Dash for Organ Donation 10K

Today was my first race since the Boston Bombings on Monday.  It’s hard to believe the amount of emotion and terror Boston’s been through since Monday, quite frankly it’s all difficult to wrap my head around.  On Thursday, I found the Dash for Organ Donation 5K/10K online and decided to sign up.  I’m an organ donor myself and have been contacted about being a possible bone marrow donor myself, so this race was for a cause close to me.  I was able to pick up my bib and shirt yesterday at the Gift of Life Program House in downtown Philly and by the grace of the parking gods, they have their own parking lot, so no battling street parking to try and find a spot on the street.

This morning, I was up by 8 and out of my apartment by 8:45.  Even though the 10K didn’t start until 9:40, the 5K started at 9:25 and given that 1/2 of the Kelly Drive Loop is shut down on the weekends now and the strong possibility of the Regatta going on on the opposite side, I was figuring I’d be fighting for parking over by the Art Museum.  I pulled into the free 2 hr parking and thankfully the parking gods liked me 2 days in a row and someone was leaving which left me their spot!  I hung out for a little bit in Lloyd Hall and then headed over to where all the activities were going on for the Dash.  It was so encouraging to see so many people out.  I counted about 20-30 teams out supporting people who’ve been donors or received organ donations.

The couse itself was an out and back course on Kelly Drive.  After last week’s blah 10K race on the hills of KS (which never hit the blog due to travel and Boston), this race was so appreciated.  I love me some flatness!!  The first 5K, I ran in 27:44 (the 10K winners were somewhere close to the finish at that point).  On the way out people were hootin’ and hollerin’ at friends running the 5K which is always good to see and it was the same on the way back for 10Kers who hadn’t hit the turn around.  The second half of Kelly Drive gave me a time of 27:57 (at least I’m consistent!) with an overall time of 55:41.  By the time I finished, the 3K walkers were lining up and you saw a lot of teams coming for the 3K.

The nice thing about today was the weather.  Although a little chilly, it warmed up and the sun was out.  We were all subconsciously running for the 617!  The only downside is that the 5K racers started before the 10K racers.  I feel like it should be the other way around since the 10Kers will take longer to run.  Other than that, race is very well run and something we all needed.  If you’re looking for results, head over here to find them.

**Side note, if you’re looking for Boston Strong shirts, head to City Sports for their BOSTRONG shirts.  They’re $10 each with all proceeds benefiting The One Fund to help victims of the Boston Marathon Bombings**

To Boston, With Love, Philadelphia

Tonight, about 3000 runners and 30 runners took to the streets of Philadelphia to support Boston and those affected by the bombings at the Boston Marathon on Monday.  Something that started out at about 10 locations in Philadelphia on Tuesday/Wednesday turned into 30 by this afternoon.  It was so large, that about 10 minutes before we took ourselves for a run down Market Street, the police blocked off Market Street for us.  Yes, we had that many runners running for Boston.  CBS and ABC were covering the impromptu meetup and Mayor Nutter gave a phone call.  As one of the people from Philadelphia Runner put it, “Let’s not let fear extinguish the running community in this city.  If you’re going to run at Broad Street, run at [the] Broad Street [run], if you’re going to cheer at Broad Street, cheer at Broad Street.  Don’t let the fear stop us from running or stop us from cheering or from training.  Don’t let it stop us from PRing!”  The best way to tell you of tonight’s meet up is to show you:

 

Philadelphia Runner Meet Up; Run for Boston

 

 

All in For Boston

Running Groups meeting up at City Hall

 

Down Market St We Go!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pray for Boston….How to Help

Driving from Kansas to Philadelphia is no easy task.  I spent the better part of Day 2 today listening to events unravel in Boston as the Boston Marathon went from excitement to horror as bombs exploded near the finish.  My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Boston and Massachusetts, as we as runners never thought anything like this would happen in our community or to our sport.  If you’re looking to help, head over here to see how to contact people and how to help those displaced. 

Need a place to stay?  Head over HERE

Have a place to help a runner?  Head over HERE

Are you safe and well but having trouble reaching people or looking to check on someone?  Check with the Red Cross Over HERE

Spread the Word and PRAY FOR BOSTON

How Did Boston Treat You?

Yesterday was the 116th running of the Boston Marathon.  One day, I’ll decide how badly I want to run it and endure Heartbreak Hill and all the glam that comes with Boston.  What can I say, the best I’ve done in the marathon is a 4:54 and it’s ridiculous to try and get the magical BQ time.

Yesterday, it was in mid-upper 80s temperature wise.  Yes Bostoners, I feel your pain.  I ran the 2010 Chicago Marathon.  When I started the race, it was a good 73 degrees outside.  When I finished some 5 hrs and change later, it was 93 and people were lined up at medical tents.  This was 3 years after the 2007 Chicago Marathon which had diverted runners and was canceled after a certain time due to heat.  We had no deferral option (and I’m ok with that, I was running either way).  The BAA gave runners the option to defer their entry to the 2013.  They’d of course have to pay for entry again next year (which isn’t cheap) and lose whatever they put down money wise this year.  The catch? Runners had to pick up their bibs (or email the BAA and have their bibs set aside) AND not start the race yesterday.  Confused?  Take a look at this article tweeted by Runner’s World.  Of the people who registered for Boston, only 427 of the 16% who didn’t race can defer until next year.  Initially, I agree that I was thinking that it was going to be 4,000-5,000 people.  But, since you had to pick up your bib and not start, that changes things.  That’s a plus if you got hurt close to the race and wouldn’t have been able to run this year anyways!  What are your thoughts about deferring Boston?