2008 Penn Relays Distance Classic 20k Report

Pictured above: (1) The marker, outside of Franklin Field, noting the historical significance of the Penn Relays. (2) The finish line of the 20k race (and races for the Penn Relays) (3) On the left of the picture, is where the runners entered the stadium and ran the 3/4 lap to the finish (click on the pictures to enlarge)

With the training I did over the winter and the disappointment of not getting into the Boston marathon, I needed a 'carrot' to carry me through April. The 2008 Penn Relays Distance Classic 20k became my Boston.

I previously have given you some information about what a truly classic event the Penn Relays are. The 20k race is the start of the Relays and is open to the public. When I did some searching for past finishers and how I might do against them, I was surprised by the modest turnout.

Franklin Field, at the University of Pennsylvania, is about an hour's drive from my house. I got there in plenty of time and did a few laps around the track for a warm up. The race started at 7:30a, goes through West Philadelphia for a mile and is mostly run on the MLK Drive next to the Schuykill River. In truth, most of Philadelphia's big runs use this drive. The course is an out and back with the finish inside Franklin Field.

The day started very cool. I wore a short sleeve shirt when most were wearing a longer sleeve or even a sweatshirt. But, the temps were suppose to climb into the mid-60s by mid-morning so I just needed to keep warm until the start.

As in seemed to be in the past, there wasn't a large number of runners for this race. I've seen bigger crowds at the Bucks 5k series. I'm not sure why. Early morning? Who does a 20k anyway? Don't know. But, I knew I was going to be running alone for most of the race.

As the gun went off and we headed toward MLK Drive, I noticed that my right hip was bothering me. Usually, I can shake this type of pain out but it was still with me after the first mile. Then, after the second mile, my right knee started bothering me. Again, it didn't go away. My breathing was a bit labored and just couldn't get into a comfortable rhythm. Still, I did the first 10k in 54 minutes.

(Pictured below are some shots I took during the race. The first picture was about 1/4 mile into the race. The second picture was starting to head towards the Art Museum area and MLK Drive. And, the third picture was a scenic shot of Philadelphia that I took while running the race. I thought it came out well.)

At about 7/8 miles, the sun popped out with little shade on the course. There were water stations along the way, and, in most cases, I have trouble drinking straight water while on the course (it gets my stomach upset). I had to drink something because I started to feel dehydrated. So, I took a few sips.

Up to this point, I was running around an 8:50/mile pace. But, by mile 9, I was toast. My legs were heavy. My hip and knees were still hurting. The sun was hitting me. And, I started to walk in some spots. My pace was nearing 9:30/mile. This wasn't the day I had planned.

Still, it was a thrill to enter Franklin Field. I just imagined 60,000 people cheering me on. In reality, there were a few in the stands but they did make me feel I was winning the race.

As I rounded the last turn and headed down the stretch, I had a big smile on my face. (I tried to take a picture of my view of the finish line but I aimed too high. :-) Oh, well.) Despite the pain I was in, I was finishing my Boston, my Penn Relays, my race. I crossed the line at 1:52:37, about a 9:03/mile pace. If it was a half marathon, it would, most likely, have been a sub-2 hour. And, when I finished and walking around, I wasn't necessarily out of breath but my lower half of my body was aching.

So, I don't know what to make of this race. I guess the fact that I did reasonably well and didn't give up should be satisfying enough.

(Note: Congratulations to my friend Steve, on a 4:44 Boston marathon time. Steve was exhausted at the end and in the last few miles had the right attitude finishing the race. He said to me, 'It's Boston! I'm just going to enjoy every moment I'm out here')