Cold Turkey Trot

To put it mildly, I am not a fan of one of our local so-called specialty running retailers. They carry the name of a national franchise, but that's not my objection. The store has no soul and worse, has gone out of its way to be anti-grassroots running. They eschew the local in favor of the national and have tried hard to put the little guy out of business. Not naming names, but just understand that these folks don't give a damn about my running experience. When I run a race in Fort Wayne or Milwaukee or Madison, I can feel the soul, see the weathered skin on the runners that tells me that they have accumulated the miles. They know how I feel because they feel the same way. But why mention that here?

I would like to say I won the 30th Chicago Turkey Trot. But I didn't. I did, however, win a free entry to the race. Pretty cool.

Well, race packet pick-up was held at the Death Star mentioned above. I got my shirt, my bib and a few other goodies (thus the name goody bag, right?). What I didn't get at packet pick-up, what no runner got at packet pick-up was a timing chip. They weren't being given out there, BUT they were being given out on race day. Thing is, I didn't know that. It wasn't mentioned in the race's printed materials and not one person who was handing out the bibs and shiny safety pins could be bothered to mention that to me. Gee thanks(giving). So, you ask, how did I find out it was a chip race?

Fast forward to race day. There were long lines at the packet pick-up line -- the thing I purposely had avoided by going the day before. NO signs saying "Get your chips here."

I warmed up, I handed my fleece and pants to my number one fan, the wonderful Mrs. F and lined up to run. As I walked to the Start line, I saw the stools that are always used in chip removal after a race. I wondered why. I lined up, looked down and on every shoe (well, really, every other shoe, because each person only gets the one chip) I saw a chip with it's funky zip tie holder attached and just waiting for the opportunity to record a runner's Thanksgiving Day exploits. Well, I didn't have one. Damn you, Death Star.

Oh, the race, yeah, I did run it. It was windy, cold (think 20 degrees and I was in shorts), snow pelted me in the face and my right ankle felt hinky throughout. Time was fair, 33:17 for 8 kilometers. I am not fast, but I am getting fitter.

Where's my damn chip?

EDIT: This just in: I sent an email to the owner of the referenced specialty retailer airing my concern in language far milder than what is above. I asked the question "Who was in charge of handing out the numbers, etc." Surprise, well not really, he replied to my email with a phone call to my cell phone. In calm tones, sharing my concern, he said he had forwarded my note onto the appropriate folks who are not in his employ. So the finger has been pointed and, perhaps, he is not to blame. That said, the malfeasance occurred in his building. If it walks like a duck . . .