Last weekend I ran my fourth Harpoon 5-Miler, the annual fundraising race hosted by Boston’s Harpoon Brewery to support The Angel Fund. This is one of my favorite running events; not only is 5 miles one of my favorite race distances, but the race is followed by an outdoor party featuring delicious Harpoon beer.
I’ve written a little bit about the Harpoon 5-Miler in a previous entry about the brewery. This year’s race was as fun as usual. The course is a good one, mostly flat and winding through both waterfront and industrial areas. I know not all runners agree, but I love the part of the race in the dry docks where I can imagine myself running away from mobsters looking to take me out.
The course doesn’t have a lot of shade, so combined with the sunny weather, I ended up feeling quite hot. I’d also been battling a persistent cold in the wake of a weekend living in a van, so I was not at my racing best. Nonetheless, I think I did ok, finishing in 43:41 (8:43/mile)–8 seconds faster than my worst Harpoon 5-Miler time.
After the race, Brian and I posed with the remains of Boston’s terrible winter, the still-existent mound at the city snow farm. As you can see, the mound is still roughly two stories tall and it gives off a frosty breeze as it slowly melts. It’s disgusting:
After the race, our team (Running for the Beer) celebrated another successful running of the 5-Miler, and consistent with our name, enjoyed some beer:
This race remains one of my favorites, and the unofficial kickoff to my summer. I’m so glad I was able to do it for a fourth year in a row! Next year, I’ll improve on my routine to incorporate sunblock so I don’t start sleeveless season with a farmer’s tan.
Big thanks to my friend Andrew, from whom I stole most of the photos in this post.