I got the following Broad Street advice from former PACER and DC nemesis Brian Baillie. He lives in Illinois now. He ran Broad Street in 2007 (51:13) after running about a minute slower on the Cherry Blossom (52:15ish) course a month earlier. Baillie is seen to my left in the photo above.
For Broad Street, if the weather cooperates, I would just get in the slipstream and not even look at splits. When I raced there in 2007 I went out in the second pack (DO NOT go out with leaders, it's like Cherry Blossom but faster because of the terrain) in 4:45/50 but kept that going through at least 4 miles without any extra effort. I ran into side stitch problems around 5 miles had to stop and get my composure, lost contact with the pack I was with and I was in no man's land. Not that fun, especially with a point to point in your hometown where you always know exactly how far away you are. I still ran 51:13, which really tells you how fast that course is. I was fit, and could've run faster, but things went wrong and I ran that fast.
I know a few people ran even on that course, but that takes a whole other level of calm and composure and with a race that big, loud, and exciting you'll get swept up in it. But don't worry about splits like I said before, unless there is a headwind, you'll hum right along and maybe die a bit in the final mile(s) but should run fast. I would recommend a few people to key off but none of the fitter Haverford guys are running and you know that Philly crew that races. Keep in mind I never tell anyone or myself to go out hard without abandon, but there you can.
I know a few people ran even on that course, but that takes a whole other level of calm and composure and with a race that big, loud, and exciting you'll get swept up in it. But don't worry about splits like I said before, unless there is a headwind, you'll hum right along and maybe die a bit in the final mile(s) but should run fast. I would recommend a few people to key off but none of the fitter Haverford guys are running and you know that Philly crew that races. Keep in mind I never tell anyone or myself to go out hard without abandon, but there you can.
1 comment:
In 2007, Kip ran 51:13 at CB and then a few weeks later finished in 49:02 at BS. Now obviously the courses are not 2min different - he just had a better race - but BS is a faster course than CB.
I would agree with Brian's assessment of the course. The first mile is quick, very quick. The description of the course being net downhill is the same as Pike's Peek saying it. You still have to run up some hills.
City Hall is right at Mile 6, and that's where the rolling stops. It flattens out and then it's a scintillating trip through blase-town. I got fooled because I thought the finish was right BY the stadiums, however it's still a good three quarters to a mile away.
The only words of wisdom I have are about the start. It's a cluster, worse than I've seen at other races. We parked at the stadium and took the subway up. The subway was PACKED and there was a really long line just to get onto it. It's obviously about 9 miles away so the trip takes a little bit of time.
Then, with 22,000 runners, the lines for bathrooms are absurd. I wound up having to find a bush on side of the train tracks. So bring some toilet paper if you have those morning concerns, and plan ahead if you are taking the subway from the finish to the start.
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