This was copied and pasted from a post I made on Runners World Beginners Forum. This is my Race Report from doing the Broad Street Run in Philly on May 6th 2007. A very long distance for this guy.
The chances of me adding anything that have not been said are probably slim to none but here goes.
The day before the race I was e-mailing with Daleen and she was able to have me added to her car pool into Philly. This was great since we were going in with a local guy that has done the race before. Also my wife was planning to go to the race with the kids (later of course) so this meant I could ride home with them and not have two cars in Philly. So still day before the race – I ate great all day. I spread out “good” carbs through out the day and was drinking plenty of water. So diet wise I felt great.
I was nervous all day since this was the longest race by 5 miles that I was ever in (this was also only my 5th race). I had also only run this distance once the week before in training. And not to mention at the time I am thinking there would be 15,000 runners in the race – turns out the total was closer to 18,000. So I go to bed at a decent hour that night but knew I would not sleep that great. And I was right I was up every hour looking at the clock thinking I was over sleeping, also getting up to pee a lot. Finally woke about 5:45 and got ready to go. Jerry and Daleen picked me up right when they said they would and off we went.
Ride over was great got to talk to Jerry and Daleen and pick their brains a little about running. We may actually try to organize a running club or something in the town. As Daleen mentioned in the parking lot we met up with another guy she met the day before and we all rode the train up to the start. Train was packed of course with all runners, and I passed the time talking to Tom (I think) about running. From there pretty much what others said we meet Matt and Marianne, and then we saw Lauren and her friend Amy at another location when me and Daleen were walking with the sign. Took some pictures and talked a little. Then I went to get Matt, Marianne, Tom, and Jerry (that’s funny Tom and Jerry) and bring them to the other spot. But Matt was in one of those loooooong port-a-pottie lines and it just was not moving. So took the others over and told Marianne where we would be. I figured we might not see them again with the large crowd and all.
National Anthem played and we were on our own to find our place in line. I took one of my GU’s and carried another for later in the race. I lined up around the 9 – 10 minute milers and soon there after the race started. Like others said it was about 6 minutes into the race before I got to the start. But when I did we were moving pretty good.
Weather could not be better, wind at our backs and a down hill course. I hit mile one and it said 15:45 ish and I was like WHAT. And then I looked at my watch and it was about 9: something and was ok. Really was going great the whole race I felt like I was keeping with everyone in my 9-10 minute group. Passing some people and others passed me. Basically I couldn't feel better. The course had plenty of water stops and the volunteers were awesome. About 45 minutes into the race I took my other GU and still felt great. Then around mile 6.5 or so I got to give PA Governor Ed Rendell a high five and plenty of kids along the race as well.
Then Mile nine came.
Oh my god was I tired. Wasn’t sure if I was mentally tired or physically tired. I am sure it was a little of both. But at this point it felt like everyone was passing me. I kept going however and just started looking for my family in the thousands of people that were lining the course the last mile. I read other RR and people mentioned Rocky Music, I got to tell you I don’t remember hearing it, and yes I wear a IPOD but it is so low that I hear all the spectators but I did not hear the Rocky Music and I would have welcomed it. About a ¼ mile to go and I have never been so happy to see my Mother-in-law that meant that my wife and kids were there. And they were holding up signs for me that was the push I needed to get me to the end. And as I approach the finish line I look at my watch and I see that I will meet my goal of under 1:40:00. My chip time was 1:39:50. Got it by 10 seconds.
So as we are walking to the car my wife tells me about people who were on the course that I obviously didn’t see from where I was (in the back). Guy wearing a Spiderman outfit, guys with crazy wigs, guy that was juggling (made me made that a guy juggling beat me but she told me I actually finish before him but she saw him waiting for me to get to her). And she told me about a guy that stopped right in front of her and the kids and threw-up. She said then she saw an ambulance take him away. At the time we didn’t know this but we now know it was the guy that died. That is the only bad thing about the day.
Wow I was not expecting to right this much.
