BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I don't know, but what's this about a bomb in a microwave?

It was a non-event. Forgeddaboutit.

Anyway, GREAT RACE TODAY! The rain was so nice and refreshing, I hit a PR at 4:04 (Fatigue Not Found Error).

I saw a bunch of bikes out today, including the legend himself, Bumper Bike.

i had a great time watching the marathon. i had no idea it was going to go right past my house. i didn't see bumper bike, but i did see a 'joggler'.

Sure, non-event for some! For those of us doing the half marathon it meant finding that the last half mile of the course was re-routed, with no clear instructions as to where the course WAS, I started the race with 4 others. All of us were doing the half marathon. Once we got to Liberty @ Smithfield (separately) we were all instructed to follow a slightly different route. Mine was Ninth to Penn (originally told Ft, Duquesne), right on Penn, down thru convention center, and up the backside of the convention center to the finish. From the time I was diverted off the intended course at Liberty, I was just another pedestrian,,,,wanting to go against the main flow of exiting marathoners and well wishers. It was crazy, Saw runners almost killed by a guy in their path with a wagon full of kids.

But, I was lucky. I've heard of some half marathoners who were diverted to Ninth and Ft. Duquesne and THEN told that the finish line was now ON THE NORTH SIDE, A friend says she saw a group of like 40 runners head across the bridge. She knew better, or didn't care about the actual finish, so made her way to the convention center by dodging thru and around the vendor booths.

It was CRAZY!

@Joe, Congrats on 4:04, by the way. That is awesome!

Way into it. This is the second year that I spent the day on my porch with a cup of coffee or tea watching people go by. Saw the very first hand-bikes pass all the way to the clean-up crew.

Great job to all of you who ran! I leap-froged around the course all day ringing my cow bell in support, sometimes from the bike while moving, although slick streets and potholes limited the practivcality of this. BTW at 7:15am the tv weather people were still calling for "scatered showers", I want a job like that!

I rode along with the lead hand-cycle racer as a radio volunteer (central command could track his position real-time with this data). The guy finished in like 1:29. Jeez.

Besides that guy being amazing, biking 26 miles in 1.5 hours was something I didn't even know I could do. Plus, no cars!

Did you hang back some distance as to not interfere with him, or were you alongside him?

Me and a pro cyclist dude (of team Freddie Fu) were riding along with him, giving him plenty of space around curves and such, but not making a particular effort to stay back. In fact, the other cyclist was actually there to make sure the path was clear, so he was up in front a lot of the time.

The competition was out of sight past about mile 5 or 6 (they made really good times too, though), so it was really the three of us and the whole road.

edit: Also awesome job, Joe, on the run and the 404 pun!

I finished the marathon too at 5:10:06.... never hit the so-called "wall", but did started with some pain on my right leg and left knee around mile 14, which became pretty painful for the last 2 1/2 miles..... but, pulled through somehow, didn't stop running even if I did slowed at the end, and even got to sprint the last half mile because I knew it was almost over.

Good times, very good times Thank you to those people cheering, and yes, I saw a bunch of people in bikes along the course! There was one chick in particular..... green jacket - red bike. And another guy with a red & black helmet.

And YES!!! I saw 'Bumper Dude" I actually yelled at him "Bumper Dude, you are AWESOME!"

Except for the muscular pain on my stressed leg, I felt pretty awesome on the run. And considering that I was a limping mess with an infected knee with oozing scabs a month ago, I think I did great!

And my bike, and riding in the bike all winter, I think was the key to keep my stamina during the race..... great times

Congrats to both bg and joe!