Girlfriends' Locker Room: Here comes Broad Street

March 30, 2004

Here comes Broad Street

THERESA: With just a few weeks to go until the Broad Street Run (May 2) please share your memories of running this remarkable race!

I've run Broad Street every year since I moved to Philadelphia almost five years ago. The first year was miserably hot and I was daunted by the 10-mile distance, but every year since then, the weather's been beautiful, I've improved my time and the race has been just delightful. I love the steady downhill course, the support from all the bystanders along the way (including Ed Rendell, who likes to high-five runners as we dash -- or slog, as the case may be-- past the Bellevue....) I always feel like crying when I hear that Rocky theme music near the Naval Yard that signals the end is near. It's all so much fun.

Also, every year, I pick up new shoes and running clothes for great prices at the Expo. (Note that this year the location for the Expo has changed: It will be inside the Philadelphia Naval Business Center at the south end of Broad Street.)

For anyone else out there who's done the race, what are your Broad Street memories? We want to post plenty of stories and training tips right up 'til race day! And if you've never done the race before, let us know what's motivating you to sign up this year!

JENICE: My birthday is on the 3rd of May and the Broad Street Run is held the first weekend of the month. So, for me, it's my own personal birthday celebration. It's very self-affirming. It's my way of declaring that "Yeah, world. I'm still here. And I'm still kicking!" Some years I do a decent time. One year, I had a terrible head cold and allergies and barely finished. But I keep going back. I'll never stop. If I live to be 80, I still plan to run in this race!

YVONNE W: This will be the fourth time I have run the Broad Street. I was 49 when I decided to run my first race. I was never a runner, so I started training.

The first race was extremely difficult for me because I didn't know what to expect. My time was extremely slow, but I finished.

The years after that were easier because I knew what to expect.

I'm going to attempt to run that race again this year. It's been two or three years since my last race. I don't have any specific reason (no birthday milestone, not to prove I've still got it) but I think just for the fun of it. For anyone interested in running the race, I'm really slow I'm always in the last 100 (hopefully, not this year). But I get the same satisfaction as someone that placed in the first 100.

Remember drink water along the route.

Comments

I'm missing the Broad Street Run because I'll be doing the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati with a friend from Michigan (sort of halfway). Training is going well, though I was hoping for warmer weather by now.

Posted by: Seema on March 30, 2004 05:52 PM

Anybody wanting a good medium distance run, esp. if you are training for a half or full marathon should run Broad Street. It is a point to point course, which makes it less boring, and is on an overall downgrade, which makes it fast. Also crowd support is excellent, and has included Ed Rendell in the last two years that I've run (look for him on the right by the Academy of Music at Locust Street). The weather during early May is usually good too. Beware though, the quarter mile to go sign comes early.

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