Beat the Bridge 8k – Milah F

Race: Beat the Bridge 8k

Runner: Milah

Date: 5/21/17

Location: Seattle, WA

Results – 33:06, 1st in age group, 15th female and 120th overall out of 4113

3 Bests – what aspects of the race did you like the most
Flat and fast with fun finish at Husky Stadium; post-race yoga; inspiring cause.

Not so much – aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
Started in 3 waves without reference to time (ended up in wave 2 and had to pass a lot of people along the course); at times, the course was crowded along narrow residential streets; mile markers were not well displayed (the first one that I saw was at mile 4).

Weird factor – what’s the weirdest thing about this race
Beat the Bridge…an iconic challenge in the Northwest!

Highlights of your race – what did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular
Maintained a consistent pace even on the slight incline over the bridge; and it was fun to run on Montlake (as opposed to the usual, sitting in traffic)!

Lessons for others – share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
There are a couple of broad downhills where you can really gain some speed.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
Will try to start closer to the front!

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
I think that you can push an aggressive pace with how flat it is.

Aesthetics – is it a pretty course
Residential, through part of the sports complex, and along the water: pretty!

Difficulty – is it a tough course
Not really.

Organized and well run – did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
Organized and well run.

Competition – is there a strong field?
Yes.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
The registration process can be a little confusing.

Aid Stations: plenty with water.

Weather and typical race conditions – Beautiful.

Gear – did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy? Nope.

Spectators – is this a friendly course for your friends: Super, well attended and plenty of places to meet with family/friends along the course (my husband had no trouble finding me).

The Overall Score – how many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it: 5.