2018 Across the Bay 10k Race Recap

This was my fifth year running the Across the Bay 10k.  (Here are my previous recaps for 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014.)  It's essentially a race across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge from Annapolis onto Kent Island.  The bridge can be really scary for Washingtonians headed to the Maryland and Delaware beaches because it's really high above the water.  Running it is a totally different experience and I really enjoy it!

Like previous years, the expo was held at the Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, MD.  Most years you walk in what I would consider the main entrance side, get your bib then walk around to the further side to get your shirt and race merch.  This year you started at the backside of the stadium, get your bib where vendors used to be, and shirts were just before the vendors towards the usual entrance to the stadium.  Not a big deal since either way you end up walking the perimeter of the stadium.  Bib and shirt pickup went really quickly as usual with barely any lines (I usually go after the lunchtime rush so 12:30/1:00 on the first day of the expo.)  The official race merch was a little underwhelming with nothing that I was really eager to buy.  It was more of the same things we've seen in previous years like mugs, keychains, and shirts with race participant names on it.  Charm City Run (a race sponsor and the company who runs the bag check) had a HUGE booth and brought in a lot of different vendors like Balega along with bringing in plenty of their own merchandise from their Annapolis location including race themed shirts.  There were also the usual vendors--a generic running gear store and Geico insurance, but nothing new or notable.  I ended up leaving just with my race shirt, parking pass and bib.  Once I got home, people started pointing out the typo on the race shirt.

The shirt generally was pretty blah this year.  Short sleeved.  Nothing on the back.  This was it.

The typo is in the lower left corner.  Ann is supposed to have an E on the end.

The night before the race I laid out my clothes, all my gear and filled up my hydration pack.  Like previous years, I wore leggings, a tank top and a light(ish) long sleeve top.  It was supposed to be a beautiful day in the upper 40s at the start, but it is always windy at the top of the bridge.  (Pro tip:  Even if you wear shorts year round, with the wind I highly recommend keeping any exposed skin covered.)

On race morning, I left plenty early from my house and drove the half hour to Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, MD.  I arrived at 6:15 and got a parking space without any issue and walked over to the shuttles.  This part took the usual additional 20ish minutes to get to the starting area.  I used the portajohn (there's rarely ever a line and if there is, it's not long) and headed around the Northrop Grumman building to the starting area.

After a selfie in front of the beautiful sunrise...

And a picture of the bridge...

It was time to head over to the start!

The course was the same as in previous years (let's face it:  The course is over a bridge.  It's hard to deviate.)  I was determined to PR this year, but hoping to finish in under an hour.  My first mile was awesome--10:09 but I didn't want to go out too fast so I pulled it back and ran the second mile in 11:02 (it was also the worst of the 3% incline.)  With the next two miles downhill, I hit them in 9:31 and 9:21 (negative splits!) but by the time the bridge had started to flatten out and we had the gentle uphill to get to the finish I was feeling tired and ready to be done.  I had come to terms with the race being a 10k PR but not under an hour.  The next two miles were 10:13 and 10:06 (negative splits again!) and my pace for the final 0.2 was 8:38!

Final time?  1:02:44!  A PR and within sight of my sub hour 10k!

Now.  If you've read my previous race recaps, you know I'm honest in my reviews.  I don't get easily upset with a race or its organizers.  This time?  I was upset.

After crossing the finish we were handed a medal.  I said to the volunteer that it was the wrong medal.  They assured me that it was correct.  Why was it wrong?  Because it was supposed to be the end piece that we've been promised for 5 years.  We voted earlier in the year for an end piece medal.  This is a screenshot from their Facebook page of the winning design.

What was different about the medal I received?  There was a notch for another medal.

I was ready to be done with the connecting medals.  There are other races on the same day/weekend that I'd like to try.  It would be nice to be able to go up do a day trip NYC to spectate the marathon.  After devoting a total of 5 years to this race and being told this would be the last year for connecting medals and being shown that it would be the last year on social media, I was (and still am) irritated.

After explaining this to a fellow runner who didn't understand, we were funneled through the snacks.  There were a mounds of food with more options than I've seen in awhile.  There were tables with pretzels, bananas, fruit snacks (the big vendor sized bags), fruit cups, pineapple juice (that's a new one!) and of course plenty of water.  After walking through I walked past the vendors, but I was anxious to get home and watch the NYC marathon.  I ran into a friend and chatted with him a little bit before heading to the buses to get back to the parking lot.

Then came snafu (and gripe) number 2 of the morning.

For the first time, I managed to get on a bus where the driver got lost.  I had heard stories about it, but it finally happened to me.  It took us at least an hour and a half to get back to the parking lot, when it should've taken half that even when accounting for traffic and the race course being in the way.  After five years of this race you would think organizers would print directions for the bus drivers.  Nope!  Our bus driver took us on a tour of downtown Stevensville (cute little town that I'm sure would be fun to explore under different circumstances) before finally just following the other buses to get to Route 50 and back across the bridge.  Once were finally on the bridge, we saw the final runners and the sag bus.

The whole time on the bus I ate my post-race snacks and kept refreshing my twitter feed following what was happening in NYC.  Fortunately by the time I got back to my car, it was clear I would still have plenty of time to catch the first finishers across the finish line so at least I had that going in my favor.  I got home just in time to see Mary Keitany cross the finish line then Vivian Cheruiyot, followed by Shalane Flanagan (who won the women's division in 2017.)

As of this posting, Ironman (the organizers of the race) have not said anything about the medal snafu.  Lots of comments have been left on their Facebook page and Ironman has stayed completely silent.  Despite getting lost on the bus and being upset about the medals, it seems as if I still had a better experience than others.  (The race ran out of everything--medals, water, and snacks.)

Overall, I'm on the fence as far as if I can recommend this race after this year.  We were told this would be the last year for connecting medals and they put another notch in the medal for next year's medal.  The course isn't going to change much (if at all), but it is perfect for a personal record in the distance because so much of the race is downhill.  It's definitely worth running/walking at least once for the experience because when the weather cooperates the scenery is amazing.  For some people, the mistakes I've mentioned may be a dealbreaker.  Personally I'm undecided.  When I was getting my first degree in Communications, my crisis communications professor told us the first rule is to tell the truth early and tell it often.  If the organizers choose to make a statement about the 2018 race, I will be more than happy to add it to this recap.  But until then, I will wait until I make any decisions about my participation in the 2019 race.

Edit to add on 1/12:  There's a rumor if you've completed the 5 races and email the race organizers, they'll send you a new end piece medal.  I've asked a few friends who have already gotten in contact with them before me and they have yet to receive their new medal.