More than 17,000 runners are expected to participate in Saturday’s Under Armour Baltimore Running Festival. Before they hit the start line, though, the runners flocked to M&T Bank Stadium on Thursday to collect their race numbers, time chips and Under Armour T-shirts. Adam Davis, 22, is a seasoned runner who moved to Baltimore from California three months ago. He and his girlfriend, 27-year-old Gloria Salai, also an experienced racer, are running in the CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Half-Marathon.
Davis spoke to The Examiner after collecting his race gear at the Health and Fitness Expo.
What made you want to run the half-marathon?
My girlfriend signed us up for the Big Sur International Marathon in California this summer, and she asked if I wanted to do another one, so I said, “Maybe we should do the half-marathon instead.”
We run all the time — 5k races, 8k races, 10k races. We’ve done races all across the country.
We’ve learned that it’s easier to run in California — the elevation and the weather is a lot different on the East Coast.
What have you heard about the Baltimore Marathon course?
The hills. Definitely the hills. And it sounds like it’s going to be pretty warm on Saturday, so you’ve gotta have your Body Glide [lubricant] and stay hydrated.
What has your training been like in anticipation of the run?
We’ve been running about three times a week, doing some cross-training as well. We’ve just been running a lot of races all along.
Are you looking forward to Saturday?
Absolutely. We are so ready to go.
