Eliz’s Broad Street Adventure Short Version: • point-to-point 10-miler along the main north-south street in Philly, passing several places of personal significance • essentially flat/downhill • largest 10-miler in the country, so lots of company in the back of the pack Goals: 1. finish, on my own two feet, uninjured and well enough to direct my school concerts two days later – done 2. not be last - done (whew) 3. finish in less than the time I guessed I would when I registered – done 4. finish in under 2 hours – well, almost: 2:05:13 Annoyingly Long Version: I’ve never liked racing. I’m slow. No, really, I’m slow. I’m fine with it and I love to run, but I’ve gotten discouraged in earlier, smaller races because the back of the pack is so lonely. In the past year, every time I committed to a race, I either got sick, hurt, or both, literally within hours of paying the registration. I hurt my knee pretty badly in mid-March, but I was healthy with only a few manageable aches and pains. So I was doing, no, FINISHING, this one no matter what. The race is huge – over 26,000 people registered this year. OK, so the pack of the back couldn’t be that lonely, could it? What should have been a 20 minute drive to the stadium for the subway to the start took over an hour due to rain and traffic. Got on the subway quickly and to the starting area about 15 minutes before the scheduled start. Thought I’d be overwhelmed by the crowd, but instead it energized me. Walked a little, stretched a little, did the OCD thing that I do with my shoelaces until I forced myself to stop and let them be. Chatting with folks around me turned into an almost scary episode of Six Degrees of Separation. Starting gun! Yikes! I’m really doing this! Mostly walked the three or so blocks to the start and then sort of got swept up by the crowd. Went out too fast – newbie mistake and a bad habit of mine, and was feeling pretty lousy until mile 3. Trucked along through the first 4 or so miles feeling overdressed for the 60 humid-to-the-point-of raining degrees, enjoying the sparse but enthusiastic crowds. Mile 5 is just north of City Hall and the course is slightly downhill from there to the end. That was the good news. The bad news is that’s when I noticed that the drizzle had turned to light rain, but it actually felt pretty good at that point. Got emotional as I rounded City Hall. I’d driven on that road so many times; how amazing to run on it. Almost lost it as I saw the Academy – wow, I’ve performed there - but got refocused when I almost literally ran into PA governor Ed Rendell posing for a photo. Bummed that I didn’t have the presence of mind to high-five him. (Or give him an earful about arts and education funding, but I digress.) Passed the Kimmel – wow, I’ve performed there, too – when the rain became steady. Still trucking along, doing my run/walk thing, feet hurting, but otherwise feeling pretty good. Got to the open area just north of the stadium complex – yikes, I really, really need a potty – cool, there’s one with no line – last water stop and I need Gatorade – better visit the “outdoor facility” first – almost to the stadium – hey, there’s where the Vet used to be – spent many fun nights there with Dad – he’d be amazed that I’m doing this – there’s the Bank – just saw the Phillies there – RIP Harry Kalas – can’t wait to see Buffett there again – wait, get your head back in this race, girl. By the middle of mile 9, I was getting fed up with the rain and just wanted this stupid race to be over. That’s when I saw finishers heading back to their cars wearing their MEDALS. They never had medals at Broad Street before. I found out later that it was a special thing for the 30th anniversary. I NEVER got a medal before, and certainly not any kind of award for anything having anything to do with athletics. I’m getting me a race MEDAL, darn it! Gritted my teeth until I got inside of the Navy Yard. The faintly salty smell of the water got me – and the thought of that MEDAL got me across the finish line. Tears, smiles, mud, crowds. No problem. I finished! Spent the rest of the day stretching, eating, and sleeping and felt amazingly good on Monday. In fact, I would have run a few miles, or at least walked, after school on Monday, but it was still raining, and I couldn’t stand the thought of being that wet again so soon. Two Huge Insights I’m a runner: I went to the expo for the Philly Distance Run HM last fall and felt like an interloper, a fraud. At this race expo, I felt like I was in the right place. I’m a runner. I’m slow. I’m old. I’m way too heavy. But I’m a runner. ☺ I like racing: Who’da thought? I value every race I’ve run because I’ve learned and grown from them all, but whereas the others weren’t exactly torture, they sure weren’t much fun, either. This one was. I loved the whole atmosphere – the people in the different neighborhoods, the kids staffing the water stops, the buildings, heck, I didn’t even mind hearing the mummers band in South Philly and I barely noticed the rain until the end. Postscript I signed up for September’s Philly Distance Run at the expo on Saturday, and yep, you guessed it, got hurt today! Not badly – I was rear-ended on the way to school today and am just a little beat up, but nothing's broken, well, except my rear bumper. Oh, yeah, fashion report – Asics Kayano 14s; navy blue running skirt; two-tone blue ¾ length sleeve tech shirt; windbreaker around my waist (another newbie mistake, sorry!), white Brooks hat that was still drenched on Monday morning. And a huge smile every time I look at my medal. If you're still awake at this point, thanks for reading, and heartfelt thanks for all that you share on this forum – you have no clue the extent to which you’ve inspired me. You guys are all awesome. ☺ Eliz

WTG Eliz!!! I sure hope I'll be able to run that far when i grow up. All us newbies are proud of you. I agree, racing is a blast. I've got the couple of actual medals that I've gotten hanging from my dresser mirror and I like looking at them, too. Sorry to hear about your car--but at least you weren't running when it happpened

Love this report Eliz! I also loved how you beared down and gritted your teeth "I'm getting me a Race MEDAL, darn it". That's a true runner's spirit there, and you got it! Bill

Well done! Thanks for the excellent read!

I know you can sing, but you're a writer as well as a runner! I loved the way you recaptured your steam of consiousness as you covered the 10 miles. Congrats, with arpeggios. grins, A ps: I know a nice way to frame a medal with your race number......

Eliz-that race report made my day. I am so proud of and happy for you. I am glad you were able to enjoy and celebrate your success. You earned it.

Please race more so we can read such great reports! Do you think they placed the mummers near the end to make you speed up? Congratulations.

wooohooo!! nice job Eliz!! you rock!!