botp x philly
race retreat
March 19–22, 2027
You've been running virtually with your internet friends.
Now come meet them irl at the starting line.
Join Back of the Pack Run Club for our 2027 race retreat: four days and three nights of running, eating, exploring, laughing, and finally getting to experience the BOTP community IRL — with the Love Run Philly Half Marathon as our grand finale.
We'll stay together in a beautiful Philadelphia Airbnb, cook and eat together, explore the city, shake out our legs before race day, and then line up for 13.1 miles together.
Come for the gorgeous Airbnb, the miles, and a weekend with the Back of the Pack. Stay for the Philly Love start line — where you’ll already have inside jokes, new besties, and plans for your next adventure (and really good snacks).
THIS ISN'T JUST RACE WEEKEND.
Race weekends are already fun.
But they're even better when you have a house full of people asking what you're wearing tomorrow, eating an unreasonable quantity of carbs around the kitchen table, pinning bibs to shirts, comparing race-day snacks, and yelling for each other at the finish line.
That's the weekend we're building.
Whether this is your first half marathon or your fifteenth, we'll spend the months leading up to Philly getting ready together — and when race weekend arrives, all you have to do is show up.
We'll handle the rest.
What’s included:
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Your home base for the weekend, with your own bed to ensure you’re race-day ready.
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We'll keep the kitchen stocked and serve delicious, well-rounded meals throughout the weekend — including plenty of carbs. Obviously.
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are included.
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You'll receive a progressive training plan to help you arrive in Philly ready for 13.1.
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Questions along the way? We're here. You'll be able to reach out to us throughout your build for support and troubleshooting.
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We'll make sure you know where you're going, what to pack, what to expect, and everything else you need to arrive ready for race weekend.
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Shakeout runs. Carb loading. Race-morning nerves. Finish-line celebrations. Post-race food. And a house full of people who understand why you voluntarily signed up to run 13.1 miles.
What’s not included:
Race registration, airfare/transportation to Philadelphia, local transportation outside of retreat-provided activities, and meals or beverages purchased away from the retreat house.
we’ve hosted 11 retreats from coast to coast.
here’s what people usually ask about:
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Absolutely not.
Our half marathon training plan begins at approximately a 5K base and gradually builds from there. If you're not quite there yet, send us a message before registering and we'll help you figure out whether Philly is a realistic goal for you.
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FRIDAY — ARRIVE + SETTLE IN
Check-in begins at 5 PM. Get settled, meet your retreat crew, and kick off the weekend with a welcome dinner at the house.SATURDAY — SHAKEOUT + PHILLY
We’ll start the day with a leisurely shakeout run, then spend the day exploring Philadelphia, sightseeing, and heading to the race expo. That evening, we’ll gather back at the house for a carb-filled pre-race dinner and an early-ish night.SUNDAY — RACE DAY!
It’s Love Run day! After we cross the finish line, the rest of the afternoon is yours to shower, relax, nap, snack, and soak it all in. That evening, we’ll head out on the town for a celebratory dinner together.MONDAY — ONE LAST COFFEE
Check-out is at 10 AM—but if past retreats have taught us anything, nobody is quite ready to say goodbye yet. Those with time before their flights can join us for one last coffee nearby before heading home. -
The retreat includes our BOTP half marathon training plan plus access to your coaches for questions throughout the build.
It does not include individualized 1:1 programming or regular individual coach check-ins. If you'd like more personalized support, you can also work with one of us through BOTP 1:1 coaching.
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Really good food.
We pride ourselves on cooking fun, well-rounded meals that actually taste good — with plenty of carbohydrates to keep everyone fueled for race day and beyond.
With advance notice, we'll do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions.
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Totally fine.
We'll have alcoholic beverages available at the retreat house, but drinking is never an expectation. The fridge will be stocked with plenty of fun non-alcoholic options, too.
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We know life happens! Because our retreats require us to make lodging, food, and other reservations well in advance, the following cancellation policy applies:
Your deposit ($600) is nonrefundable and nontransferable and reserves your spot on the retreat.
If you need to cancel:
More than 90 days before the retreat: Payments made beyond your deposit will be refunded.
60–90 days before the retreat: 50% of payments made beyond your deposit will be refunded.
Fewer than 60 days before the retreat: Retreat payments are nonrefundable.
Race registration, airfare, and other travel expenses are separate and subject to the cancellation policies of those providers.
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance that includes trip cancellation and interruption coverage. Please review your policy carefully to make sure it covers your individual needs.
If Back of the Pack cancels the retreat…
If Back of the Pack cancels the retreat, you will receive a full refund of all retreat payments made to us.
We cannot reimburse race registration, airfare, transportation, lodging booked separately, or other personal travel expenses. Travel insurance is strongly recommended for this reason.
Race changes or cancellation:
The retreat is a BOTP experience built around race weekend, but the race itself is organized by a separate company. Changes to the race — including cancellation, postponement, course changes, or weather-related modifications — do not automatically constitute cancellation of the BOTP retreat.
If the race is changed or canceled, we'll communicate with retreat participants and make every reasonable effort to provide an awesome BOTP weekend with the circumstances we're given.
Come run Philly with us.
Train with us all winter.
Meet your BOTP people in Philadelphia.
Run 13.1 miles.
Eat something excellent afterward.
Go home already plotting the next one.
Pay in full: $2,000
Payment plan: $600 followed by three payments of $500.
PS: Traveling with a friend and don’t mind sharing a bed? Shoot us an email (fun@backofthepackrun.club) for a discount code!