Worried Anticipation

No – not in completing the Austin American Statesman Capitol 10,000 or not in besting last year’s 6.2 mile time – I’m worried about the pins; that’s right, safety pins. Last year I was a complete nervous wreck before the Cap10K. It would be my first official event as a runner. Imagine my disappointment while picking up my packet, I was given the heart-stopping news, “We ran out of safety pins. Sorry.” What, no pins? How in the world will I be identified, how will my number remain attached, how can I possibly run now? Every safety pin available in the entire city of Austin was gone; the whole lot of silver and gold fasteners depleted from our state’s capitol. This however was not true. There were still safety pins available – I just had to go out of my way and purchase them for myself. And buy them I did, 300 of them, from a Michael’s store somewhere across from the Arboretum. My boys and I only needed a dozen. I was tempted to tear the corner off the plastic baggie they were in and just palm a few, but, thank the good Lord, I was able to overcome.

Now I’m sure that planning the largest 10K run in Texas is no easy feat. There are so many minor details to consider - but no pins? It’s not as if they have no earthly idea this need is on the horizon. Come on, every entrant needs four. Someone at the Statesman could have been buying a couple packages every month, throwing them in a drawer and they’d be all set for packet pick-up day. Now I’m no Rhodes scholar, shoot, I’m not even a college graduate but I can multiply 20,000ish by four. Take this year for example; they are hoping to have 30,000 entrants. So I’d start with at least 120,000 safety pins. Throw in an extra five thousand and they’ll be good to go. I’m hoping it’s not too late; I hope somehow, some way, someone at the Austin American Statesman gets this message: Please, for the welfare and security of our bibs, don’t run out of pins again!