BolderBoulder

I signed Bill and I up BolderBoulder 10K some time last Fall.  It was somewhat spare of the moment, following a FB post about BB from our friend Wade who is one of the organizers of the race.  

Bill has done running races, bike races and triathlons before.  I had only done a 5K run and walking 10K fund raisers.  But since I had kept up my running a few times a week since April, I thought that having a good would keep me on track.

Over 50 thousand people run BolderBoulder and it is considered one of the best races in the US.  It is a very organized event (good job to Wade and team!) and great fun that includes the whole community.  There is around a hundred waves with different starting times.  The first 30 waves are qualified, with qualifying times from other races.  The non-qualified waves are also ranked based on your best guess of your run, job and walk times.  To be conservative, I signed us up for the first run/walk wave 90-120 minute group.

12 weeks ago we each got an email from BolderBoulder reminding us to train.  We followed probably 50% of the training regime.  Once the weather got better, we tried to run outdoors as much as we could.  Our trainer Kyle took his class to a trail run that ended up being a 3.7 miles very hilly run a week before BolderBoulder, that turned out to be a great prep run for us.

With my parents watching the kids, we rode the bus to BB and got there an hour before our starting time of 8:53 am.  The run goes through neighborhoods where everyone is cheering you on, hosing you down with water (it was a pretty hot day), and passing out snacks.  I refused the Doritos, bacon, and cupcakes, but the ice Popsicles were a lifesaver!  Once through Pearl street, you head towards CU Bolder's Folsom stadium, where cheering crowds are waiting.

I told Bill to run ahead and not wait for me, but we ended up running 90-95% of the race, and running together about half of the race.  We finished the race with the same time and together, after Bill cramped up in mile 5.  Our time: 1:15:39 - faster than our group (should sign up for an faster one next time), slower than our normal pace, but all in all had a great event and all the runs leading up to it!

We will definitely do it again and aim for a sub 70 minute time.