The Boilermaker 15K Road Race. It’s quite an event in Utica. The crowd is out in full force supporting runners with water, ice, popsicles, gin and tonics….gin and tonics? Well, yeah, that’s what I heard when passing one group handing out cups. I didn’t touch that one.
We all line up in our color coded corrals and wait for the BOOM. The first BOOM is the wheelchair racers. They take off 15 minutes before runners. The 2nd BOOM is our signal. It takes some runners 10 minutes to reach the starting line after that 2nd signal. The race was open to 14000 people this year.
Our goal is, not necessarily the finish line but the Post Race Party with the beer and the fly overs and the stinky…. well, not the stinky, sweaty people, but after enough beer on a hot day when you don’t have anything else in your stomach, you don’t care.
The race begins with an elevation gain during the first 4 miles of the run. No matter how often I run this part of the course, it beats me up. Coming out of the golf course, down hill is always a great feeling but then it gets flat and sunny. I poured ice over my head, over my wrists and put ice down my shirt (Boston trick!). It wasn’t as hot as it was humid. Heavy air and heavy legs.
I tried to save something for the final mile and I think I did but maybe a bit too much. My time this year was off by a minute from last year BUT, I’m happy with my age group results.
17 of 498 females and 1681 overall. My time: 1:14:10, average pace 7:58.
A nice, even paced run, with negative spits except for that nasty 8:20.
Mile Times:
- 8:03
- 8;02
- 8:03
- 8:23
- 7:17
- 7:51
- 8:20
- 7:35
- 7:53
- For the last .3 of a mile = 2:42
The finish line:
Waiting at the Trolley Car
I see Teddy!
Here come the “Cup Crusher Bike Team”: Gene, Ted, and Bob
The two proud finishers of The 2012 Boilermaker, 35th Year!
And now… the post race party
With that crowd, the sweat, the smell, the heat and the long lines for beer, it’s not fun to hang out too long. You try to avoid touching anyone which is near to impossible but then again, they don’t want to touch you. Sweat and stink – it’s what we all look forward to while enjoying our Saranac beer.
Happy Boilermaker 2012 everyone!
I love how widely celebrated running is my friend – what an event 😀
Well done to you and T!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Great job Joanne and Teddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And of course the bike team :), yeah Dad!
Wish we could have been there for you and to see one of Utica’s best events.
Thanks Pam. Wish you guys could be here as well. We’ll see you soon though.
Great job! At least some of the high temps came down a bit this weekend, although maybe not for the Boilermaker?
Thanks Lori. The temp. dropped a bit but the humidity was so high. It wasn’t too bad but then again, I had practice running in heat during Boston. Nothing could be that bad.
Congrats Joanne! You ran a really nice, solid race there. Way to go.
Thanks. I kept a good pace, didn’t feel horrible after the race, and ended up with a good ranking finish for my age group.
Wow you did an amazing job! That race sounds like fun although that beginning uphill would kill me because we live in flat land and training for hills is hard. Of course I only do a 5K distance too. 🙂
Sometimes I think the shorter distances are harder than the longer ones.
Great job! I cant believe anyone can run in those temps came down a bit over the weekend but whoooooah! that;s an awesome accomplishment… you look fantastic by the way!
Thanks Claudia. As you know, our temps are anything like you endure in FL. We can’t complain being that the winters are so crappy.
What a fun event! And you totally KILLED IT – wahooo!
I’m not one for sticking around in the crowd after a race. The sweaty/stinky factor is too much for me. 🙂