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@AJS23

Odessa, FL Raving since 2021 50 States hopeful/finisher Active 6 days, 17 hours ago

About Me

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My Races

Organize, track & review your races and personal bests here.

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Half Marathon

Marathon

Ultramarathon

(Marathon or Ultra) + Half

Marathon + Ultra

Other

Future Races

Personal Bests (2)

Race Distance Location Date Result
Marathon Big Bear, CA Nov 12, 2022 3:58:10
Half Marathon Big Bear, CA Nov 9, 2019 1:45:08

Future Races (1)

Race Distance Location Date Paid
Half Marathon Cincinnati, OH May 4, 2025

Past Races (68)

Race Distance Location Date Result My Raves My Performance
Half Marathon Hartford, CT Oct 19, 2024
Half Marathon Wichita, KS Oct 13, 2024
Half Marathon Annapolis, MD Sep 15, 2024
Half Marathon Carmel, IN Aug 31, 2024
Half Marathon Saint Charles, MO Jun 15, 2024
Half Marathon Conway, NH May 5, 2024
Half Marathon Eugene, OR Apr 28, 2024
Half Marathon Rehoboth Beach, DE Apr 14, 2024
Half Marathon Jackson, MS Mar 16, 2024
Marathon Tokyo, Japan Mar 3, 2024
Half Marathon Charleston, SC Jan 20, 2024
Marathon Volcano, HI Dec 17, 2023
Half Marathon Memphis, TN Dec 2, 2023
Half Marathon Bristol, RI Nov 5, 2023
Marathon Chicago, IL Oct 8, 2023
Half Marathon Parkersburg, WV Aug 19, 2023
Half Marathon Fargo, ND May 19, 2023
Marathon London, United Kingdom Apr 23, 2023
Half Marathon Little Rock, AR Mar 5, 2023
Half Marathon Baton Rouge, LA Jan 15, 2023
Marathon Columbia Falls, MT 2023 5:04:06
Back Half Marathon Huntsville, AL Dec 11, 2022
Marathon Big Bear, CA Nov 12, 2022 3:58:10
Marathon Des Moines, IA Oct 16, 2022 5:01:00
10 Miler Washington, DC Oct 9, 2022
Marathon Berlin, Germany Sep 25, 2022
Marathon Payson, UT Aug 27, 2022 4:59:47
Half Marathon Two Harbors, MN Jun 18, 2022
Half Marathon Owosso, MI Jun 4, 2022
Half Marathon Madison, WI May 29, 2022
Half Marathon Lincoln, NE May 1, 2022
Marathon Las Vegas, NV Apr 2, 2022
Marathon Newport News, VA Mar 6, 2022
60K Mayer, AZ Feb 13, 2022
Marathon Houston, TX Jan 16, 2022
25K Brooksville, FL Jan 1, 2022
Half Marathon Dallas, TX Dec 12, 2021
Half Marathon Tulsa, OK Nov 21, 2021
Marathon Big Bear, CA Nov 13, 2021 4:08:14
Marathon Denver, CO Oct 16, 2021
Half Marathon Crazy Horse, SD Oct 3, 2021 2:10:00
Marathon Albuquerque, NM Sep 25, 2021
20 Miler Rochester, MN Sep 12, 2021
Half Marathon Payson, UT Aug 28, 2021
Half Marathon Ashford, WA Jul 17, 2021
Half Marathon Laingsburg, MI Jun 20, 2021
Marathon Jim Thorpe, PA May 23, 2021
Half Marathon Irving, TX Mar 27, 2021
Marathon Mt Lemmon, AZ Feb 27, 2021
Half Marathon Brighton, UT 2021
25K Fort McDowell, AZ Dec 5, 2020
Half Marathon Apple Valley, UT Sep 19, 2020
Half Marathon Teton Village, WY Jun 6, 2020
Half Marathon Big Bear, CA Nov 9, 2019 1:45:08
10K Atlanta, GA Jul 4, 2019
Half Marathon Bar Harbor, ME Jun 2, 2019
Marathon Las Vegas, NV Apr 27, 2019
Half Marathon Tampa, FL Feb 24, 2019
Half Marathon Austin, TX Feb 17, 2019
Half Marathon Houston, TX Jan 20, 2019
Half Marathon Castro Valley, CA Jan 1, 2019
Half Marathon Atlanta, GA Nov 22, 2018
Half Marathon Sarasota, FL Nov 10, 2018
Half Marathon Salt Lake City, UT Sep 8, 2018
Half Marathon Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada Jun 15, 2018
Half Marathon Las Vegas, NV Apr 28, 2018
Half Marathon Sedona, AZ Feb 3, 2018
Half Marathon New York City, NY Mar 19, 2017

My Raves

Pros: Great finish line experience, hot tortilla soup and fresh bread was welcomed on the cool day! Medals are very nice, aid stations plentiful and music and cheering great. Everyone … MORE

Pros: Great finish line experience, hot tortilla soup and fresh bread was welcomed on the cool day! Medals are very nice, aid stations plentiful and music and cheering great. Everyone was very friendly. Beautiful fall weather and band afterwords.

