Yesterday the weather was perfect for the Baltimore Running Festival.  The day started early with Dad and I climbing into the car and heading downtown at 6:30 in the morning.  We headed to the start line of the full marathon to see Katie and Rachel off.  The crowd is huge and finding them was impossible.  I decided to hold up my signs and see if I get their attention.  It works!  After about 20 minutes I see Katie and Rachel coming at me through the crowd.  I head over and join the rest of the group for the FIRM to cheer them on as the confetti fires and the full marathon begins. 

Next up is my own event.  Steph was kind enough to hold the signs and my jacket for me as we head to the same start line the full marathon used.  The race began and Dad, Sara and myself start out 5K.  The first 2 miles it seems is up hill.  This I remember from 2005.  We all stay together until we take the turn downhill.  I have been practicing my downhill technigue.  I shift my hips forward and let gravity do its job.  I tried to make sure I looked good for both of my photo ops.  ;)  As I am passing by the 3 miles sign I head my phone beeping.  A sign that Kate and Rachel made it to their first split.  I charge through Camdem Yards to the finish line.  My time was 34:39.  Not my best by any stretch of the imagination, but definitely not my worst either.  Dad and Sara follow around shortly after at around 36:08.  Definitely a good time for Dad with the way his knees have been lately.

Now it is time to move over to the start of the half-marathon to see off Tawanda, Greg, and my counsin Jon.  We spotted Greg as he went through and I managed to pick my cousin and his friend Mary Ann out of the crowd, but I never spotted Tawanda.  After the large crowd running the half makes their way past us we jump down from our perch on the median of Light street and walk to the other side of the street where the full marathon half point it.  After a few minutes we see Rachel and Katie coming towards us.  They  both looked great and were smiling when they saw us.  With smiles on our own faces we head back to the finish to find out ideal vantage for seeing everyone coming down the home stretch.  On our way back we got interviewed by the sun paper and actually made it into an article which was cool.  My name wasn’t mentioned but you do see mention of my posters.  :D  We then move on and set up came at the finish.  We were pretty much right across the street from the place where my parents waited for me last year. 

First coming home is Greg.  We made sure Steph has Greg’s poster and all start anticipating him coming through.  We finally spot his orange shirt coming towards us and start screaming and cheering.  Steph heads off to find him at the finish.  Next up is my cousin Jon who seems to have sped up from the split we received from him.  I pull out his poster.  He looks awesome as well!  We all cheer him on as he goes by. 

With our two of our half marathoners having gone by it is time to look for our full marathoners.  Katie and Rachel finally came by looking just as good as they did at the half way point.  Several people head off to retrieve Kate and Rachel from the finish line and we start our look out for Tawanda.

Expecting to see Tawanda next I was standing and holding her poster.  Then I spot Jeff coming right at me, looking awesome as well.  I quickly pull out his poster and start cheering him on as he goes by.  Tawanda followed shortly after looking great and beating her goal time by almost 8 minutes.  We headed to the finish line to try to find her but the crowds were crazy.  I dialed her cell but didn’t get an answer.  We finally give up and start walking back to the car.

My cell phone starts ringing and it was Tawanda.  I answer and ask where she is and she said at the result tent.  I looked up realizing I too was at the result tent!  I spotted her standing in line and got to run over and congratulate her on the great time for her first half.  Katie also stopped with me to congratulate her. 

Unfortunately I didn’t get to congratulate Jeff in person, but I will hold on to his poster because I am sure I will have the oppurtunity to use it again or at least give it to him in person.   Maybe at the metric marathon in December?

What would make the perfect ending to the perfect day?  A petite filet and sweet potato casserole from Ruth’s Chris of course.  *drool* 

Watching the races got me excited about possibly doing the Maryland Double next year, which includes running the Frederick half and the Baltimore Half.  Unfortunately the Frederick half is the same weekend as Minnie Marathon next year.  :P  So the Maryland Double will have to wait till 2009.  Next year, I will tackle the relay!

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 14th, 2007 at 1:18 pm and is filed under Health, Race Report, Running. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.