Sunday, April 19, 2015

Race Recap: BAA 5k

The BAA 5k was an overall great experience and I'm really happy I did it!  The race started and finish at the Boston Common and our hotel, The Park Plaza was steps away.   I love the Boston Common!
I didn't do gear check since I had my husband.  There were plenty of porta potties, but they had run out of toilet paper.  
I found the 7:00 minute corral and hopped in.  It was definitely a crowded race.  There were 10,000 runners and it was self seeding, so the first mile was very crowded and full of many different paces.  This made it very difficulties maintain an even solid pace.  I felt like a Ping pong ball bouncing back and forth looking for openings.  I was getting really stressed out but then decide to just relax, back off the pace and enjoy the sights.  

It was a beautiful course and so neat to run along the same path that the marathon would run on Monday.   So many businesses had signs out supporting the runners...it was amazing!  
As we made the left onto Boylston with the slight downhill and the Boston Marathon finish line ahead, I envisioned how that would feel for Mondays runners (my hubby included).   
I finished without a PR but still happy.  I ran without a phone so I had a hard time finding my people at the end, but luckily we all did.  Was so great to see my friends Laura and Christine who live in the area.  Great race ladies!  

I also ran into fellow blogger, Pavement Runner!  Thanks to him for the pic!  
The course was redesigned this year to be faster and American 5k records were broken that morning.  Molly Huddle pulled ahead to take the record and Ben True took the men's.  Both ran the fastest 5ks on American soil....ever!  My husband was spectating and said the cheers for Molly and Ben were deafening... Avery was covering her ears!  Way to go Ben and Molly!  

I couldn't stay in the finish area too long, as I had a 10am group run with Team Nuun.  So I ran the mile or so down Newbury Street to meet up with them.  
We met at the Tracksmith pop up shop and took a 3 mile loop out to the water and back.  Thanks to Jody from CrossMyHeartFitness for the photo.  
After the run, I headed back to the finish line to eat lunch with the family at SweetGreen and look who I ran into there?  I was in heaven!  

What a fun time!  I will be back next year!  









6 comments:

  1. That sounds like a really cool experience! I probably don't have a shot at qualifying for the Boston Marathon ever, but getting into the spirit with a 5K may be a very cool option some year. Also cool about seeing Huddle and True and new American records. I hear ya on crowded races. That's a lot of people for a 5K so good you just decided to enjoy the experience.

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  2. Oh my goodness! So exciting! Sounds like a great experience! I love the shirt too... So glad you were able to do it this year!!!

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  3. Great job Colleen! What a beautiful day you had for the race + best of luck to your husband out there on the marathon course today!

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    1. It was a gorgeous day for it....Monday for the Marathon...not so much! :-)

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