Considerations: Roads are not smooth, potholes and such. It’s a hilly but fun race. They could improve by spacing the corrals out – after Corral A finishes, wait 2 minutes to let Corral B go. It would be much less congested. Downtown is a little depressing with all the homeless and cannabis if you decide to stay there. It would also be helpful if the aid stations were consistent. Sometimes water first, other times electrolytes. Sometimes they were on opposite sides of the street.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Coming from Fl, this was a fun half marathon. The weather was perfect at about 50. Like any large race, there are some lines for gear drop and refreshments afterwards. … MORE

Coming from Fl, this was a fun half marathon. The weather was perfect at about 50. Like any large race, there are some lines for gear drop and refreshments afterwards. Yes there are signs every mile.

The crowds were fantastic, the aid stations plentiful, and the swag and medal is the best quality yet of my 50 state journey. Finishing in the stadium was really fun. The photos were up within an hour of when I finished!

Parking is a challenge, just show up early or get dropped off. Great time!

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
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5
SWAG
5

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

I picked this race as it has a great mission helping the Children’s Hospital. Overall, it is the 2nd year of an “up and coming” race with a lot of … MORE

I picked this race as it has a great mission helping the Children’s Hospital. Overall, it is the 2nd year of an “up and coming” race with a lot of potential. The post race party was amazing with a ton of food, drink, and energy. The medal is huge if you are into that.

I flew in at 10 the night before so was unable to attend the expo. I walked from the hotel to the start. There is no gear check, but they were very kind to hold onto my shirt and coat until after the race. The volunteers were wonderful.

The start and end location is very unique and I enjoyed the atmosphere. There were no suggested pace times or corrals at the start so it is a bit chaotic, and easily fixed in the future. The race is hilly, and I appreciated the change from flat races. The aid stations were great and plentiful, with Gatorade and gels. One odd thing that occurred is at one point you cross the exit of a highway, and the cop was stopping runners to let the cars through as they were antsy. The race might have to alter the course for that.

The results are posted immediately, but not age groups. In order to determine how I placed in my age group, I had to go back to the hotel and download the results into a spreadsheet and sort it myself.

I highly recommend visiting the Civil Rights Museum while in town, it was impressive and very nicely done. I’m glad I picked this race for MS!

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4
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State #33 for me. Based on previous reviews I was little skeptical however there must have been major improvements to this race because it seemed well organized and I enjoyed … MORE

State #33 for me. Based on previous reviews I was little skeptical however there must have been major improvements to this race because it seemed well organized and I enjoyed it. The course is great for a destination run, it has lots of turns but goes through all the nice sites of the city, and the miles fly by.

Packet pickup was easy, and the swag is nice with two shirts. Love the medal. I stayed at the Marriott and it was an easy walk to and from the start and finish.

They did a nice job with the start and spreading people out, which is important because it is narrow in spots. People were friendly, aid stations great, with water/sports drink, gels, no stopping needed.

The weather was perfect running weather. The finish line was well organized and provided snacks and hot chocolate. Overall I would recommend this race and would love to do it again.

DIFFICULTY
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My Media

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

This was my race to check off Rhode Island. It was two loops, really beautiful and weather was great. There were about 400 runners, so small but good because the … MORE

This was my race to check off Rhode Island. It was two loops, really beautiful and weather was great. There were about 400 runners, so small but good because the trails can be narrow. Volunteers were terrific! Course is just beautiful, harbors, farms, etc. Parking and packet pick-up were super easy and right near the start.

The water stops are a bit further apart than I used to, and gels/electrolytes were only available at one aid station (run by twice). It would be better if gels were at one and electrolytes were at a different one. Even considering this, I would do it again and just prepare differently.

I’d recommend this one for Rhode Island!

DIFFICULTY
3
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4
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I loved this race, and you will too if you like scenery, challenging, and small races. It is a point to point, with the first 7 miles gravel (and chatter … MORE

I loved this race, and you will too if you like scenery, challenging, and small races. It is a point to point, with the first 7 miles gravel (and chatter bumps). The views were well worth it.

