Tags
13.1 miles, Benjamin Franklin, City Hall, City of Brotherly Love, Half marathon, National Football League, Philadelphia, Philadelphia PA, Rock n Roll Half Marathon, runners road running, Running, Schuylkill River, Sports
Perfect temps – 52 degrees at the start for the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Philadelphia PA.
Recovering from a bout with dehydration at the Virginia Beach Rock n Roll Half 2 weeks prior, a cold that insisted on lots of bed-rest and a severe case of “indecision”…let’s just say I had NO performance expectations for this event. Team TRI Sistahood had split up for the weekend — with Jill becoming a Savage Bitch for the second year in a row on Saturday (woo ha!!) (more on this in a separate post) – and my waiting waiting waiting for enough energy to attempt some mileage via Brotherly Love on Sunday!
Sunday morning arrived, and I still wasn’t sure if I should attempt 13.1. But what’s the worst that could happen -eh? The combined running vibe. mesmerizing landscape and cheers from the crowd – helped make the miles go by! 25,000 runners participated in this very festive event in downtown Philadelphia. The first half of the course weaved through the historic and arts district – past City Hall, along Market Street and roadways named for Ben Franklin. The second half of the route then turned along Fairmont Park which borders the Schuylkill River. For 3 miles, the run is on the east side of the river, and the last 4 miles is on the west side. The park is a gem – with large trees shading much of the course, wide roads, and picturesque views of the river. It was easy to become distracted from running! The crowds were spectacular – cheering us on and willing our legs to go just a tad faster – to cross the finish line.
