Tag Archives: Broad Street Run

2012 Blue Cross Broad Street Run

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So yesterday was finally it! The Blue Cross Broad Street Run was here!!! All of my training was about to come to a head.

Goals…
Going in, my base goal was the same as for any race I run: finish and have fun. My “I can live with it” goal was to finish in 2:15. My “reach goal” was to break 2 hours – that was big as it would put me with an average pace of sub-12 minute miles, something I hadn’t yet done in a race longer than 4 miles.

The set-up…
In a “crazy runner” effort to save money, I made the decision to pay the $20 fee for day-of pick-up and take MegaBus down early Sunday morning. Well, the one early morning option was scheduled to leave NYC at 1:15am and get to Philly at 3:15am. Not exactly ideal, but by doing that and skipping an overnight stay, I essentially gave myself at least one race registration fee. So I did it. The bus was a little late leaving, so it was a little closer to 4am when we got to Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station. I went in and got changed into my running gear – pink SkirtSports running skirt and my Team Breakthrough tech shirt, socks and shoes – then wandered to find a table to sit and read for a little. My plan was to start walking towards the subway’s Broad Street Line so that I’d get there at 5 or a little after. (I’d been given a card to show for free admission to the line since I wouldn’t have my bib yet.) Packet pick-up was to start at 6, and I wanted to be there early given how chaotic some other things had seemed through the whole preparation process. Well, I managed to hit one of the express trains, so I was there WAY early. One other woman was with me, so we hung out until pick-up opened. I ate my Luna bar and drank my Starbucks double shot while we waited. Got my bib and got it all situated, then got my bag ready to check. Took it to a school bus where I was given 2 wristbands – one for me and one for the bag. The bag was then put on a school bus in a seat based on its number. Then I headed to the Pink corral, which was way in the back. I think I’d read somewhere that there was going to be a certain time to enter the corrals, but people seemed to be going in anyway. I didn’t see anyone really checking bibs going in, but then again, being in the last corral it’s not like we were in a corral too fast for us. (Well, unless you shouldn’t have been in the race with a 15 minute mile pace requirement anyway.) I chatted with a few different people – funny how a runDisney mylar blanket makes a good conversation starter! – and nibbled on a ginger chew. My friend Johnny from FRNY called me and I went over and chatted with him and his partner for a few minutes before they headed to their corral. It was almost time!!

The race…
The race was scheduled to start at 8:30, and I can only assume it did. There were no speakers in the back corrals, so I have no clue what all happened before the race. The green corral – which was kind of in the middle – had been staged on a side street, and once they moved out and up we in the back three (gray, yellow and pink) finally started moving forward. And a little after 9 we finally got started. This was by far the largest race I’ve been in – around 40,000 people were registered – but I never really felt crowded in. Sure there were some places that got narrower than others, but even there I never felt pressure to go faster or slow down. Crowd support was great, even for us in the back. People were out on their porches or sidewalks cheering us – even church congregations were on their church steps! It’s a net downhill course, but there are still some ups, some of which are pretty long and gradual. Still, I kept plugging on with my 4/1 run/walk interval. On the longest uphill, I did walk a little more just to try and conserve some energy. The fluid stops weren’t as bad as I feared on spotting the first few tables at the first one. As long as you went towards the back tables you were fine. Those who stopped at the front tables were having to stop and wait for water to be poured. As I got to the Mile 9 marker, I looked at my garmin to see where I was with time, and after some quick mental calculations I realized that I could make my A goal, even if it was just barely. I’d have to push, and I didn’t have a lot left as I’d pushed hard through the rest of the race as well. I’d done what I could to stay cool (it wasn’t hot hot, but it wasn’t cool either once we got going) – dumping water on my arms, head and back – but there was still a toll taken there as well. So Mile 9…time to buckle down. And the biggest fights my brain and heart had with my legs. Every time I’d drop to a walk, my brain was screaming “Come on! Move!!” The people cheering us in definitely helped…but it was hard. When I saw the 1/2 mile mark, I checked the garmin again and knew I’d have to run it in if I wanted to break 2 hours. And run it in pretty hard. I just kept moving forward, pushing hard so I’d know that I’d done everything I possibly could. I got across the finish and beeped through the unused segments to end the workout. As I was walking towards the medals, I got up the courage to look at the history and find my time, knowing that there would be some difference as the beeping through took a little longer than usual.

