Who: Everyone. Street Meet is free and open to the public. (Of course, you might want to bring your wallet so you can enjoy some Jamaican food, buy a t-shirt, or bet your friends that you can run faster than 17 miles per hour.)
What: Street Meet is a fun and unique running event dropped in the middle of a Jamaican street carnival. There will be open events in which anyone can participate, followed by the main events, which pit the fastest from Jamaica against the fastest from Boston and New York. If you're one of the fastest people in an "open" event, you'll advance to the "main" events. (See Event Details)
When: Sunday, April 26, 1-6pm. Open events begin promptly at 1:00 and will end at 4:00. Entry into these events is on a first come, first serve basis, so don't roll down at 3:00 thinking you'll cruise into the final. The main events will start at approximately 4:30.
By Car - There are several parking lots and garages within walking distance of the event. There is also street parking available on most streets.
By T - From South Station, take the new Silver Line one stop to Courthouse Station. South Station is accessible via the Red Line or the South and West Commuter Rail lines (Framingham, Franklin, Providence/Stoughton, Kingston, Middleborough, and Greenbush lines).
By Bus - There are several buses that run along Seaport Blvd and Summer Street, within walking distance of 100 Northern Ave. For more about public transportation, visit the MBTA website.
Why: Because Usain Bolt wants to see how fast you are. (And because there's good music, tasty food, Puma City, beautiful views of the city, five Jamaican Olympians, and fun and exciting races.)
Are you always the first into the kitchen for leftovers?
It sounds like you have Office MPH. Don’t worry, being fast is a commonly overlooked trait in employees.
At PUMA Running, we get you. We support your fast. Our research shows that every year, approximately 2,689 employees fight the urge to put on a sweatband and run through their office hallways. Now we’re giving you the chance.
Introducing Sprint Your Halls Off. It’s pretty simple. We bring the Speed Trap and the beer; you provide the hallway. Then we race for office supremacy. Boston is first on our list of cities to own. And the first victim contestant is Google. They might be the fastest search engine in the world, but can they bust it down the hallway like there ain’t no tomorrow? We’ll find out this afternoon.
Google vs PUMA. It’s on . . .
[here's the video where we discovered that sprinting in the hallway is fun]
We met KC and his family at Street Meet Boston. KC has been running HS track for the past 2 years, he and his mom are BIG fans of both Bolt and PUMA…guess what KC got for Christmas last year? Gold shoes just like the ones Usain ran in at the Olympics! Hear the story in their own words, check the vid!
savvybostonian: Went to PUMA City and the street meet w/ Usain Bolt w/ @RealAbbyPalmer this weekend. It’s def worth a visit: http://tinyurl.com/czpy29
DerekShaneLowe: Dear girl who sped past me on a narrow side street…meet karma…in the form of the cop that pulled you over three blocks away. Beautiful.
dyestat: Johnson and andrews: here http://www.dyestat.com/?pg=home-puma-Street-Meet http://tinyurl.com/d9vdqf
LaraDSmith: Street meet was fun…A week and a half till Londontown and the best summer to date!! Yes, you gotta speak it into existence! Night night xo
RockersWERS: If you didn’t get a chance to see Rockers at the PUMA street meet today you missed it but no fret pictures coming soon!
BrnSkn: enjoyed myself at the PUMA street meet today…WERS def.held it down and got free shirts…SO EXCLUSIVE
collegeinsider: My 13-year old twin made it to the 100 meter finals (Puma Street Meet, Boston) and she met Usain Bolt.
slimjackson: At the Puma Street Meet in Boston and watching a boat race in the distance. This is great!
lauren2001: At the PUMA Street Meet at Fan Pier in Boston waiting for Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt to arrive. He brought the hot weather with him.
SarahHutton: Puma Street Meet all day. Head down to the waterfront for delicious Jamaican food and Usain Bolt
RockersWERS: check out rockers today at the PUMA street meet from 1-6 pm! Meet your favorite hosts and vibe out to Boston’s Home for Reggae.
I’m still recovering. Still need to download photos. Commit my thoughts to words. What a day. So at the end of it all, Bolt and his entourage (Germaine Gonzales, Maurice Smith and about six Puma employees) rode bikes around Boston for two hours. Bolt (with that huge smile of his) was loving every minute of it.
The highlight of Street Meet - the man himself. And I’m not talking about Bob Marley. Although you could hear his beat pounding all day. No it was Usain Bolt. The guy is awesome. Charismatic. Outgoing. Friendly. Talking to everyone. Signing autographs. Kissing babies. Seriously - the guy was mobbed by his fans. And he loved it. All while surrounded by his “security team.”
The winners of the day’s main events were awarded their prizes—signed jerseys and Puma shoes—from the human lightning bolt himself. Below with Street K co-winners Robby Andrews and Brett Johnson.
With both Robby Andrews and Brett Johnson coming off hard efforts at the Penn Relays late last week, the two Jersey friends and rivals battled over 1 kilometer in the streets of Boston to a dead heat. Their race through the circuitous course was ruled a tie and both were congratulated heartily by Usain Bolt.
New Yorker Charlene Lipsey had no such challenge in her 1k race, as she tore through the 200m looped course and won handily to take home her inaugural Puma Street Meet title.
In the inovative “Speed Trap” competition, in which contestants are clocked at top speed by electronic timers, local talent Chris McConnell (left) of Andover MA walked away the boys winner. A Massachusetts All-State and New England champion at 55 meters, McConnell was caught speeding over 20 miles per hour. Usain Bolt, by comparison, tops out at 27 mph.
Another Massachusetts local, Hingham HS junior Molly O’Dea(right)– also an All-State and New Englands champ at 55 meters– was the top girl in the Speed Trap competition and got to meet Usain Bolt for her efforts.
What an incredible day! More photos, stories and videos coming as soon as I get my barings. But as my Gram used to say, “A good time was had by all!”
Chris Lear (author of Running with the Buffaloes) and Emily Taylor look on.
The dancers entertained the crowds while Jamaican music filled the air.
In the inovative “Speed Trap” competition, in which contestants are clocked at top speed by electronic timers, local talent 