Cultural Appropriation in Racing

I rail about the color runs and how they stole a beautiful Hindu cultural tradition for profit and how much it frustrates me that people see this profile photo and ask me about the Color Run when in fact it is from a local Holi festival this year.

But I signed up for Cinco de Miler and Cinco de Muddo without a thought about cultural appropriation. There's a big difference between appropriation and celebration; the short explanation is demonstrating respect versus mocking the culture.

I went to the Cinco de Miler for the celebratory atmosphere, cool t-shirt, and the chance to run a 5-mile race, a race distance I'd never run before. Many participants dressed up in sombreros and luchador masks, and I saw one woman running in a full-body taco costume. I was ignorant. They were mocking. The race claims to celebrate "Mexico's colorful culture," which is NOT what Cinco de Mayo celebrates, and it supported the Ronald McDonald House Charities — Dallas.

No. Just stop.

At Cinco de Muddo, we got free samples of tequila. If there was anything questionable at the event, I didn't see it. The mariachi band and flamenco dancers were gone before I arrived. This event made money off the Cinco de Mayo celebration but/and benefited the Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch, which houses and rehabilitates rescued wildlife.

The issue of cultural appropriation as related to these events only occurred to me after the fact, so I did some research. Cinco de Mayo is a small Mexican holiday with about as much fanfare as the United States' Flag Day. It commemorates an unlikely victory at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. In the US, we typically celebrate by dressing up in sombreros and mustaches and getting falling-down drunk on the basis that that's how to celebrate Mexican culture. It's mocking, it's rude, and it's wrong. So it's very American:

We completely forget about the true meaning behind the day. Instead, we get giant store displays of beer and tortilla chips stating things like: “Corona de Mayo” and “It’s Cinco, let’s salsa!” Because obviously the only way to engage others in this holiday is through beer and tortilla chips. I always dread the few weeks before Cinco de Mayo because of these stereotyped displays. All they do is trivialize the holiday and push people back into further ignorance about the significance of the day. Cinco de Mayo has come to be known as more of a drinking and partying holiday than anything else, which is wrong.

I mentioned the charities above because other racing events, such as Chicago's Carrera de los Muertos 5k, manage to create a race based on a cultural tradition AND support local charities that benefit the Hispanic community. Unlike the Dallas events that didn't even bother.

I'll think twice about participating next year and see if I can get in touch with the event organizers about my concerns before I do. Cinco de Miler sent out a thorough post-race survey with ample opportunity for me to speak my mind about the event. At least it's something.

It's a process, and every month I learn something new that I ought to look for in future races so I can responsibly vote with my dollars for basic respect of others.

Three Races and a Wedding, Part 2: Cinco de Muddo Race Report

Here's my Cinco de Muddo review.

I signed up for Cinco de Muddo this year because I had heard such good things about last year's event. I transferred my 9:30 a.m. Cinco de Muddo registration to noon when I signed up for the 8:30 a.m. Cinco de Miler so I could make it to both races.

Two days before the race, I received an email confirming that my noon registration had been changed to 11:30, a request I'd not made, and I sent out an email and a Facebook message to the organizers asking WTF was up. I got a response on Facebook with a direct email to contact but never heard back from anyone with Cinco de Muddo or host TNMRA about why I was bumped, whether there was still a noon wave available, and whether I'd be permitted to run it.

I was running late leaving Cinco de Miler because of the long walk back to the DART station and wasn't sure I'd make it in time to run. Thank Hermes for light traffic on the DNT. I arrived at the given address with 10 minutes to spare, spent another 5 searching for the entrance, paid, and parked. I caught the last shuttle from the parking lot to the event site, arriving at 12:05. I jogged up the path and asked if they'd still let me run. The waiver people said yes. The registration tent volunteer advised me to wait until 12:30 to run with 4 other volunteers.

I got my race packet, went to the bathroom, and heard the announcer call out that if anyone else wanted to run, they needed to jump on the course in the next 10 minutes. I didn't want to pay extra for bag check, so I pulled out my race t-shirt, dropped the plastic sack under a tree, and tucked the shirt into the back of my pants figuring I could probably run with it well enough.

