My Broad Street Run Experience in 2011- “Get Out of my Way!”
Sunday, May 1, 2011 was an experience to say the least. I have done the Broad Street every year since I was 26 and have consistently beat my time every year for the most part. In May 1, 2005 my first ever Broad Street Run, I finished in 1:48, and this past Sunday, I completed it in 1:25, so that’s a lot of improvement over the past seven years. My best year was two years ago, when I completed the run in a 1:24 time frame. I tried to beat that last year, but failed by a minute. The 90 degree heat in 2010 held me back, so I was determined to beat my time this year. I did by ten seconds, but I completed the run again at 1:25, and that just wasn’t good enough for me. I wanted to complete it between 1:22 and 1:23.
I have to say it was my most unpleasant Broad Street Run experience I ever had mainly because of the thousands of people. I just couldn’t get ahead and I tried to by running on the sidewalks on Broad Street that were not part of the course, so I was up and down and dodging police tape to run on the sidewalks the whole time.
I was on a mission to perform despite a bad foot. It was just too hard to get ahead. Whenever I was forced on the course I was stepping on people’s heels and it just wasn’t as enjoyable as years past. If anyone from the Broad Street Run Coordinating Team is reading this, please stop allowing 30,000 people to register. This year there were about 5,000 more finishers than last year even though both years maxed out at 30,000 registrants. Those few thousand more made a difference for anyone competing for a time.
I am glad a lot of the money benefits charity, but if they are going to keep allowing that many thousands to run down Broad Street, I think they should allow runners to qualify. One friend told me that people who can’t run 10 miles in under two hours should stay home! I agree. It takes the fun and beauty out of the race. As for my friend Lauren, a first time BSR runner she said, “This was my first year running the race. Although it was difficult, it was a lot of fun and I definitely will do it again next year. My only grievance was that it was overly crowded. From start to finish, it was hard running having to bob and weave around people. I think it also affected the runners times. I know they capped the entries this year, but something should be done next year so that the run is not so crowded. At the end of the day it is for a great cause and I am really happy I ran the run.”
It’s also my favorite race that I hope to continue to run and compete for my time every year, but only if people aren’t consistently in my way:)
Friends, Matthew Stevens (on the left) and Lauren Nickles (in the middle) and I (right) after completing the Broad Street Run. I convinced Lauren to run over a glass of wine the night before, and she did amazing with a 1:35 finish time. She plans on registering for the race every year.