Super Sunday 5k
Era of WTF……………………………resistance and joy
Well, it’s Super Bowl Sunday! Usually, we at BGR Boston run the Super Sunday 5K/5-Miler with the Race Cancer Foundation, who sponsors the race. They didn’t have it last year because of all the road construction in Kendall Square, but this year it’s back on. Unfortunately, there’s no 5-Miler option.
Word on the street is that people doing the 5K felt left out last time because they didn’t finish fast enough, and apparently it caused some tension. Running drama is real. So this year—it’s the 5K.
I’m okay with that. This is my first race of 2026, and I want to test myself. Of course, that test involves 12-degree weather. Who runs in this kind of cold? Me. And over 500 other people. I layered up, warmed my hands, but my face still felt frozen.
Also, this year marks the 60th anniversary of the Super Bowl. The New England Patriots are playing the Seattle Seahawks. Honestly? I don’t care much about the game. What I do care about is the halftime show… with Bad Bunny.
It’s wild how we now have an “Alternative American” halftime show featuring Kid Rock, with the narrative of freedom, faith, and American values. Not sure how that’s different from Bad Bunny—he’s American, grew up Catholic, and is performing at America’s favorite sport. I guess he’s “un-American” because he sings in Spanish? People forget: the U.S. borders moved, but the people didn’t. Plus, some are worried ICE might show up at the Super Bowl to… arrest American citizens?
Back to the race: at 9 a.m., the organizers provided heated cars for people to stay warm. Safety first. My goal was simple: strong, steady, and injury-free. It was too cold to take my phone out for a selfie while running—I was just going to run.
And run I did. I ran for time and managed to snap one picture around mile 2. By about 0.75 miles in, my body started feeling warmer and stronger. My bib number was 61127—clever, I know. The course was good, and I felt great. The last time I did a 5K for this race was 2020—I’d been dealing with knee pain then. Normally, I do the 5-Miler.
For this race, I ranked 9th in my 50–54 female age group. I’ll chalk that up to the cold and happily take it. My chip pace was 11:13, and my finish time was 34:52. A 5K under 35 minutes? That’s another win. It’s good to know where I’m at—especially with six half marathons on my 2026 calendar.
I crossed the finish line with minimal fanfare, but shout out to the six brave souls who cheered in the cold. It was a good morning.
And it got even better watching Bad Bunny’s amazing halftime show and seeing the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl. Fun fact—they’re the only football team that’s female-run. Gotta love that.
