WSER 2022 - The Last Chance Signs

For the 10th year, the signs at Last Chance made their appearance. To get some background on this, you can read the first part of this.

One difference is that I finally made the move to use modern technology for my sign posts. Previously, I would use wooden stakes and screw the signs to the stakes. This was time consuming since the signs had to be screwed onto the stake after the stake had been pounded into the ground.

I ordered 50 of these. It wasn't enough.

One issue was how to attach the foam-core signs to these stakes.

Very little can't be fixed with tie wraps and duct tape. (In this case, no duct tape needed.)

I poked a few holes and looped tie wraps through them. Then it was a matter of just poking the stakes in the ground (MUCH easier than pounding stakes) and sliding the signs over them. This worked amazingly well!

Enough about sign technology…

The signs coming into Last Chance

First, here are the signs as you come into Last Chance.

I know, these are dumb. It's Tony's fault.

Last year, I made this set for The Endorphin Dude, who has a reputation for telling really bad soda-based jokes during races. For this year, I modified the last one to say "Crush it runners" instead of "Crush it Tony."

The original Burma Shave inspired signs created several years ago.

Just to give you an idea of what it looks like coming in, here is a movie made while walking into Last Chance.

The signs as you leave Last Chance - General 

Over the years, the number of signs that are not for a specific person have been added.

That "Think Snow" sign is in its 11th year.

I added one new general sign, and I suspect at least half the runners rolled their eyes when they saw it.

I suspect a lot of four-letter words came to mind as runners went past this.

The signs as you leave Last Chance - for specific runners

In addition to me, two others also made signs. First, mine.

This sign has made it three years. My puppies still don't look like puppies though.

Requested by Janette - I need to visit Sleepy Eye Minnesota. And I don't think chasing someone with a Pokemon is really a thing. 

Requested by Paulette - apparently Kimberly likes pizza and corgis.  Please pretend that's a well drawn corgi and that Kimberly is not wearing a coonskin hat.

Pen requested a Pamakids sign. Look at that amazing font!

Requested by Angela - Roger is originally from New Zealand, so I decided that a rabid kiwi would be something to run from. Admire that drawing of that rabid kiwi. (And yes, there are 64 "tickets" on that "table".)

Requested by Angela - Mieki is a veteran WSER course marker, and is originally from the Netherlands, so I got a Dutch friend to do some translating for me. Apparently "canyon" is not a common word; she said "ravijn means in my opinion literally ‘the end of a rock and then you’ll fall down’." I messed up the grammar a bit, but the idea is still there that the canyons are not fun.

Requested by Mandie - Monica is a founder of rabbit running apparel.

Jessi was the last runner into Last Chance that managed to get a buckle - she's a superstar!

Kelly is from Canada. It amuses me that she got an official overseas deferral from last year. There are almost no seas between Canada and the US.

Requested by Peach - Gusgus is the Official Ginger Runner dog. 

I cheated a bit on this sign - it's last years sign with the "no crutches" and "Strong Hammy" bits added. It was astonishing to see Kaci running this race so soon after her December surgery!

I met Emerson the week before WSER at the Byxbee parkrun, a weekly free 5K. I loved that he  and his crew flew in from Australia a week early to run that 5K, then drove up to Olympic Valley. His second ever 100M race, he nailed it!

Eduardo, one of the Pamakids, is from Mexico. That might be the best Mexican flag I've ever drawn!

Katie will always be known as that runner that used a tampon to control a bloody nose. (Whatever works - she snagged the F9 spot for next year!)

Enrique is also a Pamakid, and also got a fine Mexican flag!

Matt is also a Pamakid! He got in with 32 lottery tickets - six years of the lottery! 

Another Pamakid.

Behnam was the official Stevens Creek Strider runner this year. That thing in the upper-left is similar to the official Strider logo - it's almost recognizable!

Requested bay Peach.

Requested by Paulette.

Sunaad works at Apple on the Maps team. That is the course map on that sign. (It should not be relied on.)

Ace was 64th on the wait list. He found out on the Wednesday before the race that he actually got in. I have not heard whether Paul McCartney would rewrite his song for Ace.

Lisa was the Brazen Racing entry, and she did awesome!

Ben was the only runner that had to drop before he was able to see his sign. 

Following are the signs created by Oscar and Carolina. You'll notice a a few for some that I had made signs above. 

Gail made this last sign on the day of the race!

And that's it. The number of signs keeps increasing. I'm sure most runners can at most scan most of them, and I always stress a bit about someone being disappointed that they don't have a sign. But I hear lots of good things about them, so it seems like it's worth it.

And with new stake technology, who knows how far this will go!

That's it - move along…

PS: You can read the main 2022 post here.