Rave Run: Washington DC

The National Mall in Washington, DC

BAA 10K Recap

The start and finish of the BAA 10K (picture via BAA)

Today I ran the BAA 10K - and it was a wet one. While there were slight tweaks to the course, it was more or less then same as the previous years, starting and ending at the Boston Common, with the turnaround point happening in the middle of BU's campus.

Before the race began and during the first two miles it was pouring, then the rain let up a bit for the rest of the race. However, that didn't deter many people from coming out, as the field was packed. It made the start a little more disorganized than usual, but with many people not racing for a PR today, it wasn't a problem.

This was actually the first time I've ever run this race without it being really, really hot out, which was kind of nice. Given the disorganized start, I focused on running negative splits, which was fun and allowed me to feel strong the entire race. Overall it was nice to get in a good run, despite the rain, and have the rest of the day to relax.

Rave Run: Amsterdam

Huidenstraat in Amsterdam

JP Morgan Corporate Challenge Recap

The start of the race (picture via JP Morgan)

Last week I ran the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge, taking place on a weekday evening in Boston. The race - which is 3.5 miles - had over 9,000 runners, mostly in large corporate teams. Needless to say, it was a crowded.

The course was almost identical to the BAA 5K. The only difference is that the turnaround point was 0.2 miles further down the road (in Kenmore Square), and the route back was on Commonwealth Ave, rather than Boylston Street. It worked well because the road is wide and it was really easy for people watching to see runners go back and forth. The start and finish line was in between the Boston Common and Public Garden.

The only downside was that the race started about 15-20 minutes late, and the race organizers felt it was necessary to introduce several people from JP Morgan and other sponsors - which only further delayed the start. Otherwise is was a nice, flat and energetic run through Boston on a beautiful and warm evening.

Luxembourg Half Marathon

All smiles after the race

ALast week we travelled to the small country of Luxembourg - nestled in between France, Germany and Belgium. While we were there (in Luxembourg City, the capital), we ran the ING Night Half Marathon, which winds through the beautiful city.

Since it's light out to late in Luxembourg (it get dark after 10 p.m. at the end of May), the 7 p.m. race start time meant we were running the entire half in daylight. It's a bit strange running at night rather than the morning, and changes the way we approached the day.

The race begins and ends outside of the city center, at LuxExpo, which is the convention center serving the city. It's about 3 miles from the center and there are buses that bring runners and spectators back and forth. The course goes through some neighborhoods located outside the city center, winds through the beautiful valley parks, then hits the city center. In the center (and several spots in the neighborhoods) the streets are lined with people - and they're really loud. It had the atmosphere of a major US marathon, which is without a doubt helped by the fact that people can have drinks and food before/while they watch the race (no need to wake up early for this one).

There were about 12,000 runners entered into the race (there was a full marathon as well - many of those folks were running when it finally got dark out). The start location wasn't quite prepared for that many runners and spectators, but once the race began everything was organized and ran smoothly. It was a great way to see a city, and for a city this small, we saw a lot of it. Plus, there's something very unique and special about running through a European city center, where there are cobblestone streets and stunning squares.

After the race there was essentially a carnival both at the finish area and in the city center - people were out and there was tons of food and drinks, making for a run environment. Overall it was a unique and fun experience.