Bolder Boulder

On May 26, Memorial Day, I ran my first 10k.  I mean, I'd run a 10k distance before, but this was my first event.  It was the Bolder Boulder, billed as "America's All-Time Best 10k".  I hadn't really been training for it, but my work was participating in the "business challenge" and encouraging us to enter.  I didn't have an bike races going on that weekend, so I figured 'Why not?'

I'd been running quite a bit, but usually shorter distances during my daughter's soccer practices and stuff.  But I have been getting into much better shape.  And I'd run 10k a few times so far this year, as part of Strava Challenges.  Every month, the Strava web site posts various cycling and running challenges.  Sometimes, they are as simple as "how many miles can you bike this month", but they also have additional challenges, like "can you get this much climbing on your bike in X days", or "run a 10k this month".  Then you compare results with other Strava users.  They've had a couple 10k challenges this year, and I've done one or two.  And as luck would have it, they had a 10k challenge for the month of May, which worked out perfect with the Bolder Boulder.

So I signed up.  I think we had nearly 20 people from my office there.  However, I never saw any of them.  I believe there were more than 55,000 people participating this year, so the chances of seeing someone you know if pretty slim.  We didn't plan any kind of meet-up as an office, and I had no idea who else was running, so it would have just been chance to run into anyone.

I've done a bunch of 5k runs, mostly with my daughter.  When I'm was running with her, I mostly just kept to her pace, but try to push her a little bit.  This would be too far of a run for her at this time, so this one was just me.

With 55,000 people flowing into Boulder on a single morning, they recommended taking one of their buses into town, which seemed like a good idea to me.  I drove to one of the park n' rides and hopped on the RunRide bus, which took me right to the start line.  Piece of cake.  Once I got there, I walked around a little bit, and got in a warm-up jog.  Shortly before my start time, I wandered around to find my place in line.  They start you by your estimated finishing time, which you give them when you register.  I ended up in Heat G.  I think they were sending off a heat about every minute.

I found my spot, and a couple minutes later, we were off!  I quickly realized that I probably should have been in a faster heat.  I think I could have entered in one group faster, but that was about it.  Once you try to register for one of the even faster groups, they need you to provide results from another race, or results from a treadmill test at a qualifying place.  Since most of my previous timed events were run with my daughter, I didn't really have any good times to show them, and I didn't feel like going to run on a treadmill to qualify.  So, I put myself in what I thought was a reasonable category for someone like me.  Unfortunately, I ended up having to weave around tons of people as I was trying to pass them all.  I've learned my lesson for next year, I suppose.

Bolder Boulder is a pretty amazing event.  Boulder is an awesome town, with great views and beautiful neighborhoods.  The route weaved through those neighborhoods, where people everywhere were out on the sidewalks, their front lawns or their porches cheering on the runners.  There were bands playing along the course, an Elvis impersonator, slip n slides, belly dancers, and frat guys offering Doritos and beer.  It was quite a spectacle.

There are an insane amount of people at this race.  This shows one wave going off.  Racers waiting to start extend off into the distance.

I felt really good the entire race, and think I could have gone faster if I didn't spend so much time weaving around other participants.  The race ends at Folsom Field, the University of Colorado Stadium, which is cool.  You enter the stadium and run around the field with tons of people in the stands cheering on the runners.  I would have loved to make a sprint for the finish, but just like the rest of the race, it was crazy-crowded.  People were slowing down or walking, and I just couldn't do anything about it.  So I eventually made my way to the finish line with everyone else.  My official time was 54:31, or 8:46 / mile.  This was a personal-best 10k for me, which is awesome.  I had a great time, and am looking forward to doing another one of these.  And I plan to come back to Bolder Boulder next year.

Folsom Field, with the Flatirons in the background.  Great place for a run.

There are pictures available from course photographers, but I don't feel like buying them.  Just pictures of me running, which isn't all that exciting.

Here's my Strava info:


OK, that was fun.  Now back to biking . . .