Gatorade Mix-up (Mini 2001)

  Updated on 02/03/2007 at 6:32:27 PM   (Tags: gatorade, mini, marathon, 500 festival )

Murphy's Law states that if anything can go wrong, it will. The Indianapolis Life 500 Festival Mini-Marathon organization has become such a well-oiled machine, however, the organizers don't give much credence to Mr. Murphy.

That doesn't mean that things can't almost go wrong.

Race Director Don Carr recalls his sleepless night last year after going down his checklist and discovering that the 600 gallons of Gatorade mix for the 25,000-plus runners and walkers scheduled to start the next morning's half marathon and 5K had not arrived.

"This was a worry," Don recalled in his understated, laid back manner, "because it was supposed to have arrived days in advance." Throughout "Mini Eve," Don repeatedly punched speed dial on his cell phone, keeping in constant contact with Jeff Graves, the Mini's executive director, and Steve Kelly, coordinator of the aid stations (or pit areas as they are called in this race), to see if indeed there was a God.

At the same time, the unflappable Don also directed his attention to the myriad other day-before-event details that clog a race director's brain. But, as the sun began setting, there still was no Gatorade.

Shortly after the Mini-Marathon pasta dinner celebration, Don checked the 500 Festival warehouse, hoping his slowly increasing anxiety would be abated. "Not yet," came Steve Kelly's response after another punch by Don of the speed dial.

"Since I had no other immediate tasks and thought misery loves company, I drove out to the warehouse site to 'hang' with Steve. "Finally at about 9 p.m., a large semi pulled up to the warehouse with a 'Gatorade' delivery."

Don recalled the sense of relief and satisfaction that he might at least get a little shuteye before his alarm rousted him from bed at 4 a.m.

The semi rolled to a stop, the driver debarked and ambled around to the back of the trailer to hoist the gate. What to their wondering eyes appeared? "The gate went up and all we saw in this cavernous trailer was one small skid of 16 ounce bottles - maybe 300 bottles total!"

Don took a second - well, maybe a few moments -- to collect himself and think clearly. "'Ok,' I mused, "'it's 9 p.m. the night before the Mini and we have no Gatorade mix - what to do?'" Steve and Don quickly got on the phone to Jeff Graves to assess the situation. It appeared that there had been "a mix-up" and that they were not going to get the Gatorade.

They knew there was a local Gatorade facility on the east side of Indianapolis and decided to try their luck by calling. The good news was that someone answered the telephone and they discovered the plant was a 24-hour facility. The bad news, they learned, was that the initial order was placed in Chicago and the Indianapolis plant was in the dark.

Jeff Graves managed to get the name and home number of the district manger, whom he reached and convinced of the seriousness of the situation. The manager gave the OK for pick up of 600 gallons of Gatorade mix.

All's well that ends well, you think? Guess again.

Don and Steve looked at their watches and realized it was too late to rent a truck large enough to haul two and a half tons of Gatorade mix!

"It was a good thing I had my trusty pickup truck," Don laughed, looking back on their predicament. "Steve and I hopped in, drove to the plant, and loaded every bit we could into my truck. It took three trips with each trip taking about one hour."

By 1:30 a.m., the mix mix-up cleared up, Don headed home. He arriving just about in time to brush his teeth, change clothes, feed the dog and head back downtown to prepare for the start of the nation's largest half marathon.

"This year the Gatorade mix will be delivered much earlier in advance - believe me!" declared Don.

Matt Morris is a freelance writer from Bloomington, IN.