Meg Kribble's Staging Area

Two disappointments in this year’s Mob Mile, which is still a great event: I didn’t bring a drink, because last year they had a sparkling water company there. I thought I’d be good, but this year it was just Red Bull, all caffeinated beverages. Not great for an evening event. They also had an individual photo booth set up, but no sign of those photos and the candid/race photographers didn’t get a single shot of me. Same great swag shirt, but I’d have rather had some pics. The energy and positivity among all the runners was fantastic and I still recommend the race.

Aside from the hard spill I took in the last mile due to choosing the wrong distance for my trail experience level, I loved this race. Gorgeous trails, smelled amazing, and the signage and occasional human guidance were super—I was in the back of the pack on my own for a fair duration and never worried about getting lost in the woods. First Aid was first rate.

I was a little intimidated by this race as it was the longest I’d ever run by 2.5 miles. It turned out to be a great experience. Yes, the hills were a lot and I did a bit of walking on the ups (definitely wasn’t alone), but the scenery, friendly volunteers, and fellow racers more than made up for that–it felt like we were all in it together. The only thing I didn’t enjoy on the course was the portion of the last mile that was run on a highly slanted curve at the edge of the road. But I parked on the same, not-closed-off, road, so I wouldn’t want to give up the ease of that either!

This is an out of town race for me, but if I were local I’d definitely be a regular! Looking forward to checking out other Millennium races as well.

…and not just because I finally hit a PR I’ve been working on for a few years either! Where to start?

* Amazing, fabulous crowds with signs, sprinklers, hoses, live music, and encouragement for what felt like the entire course. Having never run a marathon, this was easily the best crowd support I’ve encountered
* Pretty scenery and decent shade for large portions of the course, though coast doesn’t come into view until near the end
* Well organized, top to bottom

Things I didn’t love were for the most part out of control of the organizers: it was a hot, humid day. There are some hills, including in the last mile. Had it been a cooler day, I mightn’t have minded the hills as much. The t-shirt is fine, but I might have preferred the option to have a medal instead, but I know that gets tricky. For whatever reason my shuttle bus let us off over a half mile from the start, which was great for warming up, but might not be everyone’s preference.

I’m not sure that I’ll run this every year due to the distance from home and cost of having to find a place to stay, but I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it to other runners!

This race follows what I think of as the standard Boston 5K course. If you’re from out of town, it’s probably more impressive, but I find myself a bit bored.

The organization at the start was confusing, but the course support with water stops and volunteers was great.

Swag is a technical tee advertising the sponsor. It’s nice enough and it is fun to see them around town the rest of the year on fellow runners.

The thing that drives me crazy about this race? All the folks who walk with their friends 3-4 across. It would be one thing if they all stayed to the right, but they’re everywhere. Lots of weaving and dodging required. Perhaps organizers could add some run left/walk right announcements/signage? I know this is supposed to be a team building exercise as much as anything, but improved race etiquette would be great for everyone.

I can’t believe I’m first to review this one!

When I signed up, it felt pricy for a 5-mile race, until I saw how amazing the production, swag, and food were–plus it includes two beers, PLUS the funds go toward a great cause.

Race day ended up being way hotter than anticipated for May so that was fun. I’d love to run it again in cooler weather. The course is mostly flat (my Garmin registered 82 ft of elevation gain) with decent scenery. It was a bit industrial–some of it fun seaport-themed industrial, some of it blah industrial–but there’s also nice loop around Pleasure Bay.

Great support from volunteers and the crowd. The medal doubles as a bottle opener. The meal ticket was for a help-yourself buffet of sausages, pasta with veg, and salad. Would’ve loved a veg sausage option, but you can’t have everything!

Somehow despite the heat I managed a PR and even though I only planned to have one beer after the race, I slurped down both of the two allotted beers and I didn’t even feel them, although they were delicious!

One tip for the organizers: please, please remove Don’t Stop Believin’ from the finish line playlist. I cannot be the only person who has now heard this one far more times than bearable for one lifetime.

This race is all about the energy–it’s always a couple days before the marathon and a lot of those runners use it as a shakeout, so you’ve got runners from all over the world.

There are two things I wish were better: first, I last ran this in 2010 and I miss the old course that looped around by the State House and ended on the marathon finish line. I was also underwhelmed by the photos from this year. Weird placement and angles, and very overpriced.