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Category: 15k

July 14, 2025

A Boiling Hot Run Through Utica

On sunday morning I ran the Boilermaker 15k in Utica. I finished the race in 1:29:15, with the warm day leaving me significantly slower than when I ran the race in 2023.

This is one of the biggest races that I run, and starting in a crowd prevents me from going out too fast. I ran the first 5k in 28:09 and felt pretty good on the hills at miles three and four. However, as soon as I was done with that the heat starting catching up to me.

Overall this race felt less like it was about keeping pace, and more like it was about heat management, as I took all the water and ice that I could get along the way. It was very challenging conditions to run in, and I was far from the only one unable to match my time from prior years on this course.

Despite getting worn down by the heat, my splits were fairly consistent with the first 5k in 28:09, the second in 29:41, and the final 5k in 31:25, but this year’s Boilermaker was more about just reaching the finish line rather than having a fast run.

My next race will be a return to the trails, with the July edition of the Run Our Trails series.

July 12, 2023

Running the Boilermaker


On Sunday I ran the Boilermaker 15k in Utica for the first time. I finished in 1:23:28 which felt like a good pace even if it is a distance that I don’t get to run too often.

Running races two days in a row seemed a bit silly, but knowing that the Boilermaker had a bit of a reputation for being a party it was easy to go in without too many expectations. However the weather was favorable for a run, so once I got going I decided to really chase down the miles and put up a fast time.

The first mile was crowded as this is a race with thousands of runners, but that can be useful in preventing me from starting too fast. I had been warned about the hill at mile three (which kept going into mile four), but after running trails the day before it didn’t seem so bad.

The race had the largest number of water stops that I have ever seen. While it is unusual for me to take fluids on courses shorter than a half marathon, the frequent stops were useful for keeping down my core temperature as I would splash some water on my head and fill my pockets with ice.

Overall it was a very enjoyable race, and makes me think that I need to find more opportunities to run the 15k distance.

March 26, 2018

15K through Mendon Ponds

On Saturday I did my longest run of 2018 with the Spring Forwards 15k in Mendon Ponds. I finished with a time of 1:32:41 which was good bit slower than when I last ran this race two years ago.

For better or worse, I ran the first mile 15 seconds quicker than my opening mile from last week, but was already at least three minutes behind by the time I got to the five mile mark. Part of the problem was that unlike last weekend, the weather stayed cold and never quite became nice. However the real problem is that my weekly mileage is still far too low.

Next weekend is Easter, so I won’t have another race until April.

March 29, 2016

Fifteen Kilometers of Hills

12898334_947714875297138_5096404277199355014_cropOn Saturday I ran the Spring Forwards Distance Run at Mendon Ponds. My time of 1:15:35 is technically a PR, but my only other 15k time is a split from a half marathon.

I felt that my pace was a bit inconsistent, but I felt strong at the end despite the course having no flat sections. If I can maintain that average pace for longer runs, then I should be in good shape for this coming season.

I finished the race in 92nd place which places me in the top 20% of finishers. My next race at Mendon Ponds will be back on the trails.

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