This past weekend I went to Boston and ran the B.A.A 10K, the second event of the B.A.A Distance Medley. As you may recall, I ran the B.A.A 5K back in April.
While my visit to Boston was short, it was a beautiful weekend for running!
Race Packet Delivery
Just like the B.A.A 5K, no packet pickup! I am getting spoiled by this! Registrants from the United States and Canada received their race packets in the mail (free of charge). Runners picked up their technical tee on race morning.
Race Goals (“A” least probable and “C” most probable)
One of my 2014 goals is to break 1:10:00 in a 10K, which is around 11:15 minutes/mile. This past March I ran a 54:18 at the Pacer’s St. Patrick’s Day 8K, so I knew my time goal was possible.
- A – Break 1:05 (based on an 8K PR)
- B – Break 1:10 (1:09:57 – my 2006 PR)
- C – Break 1:15
My hip flexor was finally feeling better after 3 weeks of discomfort, but I was a bit nervous as to how it would impact my performance.
B.A.A 10K
My sister lives in Somerville, MA which is about a 15-20 minute train ride to Boston Common (Tufts is very close to Somerville). We left her apartment for a 15 minute walk to the T. I ate my banana and drank water along the way. It was a nice cool 60 degrees out.
I arrived to the start area around 6:45am and went to pickup my shirt (everything is well labeled).
The B.A.A 10K shirts were blue! I wonder what the B.A.A half shirts will look like this October.
Sitting around and stretching before the start. It was so nice not wearing layers!
The 10K course, like the 5K course, starts in Boston Common, around the Public Garden, and west on Commonwealth Avenue. Runners continue past Boston University before looping back towards the finish.
The corrals were self-seeding again, I believe there were approximately 8,000 runners. There were two waves that started about 10 minutes apart. I did not have any particular issues with weaving around people (but others may have been weaving around me).
I wish I captured more photos of the actual race – like the hill we ran up/down by Boston University – I actually ran the entire way up (thanks to Rock Creek)! I was quite happy with my splits, considering how nervous I was with my hip flexor and it was starting to heat up at mile 4 (no shade).
- Mile 1 – 11:17 oooph the first mile is always a drag
- Mile 2 – 10:57hmmm don’t go too fast
- Mile 3 – 11:03 wow maybe I’ll maintain this pace, ugh uphill!
- Mile 4 – 10:55 yess….downhill!
- Mile 5 – 10:50 almost there
- Mile 6 – 11:00 nicee!
Because the finish line is the same as the B.A.A 5K I had an idea of how to pace myself at the end. My unofficial time was 1:08:05 and my official time 1:09:10, a PR and beating my “B” goal. I may have stopped my watch a couple of times by accident, which would explain the variance.
Post race food and drinks – so organized! Water, Gatorade, bagels, craisins, and power bars.
A happy Jennifer!
Long line for the hamburgers (free for runners)…while it smelled good, I was not up for a hamburger at 9:30am plus I did not want to wait.
Walking through the Public Garden.
Final Thoughts
- The course is pegged as flat and fast – it is. But there is a gradual incline between miles 3 and 4 (not much shade in that section).
- Well branded – love the medals and race shirt.
- Water water everywhere! They had stops at each mile.
- Not as congested as the B.A.A 5K.
- The course closed 1.5 hours after the start, which I believe is a 15 minute/mile (although I think they kept it open longer).
- They also held a kid’s fun run after the 10K
- The medal and food lines were really organized and quick (everyone was not bagged this time).
- Easy access to public transportation and close to Boston Public (where my medal shot is).
- Everything is well labeled and marked (they even had signs for each kilometer).
The B.A.A knows how to put on a race and is a well oiled machine. I am excited to run the B.A.A Half Marathon as the last race of the distance medley. Registration opens in July if you are interested 🙂 (I am already signed up via the DM).
Of course I must share my post race sweet after my post race brunch – the Cookie Monstah! I had the Salted Caramel ice cream sandwich.
Have you ever run a race medley or back to back races?
Any cool post race food at the finish area?
