Baltimore 10 Miler

The weather couldn't have been any better, partly sunny and fairly cool compared to recent days.  Parking was plentiful with lots of volunteers helping get cars situated, and a short walk to the finishing village and the starting area.  There were plenty of porta-potties and no lines at all, at least when I made my way through that area.

It was hard to really tell how the finishers village was going to look since there was still a lot of activity setting up the various areas, but the pre-race information provided maps of the area to make finding tents easy once you crossed the finish line.

Starting line at Baltimore 10 Miler

The event started on time which is always import to me, and there was pretty good crowd support along the route.  With the temperatures starting to get warmer this time of year I could have used an extra water stop or two since there we some longer gaps without a stop, but I am sure that was just me.

In general the course is an out and back that starts in Druid Park near the "The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore" with a loop around Lake Montebello before heading back.  The course is hilly, more than I expected, and came in at 485ft of elevation according to Strava.  That coupled with all the runs I have been doing didn't allow for a PR this time, but I had a great time at this event and am now two-thirds done the King Crab Challenge.  Since I completed the Frederick Half and now the Baltimore 10 Miler all that is left is the Baltimore Half this Fall.

Baltimore 10 Miler Strava Map

After finishing the run, I walked through some amazing post race food in the finishing chute.  They had a variety of bars, chews, chips, pretzels and even very cold freshly cut watermelon which totally hit the spot after a warm and humid run.  My only complaint is that I didn't grab two water bottles when I went through the line.  I was far more dehydrated than I realized.

Baltimore Finishers Village

Since you can pick up your race packet/bib from various locations through the greater Baltimore area (I got mine at Sports Authority in Rockville), you get your race premium at the event after you finish.  So, I quickly made my way over to the Men's Medium line and grabbed by 3/4 zip long sleeve shirt.  Nice quality, thin for Spring/Fall, with the Baltimore 10 Miler logo embroidered on the left chest.

After grabbing the shirt I made my way over to the King Crab Challenge tent to get my Baltimore 10 Miler finishers medal.  Medals for the 10 miler were only available to those that signed up for the King Crab Challenge and I saw several people being turned away that were looking to grab a medal.  I even had a few runners ask me how I was able to score the bling, so I let them know the details and encouraged them to sign up for the King Crab next year.  Not sure how to make the challenge more prominent on the websites for the Frederick and Baltimore events, but perhaps there is an opportunity to market it more, I do think there is interest.

Baltimore 10 Miler Finishers Medal

I am not a fan of the free beer after running, but clearly the majority of the runners at this even are very interested in that finish beer.  The line for beer was clearly the longest line in the village, but the live music kept folks entertained as they waited.

After regrouping with my fellow runners we made our way back to the parking area and headed home.  Getting back out of traffic did take about 15 minutes due to the number of folks leaving, but that all depends on how long you hang around the village after finishing.  We passed some other venues worthy of a visit after the race if you have time such as Zoo and HP Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens.

Conservatory as taken from the car

Overall I would highly recommend the King Crab Challenge and even the Baltimore 10 Miler event as a solo event.  It was very well organized, challenging, and included some nice scenery along the way.