1:59:43 on the garmin!!!!!

I knew at that point – especially having been on the front row of the Pink corral and having started the garmin a split second after crossing the mat – that I’d done it. I’d broken 2 hours!! I was totally spent, but thrilled.

After…
I got my t-shirt and my food bag, then got my bag from the bus and headed to the line for the shuttle bus to the subway. That was kinda crazy, made moreso with Philadelphia having a team in playoffs with a game yesterday afternoon. Still, I managed to get back to the 30th St Station and get changed into clean, dry clothes. Then I went across the street to Slainte for cheese fries and a black velvet. I should have probably gone with the burger or something with a little more protein as later on while I was wandering around being tired and just feeling off after deciding I’d try to walk to Independence Hall…which was further than I’d thought from the map. I got tired and the little distance back to the station just kept growing. I finally got back and got some diet coke…and a donut to get some sugar (the protein thing hadn’t occurred to me yet). Then headed out for the line for the bus back.

Overall…
I had a great time! I would like to do the race again…but we’ll see what they end up doing with registration next year. I do think I’d probably splurge on a hotel room the next time. It was rough being on so little sleep…moreso afterwards than before or during. But I had a great time!!

Oh, oh OH!!!!! I forgot the most important part!! Official time 1:59:21 for an 11:56 pace! First time at a race longer than 4 miles that I’ve gone under 12 minute miles average!!

Broad Street Race Week

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Finally got all the emails I was supposed to. Hooray!

I’m in the Pink (read: LAST) corral. Bib number 35199. For those who are facebook friends or who follow me on twitter, updates will be posted there. I’l obviously do a race report Sunday evening, but if you want to track me, go to the race site and click on runner tracking. I’m Elizabeth Strickland. :)

I’m still excited about the race and cautiously optimistic that the apparent disorganization is solely a behind the scenes kind of thing. Of course, I’m also learning from friends’ experiences at races that were disorganized and chaotic (yes, I’m referring to RnR Vegas again) and carrying my own water and stuff. Better to be prepared and learn that I don’t need it than not have it and do.

I just made my list of what all I need to have in my bag for my bus ride in the wee hours of Sunday morning. I don’t want to forget anything. And as I don’t plan to travel in my race stuff I need to make sure it’s all there. I’m still deciding on my outfit. I’m about 95% sure I’m going to wear my pink flowered skirt and my brand new Team Breakthrough tech shirt…but that could change. Also deciding if I want to run in my Ravennas or my Defyance. I’ve done long runs in both during training and am ok with either. So as long as one complete pair makes it into the bag, I’ll be good.

The only little glitch so far is I can’t seem to find my phiten necklace ANYWHERE! I’ve turned the apartment upside down and cannot locate it. My only guess at this point is I wore it to Disney one day and put it in my locker outside of a bag and just forgot it. I doubt it would have been turned in, so unless it shows before Friday, I’ll be hitting Paragon for a new one. It may just be psychological, but I DO feel more energetic when I’m wearing it. And for a 10 mile race, I need all the energy I can get!

I’m going to get in bed here in a moment and try to get some sleep. I’ll see what I feel like in the morning and if I’m feeling ok, I’ll go do 2 or 3 miles just to shake out the legs. Don’t want to do anything to damage myself, but a shakeout run shouldn’t hurt.

Race day is almost here! EEE!!!

Broad Street Week 2 Run 1. And a Fantasy!

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Today began my second week of Broad Street Run training.

And I *probably* should have hit either Prospect or Central Park to get in some work on the hills there considering I’ve got Coogan’s Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K on Sunday, and that is one hilly course!

But there was something I wanted to see, so I decided on Hundson River Park. The decision about where to start was tough…I knew where I needed to end up, and I knew that my usual starting point (near Battery Park) would put me short of that (since I was to run 3 miles). But at the same time, 14th Street probably wouldn’t give me enough miles until I got to what I wanted to see…and once I saw it, it would be tough to keep going.

So a Battery Park area start it was. I thought I’d sped up enough on my warm-up, and maybe I had…but I definitely started out a little overly fast and was quickly wheezing. I tried to keep on running in my run segments, but ended up doing a bit more walking for the first half until the inhaler finally kicked in and I was able to do my running intervals again.

