This is a very large race. They announced that 11000 people were signed up. (I saw 8600 official finishers on Active.com) I was in corral #4 and with about 1000 people in each corral nothin much happened when the gun went off. After a minute or so we started walking and after 2:16 I crossed the starting line. I took it nice and easy for the first mile not bothering to waste energy by weaving back and forth thru the crowd, and let that serve as my warm up. I slowly eased up to my race pace of 8:00 miles. I had done a HIM the week before so I was just there to enjoy the run and have fun, not set a PR. I started moving up thru the field as the mob started to thin a bit. I found a couple in a obnoxious orange shirt and dark red shorts who were doing my pace and opening me a path so I fell in behind them for about 6 miles. I hit 5K at 24:52 and 10k at 49:23. I eased up the effort a bit after halfway dropped my guides. I enjoyed the day, talking to folks around me (I don't think all of them were too thrilled to chat), cheering on the spirit squads, and thanking the volunteers at the water stations. It was alot of fun! I did almost bite the pavement going over the brigde crossing the river, but that was my own fault. I hit 10 miles at 1:20:11. The last 5K I finally started to feel the effects of last week's 70.3 miles race and my pace feel off a bit but there were a couple of long rolling hills over that segment as well. Either way I started losing ground and having more folks passing me over that stretch. No matter I was still running fairly easy. The crowd really grew and was great as we approached the finish and the last tenth of a mile the spectators really closed in. They cut the road in half and you felt like you were in one of those Tour De France climbs. Very Cool.
This is a great course, thru a great city.

Nothing. This certainly wasn't a PR type race with the massive number of runners and the HIM I did last week, but it was a great way to regain some of that confidence I lost on the Diamonman Run leg and I got a good dry run for the Philly Marathon this Winter.

Took off my chip, got a very cool finisher's medal, hit the post race expo, and walked back to Market ST and my car.


Did the PDR as a training run and a morale boost and the mission was accomplished.


I know some people hate huge races like this but Philly is home to 3 outstanding running events (Broad Street Run, Philly Distance Run, and the Philly Marathon). These events are well run, well supported, and there is world class competition (Dena Kastor won the Woman's race and set a course record and set a new American record (Breaking Joan Beniot's record also set at the PDR)). I'd highly reccommend it.