Baltimore 10 Miler, 2017

The Baltimore 10 Miler was held Saturday, June 3, 2017. The weather was perfect, about 64 degrees at 7:30 am, 70 degrees by 9 am, with only 3-4 mph wind. The race started at 7:30 am, with the runners crowded together in four successive waves (based on estimated finish time). I was in the third wave.

      There were 3,900 runners (1,539 men, 2,361 women). The course was quite crowded for the whole route. Water stations were set up intermittently from the 3 mile point to the end of the race. Police officers patiently controlled traffic at each street intersection.

      The race started and finished in Druid Hill Lake Park, near the Maryland Zoo. The course ran from Druid Hill Park, across an overpass above the Jones Falls Expressway, along Wyman Park Drive to Art Museum Drive, then onto Howard St., then left onto 28^th St, along 28^th St. to Greenmount Ave., then left onto Greenmount Ave., then up Greenmount to 33^rd St., then right onto 33^rd St., along 33^rd St. to Lake Montebello, then around Lake Montebello and back to 33^rd St., along 33^rd St. and then right onto The Alameda, then left and back down The Alameda, then right onto 33^rd St. and along 33^rd St. back to Greenmount Ave., then south on Greenmount Ave. to 28^th St., and then back to Druid Lake Park.

      Dave Berdan was the men’s winner in 53:47. Teresa Welsh was the women’s winner in 1:29:54.

      My finish time was 1:48:20 (which was better than I expected, because I was hampered by muscle strains, stiffness, and limited stride length throughout the race). Overall, I was 2395^th of 3,900 runners, and 30^th of 63 in the 60-64 age group.

      This was the first time I’d run a road race in a while. I think I know now how to get ready for the next one. I felt pretty relaxed throughout the race, and I’m looking forward to running better next time, hopefully.