The race weekend I have most been looking forward to has come and gone; the Baltimore Running Festival is over :(
I don't know if anyone else notices it, but this city really comes alive leading up to the running fest. Everyone is tapering for their event, fine tuning their turnover, and working out final race day logistics. Fall is in the air; crisp autumn mornings ideal for any distance run. I first look forward to the expo and packet pick-up. This years process was a little complicated...first report to the tent outside Ravens Stadium for your race card. Then, inside to club level and to the right for race number, then all the way back and to the left for race shirt. Of course all the back and forth allows for lots of face time with all the vendors. Under Armour sponsors the event so there is a lot of their product around. The race premium is great, a UA top made of recycled bottles. The tech material is super soft- almost silk like.
Of course there is the much needed pre-race Pasta Party where all runners carb load for their big race. Back on My Feet - Baltimore threw a pot luck for all residents and non-residential members. Food was grand. Over indulgence is key...at least for me. Side note- car was dead after the dinner so that was a bit of an annoyance. Still dealing with that one.
5:30 race day. Wake-up. 4 and a half hours of sleep was plenty. ugh. Dogs go out. Then breakfast. Oatmeal. I know it will sit well during the 5.7 mile leg of the relay I am running. The overload of pasta and berger cookies the night before may be a little troublesome.
6:40 Jog 15 min to Ravens stadium to meet relay members and pick up the chip. Since I was the first leg of the relay, I needed the chip! I of course realized I didn't have it the night before so thank goodness one of our relay legs had it adhered to his number. Phew.
7:40 Warm-up. Sun is up, morning is gorgeous. Air is cool but not too cool. I stumble upon Mel who is warming up for the first leg as well. We get back for some striders alongside of the elite entries prepping to the left of the start line. We're nestled in right behind the elite women for the start and we are off! Since I'm wearing the chip on my wrist, before I take off, I have to bend down to make sure it registers at the start....and then I can run.
8:00 Mile 1, Mile 2, Mile 3 all suck. They were completely uphill, all I wanted was to get to Druid Hill, I knew there would be some decent downhills there. I tried not to look at my watch and just go on feel but I couldn't really help it. At Mile 3 I was at 20:20 or so? Blech. Mel and I tried to stay with the pack of full marathoners in front of us but these girls were rolling; running around 6:20 pace.
The rest of the leg was so so. All and all, I wasn't too disappointed, I mean our relay still won the coed division, but I would have liked to have been faster. I will blame it on the upper respiratory gunk.
Michele, the mega triathlete was visiting from LI for our relay and did a superb job on the third leg, one of the shorter but tougher legs. Jeff and Mike rounded out our guys and really stepped up, averaging under 6 min pace. Our finishing time was around 2:44. It blows my mind how many athletes are able to finish a full marathon faster than it takes four people to finish. The winning time was 2:14 for the men and 2:37 for the first woman; course record. WTF.
More detailed results can be found here.
The post-race festivities were great, only slightly dampened by the mist and slight rain. The runner finishing area was confusing. All race participants had different entry points. The relay members had to enter through the upper left hand Legg Mason entrance, marathoners through another, etc. It was a little excessive. The bottle neck at the exit was sort of annoying but there was no need to rush. There were so many people, the energy was great. Lots of happy finishers sipping on free beer and acceptable live music.
Looking forward to next year. To relay or not to relay?
Me and Michele after the relay :) iPhone photos are really sub par for some reason. I think there is a scratch on the lens.
Me and Team UA Run coordinator, Anne Bonney, our uniform sponsor for the event :) Thanks Anne!
Jeff, Me and Mike in the misty haze of my iPhone camera.
8:00 Mile 1, Mile 2, Mile 3 all suck. They were completely uphill, all I wanted was to get to Druid Hill, I knew there would be some decent downhills there. I tried not to look at my watch and just go on feel but I couldn't really help it. At Mile 3 I was at 20:20 or so? Blech. Mel and I tried to stay with the pack of full marathoners in front of us but these girls were rolling; running around 6:20 pace.
The rest of the leg was so so. All and all, I wasn't too disappointed, I mean our relay still won the coed division, but I would have liked to have been faster. I will blame it on the upper respiratory gunk.
Michele, the mega triathlete was visiting from LI for our relay and did a superb job on the third leg, one of the shorter but tougher legs. Jeff and Mike rounded out our guys and really stepped up, averaging under 6 min pace. Our finishing time was around 2:44. It blows my mind how many athletes are able to finish a full marathon faster than it takes four people to finish. The winning time was 2:14 for the men and 2:37 for the first woman; course record. WTF.
More detailed results can be found here.
The post-race festivities were great, only slightly dampened by the mist and slight rain. The runner finishing area was confusing. All race participants had different entry points. The relay members had to enter through the upper left hand Legg Mason entrance, marathoners through another, etc. It was a little excessive. The bottle neck at the exit was sort of annoying but there was no need to rush. There were so many people, the energy was great. Lots of happy finishers sipping on free beer and acceptable live music.
Looking forward to next year. To relay or not to relay?
Me and Michele after the relay :) iPhone photos are really sub par for some reason. I think there is a scratch on the lens.
Me and Team UA Run coordinator, Anne Bonney, our uniform sponsor for the event :) Thanks Anne!
Jeff, Me and Mike in the misty haze of my iPhone camera.
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