How to PR your next 10-miler

Make the next 10-miler Philadelphia’s Broad Street Run. It’s entirely downhill! My dad lured me into this one after running just one 5K race years ago, and since then I’ve run it at least five times (by the t-shirt count).

Today marks the 35th Annual Broad Street Run. Go Runners!!! This is a great way for visitors and locals alike to get a sense of how sprawling and diverse the neighborhoods in Philadelphia really are. Starting in Northeast Philly by Girls High, running throught Temple University in North Philly, Center City, South Philly (home of Rocky) and ending at the Naval Yard, on Broad Street the entire way, this race is worth running once, and one that many locals make a tradition of. I’m on the wrong coast this year to join the gang, so here’s how it went down in 2013…

My morning at the Broad Street Run

The morning began at zero dark-30, 45 degrees on Somerville Ave, when a bunch of us freezing runners got to shake Mayor Nutter’s hand. I showed him my “Boston Red Sox” which Mayor Nutter said were “awesome, but where’s your from Philly to Boston with Love sticker?” So I unzipped my throwaway fleece to prove to the Mayor that I am a rule-follower.

Found!

The gun goes off, and we wait 15+ minutes in the sea of runners, to cross the start, luckily (or unluckily) Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” was playing on repeat the entire time – great song! I might never listen to it again.
Mayor Nutter is at the start, hi-fiving all the runners – charismatic guy!

The first 5 miles fly by, literally going downhill. Having not run this race in 10 years, it was awesome to see how clean many of the Philly neighborhoods have become, north to south. Mile 6 gives me a friendly reminder that I haven’t really trained for this race – time to dig deep into the “miles in the bank.” Then comes the tough love sign of the day ( Miriam Edelstein did you plant this?):

Thanks from all Liz’s running Broad Street!

“RUN NOW! BACON LATER! GO LIZ” – thank you – from me, and some other girl named liz.

The bacon fantasy got me through Mile 7, at which point I realized I Shotblocks would have to do for now – nothing like a carb kick towards the end of the race. I was thrilled to see the awesome Methodist staff cheering at Broad & Wolf. Mile 8 – wouldn’t you know it – SWEET CAROLINE is playing again!! Then comes that awful last mile, where you think the entrance to the Navy Yard is the finish line, you start sprinting, and then you realize you’ve got another 1/4 mile – ouch! BUT, at least it wasn’t 26.2!

All worth it in the end! The Philly goodie bag included soft pretzels and tastycakes; I tried to keep it healthy by eating the yogurt & fruit bar, which WAS tasty, but it was cake, not a fruit bar  Gotta love Philly!

Six Months Later at the New York City Marathon

Bacon Motivation lives on