This year’s Baltimore Women’s Classic 5K is on June 26, 2016. I’ve run this 5K the past 3 years, and it is one of my favorites in the area! I love that it is such a celebration of women’s running and is a very well-organized event. Besides just being one of my favorite summer races, here are my 5 reasons why YOU should run the Baltimore Women’s Classic (BWC) 5K:
1. The BWC 5K is the Mid-Atlantic’s largest all-women’s 5K.
I love events that celebrate women and especially women’s running. It’s amazing to see women from all over Maryland come together to share in the accomplishment of finishing a 5K race at the Inner Harbor.
2. The BWC 5K benefits Cancerve and directly supports women right here in Maryland.
This race benefits Cancerve, which is an organization that provides direct support services for female cancer patients and their families in Maryland. It’s not only a great race for women but also supports a great local women’s organization.
3. The BWC 5K is a family-friendly event.
I personally don’t have any children, but I appreciate how much effort the BWC 5K puts into making this a great Sunday morning event for the whole family. Besides the 5K there is also the Sis Simpson Fun Run for kids (8 years and under) as well as a great post-race festival. It’s a great way to spend a summer morning in the Inner Harbor with family or friends!
4. The BWC swag is lovely, and the event is designed with women in mind.
This is one of the few 5Ks that actually gives finishers a really nice medal. I think it’s such a great accomplishment to see women finish this race which might be their first 5K and get to have that medal as a reminder. The race also has women’s-specific tech tees for each participant. When you finish the race you are given a cold towel and have a nice choice of post-race food including cold watermelon slices-my personal favorite! Also after crossing the finish line and receiving your medal, all runners are given a rose which is my favorite touch!
5. It’s a great course, especially on a beautiful summer morning.
I love that the course is a nice loop starting right in front of Federal Hill and ending at Rash Field on the water. The last stretch of the race has runners coming down along the promenade right along the harbor which is a beautiful stretch to run along.
Want to participate but feeling unsure about the 5K? Charm City Run has 10 different training group locations around Maryland. The training program meets once a week starting the first week of May. I was a volunteer coach last year and this year I’m head coaching the Charm City Run training group at Patterson Park This $25 8-week program is perfect for walkers and runners at every level. You can find more information and sign-up for training here.
Hopefully I’ve convinced you to train with Charm City Run or at least come join me and other women runners in Maryland on June 26 so check out more of the race details and registration information here.
About the Author: Lauren Seserko
Lauren is an adopted Charm City resident who is an occupational therapy student and researcher by day and part-time health and fitness nut the rest of the time. Besides being a running addict & Charm City Run coach, she is a foodie, science nerd, sweet tooth, panda lover, hippie at heart, and beer & whiskey enthusiast. She got hooked on running after her first 5K 5 years ago and has since completed 3 full marathons, over 15 half marathons, and countless other races. Besides running she loves yoga, spin, and group fitness classes all while being a core member of the November Project Baltimore tribe. Lauren is the creator of Breathe Deeply and Smile where she writes about the finding happiness, running, health & fitness, food, and Baltimore happenings. Lauren believes in running happy, dreaming big, enjoying life, and never passing up dessert!
