Bolder Boulder 10K
Last year, I ran a remote version of this race in Iraq. That is still my PR for 10K. However, the tag line for this race is "Sea Level is for Sissies". Since Balad is only at 164 feet ASL, I felt the need to remedy that by running the real thing. The highest point on the course is at 5391 feet.
I went into this with the plan to finish well. My only specific goal was to beat 12:00/mile pace. I ran the 6.2 miles in 1:12:24.74 for a 11:39/mile pace. I am very happy with this result. It might be my slowest 10K race, but it is well in line with my expectations considering the elevation and where I am with regard to my fitness. The only time I really felt the elevation was during the climb into the stadium.
This race has several wave at the start to spread the crowd (over 50 thousand strong this year) out. I was in wave M. This is for military affiliated runners. We had folks from all services represented. We even had a couple local SWAT team members running with us. There was an older gentleman starting with us who has run every Bolder Boulder. The most notable group to start with us was a formation of Marines running in utilities and with the first pair carrying an American flag and a Marine Corps flag.
Crowd support was great. The performers were all quite good. There were even a few locals providing music at their homes. There were American flags everywhere. The course winds through part of downtown and some residential neighborhoods. There were a couple places where there were spectators armed with supersoakers or buckets. I ran through the one sprinkler. I declined to jump in the pool near halfway. I remember the Blue Brothers near the start. There was at least one Elvis on the sidelines and at least one I saw running. I remember a couple groups of belly dancers. There were many little kids running in the race around me. I wish I had some of that energy.
This race is a Memorial Day race and there are aspects that acknowledge that. One that I used was a second bib, worn on the back, that you can add the names of service members you are honoring/remembering with your run. I had the names of three on mine. The first, Michael Boelter, is an old friend of mine whom I had served with many years. He died in 2008 just after returning from Iraq. He had also served in Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield/Storm and was a Vietnam veteran where he had served in the Navy. The second, Edward "Smitty" Smith, was a retired member of my USAF unit (and the husband of a current member). He died earlier this year after a fight with cancer. The third name, Pamela Bishop, was another retired member who lost her battle with cancer at the beginning of May.
I went into this with the plan to finish well. My only specific goal was to beat 12:00/mile pace. I ran the 6.2 miles in 1:12:24.74 for a 11:39/mile pace. I am very happy with this result. It might be my slowest 10K race, but it is well in line with my expectations considering the elevation and where I am with regard to my fitness. The only time I really felt the elevation was during the climb into the stadium.
This race has several wave at the start to spread the crowd (over 50 thousand strong this year) out. I was in wave M. This is for military affiliated runners. We had folks from all services represented. We even had a couple local SWAT team members running with us. There was an older gentleman starting with us who has run every Bolder Boulder. The most notable group to start with us was a formation of Marines running in utilities and with the first pair carrying an American flag and a Marine Corps flag.
Crowd support was great. The performers were all quite good. There were even a few locals providing music at their homes. There were American flags everywhere. The course winds through part of downtown and some residential neighborhoods. There were a couple places where there were spectators armed with supersoakers or buckets. I ran through the one sprinkler. I declined to jump in the pool near halfway. I remember the Blue Brothers near the start. There was at least one Elvis on the sidelines and at least one I saw running. I remember a couple groups of belly dancers. There were many little kids running in the race around me. I wish I had some of that energy.
This race is a Memorial Day race and there are aspects that acknowledge that. One that I used was a second bib, worn on the back, that you can add the names of service members you are honoring/remembering with your run. I had the names of three on mine. The first, Michael Boelter, is an old friend of mine whom I had served with many years. He died in 2008 just after returning from Iraq. He had also served in Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield/Storm and was a Vietnam veteran where he had served in the Navy. The second, Edward "Smitty" Smith, was a retired member of my USAF unit (and the husband of a current member). He died earlier this year after a fight with cancer. The third name, Pamela Bishop, was another retired member who lost her battle with cancer at the beginning of May.