I didn't want to wait around, so I jogged to and through the start line a few minutes behind a trio ahead of me and am pretty sure I was the last runner but for the volunteers running later. It was hot, dry, and dusty that afternoon, but I slogged through and soon caught up to and passed a few other runners. I completed most of the Cinco de Muddo obstacles but skipped a few wall climbs because I was tired, had nothing to prove, and wanted only to finish without injury so I could run again the next day.

The aid stations were nearly out of water when we approached, and the last one on the course was abandoned and dry. Between the heat and my own fatigue, the course seem to drag on under the Texas sun, and I looked forward to the mud crossings, even though they smelled awful. There were two nice and cool water slides (plastic sheeting and hoses atop dirt hills) and little cactus to dodge. I passed a dozen people because of the two obstacles I skipped and a handful of others because I'm a solid pacer before finally crossing the finish line to claim my medal, tepid beer, and warm tequila shot.

I asked a woman I'd passed back and forth on the course to snap a photo for me since I was alone and hadn't a camera, and she sent it to me by text message. How cool is technology? It was an alright little event, I suppose, but pretty lackluster to run solo. I'm glad it supported the Sharkarosa Wildlife Preserve. At least I got a medal.

Then I had just enough time to drive an hour home and clean up before the wedding . . .

Three Races and a Wedding, Part 1: Cinco de Miler Race Report

I ran three races this weekend. Here's my Cinco de Miler Dallas review.

Saturday morning started with the Cinco de Miler run at Fair Park. I was really only gonna run the Cinco de Muddo on Saturday, but when I saw how cool the Miler t-shirts were, I couldn't resist. The race organizers had sent out multiple emails last week warning participants about Fair Park event traffic and strongly encouraging us to bicycle or carpool. Since I live 27 miles away and would be running alone, I made sure to pick up my race packet earlier in the week and chose to ride the DART train to Fair Park.

Bad idea.

The Cinco de Miler start/finish line was over 1.5 miles from the nearest train station, so I and several other participants got a helluva warm-up before the start. Several of us noted that EVERY OTHER RACE held at Fair Park began near the entrance and near the DART station, such as the Hot Chocolate 5k/10k, The Ugly Sweater Run, The Electric Run, and so on. Not cool, Cince de Miler, not cool.

I hoofed it and got there with just enough time to use the port-o-cans, which were clean and stocked with paper, and to snap a quick photo before lining up and taking off on the 5-mile course.

The course was pretty ugly, winding mostly through housing near Fair Park, but I'd brought music with me, including the girl power set-list from our V-day performances. The weather was nice and dry, and I felt good. I think I smiled through the whole course. A police officer monitoring the course cheered and offered high fives and another clapped for us further down. The course was mostly flat with a long downhill slope near the end. I finished in an unlikely 1:00:29, about 5 minutes faster than I expected.

Registration included a free finish line beer. While I stood in line, a man came by to check IDs and pass out wristbands for over 21s. When we got to the front of the line, they made us fish out our ID again for proof of age and handed us each a can of Corona Light, only 99 calories. I had thought Corona was a light beer. Obviously Cinco de Miler knows nothing about running. I took two sips and chucked it in the garbage. No wonder they have to give it away for free; Corona Light is fucking awful.

There was little going on at the post-race "party," so I trekked back to Fair Park Station as quickly as I could, joints aching. I just barely missed the train and had to wait 20 minutes for the next, worrying about whether I'd make my next race at all.

I think have a running problem

I had registered to run the Cinco de Muddo 5k on May 3 because I'd heard such good things about it last year and had room in my schedule this year. Then I got an email about the 5-mile Cinco de Miler race the same day that has a freaking sweet tech tee as part of its race packet.

So I dashed down the hall to ask my coworker exactly what time her wedding is that afternoon: 4:30. Perfect.

The 5-miler is at 8:30 a.m., so I transferred my 9:30 mudder registration to noon to allow me time to eat and drive the hour between races and still have plenty of time to clean up for the wedding and get a nap if I'm lucky.

And then I'm running the 10-12 mile Tough Mudder noon the next day at a site three hours away.