Help! Need advice for my half on Sunday please

I'm doing the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon this Sunday as part of Team Challenge (fund raising for CCFA).  Last year, they let the Team Challenge walkers start half an hour early so we had a chance to finish the race.  It was great, and we got to see the runners go by (those Kenyans are so graceful!). 

They are offering the same thing again this year, this year they want you to sign a waiver promising you will NOT run.  They also only want you to start half an hour early if you do a 16 minute mile or more. 

I'll be walking most of it, especially since every time I start running at all, I start wheezing, but I do like to run some of it.  I'm hoping to average a 15 minute mile or less.  I plan to start off walking as there is a big hill at the beginning and I need to warm up anyway, but once the runners start passing us, I plan to do a little running myself.  However, I really really want to start with the walkers since I know it's still going to take me over 3 hours.  My husband runs and will finish between 2-2 1/2 hours.  I've not heard of the waiver before, and my husband thinks that they would never know if I ran some (after the runners pass by of course and it starts to be a pack). 

So what do you think?  Should I just sign the waiver, start with the walkers, and as the major group of runners start to pass us, jog when I can?  Will they even know?  Since last year it took me over 4 hours to finish, I can always claim that i didn't know how fast I could go this year.

Thanks.
Jan

That's a really odd request....how many people are running/walking? If it's a fairly big crowd, and you don't have a big sign on your back that says "WALKER", I don't see why you couldn't run a bit.

Just my thoughts, but I'm not an expert at events like these.

Toughie: I see them doing that so that nobody goes ahead and wins saying they were a walker; however, I don't see anything wrong with it after the runners have passed you. OTOH, it would suck to get disqualified, too

Good luck!

What do you mean disqualified.  Isn't it all done by timing chip?  And I'm not going to win anything, just want to cross the line and get my medal.  Would they disqualify me and not give me a medal if I jogged a little, after the runners passed of course.

I'm not sure...there's a race coming up soon here that's on a rural road adn they made it clear that anyone with headphones would not be permitted to complete the race. I would contact the race peeps and ask for sure! : )

Did you ever think this would be an issue?

No, I didn't.  Last year I could barely finish.  But there will be like 2500-3000 people out there.  Last year, 1/3 of us were from Team Challenge wearing our orange tops.  So once the first wave of runners pass, I don't know how they would know.  Our team leader said just not to do it at the beginning when the walkers go or she'll get in trouble.  And at this point, I can't run more the 1/4 of a mile before I start wheezing. 

On another note, I'm so glad I've been lifting weights regularly now and my arms and upper back are so well defined.  The tops they gave us to wear are really T-Backs, and I don't like wearing a shirt under it, only a sports bra.  But I'm happy with the way I look.  It pretty much shows my whole upper back and shoulders.  LOL

Well if it is chip timed they may be able to figure out your pace from that if they are at all really interested.

Or some of the races I have done have different colored race numbers to indicate starting group etc, so they may be able to ID you that way out on the course if you were running.

What is the worst that could happen?  Would you running disqualify your team or just you?

Good luck and I hope you enjoy your race under the cir****tance you would like to participate.

Scott

 Well I've competed in a lot of different sports in my life time, and starting to do it again. I guess if there is any concern at all with getting DQ'd then why take the chance. Obviously they feel if your under a 16 minute mile you will have time to finish the race. 

Personally, I wouldn't sign the waiver start with the pack and run/jog as much as you want. Between the two you should finish and get your medal. Play it straight up.

I think the reason they do it is so that people who intend to run don't start ahead of the pack and get an advantage (they won't have to fight through the crowds of slower runners if they start at the front and take off running).

I don't think that's you but you can be DQed for breaking rules so I would check to make sure they are okay with it if you find some running breaking out after starting with the walkers. Just ask them: what if I feel like running for a few minutes about an hour in - will I be DQed? See what they say.