I've never really liked running. Even in high school, when on the track team for three years, I hated being a distance runner. I wasn't even long distance. 800 meters. It sucked. I would much rather have been a sprinter or a long jumper. That to me was track and field. Carl Lewis. Michael Johnson. Etc. Running was something I usually saved for when I was being chased. You'd be surprised how often that happened in high school. Maybe not.
But lately, it's become obvious that if I were to run for my life. It better be a sprint. I'm almost half again the man I used to be in high school and it's time to start getting more active and maybe, just maybe in a little better shape. It would suck to have zombies out run you. Walking Dead style zombies, not World War Z zombies, those look intense.
With this in mind, I have paid lip service in the past to trying a 5k. In a fit of spontaneity and probably a bit of madness, I decided to sign up for the Minneapolis Rave Run. On less than two weeks notice.
Several runner friends thought I was nuts. It takes 8 weeks to properly train for a real 5k they said. I had 2. And middling to fair motivation. They were probably right. But luckily the Rave Run is more about fun than run.
As their Facebook page puts it:
RUNNERS, ARTISTS AND INSOMNIACS UNITE.
WELCOME TO THE RAVE RUN.
- NIGHT TIME FUN RUN OF STUNNING LIGHTS AND MUSIC
- EYE DAZZLING LIGHT EFFECTS DESIGNED BY EDC ARTISTS AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS
- WICKED AFTER-PARTY
- TRANSFORMING VALLEY FAIR INTO A NOCTURNAL WONDERLAND ON MAY 10, 2013
The Rave Run was founded in 2012 by a runner, an artist and an insomniac. The idea was to bring the adrenaline pumping music and special effects from electronic festivals onto a 2.5-3.5 mile course. The dazzling light effects are designed by EDC artists and industry experts. It’s like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory except with lights. It’s candy for your eyes and ears. It’s a glow run…gone wild! Get ready for the night of your life. Experience a magical world of light and sound unlike anything else out there.
I don't know that I would go as far as calling it Willy Wonka's expect with lights. But it seemed like a fun unique concept. Lots of people, energizing music, insomnia. Plus it's dark, so if I'm sucking wind after 800 meters, it would be harder for people to see.
As I said I've never run a 5k. Haven't run regularly in almost 15 years. But lights, music, glow stuff. I'm in. I registered. Shirt. Some glow stuff. Some nebulous portion of the money seemingly goes to a Minnesota Adoption support foundation. It all seems good. I even paid the extra $6 for the "glow pack". I started to get excited and apprehensive.
I put together a run training plan, cobbled together from the internet and asking actual friends who have run more recently than 15 years ago. It was rough. Novice that I was, I did everything wrong. Ate before a run. Ick. Just hit start on a treadmill program and ran 3 miles through the Rocky Mountains, not cursing John Denver at all, those things are spectacular. I was beat. Now I was very worried. I'm probably going to slow down my compatriots and probably collapse in a heap and be that guy who gets CPR.
Luckily, as I did more research into other Rave Runs held across the country, I picked up on the fun vs run focus. People in the pictures looked like they were having a great time. Not in the marathon, I'm so happy I'm not dead and why would the Greeks really make a guy run that long a distance just to send a message - don't they have pigeons, sort of way. But an actual I'm enjoying myself, this is fun, you probably won't get CPR from a burly carnie sort of way.
I also noticed some of the complaints, crowded, lack of parking, couldn't run like I wanted to, where's my tshirt etc. Both of these informed my anticipation and planning for the run.
The company organizing the run sent out a Race Guide and several emails leading up to the event. They strongly encouraged getting there early, picking up your packet ahead of time and having fun. Clearly, not everyone read those emails*.
*Ironically, I think that if the government has really important information to hide, they should send out weekly emails and then hide it on paragraph 37. No one ever reads an entire email anymore. Oh wait, that's kind of like what congress does with bills...
I arrived at Valleyfair at 7 PM. A full two hours before the start of the run. Parking was already getting slim and with one entrance off of one road to Valleyfair, it was becoming a traffic disaster.
I caught up my running partner and we made our way to the chaotic check in area. There was one line for regular registrants, one for groupon, living social etc, another line for free glow stuff, yet another line we almost never found for the extra glow packet. The lines moved relatively quickly and the check in lady liked my last name so much she said she wanted it for hers. It was basically a marriage proposal. (Happy day is in August, running down the aisle!)* And we were set up with bibs, glow stuff with plenty of time before the race. Now we waited.
*Totally totally false. We'll jog.
While waiting, it became clear that the parking situation was out of control. Cars were backed up on the highway outside Valleyfair and reports had them backed up all the way to 494. Time was ticking and the sun was just about down. Soon the race was supposed to start.
Other members of the group I had attached myself to were stuck in traffic and it didn't seem like they'd make it inside in time. Luckily, they made it in, navigated the many lines faster than we did and miraculous found us waiting by a tree. Glow stuff was all double checked and we made our way to the giant crowd at the starting line. Communication by the organizers was limited. At other events I've sold merchandise at or simply attended, there was often an MC. Often annoying but at least giving some information and direction. The closest thing Rave Run had was a DJ. Who's skills must lie in spinning because communication and crowd control were not his forte.
The massive crowd moved like a herd toward the start line. It resembled Dan Patch avenue on the busiest day of the fair but with glow glasses and sticks. They tried sending groups of runners but eventually that seemed to fall apart as more people would just start. Walking. Not running.
There simply wasn't any room to run. It started out as a slightly brisk walk. As the group started to spread out a little there slowly became room to jog. However, this simply encouraged some over motivated jackholes to try and sprint, running in and around people like a kid late for home room. Yes, it was sold as a 5K. But adapt jerk. Enjoy the music, jog a bit and try not to run over the kids, strollers or other people just having fun. You can always put on your reflective vest and run maniacally through your neighborhood later.
The course wrapped through Valleyfair, a serpentine like track that made it very hard to keep any pace due to the myriad bottlenecks and virtual u-turns. But it was fun. People seemed to be having a good time. It wasn't too crazy a pace, one fellow runner even tried to facetime during the run. There was one water stop, which seemingly was placed way too close to the finish. I jogged, ran, walked, avoided, slowed down sped up and soon I was near the end. I kicked it up a bit as we got to finish line, and ended feeling loose and good.
After the race there was a rave like event. Stage, music, dancing, go go girls. But after the people watching wore off, I realized I was entirely to old and sober to get out there. Plus one guy had totally already stolen all of my moves.
I probably should have stayed and learned new ones as the parking and traffic morass of before the race returned and it took me over an hour to get out of the parking lot itself. Long enough to hear the Twins finish blowing a 6 run lead....
All in all, I had a really fun time with the Rave Run. It had some serious flaws. Parking was rough. Traffic was a mess. It wasn't horribly well organized. There were too many people for the course and the course like Valleyfair itself, has seen much better days. However, all of those issues ironically fit in the with the theme of the race. Raves aren't know for their parking, organization or personal space.
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