going the distance

This Saturday, Baltimore is going to be completely overrun (ha!) by runners competing in the Baltimore Running Festival. Despite the city being thrown in to traffic mayhem due to street closures, marathon day is loads of fun, and we in Patterson Park know how to throw a party.

The course goes right through the heart of our neighborhood, heading north on Linwood from O'Donnell up to Madison. The intersection of Linwood and Baltimore is mid-way between mile 16 and 17 - right around the time runners really have to dig in and some start pulling well in to the lead.

For those who attended last year, you know what a great vibe we had going on the corner, with refreshments for runners and cheerers alike! This year, the neighborhood association received a generous grant to help fund our marathon party and make it even more rockin', so it is just not to be missed.

We have quite a few runners in our neighborhood who will be running the full- or half-marathon, so cheering is a must - last year our neighborhood racers said it gave them a big boost to see their friends and neighbors out on the sidewalk cheering and encouraging them as they slogged through their 17th mile. I mean, look what they've already been through when they get to us...and what they still have to face:


While I personally find the idea of RUNNING 26 miles a strange form of voluntary torture, it's a total blast to eat, drink and be merry while others do it. Picture drinking a mimosa and munching on snacks while jumping around with a noisemaker and slinging orange slices to runners...what's not to love about that? Good luck to all the runners out there, and keep your eyes peeled for Patterson Parkers cheering you on from the NW corner of Linwood and Baltimore. All you non-runners make sure you come out for the fun, starting at 9 a.m.

Oh, and make sure you move your car if you're on Linwood... I learned THAT the hard way my first year here, but that is a story for another day!

love k