Broad Street Run
Overheard: "It's once every ten years you get conditions like this." Sunny day, chill temps, and most notably a strong wind blowing down Broad Street towards City Hall. BSR is already considered an "aided" course due to its net downhill so the way I saw it, the more aid the better. Rebecca had texted me with a warning that it was cool and in response I brought a hoodie along. Glad I did.
This is, by my best count, BSR #7. This means I am very familiar with, indeed have grown to love the drill that goes along with this race. The subway ride to the start way up in North Philly, hanging out on the grassy knoll across the street from the gear buses, warming up by running a few blocks to a wooded area to do what runners do in a wooded area, and the like. Seems like anybody that does any running in Philadelphia has BSR on their calendar, and gives me the (perhaps biased) impression that it is not so much a destination race as it is a magnet for local runners - 15000+ of us.
My strategy is tried and true. Go out fast on the initial (slight) downhill and try to hang on for as long as I can on the subsequent (slight) downhill. Last week in Allentown I was able to hang on for five miles or so, I hoped to at least extend that for a bit. Last year I ran a 55:09, despite the conditions I would be surprised if I could match that. First miles went out a bit more conservative than I have in the last few years, with the first 3 miles clocking in at 16:36 (5:32 pace). Exactly where I wanted to be, not sure if I could hold it. I got some homies - in the form of Andy Cherry and Ian - flanking me at this point and we are working together screaming towards City Hall. Going past Temple (mile 4 in 5:34) and Ian's cheering section by I-676 (mile 5 in 5:32) and things are still going well. We round City Hall and I'm now counting down. I miss the mile 6 marker and passing mile 7 gives me 2 miles in 11:07). Still on target pace and still with Andy and Ian, but now Ian starts to pull ahead and Andy starts to fall back. I don't have it to answer Ian and start feeling the fork. Mile 8 passes in 5:46, indicating the damage to be fairly minimal, and only two miles to go. A good 6-8 people pass me in the final stretch, including Andy who has gotten a good second wind, with my final splits soming in at 5:47 and 5:41. For the umpteenth year I missed the battleships that are mothballed in the water just before the finish and make it across the line in 56:10. 89th place overall and #9 masters finisher.
About what I figured I had in me, maybe a little faster than I should have been thanks to the wind, which was mostly tailwind but did swirl all over the place in stretches. No lessons learned or things to do otherwise here, just a good time.
The great thing about BSR is that almost everybody runs well so everyone is in great spirits at the end. From the finish to the post race food is a little walk, and the for the front people you can hang in this corridor for awhile and get to see friends and rivals and hear instantly how they did. Several local heroes of mine - Freddy Kleven, Bob Schwelm, John Carroll and John Kelly - all older than me, ran really fast times (i.e., better than me) and give me the realization that I still have several years in which to get my times in their range (at which point they'll probably still be beating me). Ian ran sub 55, which I'm happy for him about, John W and Chem Steve both broke 60, Mike ran a 62, Matt ran a 56 and those are just the folks I'm thinking of off the top of my head (i.e., lot of others who I hope will excuse me). PACTC scored really well, esp since we're all old farts, with Jeff Hayes leading us in age graded scoring. Rebecca and her friend Amy also finished strong and happy, but you'll have to look up their times yourself.
Post race had us telling war stories and eating burgers and hot dogs at a most excellent bash at Matt's house, which he bought for the sole reason that it was off Pattison real close to the finish. A celebration to end this day of celebration of all things running in Philadelphia.
This week I will again take it easy and then I'm looking forward to, in the words of The Who, miles and miles and miles and miles and miles in prep for TCM in October. One thing I've learned this spring is how much of a comfort zone, a happy place if you will, that is for me.
This is, by my best count, BSR #7. This means I am very familiar with, indeed have grown to love the drill that goes along with this race. The subway ride to the start way up in North Philly, hanging out on the grassy knoll across the street from the gear buses, warming up by running a few blocks to a wooded area to do what runners do in a wooded area, and the like. Seems like anybody that does any running in Philadelphia has BSR on their calendar, and gives me the (perhaps biased) impression that it is not so much a destination race as it is a magnet for local runners - 15000+ of us.
My strategy is tried and true. Go out fast on the initial (slight) downhill and try to hang on for as long as I can on the subsequent (slight) downhill. Last week in Allentown I was able to hang on for five miles or so, I hoped to at least extend that for a bit. Last year I ran a 55:09, despite the conditions I would be surprised if I could match that. First miles went out a bit more conservative than I have in the last few years, with the first 3 miles clocking in at 16:36 (5:32 pace). Exactly where I wanted to be, not sure if I could hold it. I got some homies - in the form of Andy Cherry and Ian - flanking me at this point and we are working together screaming towards City Hall. Going past Temple (mile 4 in 5:34) and Ian's cheering section by I-676 (mile 5 in 5:32) and things are still going well. We round City Hall and I'm now counting down. I miss the mile 6 marker and passing mile 7 gives me 2 miles in 11:07). Still on target pace and still with Andy and Ian, but now Ian starts to pull ahead and Andy starts to fall back. I don't have it to answer Ian and start feeling the fork. Mile 8 passes in 5:46, indicating the damage to be fairly minimal, and only two miles to go. A good 6-8 people pass me in the final stretch, including Andy who has gotten a good second wind, with my final splits soming in at 5:47 and 5:41. For the umpteenth year I missed the battleships that are mothballed in the water just before the finish and make it across the line in 56:10. 89th place overall and #9 masters finisher.
About what I figured I had in me, maybe a little faster than I should have been thanks to the wind, which was mostly tailwind but did swirl all over the place in stretches. No lessons learned or things to do otherwise here, just a good time.
The great thing about BSR is that almost everybody runs well so everyone is in great spirits at the end. From the finish to the post race food is a little walk, and the for the front people you can hang in this corridor for awhile and get to see friends and rivals and hear instantly how they did. Several local heroes of mine - Freddy Kleven, Bob Schwelm, John Carroll and John Kelly - all older than me, ran really fast times (i.e., better than me) and give me the realization that I still have several years in which to get my times in their range (at which point they'll probably still be beating me). Ian ran sub 55, which I'm happy for him about, John W and Chem Steve both broke 60, Mike ran a 62, Matt ran a 56 and those are just the folks I'm thinking of off the top of my head (i.e., lot of others who I hope will excuse me). PACTC scored really well, esp since we're all old farts, with Jeff Hayes leading us in age graded scoring. Rebecca and her friend Amy also finished strong and happy, but you'll have to look up their times yourself.
Post race had us telling war stories and eating burgers and hot dogs at a most excellent bash at Matt's house, which he bought for the sole reason that it was off Pattison real close to the finish. A celebration to end this day of celebration of all things running in Philadelphia.
This week I will again take it easy and then I'm looking forward to, in the words of The Who, miles and miles and miles and miles and miles in prep for TCM in October. One thing I've learned this spring is how much of a comfort zone, a happy place if you will, that is for me.
posted by seebo | 10:17 PM
2 Comments:
I said before the race that whatever happened, I'd finally look at those damn mothballed battleships that I, too, have missed every year. Somehow I managed to do it.
You know what? They're just battleships.
Anyway, Ace, great running with you yesterday, and onto the miles. This is going to be one good summer.
Steve:
Long time reader, first time caller. I ran into you in the chute and said hi. Great run and I enjoy reading your blog!
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