Broad Street Run - My First Big Race!

I just ran my first big race and it was so much fun! Here are some interesting things about my experience:

• The hardest part for me was getting to the race start area. There were no trains that connected to the subway in time for me to get to the starting area before 8:30 AM. I paid an extra $20 to pick up my race bib and t-shirt at the race, but that added more stress to the beginning of the race. I had to search for the tent that had the bibs, but at least I got there very early and had the time to find it.
• I think it would have been nice to go to the race with someone else. I didn't love being all by myself at the beginning of the race. I met a mom of 4 before the race who started running about the same time I did. She was also there by herself, but in a different corral than me. So, we parted ways about an hour before the race started.
• I'm glad I went to the port-a-potty about 45 minutes before race time. The lines were extremely long. I probably stood in line for at least 30 minutes before I got to the front.
• They weren't very strict about people sticking to their corral assignments. I was assigned to be in the very last corral, and as I was making my way to the back, I saw several people waiting in corrals that didn't correspond to the corral color on their bib. I made it to the 2nd to last corral and just decided to stay there. Broad Street was so packed with runners, and I could barely move. So, I started in the yellow corral, instead of pink.
• It took about 30 minutes for my corral to get to the starting line. I hit start on my iPhone's pedometer a few minutes before we actually started running. I don't know why I did that, because I knew they were tracking my time through my bib. It really drained my battery, but I'm glad I did that because there was some technical glitch and my bib didn't scan at the finish line. I scanned the QR code on my bib after the race to see the results, and it said "Yikes! This runner didn't finish yet!" That was kind of a buzz kill for me, because I was standing there with my finisher's medal!
• I was freezing before the race, so I kept my jacket out of the bag that I checked on the gear bus. I knew I wouldn't wear it during the race, but I wanted to keep warm as long as possible. As I approached the starting line, I saw piles of discarded shirts, jackets, etc. on the side of the road, and in the middle of Broad Street. I figured I would do the same once I got hot, especially since they were donating the discarded clothing to charity. Right before I started running, I took my jacket off and tied it around my waist, instead of discarding it. It was very lightweight and didn't bother me at all while I was running. I was glad I had my jacket after I finished, because I got really, really cold again once I stopped running.
• There were people who stopped to use the port-a-potties less than a mile into the race. There was such a long line too...I was so thankful that I didn't have to stop to do that for the entire 10 miles. The only time I slowed down to a walk was once while I was drinking some Gatorade. I didn't want that to spill all over my shirt.
• I think I need to practice drinking water while running. The first time I took a cup of water, I probably spilled at least half of it on the front of my shirt, because I didn't want to slow down while I was drinking. I also learned that you don't need to stop at the first drink table. There is such a back up there, and there are another 10-20 drink tables after that with stacks of drinks on them. Everyone wants to stop at the first table, and then it gets jammed. I went to the first table for the first couple of times and hated waiting. Then, I ran a little further the next time and didn't have to stop at all.
• I am wondering if I did something to one of my toes at Tough Mudder last weekend. I ran on the treadmill on Wednesday with my new running shoes and the left 3 toes on my left foot were swollen and sore. I chalked it up to wearing new shoes that weren't broken in yet and decided to wear my Tough Mudder shoes for the Broad Street Run instead. A few miles into the run, my left 3 toes were killing me! I'm now wondering if I have a small fracture or something that's acting up when I run? I tried to put most of the pressure on my heels while running, and that seemed to help. No way was I going to stop!
• I saw lots of people wearing Tough Mudder shirts and headbands at various points in the race and wished I was wearing my orange headband.
• I started getting that little pain in my side about 2 miles into the run too, but I just kept running and eventually it went away.
• While running, I saw a daycare that was open from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM - something you don't see where I live! There was also a laundromat with tons of barbed wire on the roof, and I kept wondering why they'd need to do that...So people didn't break in through the roof and steal the coins from the coin machine??? I also saw a Chinese restaurant with the big metal door pulled down at the entrance. It sounded like there was a chop shop in there, instead of a restaurant as I ran by.
• There were so many spectators ringing bells and yelling encouraging words to everyone in the race. There were informal and formal musicians along the path, and I loved hearing their music! I loved the people who held up signs of encouragement, especially the sign that read: "WOOOOOOOOooooooooo!" So funny!
• Note to spectators: Please do not walk directly across Broad Street during the race. At least 2 times, someone walked in front of me and I almost crashed into them...very distracting! I loved it when people who needed to cross just started running forward and then slowly made their way to the other side - That's the way to do it!
• One of the most unexpected things about this race was that I was so overcome with emotion at several points during my run. Sometimes, it would be the loud music and the adrenaline pumping through my body, and once it was because a woman looked directly in my eyes and said "GREAT JOB, RUNNERS!" I thought, "Wow, I am a runner now?!?!" and got all teary-eyed.
• I finished the race in about an hour and 40 minutes, and I think I could have gone even further. Before this race, I was wondering if I'd attempt my first marathon this year, or next year. But, now, I have  my answer - I'm registering for the Philadelphia marathon later tonight and can't wait for it!