Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Rock and Roll Dallas (and I why I won't do R&R races anymore)

First I'll start off with the positive stuff.  My husband did a fantastic job in his first half marathon, finishing in 2:23!  That's 4 minutes faster than my first half.  Also, I do believe the kids and I did a kick ass job spectating.

The course is in the shape of a horse shoe with the start and end in different locations.  First we hung out at mile 5 until Brad finally came by.
He was looking and feeling really good at this point.  His shirt is wet from some water he poured over his head.  It got pretty hot as soon as the sun came up.

After cheering on a ton of people at mile 5, the kids and I jumped in the car and headed across the horse shoe to mile 10.
He said he was struggling a little at this point.  I can imagine.  I was getting hot just standing around with a sign.  Must have been really hot running, but he still had a smile on his face.

We left mile 10 and made our way to the finish line in Fair Park.  This is where shit went sour.  Or at least for me as a spectator it did.  Navigating to Fair Park around the race course was difficult, but expected and I made it with relative ease.  As you read this next part you might think I'm over reacting, being dramatic, or that I'm just an out right bitch.  You could be right.  I don't know.

Anyway, I pull up to the parking lot in Fair Park and what does the sign say?... $10 to park.  $10 to park!!!!  I rarely have cash on me so I asked if they took credit cards.  Of course they didn't.  The attendant rudely asked me to make a U turn and find an ATM.  Thanks for the help, C U Next Tuesday!  I went and found an ATM, reluctantly pulled out $20 and entered the parking area.  Once I was in there I had no idea where to go.  Brad called me almost right After I parked.  He had already finished and been through the corral.  I never even went into the post race area.  It took over half an hour of the two of describing land marks, and me navigating the chaotic, huge parking lot before we found each other.  He jumped in the car, ready to get the hell out of there, and we left.  The first place I parked was over a quarter mile from the narrow gate where all the runners and spectators were being funneled out and there were no signs for any of it.  Had Brad not called, I could have walked the entire perimeter of the park with kids in tow.  And I paid 10 bucks for that shit!

I know it sounds ridiculous that $10 could ruin me forever on Rock And Roll races, but it did.  The Cowtown Marathon didn't cost as much as this half.  I didn't have to pay for parking at the expo and it was totally feasible to find a free space close to the finish line... AND I got a finisher shirt.  R&R races have crazy entrance fees and if you want a finisher shirt you can absolutely have one... for $35.  I just feel like they gouge for money at every possible opportunity.  The parking thing could very possibly be a city of Dallas thing.  If so, maybe R&R needs to move over to Fort Worth.  Either way, that one inconvenience ruined me on their races.  Of course I blasted my complaint all over their facebook wall.  All beware when I go into super bitch mode.

-Hugh Jass

6 comments:

  1. You can be mad. $10 for basically picking someone up sucks.

    Not defending the race but maybe having the shirt as an option lowers "mandatory" costs? I don't care about shirts unless they are running shirts so I would appreciate the reduction in fees.

    Good job for your husband.

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  2. Yea i've never done an R&R race for that reason. The only marathon in Savannah, GA is one of theirs, and I've always wanted to do it. but maybe not.

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  3. I did R&R Va. Beach and it was great. The parking thing is a city problem, not a race problem - they don't have any control over that.

    But there are lots of long races out there that are great, which don't start with the words R&R... ones which probably cost a LOT less.

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  4. The parking at Fair Park was free until 8.. that was pretty shitty. We knew about this from last year so I told the husband to find a parking lot outside and I'd walk to him. That was the best thing we ever decided. The finish line area is so crowded and not a good place for kids. I'm not sure if I'll do it again next year or not....

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  5. That is exactly the kind of CRAP that pisses me off!! Grrrrrr!!! I heard for the DC RNR they chraged people to pick up other's packets. Seriously?!
    I am with you 100% on your rant :) You tell em sister!

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  6. Congrats to your hubby!! Love the signs your kids had :) Curious to know if the cost of registration was lower with having the shirt as an added expense. I'd take that option for races especially if I knew they were handing out unisex shirts instead of separate mens and womens sizing.

    @SanJuanRunnerGirl- I think the policy of paying to pick up more than 1 other person's packet is an RnR thing- not just DC. Wasn't an issue for me when I ran Philly, but I did notice that in the prerace info.

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