Locked Out = New Opportunity

This has never happened to me before.

Probably one week after the Cape Cod Marathon last October I started looking for my next marathon to run. It was then that I found the Hyannis Marathon scheduled for February 28th. So, I went about picking a plan, started my training (which admittedly has NOT been going quite as smoothly as my training for the CCM) and began counting down the days to my next marathon. This past Friday marked the early registration deadline for the marathon. Registering after that date would mean a price bump of $5. So Friday night I went on to the Hyannis Marathon website and was rudely met with a big black box message stating that the marathon, half-marathon, and marathon-relay were all full.

How does that happen? How do all three distances fill up on the exact same day? How do more people (2000 limit) register for a marathon in February than in October (only 793 marathoners)?

Needless to say I was miffed, bummed, melancholy, WHINING…

When I was much younger and in between girlfriends, one of my friends said to me, “Nothing gets you over the last one, like the next one.” At the time I thought that was pretty callous advice when referring to girlfriends, but when it comes to races it might be just the thing. So, I jumped on CoolRunning.com and started looking for similar races around the same time. Mango mentioned that he saw something in Runner’s World about the Half at the Hamptons.

So…I am now signed up for (read as “PAID and REGISTERED for”) the Half at the Hamptons. I was looking forward to running on the Cape, but from the course reviews and race reports that I’ve read about the Half at the Hamptons, it might be a blessing in disguise. The course sounds beautiful and past runners have commented about how well organized and executed the race was.

Probably the coolest thing is that I am now going to complete the “Will Run for Beer” Race Series. I already completed the “Hangover Classic 10K” on New Year’s Day and it turns out that the “Half at the Hamptons” is the second race in the series. There are six races between now and June 6th and if I can compete in 5 of them 6, then I’ll get the series jacket. I looked ahead at the schedule and the only race I will not be able to do is the one on May 2nd (day of my Providence Marathon).

So, assuming all goes well with my training, by June I’ll be sporting a new series jacket. The series looks like fun too. There is one 5K (series finale), one 4 miler (April Fools 4 miler), one 10K (Hangover Classic that I already did), and two Half Marathons (my current favorite distance).

Needless to say, I am no longer bummed about Hyannis. Although I have learned my lesson about signing up earlier than usual for races now. Justin was bumped out of the 2010 Boston Marathon too. It just seems like there are more runners than ever and races are filling up earlier and earlier.