BAA 5K – A Family Tradition

On Saturday, my husband J, our oldest son and I were up and out early to run the BAA 5K. This was our 2nd year all running together (my 3rd time overall) – it’s quickly becoming a fun family tradition!

Just like last year, it was perfect running weather, as we gathered with 10,000 of our closest friends. Yes 10,000 runners for a 5K. So to say it was crazy crowded would be an understatement.

Courtesy of the Boston Herald

With so many runners, the BAA is still trying to find the best way to get everyone to the start line – especially a challenge when the winners are crossing the start/finish line within 15 minutes of starting! Last year volunteers had to quickly move corral barriers to get runners moving as the elites closed in on the finish. So this time around, they had us line up along Beacon Street and split the start/finish line so the elites had a clear path. There was also a pulse start. Once again, we were still shuffling to the start when the elites came in, but at least we got to see them this time!

What I love about this race is the vibe – there’s just a great feel about it. People just seem to be having a really good time, high-fiving and encouraging each other on the turn-around; there were lots of kids running with parents, and overall the crowd support along the course was awesome. Since my son had done absolutely no running beyond sprints for basketball and lacrosse, and one trip to the track with me, we decided to try a run/walk approach. We talked about doing set intervals, but in the end we just kind of did whatever we needed to when we needed to – which worked just fine. With our names on our bibs, I loved all the shout-outs my son got and it was really fun to see him enjoying the whole experience. I’m really proud of the effort he put in!

Running down Boylston St definitely brought a range of emotions that I still find hard to put into words two years later. It’s always something to watch people’s reactions to crossing over the Marathon famous finish line. Soon came the final turn back onto Charles Street and the finish line. Getting our medals, post race food and race shirts was easy-breezy,  and we took some time to hang out on the Commons and enjoy the atmosphere before heading off to grab breakfast.

Despite the crowd, this is becoming a family favorite and I think my youngest son finally wants to give it a try next year. Let the family tradition continue!