Luckily, I was in my cool-down mode when I caught my first glimpse…

That bit of red back beyond the trees? That’s her!!

The Disney Fantasy!!!!

She docked in NYC this morning and will be here through her Christening on Thursday (I think she’s leaving on Friday…but I’m not 100% on that)!! I wanted so badly to see her come in, but I felt guilty about taking the day off, so I opted to just work my run so I could see her.

I ended up walking about a mile and a half beyond where I stopped the garmin, but I’m not counting that in my mileage. When I got there, I took some more pics. Here are a couple…

She is GORGEOUS!!!!!!

So a little wheezy, but otherwise a good run! :)

BSR training mileage: 18.63

Broad Street Week 1 Run 3

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The weather was much more cooperative today! Yay!!

I went with 3/1 intervals, and got 3.67 miles in in 49 minutes. So the average pace was 13:21. I know my run paces were good- all in the 12 and under range. It was just some of the walk segments (and especially warm-up) where I slowed a bit mroe than usual.

Still, I felt good and strong. And it’s only week 1 of 11! I’ve got time to make progress!!

Now I’m waiting on breakfast (I’m visiting my parents, and this morning we’re having pancakes and bacon!!!!! YUM!!!!), then I’ll get changed and finish packing to go back to NYC. Saturday (or more likely Sunday) will be a run in more familiar territory and terrain!

Broad Street training mileage: 8.46

Broad Street Week 1 Run 1

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This morning I set the alarm, woke up, and got into the running clothes! (Amazingly they fit as well as the last time I had them on!) Got outside, turned on the garmin and let it find the satellites, and then off I went.

The plan called for 3 miles at “conversation” pace. I opted to go for 3 minute run/1 minute 30 seconds walk just since I’ve been a slug for the past couple of weeks. I might change it to 3/1 tomorrow, but we’ll see. I try to keep an eye on how far I go for the warm-up so that’s not ocunted in my “prescribed” mileage. So like this morning my warm up was 0.32 miles. Meaning I didn’t let myself go to cool-down until I was at least at 3.32 miles. I ended up going a little over as I was in the middle of a run interval when I hit 3.32 and wanted to finish that interval and do the accompanying walk before the cool-down. So my total ended up being 3.79 miles.

My average pace was 13:27, which definitely has room for improvement, but given that it was my first run in two weeks, I don’t think is bad. That’ll come down a bit on its own, and especially if I tinker with the interval lengths. But all in time. All in time.

My parents’ neighborhood is definitely very rolling, so that in and of itself is a bit challenging. But I did it, so that’s good. I got back to the house and did my 5 killer caterpillars before getting in the shower. Those are definitely much more challenging after a run than just doing them cold.

Oh yes. I have decided that as there may well be some weeks I have to get my long run in on Sunday I’m going to move to a Mon-Sun as my “week” schedule.

Hooray! I love kicking off a new training schedule!

BSR training mileage: 3.79

Running as community…

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Well, for the second time in my less-than-two-years-old running life, I’ve gotten myself into a race I really wanted to get into…

…and ended up being made to feel guilty for getting in and worthless for not being speedy.

Thanks to other runners.

Last year it was the New York City Half Marathon. I entered the lottery and by some stroke of luck got in. Only to have my excitement dampened by people irate that they weren’t chosen (admittedly, NYRR should have been more forthcoming to begin with about the lottery pools, but still, it’s a LOTTERY and you know you’re taking a chance) – some fussing about “slow runners” who were taking up “their” spaces, others spewing how it was a stupid course and they really didn’t want to do it anyway. A few people being supportive, but by far many, many more who seemed determined to make those of us who got in feel guilty and miserable about getting in. At least that’s how it felt to me, and very quickly my excitement turned to something very close to “I wish I hadn’t even bothered.”

This year, it’s the Broad Street Run. I had debated running it last year, but debated too long so that I missed getting in when it closed out after about 4 days. I set my eyes on it this year – to the point that my training plan is already on my training log and in my calendar. I set the alarm on my cell to remind me when it almost time for registration to open. I marked it on my calendar. When I saw “early in the morning of February 15″ I checked just after midnight. Then again around 5am. Then I saw “shortly before 10am”. Around 9:40 I started checking, and at about 9:45 I got to the registation screen. It was slow, and at times I wondered if it was going to go through, but within about 10 minutes, I had my confirmation email/receipt and my welcome email!