The day before the race I was e-mailing with Daleen and she was able to have me added to her car pool into Philly. This was great since we were going in with a local guy that has done the race before. Also my wife was planning to go to the race with the kids (later of course) so this meant I could ride home with them and not have two cars in Philly. So still day before the race – I ate great all day. I spread out “good” carbs through out the day and was drinking plenty of water. So diet wise I felt great.
I was nervous all day since this was the longest race by 5 miles that I was ever in (this was also only my 5th race). I had also only run this distance once the week before in training. And not to mention at the time I am thinking there would be 15,000 runners in the race – turns out the total was closer to 18,000. So I go to bed at a decent hour that night but knew I would not sleep that great. And I was right I was up every hour looking at the clock thinking I was over sleeping, also getting up to pee a lot. Finally woke about 5:45 and got ready to go. Jerry and Daleen picked me up right when they said they would and off we went.
Ride over was great got to talk to Jerry and Daleen and pick their brains a little about running. We may actually try to organize a running club or something in the town. As Daleen mentioned in the parking lot we met up with another guy she met the day before and we all rode the train up to the start. Train was packed of course with all runners, and I passed the time talking to Tom (I think) about running. From there pretty much what others said we meet Matt and Marianne, and then we saw Lauren and her friend Amy at another location when me and Daleen were walking with the sign. Took some pictures and talked a little. Then I went to get Matt, Marianne, Tom, and Jerry (that’s funny Tom and Jerry) and bring them to the other spot. But Matt was in one of those loooooong port-a-pottie lines and it just was not moving. So took the others over and told Marianne where we would be. I figured we might not see them again with the large crowd and all.
National Anthem played and we were on our own to find our place in line. I took one of my GU’s and carried another for later in the race. I lined up around the 9 – 10 minute milers and soon there after the race started. Like others said it was about 6 minutes into the race before I got to the start. But when I did we were moving pretty good.
Weather could not be better, wind at our backs and a down hill course. I hit mile one and it said 15:45 ish and I was like WHAT. And then I looked at my watch and it was about 9: something and was ok. Really was going great the whole race I felt like I was keeping with everyone in my 9-10 minute group. Passing some people and others passed me. Basically I couldn't feel better. The course had plenty of water stops and the volunteers were awesome. About 45 minutes into the race I took my other GU and still felt great. Then around mile 6.5 or so I got to give PA Governor Ed Rendell a high five and plenty of kids along the race as well.
Then Mile nine came.
Oh my god was I tired. Wasn’t sure if I was mentally tired or physically tired. I am sure it was a little of both. But at this point it felt like everyone was passing me. I kept going however and just started looking for my family in the thousands of people that were lining the course the last mile. I read other RR and people mentioned Rocky Music, I got to tell you I don’t remember hearing it, and yes I wear a IPOD but it is so low that I hear all the spectators but I did not hear the Rocky Music and I would have welcomed it. About a ¼ mile to go and I have never been so happy to see my Mother-in-law that meant that my wife and kids were there. And they were holding up signs for me that was the push I needed to get me to the end. And as I approach the finish line I look at my watch and I see that I will meet my goal of under 1:40:00. My chip time was 1:39:50. Got it by 10 seconds.
So as we are walking to the car my wife tells me about people who were on the course that I obviously didn’t see from where I was (in the back). Guy wearing a Spiderman outfit, guys with crazy wigs, guy that was juggling (made me made that a guy juggling beat me but she told me I actually finish before him but she saw him waiting for me to get to her). And she told me about a guy that stopped right in front of her and the kids and threw-up. She said then she saw an ambulance take him away. At the time we didn’t know this but we now know it was the guy that died. That is the only bad thing about the day.
Wow I was not expecting to right this much.
Dan
2 comments:
I like your 10 mile time. I am hoping to do a half marathon in July and keep at 10 min/mile pace the whole time. Not sure I am there yet. You and I seem to have about the same pace and PR's. Sure does feel good to even be able to run! (I say just go buy a pair of good mountain bikes and start riding)
Awesome race report, thanks for sharing!
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