That's a rhetorical question posed by Roger Miller in the musical 'Big River', one of my very most favorites. We did Country Music Marathon (can you say 'overrated?) and much like the Chicago Marathon of a few years organizers panicked and the runners suffered. I'm sure there was the 'possibility' of severe weather, but there's a vast difference in 'severe weather' and a chance of rain - anyway, more on this later. The whole point in going was to meet up with family that had all trained to do the half but we all ran our own pace. Micki and I were tracking for a nondescript 2:00 when at mile 11 we ran by a guy laid out on the sidewalk. It just didn't look right so we turned around and ran back and he was not doing well: I'm not a Dr. but I'm gonna go with heat exhaustion. So we tended to him with another guy who gave up his 'race time' to help this guy. Wasn't really an issue when you get down to it, what's more important? The ambulance finally starts making it's way over a lady jumps out of the race and tells us she's a nurse so we check with the cop to let him know our work here is done and we head off. To the nurse and the other good Samaritan - you guys are the best. I don't know your names, but somewhere your good 'karma' will come back to you. Can't fault the other runners, some are very focused and working hard just to finish, it just happened and we're glad the guy is okay. Had it been a female I would have immediately began mouth to mouth resuscitation; when it's a guy, I just stand there and 'fan'. I've got several entries worth of stuff from 'left brained runners' to the guy in pink shorts (I'm now blind in one eye), but today let me just point out that had it not been for my niece and nephew running this race (and they were awesome!) I won't do it again. It's hilly, crowded, getting into the expo is a pain (you'd think they'd want my money), the finish area is worse than a busy ant hill and it's expensive! Too many other good races, better courses, less expensive events for me. Now, thousands had a BLAST and that's why they make chocolate and vanilla, but it's not for me. One last thing, one of the benefits of having a coach (or at least a friend who's run before) is preparation. Luck favors the prepared; part 2 is common sense. People, it's April, it's Nashville (mid-south) it's almost always going to be HOT! Even though I personally found the temperatures 'mild' others did not. We saw our first 'collapsed' runner at the 15K (9.3 mile) mark. He was the first of many collapsed, cramped, and walking wounded that we saw. The medical tent looked like a war zone. Now on the other hand, if you are STUPID enough to believe you can run 13.1 miles without some modicum of training - then you deserve every ache and pain you get....so there! Enough of the negative, our race time was a non-factor to us, we were just there for the party (and the post race libations with Andie, Jackie, Suzanne, David, Randy, and Stephen + the evening with family), but for many it was just a celebration of achieving their personal goals and they had a BLAST! And like the song says, when it's running for fun,you're feeling good and you want to finish feeling good and wearing the medal, then what's 'time' really got to do with it? I mean, what's time to a hog?