A block north of the infamous Inner Harbor sits a small collection of bars and businesses called Power Plant Live, named after the nearby power plant situated on the water (it used to supply power the city, now it’s a Barnes & Noble… see final photo of page).

Props to the city of Baltimore for placing the finish line to the Shamrock 5K at the entrance to Power Plant Live, which includes restaurants, bars, comedy clubs, dance clubs, dueling pianos, and a concert venue known as Rams Head Live. And while I was not a direct beneficiary, let me thank them also for supplying the runners with free beer post race.

We sat in the sun and I ordered a Leinenkugel Creamy Dark, watching the sea of green slowly filter in, the shirts and faces wet with sweat and shining in the light. Some grabbed energy bars when they crossed the finish line, but most went straight for the bar and started the Irish hydration process, pinching four to six cups in their fingers as they returned to their groups and passed them out.

My beer was smooth and pleasant to sip on – no dry aftertaste – and as the last of the runners trickled in we could hear the parade coming by a few blocks up at the harbor. Eventually we would walk up and catch part of it, however the work hard/play hard atmosphere that the event created was too good to walk out on.

Perhaps I felt a little lazy for only contributing to half of that aura (I’m typically not one to sit on the sidelines), but on Sunday I was mostly appreciating that perspective – enjoying my roll as an observer after being on the front lines all weekend.

I know lots of Northeast runners who travel to Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. to take part in races – let’s not forget about Baltimore.

I can attest it is a city for runners and drinkers alike.

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