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We Walk! 2010 Feedback

 

2010 is the second year for the We Walk! Marathon.

 

Many of you gave us wonderful comments and suggestions about the event. We want to make the next event better by learning from this year's event. So, if you have anything you especially liked, or anything that you'd like changed, please let us know. Even if you told us on the day of the race, it would be good to drop us a note anyway, as we may have forgotten it with what else was going on. Just send an e-mail to: info@walkonmn.org.

 

We put every e-mail here. We only delete personal issues that are outside the organization of the event.

 

The e-mail feedback we received so far:

 

WOW THAT WAS FUN.. And I hardly even hurt.. What could be better ? I hope that you have managed to survive too.

Here is the link to the photos that Leslie took. Not much in the way of captions. I’ll try to get to that later. There are two albums for the Marathon and Half. Each has the start and one water stop. Leslie tried as much as she could to get a photo of everyone, it was quite a crowd.

http://web.me.com/wloewblosser/We_Walk_Marathon_2010/Albums/Albums.html

Will

Bloomington, MN

Please pass on my thanks to Leslie for the wonderful pictures! I down loaded a number of them to save. The photos seem to have been a great back-up to verifying participant information. I'm sure Bruce and Dave appreciated the feedback Will and Leslie provided on the finish results.

Anita

Edina, MN

Thanks to you and Dave for all your work - I spoke with the manager at Bo Diddley's yesterday - just a thought for next year - she figured out we could do a 6 inch sub for everyone - she could do it for $3.15 per sub and do it the morning-of if we needeed 100 to 125 subs or whatever. The sandwich with an apple, a drink and Bob's cookies would be a nice little alternative lunch for everyone. What do you think?

Rogo

Saint Cloud, MN

Well done fellows, great event!!

I put a dollar in the dorm drink machine Fri late afternoon, thinking drinks were a dollar.

I left my 50 State cap in St Joseph. I dropped it; fellows behind me (they finished ahead) picked it up and left it at an aid station. It wasn't at the finish line and I had a plane to catch. I donate it to the event.

Thank you again for an fine event for my 100th marathon (or over distance)!!!!!!

Nick Karem

Louisville, KY

Partial Response from Bruce - As we sort through all the stuff that Dave and I brought back from the event, we'll look for your hat. Dave and I appreciate the effort that went into earning a 50 state cap (1 marathon in each state). You'll get it back if we find it. As for the $1 you contributed to the pop machine. I am sure the next purchaser appreciated your donation to the price of their can.

Here is a link to the photos I took. Some good, some bad.

Thanks again for a really great event. I enjoyed it very much.

Dorrie

http://picasaweb.google.com/ldhulsey/WeWalkMarathonStJosephMN?feat=directlink  

Olive Branch, MS

Thanks for the fun event!

The one suggestion I have is to include trash/recycling bins further down the trail from the water stations, as I was forced to either slow down or stop to throw my bottle away, or toss it alongside the trail further down.

As I’m getting married May 22nd of next year, I probably won’t be attending the next event. However, I hope to return the following year with better form and a more cooperative digestive tract

Leif DeVaney

Falcon Heights, MN

Partial Response from Bruce - Congratulations on your planned marriage. I have this unusual idea for a pre-rehearsal dinner activity ....

All the bottles got picked up - thanks to our course crew of Linda Beduhn and Dave Daubert.

Everything was very well done. I couldn't have asked for anything more for my first  ultramarathon of the millenium.

I'm not sure you had adequate medical coverage - one EMT and one aide with a phone would have been appropriate, assuming they knew the nonemergency phone nos. of the local emergency services and had contacted the services in advance. I suspect most of us in the marathon/50km carried a cellphone with Dave's phone no. programmed in (I also had Bruce's, but don't know if it was his home or cellphone). That essentially made us the first responders should the person in front of us have  difficulties; I hope the organizers were keeping an eye on the last group of four should anyone have had to drop back from that group. I suggest for next year that we be encouraged to program a separate telephone number for medical issues so the meet director doesn't have to be in that loop. With a median age over 50, this field is especially in need of good medical planning.

On a separate matter: it never crossed my mind that some of the Gatorade in the race would be low-calorie - until I opened one a ways down the trail and took a sip.

Once again - thanks very much for a quality event.

Dave Gwyn

Houston, TX

Very nice event. I really enjoyed the half marathon. One comment, could you start the event earlier, say, 7:30 or 8:00 a.m? The sun was a little warm out there towards the end. Also, if you could have water on ice at the end of the event, that would be great also.

Annette LeDuc

Bruce took a picture of my sister and me at the finish line and I promised I would send it to you, so here it is. I wish I would have taken pictures on the trail but I was too focused on walking...I guess.

This was our first 1/2 marathon and we really didn't know what to expect, but all the details were covered and we had fun. I really appreciated all the information on your website as well. I've been looking at other race sites and they don't have nearly as much detail about the races and the logistics of the day.

At the dinner you were asking about ways to get in touch with the walking community. My sister mentioned contacting community education programs. Many have walking groups. I have found a web site (you may already be familiar with it) www.marathonwalking.com. It has a lot of good information, but I like their calendar listing walker friendly marathons. Getting the We Walk Marathon added might be another way to get the word out.

Thanks to everyone who helped with the race!!!

Leslie Nordgren

Edina, MN

What a wonderful race. And next year will be even better. I had a e-mail from a speedy Portland racewalker ( 4:30 speed range) about joining us next year. We have had East Coast and South. It is time for the West Coast racers to join in the fun.

2011 Suggestions:

  1. Add a ‘New to Racewalking’ checkbox on the entry form
  2. Schedule a Racewalk Intro/ Racewalk 101 session before the Friday dinner for those that are new or walkers that want to learn more. Many races have a pre-race fair.. We could do a Nordic Walk, Racewalk etc type of tables/sessions.
  3. Racewalk judging – The point to point route is a hard one for judges. There are three local colleges with track programs who could maybe help us on the judging staff. Would Phil be willing to give us an intro or contact the track coaches at St John’s, St Cloud and St. Benedicts? If we do the 5 km ‘Spring Fling’ race at the trail head during the school session we could train the local track athletes for judging, (maybe more local students would like to race too !!)
  4. Pre-race meetings; let’s cover the race walk rules at the meetings for those that are new and miss the Friday Intro session. Bruce , you did a really nice intro at the Spring Indoor regional meet. It kept the new High School athletes legal on their first race.(PRETTY GOOD!)
  5. The pre-race Marathon meeting room at the school is a really nice start. I was thinking that the more numerous half marathon could do a similar pre-race start at the Seven Doors church in Albany. There’s a lot better parking there as well as room for more porta-potties. I know this moves back the finish line from the trail head and affects the mile signs. It could make the start easier and with less impact on the residential neighborhood; and it would be easy for more spectators at the start.
  6. St Cloud Earth Day Walk division – Phil was saying they may do a formal walk division at the mid April St. Cloud Earth Day Half Marathon. If this comes off then we could maybe tie into judges training in St. Cloud as prep for the We Walk! in May.

Again it was a great event this year. I hope you have fully recovered from all the organizing ordeal. Best Regards

Will Loew-Blosser

Bloomington, MN

 

 

 

Thanks again.

Hope to see you all next year.

Please bring 100 of your closest friends.

 

Dave Daubert, race director

Bruce Leasure, assistant to the race director