I was in!

I heard from a friend on ROTE that people in her tri club were freaking out about the website having problems (here’s a hint…the fees at active.com may be a pain, but at least they seem to have servers capable of handling high demand events – marathonguide.com might not have had fees, but clearly you get what you pay for. or don’t in this case.). Just as I was leaving school, I learned that the race sold out in 5 hours.

I went to their facebook page and rather than being greeted with posts from people excited about being in, I was greeted with irate posts from many, many people. I don’t blame the people who were simply complaining about the registration server issues, and this post isn’t about them. I completely understand frustration at that. The race directors know how popular this race is. They know how quickly it sold out last year, and they can clearly see how quickly other races (Boston, Chicago, etc.) have sold out since last year’s race. They should have been more prepared to handle that, and if it meant changing the company handling the registration, so be it. Those posts of frustration were understandable. 100%.

It’s the other posts I encountered there. Posts spouting hatred for anyone who dared to enter the race with anything but a sub-8 minute mile (in one case the guy said 12 minute mile, but then went on to say that if you can’t meet 12 minute miles you obviously haven’t done any races). Posts encouraging people to push walkers (and I would assume run/walkers if we happen to be unfortunate enough to be walking when one of them is near) off the course. And yes, posts from people saying either they didn’t get in but it’s ok because it sucks (so why did you try and get in?) or posts just saying how its overrated and they don’t know why anyone would want to bother.

In short, posts that made me feel guilty and miserable about getting in. And posts that made me repeatedly ask one question.

What happened to running being such a supportive community??

I mean, you hear stuff like that all the time. Runners are great and support each other. Runners encourage each other. Running is a wonderful community.

And I agree. Yes, a lot of times that’s true. Though I’m slow (though well within the 15 minute mile requirement for Broad Street), I’ve generally been accepted and encouraged by my running club, even the speedier ones. And ditto others I’ve met through various forums. Most are extremely supportive.

And then there are assholes who think that unless you’re constantly out there damaging yourself (or damn near close to it) pushing pushing pushing you’re not a “real runner”. And many of those feel that in that case you don’t belong in races. And oh were those jerks evident last night.

And then there was a glimmer of light. Someone else posted what I’d been thinking. Basically, I went to the page to share my excitement with others – and maybe get a little encouragement but instead found all that hate and vitriol (again, those ONLY fussing about the registration process I have no issue with as that was understandable). And amazingly (or not), restoring my faith in the community of runners, several people responded, stating how even though they were back-of-packers they still felt totally encouraged and supported when race day came. They were totally supportive and they even seemed put out with all the jerks spewing hatred. Yay!

And the more I thought about it, I realized something. I took all that fear of not being good enough I felt with all the brouhaha over the NYC Half last year and set a 7 minute PR for the half. I can do that again with Broad Street. (Well, not the 7 minute PR thing as I’ve not run a 10-miler yet, but you know what I mean.) Take all the fear of not being good enough and push myself to do the very best I can. And I’ve got the added advantage with this of having a full training plan time-frame to work with (unlike less than a complete training plan time frame between the Disney Half and the NYC Half).

I can do this.

And if I ever need a reminder that I’m good enough, I need only look at my Road ID and the quote I picked for the flip side. “There will be days when I don’t know if I can run a marathon. There will be a lifetime knowing I did.”

Yes, I did!

And yes I will kick Broad Street’s butt!

Nothing says “Happy Valentine’s Day” like…

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…registering for a Villain-themed race!

Yep! My Happy Valentine’s Day To Me gift was registering for Disney’s Tower of Terror 10 Miler!! I’m so excited!!!

Villains!

Studios!

After Party!

Cannot wait!!! It’s gonna be incredible!!!

And then today I got all registered for Philly’s Blue Cross Blue Shield Broad Street Run which is also a 10-Miler. So that will be my first! I’m really excited about it!! I’ve heard really good things, and it sounds like a lot of fun!

So today I really buckle down and get my shrinking rear back in gear (beyond those killer caterpillars I mean) and get training!

Woohoo!!!