’t get in. (Don’t ask unless you want to hear curse words).

So, if you need me for the next 9 days, I’ll be sitting here wringing my hands, hoping the running gods smile down and let me in.

What shall I do to pass the time?

Freaking out will work quite nicely, I think.

Have you ever entered a race lottery? Did you get in? Did the waiting nearly kill you? Are you in the lottery for Falmouth this year? Tell us about it! 

24 thoughts on “Whole Lotta Waiting Going On

  1. Never had to enter a lottery…..I think the Chicago Marathon’s going to change to lottery next year after this year’s registration catastrophe. So many runner’s were pissed that the system crashed because 45,000 tried to register at once.

    • I really hope it doesn’t change to lottery, but I heard that rumor too. That said, This year was a bit of an anomaly because so many runners decided to run other major marathons than NYC after THAT mess last fall. Fingers crossed that its NO LOTTO!

  2. Instant gratification takes too long, [sometimes.] (Thank you, Carrie Fisher for that marvelous quote.) Lotteries are a fickle friend – if I get in, I love them! If not, then wahhhhh. Boo. No.

    But I’m so terribly bad at waiting (I have written multiple blog posts about this fact. Hey, I own it.), that lotteries and I just don’t get along very well. I try to avoid them, especially since there are so many other races that I could be doing, without the added anxiety of waiting around. Hang in there!

    • Well I am terribly bad at comment reply 😉 Hence me just getting to this. And I didn’t get in. Which, boo. SO I think I shall stay lottery free… or at least lottery light…going forward.

  3. Also, I didn’t mention this in my email but I sort of take it as a personal affront if I’m not picked for a race. You don’t want ME? Fine then, I don’t want you either! (Until next year, when I might want you again.)

  4. You should probably retract that whole “Brains of the operation” thing, because honestly, I watched the video. I watched the video and then promptly cried a little and yelled “I’m sorry Meri, but no. I *can’t* do hard things.”

  5. The Cherry Blossom 10-Miler uses a lottery system. I was fortunate – my first try, I got in! But then I had to run 10 miles, which I had never done before! LOL It ended up being awesome, and I’m signing up for the lottery again next year.

  6. I just signed up for Falmouth in the Fall. Same course, more porta-a-potties per runner, cooler temps and less runners. 🙂 I lived in Falmouth and I would love to run it in August!

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