So cold on the start got me moving too fast, too soon to get the blood flowing. Crossed the first mile marker at 9:05 and knew I'd be dead by the first two miles if I kept that up so backed off, but didn't feel like my legs really got warm until after 15-20 minutes moving. Kept up with JJJ for the first two miles, then let myself eat his dust instead of collapsing, hoping he was feeling good about our aggressive start. Caught glimpses of him at the next couple of turns, but didn't try to catch up.

Kept water intake to sips, not because I didn't need it, but because I knew a restroom was an hour away and didn't want to push it. The sun came out directly overhead taking us from shivering to sweating by the halfway point. Started to get dehydrated around mile 4, still being overly conservative with my water intake, and got really fatigued really fast. Cheered on by cars and a long line of leather-clad bikers on the other side of the meridian helped encourage me to pull out everything I had for mile 5+. Took a couple seconds at every water station along the way, but was proud to not let that drag or walk any part of the couse. Wouldn't let myself slow after hearing each split that indicated I was on my way to breaking an hour.

Finish line in sight: two ladders and a huge flag framing the street in front of the firehouse and the clock about to hit an hour. Kicked it up to a high gear I didn't know I had and passed about 5 or 6 other runners to bring it in for a PB of under 1 hour.

Got the best compliment at the race finish! A woman stopped me just moments after I did my little PB-Under-An-Hour-Dance! and told me that I did really well and thanked me since she was following me practically the whole race since my pacing was really good. That was really cool to hear!

Google maps. Earlier arrival to warm up inside.

Stop one: RESTROOM. Stop two: RACE SHIRT. Really good shirts at this one. Long sleeve cotton, thinner and breathable, comfy sizing (not too tight around the wrists) and very subdued graphics - I'll definitely use this one as training layer running this fall/winter. Stop three: BEER. Yum. Stop four: INSIDE Brrr. Plenty of room inside Florian Hall to stretch out a bit in the warmth. Upon going back to the car to put on additional layers to head back to the celebration, we both realized we were STARVING and decided to head out to Santarpios for celebratory pizza.


No real warm up or stretching pre-race, and did not attend to my poor bladder prior to the run. Getting up earlier to have a real breakfast may have helped as well.


I like this course better than Tufts 10k which I've done three years in a row. Much more scenic, inclines are all gradual and no sharp turn-arounds. Beer and band (pretty good Irish party band) post race is also a plus, as well as 1/10th the participants. I definitely want to do this one next year, and will probably think of Tufts as my warm-up, rather than the big event.