This was my first time participating in BolderBoulder and it was a great race experience! The Boulder community really comes out to support the runners.

Packet Pick-up: I picked up my packet at a local running store. I received my email that my packet was ready the Wednesday before the race. I had no trouble picking it up in store and it saved me a trip to Boulder to pick-up at the race expo.

Getting to the race: I decided to take an RTD bus to the start to avoid the traffic and dealing with parking. You pay $10.50 in cash right at the stop (pre-paid parking in the official lots is $25 and $30 on race day). I picked up the bus at the US36-Sheridan stop and the ride was quick, about 25 minutes. For reference, my wave started at 7:15a so I was at the stop before 6:00am. Not sure if it becomes more crowded or takes longer if you arrive later but I imagine the traffic on 36 does start to back up at some point. We got dropped off a block from the start area which made things very easy.

Start area: There were plenty of porta-potties and lots of space to stretch even with the huge number of participants. Lots of runners were warming up prior to the run. Given that there are so many waves I wondered how the start set-up was going to be. It turned out to be very easy to spot my wave given the signs the volunteers were holding. My wave had fewer than 200 people in it so it was very easy to navigate. The entire start process was seamless and worked well.

Race: I realized early on I didn't have my best stuff so I quickly pivoted to just trying to enjoy the atmosphere as much as possible. There were so many bands/groups/music out on course that it made it really interesting. I started about 20 minutes after the beginning of the race so I'm sure it was still a bit sparse out on course. I'm guessing that more and more people come out as the morning goes on. There were several slip n slides out there, a Doritos corner, cotton candy, etc. I didn't partake in any of the fun as I wanted to run the whole way but you can tell that the folks that live on course really have made it a tradition.

Course: The wave process really helps stretch out the runners. I had no problem with crowding and was able to run my pace the entire time. There are a couple of hills on the course but both were easier than I expected. Having walked up the hill to go to a football game at Folsom Field I think I expected that last hill to be the toughest but it was surprisingly mild considering you cut in to enter the stadium. Entering the stadium and finishing on the field is obviously exciting especially with the crowd consistently building throughout the day.

Post-race: You have the option to walk off to the west side or east side after the race. The west side walk-off is definitely many times more crowded than the east side so it may be easier to meet friends/family going east. You get a lunch bag with plenty of snacks which is nice. Most people head into the stands to watch the rest of the finishers come through. There is also the post-race expo outside of the stadium. The space in there is pretty limited and with so many finishers it was really hard to walk through and enjoy. We did end up sitting on the adjacent lawn though to enjoy the band, the sun, and a beverage.

While my race wasn't great I still had a great time at BB. The community really embraces the event and comes out to support the runners. I'll definitely be back!