The 10K at the Runner’s World festival was back to back with the 5K. Runners who ran any of the multi-distant categories had only about 45 minutes after the 5K before racing again. Since I ran the Grand Slam I ran both races. See my previous review on the 5K for more detail about the expo, parking, and accessibility. This race started promptly at 9:30am.

The 10K course started at the Bethlehem Steel complex and followed the same route as the 5K to the Philip J. Fahy Memorial Bridge. Knowing about the uphill climb of the bridge from the 5K was a plus. After we crossed the bridge we went left and made our way to Conestoga Street which runs along Monocacy Creek. I found this to be the best park of the race due to the scenery. After that is when the course gets a bit more challenging. It’s just after mile 2 at this point and then next 1.5 miles was pretty much all an uphill climb. The course cuts down a few different streets during the climb which if you weren’t prepared for the climb could be disheartening. However at mile 3.5 you get to enjoy 1.5 miles of downhill as you make your way back to the Fahy Bridge. The final miles follow the same course as the 5K, down Columbia Street and past Sands Casino. Again, knowing about the small climb toward the casino was key so you could reserve some energy for the climb.

After the race they had bottled water, bananas, pretzels, and nature valley bars.

My overall thoughts are that this is a fun race with more challenges than the 5K, and better scenery as well. You get to run through more of the city and see more of the sights and you get a decent amount of downhill time as well. The aid stations were stocked with water and Gatorade and spaced out perfectly across the course. Whether you’re running this race by itself or as part of a multi-distance category I think it’s must run race.