9/11--Baltimore Run to Remember

This past Sunday, I ran in my second official 5k, the 9/11 Run to Remember.  I did the run with my two sisters, Katie and Samantha.  It was an early morning, with a six am wake up call.  I did my normal race routine of coffee, McDonalds Egg McMuffin, and Cliff Bloks.  My sisters and I hit the highway around 6:30 am and got to Baltimore around 7:30. 

Once we parked and walked out of the garage, we got our first glimpse of the festivities.  The Baltimore Fire Department and Police Depart did an excellent job remembering their fallen brothers and sister.  At the start of the race, there were two fire trucks with their ladders raised to meet each other.  The flags flow an American flag.  The announcers told the 9/11 story and recognized all fireman, policeman and military present.  Then a local singer sang the National Anthem.  Being the day it was, half the crowd was crying by the time the song was over.  Then it was time to race! 

It was a great feeling to cross the starting line, running under the crossed ladder and American flag.  The race organizers planned a great course.  We started in front of the Baltimore City hall and police headquarters.  We ran down Lafayette Street, made two right turns, and then ran all the way around Baltimore’s beautiful inner harbor.  I ran the whole first mile.  I set my RunKeeper to 1/1 intervals to complete the race.  By the time we hit the 1.5 mile mark, we were past the inner harbor and had a straightaway down Key Highway.  Once we turned onto Fort Street, we had to run up the steepest hill I had ever run up.  Good thing this was my walk minute!  We made a few more turns and had another hill to run up and I was there!  The finish line at Federal Hill Park!  I ran over the finish line and checked the time clock. 

The clock time said just over forty minutes.  I knew then that I had beaten the time of my first 5k!  I graded a water and a banana, meet up with my sisters and waited for our official chip times to be posted.  My official chip time was 38:40.  According to my Runkeeper, I ran 3.29 miles, at 11:40 per mile.  During my first 5k, the Baltimore Women’s Classic, my time was 41:44.  I beat my time by over three minutes. Even though this was my forth race, the feeling of crossing a finish line never gets old!  It makes all the training worth it. 

This was a great race to be a part of.  The weather was perfect, at about 75 degrees.  There were firemen running the race is full gear.  The Baltimore City Police Department had new their new recruits running the race, chanting all the way.  At each twist and turn on the course, there were police and firemen cheering on the runners. The firemen had the trucks out with lights and sirens on.  I made sure to thank as many of them as I could. 

The finish line party had a Baltimore classic—Natty Boh beer.  They also had Panera Bread bagels, Utz chips and some great music.  My sisters and I took the opportunity to take some great pictures with the Baltimore Inner Harbor as our backdrop and we headed back on the long walk back to my car.  On the way back, we walked past the Baltimore World Trade Center.  They were dedicating the Baltimore World Trade Center 9/11 memorial, with a large piece of steel from the twin towers.  It was very nice to see.  I am honored to be a part of such a great race for a great reason.