Baltimore Half Marathon

After all of the drama surrounding the Chicago Marathon last weekend, it was a welcome sight to wake up to a beautifully sunny, chilly Saturday morning. The heat and humidity left Baltimore just in time for this year’s event.

I joined over 14,000 people, from other countries, 48 states, and of course throughout Maryland, for the 7th annual Baltimore Marathon. The weather was perfect, which helped fuel the tremendous energy that you could feel just walking (or running) through downtown.

The race began near the Harbor at Light and Conway Streets, took a big loop through the city and ended at Ravens Stadium. Here’s a map of the course.

Baltimore Half Marathon Course Map

I started the race strong and felt pretty good until I hit mile 9 or 10. My calves literally felt like the muscles were about to tear as I trudged up 33rd Street. Even then, stopping never really crossed my mind, and when I thought about walking I realized that it would just mean even more time until I was done. So, I continued on and finished the 13.1 miles in just over 2 hours. This was a bit slower than I was hoping for, but if nothing else, it gives me a time to beat in the next one.

Perhaps the best part of the race was running through so many different neighborhoods. Throughout the race, people were standing on the sides cheering you on and offering encouragement, high-fives, gummy bears, and even beer. This was such a great way to connect so many different people in one event, and really made the runners feel like we were a part of the city.

It also gave a lot of people the chance to see parts of Baltimore that they never go to. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been on Washington Street in East Baltimore. It also showed some of the progress that certain areas have made. I heard countless people mention how nice Lake Montebello is, and wonder why they had never been there before.

Initially, I was quite disappointed to learn that iPods were not allowed for the race. It wasn’t until I got to the start line that I realized at least half of the runners were wearing theirs. While I’m sure the iPod would have helped my running, this also gave me a chance to experience the event in a way I wouldn’t have been able to had I been cut off from other people by my music.

This is definitely a great event for Baltimore and I’m glad I had the chance to be a part of it.