Made the trek up to lake placid for the race and to sign up. Having never spectated (only raced) what an experience to human drama seems to get lost while focussed on my race day. I would say that every athlete should take the time to spectate.
The sign up process is cumbersome to say the least-I volunteered until midnight and got in line at 5am to be 200-300th in line. I got my spot but it appeared that some volunteers may not get a spot let alone the general public-
Did anyone get shut out?
Based on the fact that registration slots appeared online yesterday, I’d say that everyone who was in line in LP got a slot.
I volunteered too, ended at 10pm and got to the line at 7 am the next morning. When I saw the line went all the way out from the back of the school, down the road between the outdoor oval and the ice rink and then down the main drag past the expo tent I was shocked. I was confident all volunteers would get in but pretty sure the people waiting in the non-volunteer line (about 1/4 or less the length) were going to be screwed.
Then, the more I talked to people around us and or paid attention it became quite obvious that there were a lot of extra people in the lines (at least in the volunteer line). Lots of people standing with friends that were signing up but they themselves were not. I would say of the 5 or so people in front of and behind us half were just there with someone that was signing up.
I was walking around and wondering if that might have been the case- I am really glad to have been able to see that side of the race-having done it in 05 and 07 I was really surprised that I was so moved.
I have specific memories of folks cheering me on so I wanted to be that face in the crowd for someone else. What a great kick off to my 2010 season.
I was in the non-volunteer line and anyone who was in the line before 11am got a spot.
Sign up online was open for just about 2 hours.