This was my first year doing BB. I have done Peachtree several times, so I am used to really large races and that's what I have to compare this experience to. I think the easiest way to review this race is to just go point-by-point.

Registration/Packet Pickup - The registration for BB starts at $50+, which I found a bit steep, probably because PRR really spoils you with low fees, but not totally horrible. I mean, everything here in CO is more expensive. :-) Packet pickup was offered at several locations a few weeks in advance of the race. I opted for this route since I don't live in Boulder itself. I do not know if they actually have a pre-race expo the day or two before the race since I'd gotten my packet earlier. I don't often spend a lot of time at them, but I do like the atmosphere of expos to get me in the mood for the race and to just see what vendors are offering.

Parking/Transportation - The race is in a college town. My daughter transferred there this year and we have driven into Boulder for a couple of big events: football and commencement. The thought of 50,000+ people driving to and parking in Boulder gave me hives. Luckily a local friend was running it and she suggested taking the bus. We caught the bus at one of the stops along US-36 (the main highway into Boulder). It was $10 cash and quick and easy because it was only 10 minutes from home. We left around 6 AM to insure we were there in advance of our wave start. I don't know if traffic picked up later, but when we went it was a quick ride with basically no traffic. This is definitely a big plus over the logistics of getting into downtown Atlanta for PRR.

Start Line/Race Start - Once we got to the start area it was such a different atmosphere than what I expected. It just didn't seem like there were 50K people around waiting to start. Yeah, I know, people arriving later for their later wave starts, but still. It just didn't seem that big. I really need to know where everyone was! LOL Waves were subdivided by double letters. In other words, there was wave A, but then it was followed by AA, AB, etc. This meant each of the waves was smaller, which probably helps manage getting so many people through Boulder. There were a few tents set up here and there and there was also race day registration available. That surprised me - that there was same-day registration available for such a big race. I can't speak to how smoothly it went, but there seemed to be quite a few people registering. There also may have been packet pickup available but I cannot be certain. Another thing I noticed was how...quiet it seemed. I mean, it wasn't silent, but there wasn't the usual race day noise. I finally realized there wasn't an emcee and music happening. Pretty much every big race I've been to has this. It turns out there was in fact an announcer but you could only hear him when you were pretty much right at the start line and it was just an announcement or two. Again, it made it seem like the race was a lot smaller than it was.

Race Course - The big difference between BB and PRR is the setting. While PRR takes you straight through Atlanta, BB winds through neighborhoods and shopping districts in a comparatively small town. There were lots of people out along the course cheering. They had different groups as well, such as belly dancers, bands (great music!), and other such groups. Houses along the route got in on the fun by hosting block parties. There were slip-n-slides, families handing out marshmallows and other goodies, alcohol, and more. Of course the course was crowded but it wasn't too horrible. I did get run into once by an inconsiderate runner who got a few choice words from me, but otherwise we just had to bob and weave carefully to get around people when necessary. Leading up to the race, I'd heard about the hilly course. Um, not so much. I mean, yeah, there were a few climbs but nothing horrible. It ends on a hill but even that was nowhere near what it was made out to be. It still sucked, but I was happy to see it wasn't the mountain I had mentally prepared myself to face. This will be helpful for pacing next time I run because this year was all about enjoying the atmosphere.

Race Finish - And speaking of atmosphere, the most unique part of the race is the finish. Runners finish in Folsom Field (CU Boulder's football stadium) and run a lap around the field. Spectators and those already finished running sit in the stands cheering runners on. It was a fun finish. Unfortunately, it was fairly chilly this year and the sun had gone into hiding by the time we finished. The stands were relatively sparse still by the time I finished. My friend and I hung around for a bit and picked up our post-race food (handy reusable lunch bag) before deciding it was too cold to stay. It's a shame because BB has its elite runners start at 11:30 so us mere mortals can see the race, as opposed to the elite runners starting before everyone else.

Post-Race Expo - This has to be the absolute worst part of the race. I do not know if the setup is the same every year, but there is an expo just outside the stadium. Perhaps a couple dozen vendors set up in a very cramped area with a butt load of people making their way through trying to pick up goodies and get info. I cannot imagine what it would've been like had the day been nicer and who knows what it was like once more and more people finished. It was just horrible.

Overall, I had fun at this race. It was great to run it with my friend and to take our time and enjoy all of the extras going on. I can tell it would be fun to hang out and see all the elite runners and cheer on other finishers when the weather is nice. The organizers do a great job with such a large crowd in what seems to be a small space. The community gets behind it. Runners are enthusiastic about it. It's definitely something to get under your belt at least once if you can.