New date, new finish line and a new outlook for a post-pandemic race.
The 2023 Broad Street 10-Miler should generate plenty of excitement.
One of Philadelphia’s most popular races has moved its date from the first Sunday in May to Sunday, April 30, to avoid a conflict with a Phillies-Boston Red Sox game on May 7.
Competitors will be crossing a different finish line for the third time in recent memory. After years of completing the course at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and later the NovaCare Complex, the runners will end their run at Parking Lot K adjacent to Lincoln Financial Field and nearby Wells Fargo Center.
Finally, a full field of 40,000 runners is expected for the first time since the COVID outbreak began in 2020. The past couple BSRs featured restrictions such as proof of vaccination, along with a change of date to the fall in 2021.
Long-time BSR veterans were hopeful the finish line could return to the Navy Yard this year but road/bridge construction just inside the front gates could not be completed in time.
No matter. It should be a fun day regardless.
Due to the finish line adjustments, the course has been altered somewhat at times to make up the difference in distance.
There’s a little side loop added near City Hall (about the five-mile mark) and later, a turn around Citizens Bank Park.
Do the extra turns affect finish times?
“I think it makes it a little slower,” said Levittown’s Joe Boyce, who considers BSR one of the highlights of his running year. “Like there’s a little hill at mile 9, it’s just enough of a hill and a couple turns to make it a little harder.”
Boyce mentioned the NovaCare finish line made it easier for runners than the Navy Yard to get back to their cars but he added he would still prefer the NY finish.
Approximately 100 runners from the Bucks County Road Runners will be filling two buses to join in the festivities. Since the late ‘70s, Broad Street has always been popular because of its straight, somewhat downhill course, with more times than not a tailwind.
“It’s a lot of fun hanging out after the race waiting for everyone to finish,” Boyce said.
“Having 40,000 runners again is exciting. It’s a sea of runners. As far as you can see, it’s a river of runners. It’s one of the coolest sights you ever see running.”
The Boston Marathon will be coming up this Monday (April 17) and some people are planning to do both races. Usually the double-dippers have three weeks to recover between races, but this time around with Broad Street moved up a week, only about two weeks in between for recovery.
“I like Broad Street the first Sunday in May,” Boyce said. “The Boston people probably like it better, too.”
Lori Wade, Peter Carideo, Stephanie Young-Rothrock are on the list of local runners attempting to do both long-distance races.
>Sesame Classic T-shirt deadline
If you’re planning to run the 23rd Kiwanis-Herald Sesame Place Classic on May 21 and haven’t signed up yet, here’s a date to keep in mind: Saturday, April 15.
That’s the deadline to be guaranteed one of those spectacular T-shirts – this year the featured characters are Bert and Ernic – from Always Advancing Sports in Newtown.
To register, visit the race website at www.sesameplaceclassic5k.com. For more information about the Classic, visit https://runsignup.com/sesame2023
Remember, all registered runners get a free, one-day admission to ticket to Sesame Place. The offer is good through June 18.
>Be Kind 5K ready to roll
Speaking of April 15, this Saturday also marks the inaugural Be Kind 5K at Holicong Park in Buckingham.
Proceeds from the race benefit the Kin Wellness and Support Center for local cancer patients.
The fun gets started with the 1-mile run at 9:30 a.m. followed by the featured 5K at 10 a.m.
Be Kind 5K’s title sponsor is LBK Design Build.
>Race calendar
Saturday
Be Kind 5K/1-mile run, 9:30 a.m., Holicong Park, Buckingham. Bucks 5K Series. Contact www.bucks5kseries.com
