The Race to the Row 5K is a celebration of running and renewal.

Sponsored by the Somerville Road Runners, this race attracts runners from all over the GBA. Parents with strollers and college kids out for the win participate in this annual event held at the Assembly Row neighborhood in Somerville.

Now in it’s 4th year, this race has witnessed the renewal and development of a new neighborhood in Somerville. Once the location of a Ford Assembly plant the area went through a period of decline and years of stagnation.

Over the past few years a new T station has been built along with many apartments, retail and dining establishments. Assembly Row is the new place to be in Somerville.

Race to the Row 5K

For me, this is another great local race. The starting line is just over a mile from my house, and you know I love that!

Bib pick up and day-of registration began at 8AM and the race started at 9:30. I had an easy morning of coffee and a leisurely drive over to the race. The Somerville Road Runners had everything set up and ready to go by 8AM, and I picked up my bib and shirt in no time.

By 8:30 AM it was already very hot. My phone said 74° but in the full sun it felt like 85°, at least. I had applied sun screen before I left the house but the Race Cancer Foundation had their sun screen dispensers deployed. I applied another coating!

We lined up on Grand Union Blvd and were off and running shortly after 9:30. The roads are wide and well paved so it was easy to get up to speed quickly. For me it is was more of reaching maximum cardio capacity quickly.

I knew going into this race that my cardio fitness would not allow me to really push. Within the first quarter-mile I was at my max. At about 0.43 miles I looked at my current pace and saw that is was 8:17! I made a conscious effort to back off and mile one came in at 8:31.

At this point in the race the lead runners were coming back from the first loop in the race. They looked pretty strong and many people cheered them on.

We made the loop out on Assembly Square Drive twice and wisely, the Somerville Road Runners put the water stop on this loop. You could easily get water twice and four times if you really worked it.

We got to run through most of the neighborhood at least once, and even ran by the brand new T station. There wasn’t much shade, but I took advantage of any that I could find.

My 5K Race

My splits were pretty even in the 8:31 to 8:39 range and I finished with a time of 27:43 and an average pace of 8:32, according to Garmin.

I ran this race for fun and not to compete. This has been a light summer of running for me, so I’m really not in shape to run hard. But I still like to compete.

At the 2012 Boston Marathon I learned the value of running in the shade, even if it adds a few steps. Over he years I’ve learned about the congestion at turn arounds and this race had three. While I could not run hard, I tried to put my experience to my advantage.

It was fun just to be out running and feel my body working.

Apre Race

Our friends at Harpoon were providing cans of cold beer at this race. I tried the Harpoon Sweet Spot and Harpoon Flannel Friday. Sweet Spot is a golden IPA and not a shandy or anything like that. No fruit juice, but still a nice hope flavor.

When I saw the label for Flannel Friday I thought it would be a brown ale, porter or something else heavy. It turned out to be an amber ale with a nice hop bite to it. Both ales were well balanced and not too heavy.

Ernesto’s Pizza provided generous slices of some of the best cheese pizza I’ve ever had. I love a cheese pizza with cheese! I can’t stand a cheese pizza with sprinkles of cheese on it. I had to go back for seconds and tell them how good it was. Definitely looking these guys up!

How was your weekend running? Any plans for Labor Day weekend?

Run well my Friends!

Andy