The race starts at a campground and a fire was going to warm up when we arrived. There were only about 50 runners, so we used the vault toilets at the campground. A short stroll to the road and we were on our way.

Aid stations were exactly as described, volunteers were great. I carried the bear spray until Mike 12, and didn’t feel concerned at any time.

Being a sea level flatlander I knew the course with the long ascents and descents would be tough and looking at splits from last year many appeared to blow up. So I went out very conservative and I’m glad I did!

The swag included a mug which was really nice. The finish had all the necessities. We stayed at the Glacier Inn motel and it was a great location.

The only scary part was at the end coming into town when vehicles were passing at 70 mph. About half moved over, the others almost blew me off the road at times.

Overall, low key and I would do it again!

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

I ran the back half and there were some real positives and some ‘good to know’ considerations. The expo was fine, the shirts run very small (meant to fit tighter) … MORE

I ran the back half and there were some real positives and some ‘good to know’ considerations.

The expo was fine, the shirts run very small (meant to fit tighter) and they were running out of clear drop bags, so I had to ask for one and the volunteer said – do you really need one, because we are running out. Um yes that’s what I paid for! Some at the start never got a bag for the drop and were not happy.

The course was fine, hills up and down but I liked the uniqueness. They did a great job with bussing and being able to wait inside before the race is a huge plus. I did not like finishing inside on a slippery floor but can get over it. The aid stations were great and I really liked the silicone cups. Plenty of gels too! The post race food was good.

If you run this, I do not recommend the Embassy Suites. I am a Diamond Hilton member, and although it is very convenient, my room was very old and not ready when i arrived at 4pm. Normally being top status I can easily check out one hour late, it requires payment here (first time in 5 years traveling for races once per month). They weren’t very nice, and when I left there was a septic leak in the parking garage. There are other hotels I would recommend within walking distance.

So overall it was a great race, and if you stay in a different hotel and they order enough bags, it would be perfect.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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The City of Des Moines surprised me as very beautiful, very clean and quite a bit to do! The marathon itself is hilly between miles 3-8 and at the end … MORE

The City of Des Moines surprised me as very beautiful, very clean and quite a bit to do! The marathon itself is hilly between miles 3-8 and at the end there are miles around lakes that have little crowd support. I really liked the variation, however this would not be a PR course for me. Everyone was very helpful and positive, and the people in the bikes checking on people were incredible!

The weather was perfect. The swag is okay – shirt is nice but olive green not my color. At the end, the food ticket doesn’t get you much, they do bring in food trucks you can purchase lunch from.

In summary, a nice race and a great place for a fun weekend.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4

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I ran the Half last year and decided to do the marathon this year. Overall, the course is beautiful, not easy for me given the climbs at elevation, but I … MORE

I ran the Half last year and decided to do the marathon this year. Overall, the course is beautiful, not easy for me given the climbs at elevation, but I was only using it for a training run.

Being from out of town, the expo wasn’t the easiest to find and i almost missed it as I had to go directly there from the airport. Then I asked about gels at the start(forgot mine) and the volunteers said ‘probably’. It was so late I ran around for an hour trying to find some and didn’t. Then at the start they did have them.

At the start, it was cold, and they announced 2 minutes until race time. I properly discarded the heat blanket I brought, but then we heard nothing – and the race actually started 17 minutes late. That’s a long time to wait when you’ve been told 2 minutes with no further updates. There were 6 port-o-potties at the start, which were not enough. Get on the first bus!

I was in no hurry and finished in 5 hours. The course was open for 6 hours. Even so, there is points at the end where you have to cross the road with traffic and about 1/2 mile before getting there I watched the police leave, requiring me to stop and wait for traffic. Not cool.

The volunteers are wonderful. Never short of water, power aid, or gels. The best part of the race!!

The medals are great and the shirt is okay – better last year. The womens runs small – size up.

Overall, a nice marathon, tweaking a few things could make it top notch!!

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3

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This is a great small(23 half marathoners, more 10k/5k runners) race. The course is beautiful with a mix of easy shaded trail, country roads, and some small hills. The course … MORE

This is a great small(23 half marathoners, more 10k/5k runners) race. The course is beautiful with a mix of easy shaded trail, country roads, and some small hills. The course is about 50% shaded and the weather was perfect. It was well marked. The entry fee is very affordable and the medals and water only stops are reflective of that. The shirts were nice, and optional to purchase. The water stops were plentiful, just bring your own electrolytes and fuel. If I’m in town I’ll do this race again! Many other events over the entire weekend.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3
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The Madtown Half was a great rolling course starting and ending at the Capitol. There was plenty of water and Gatorade at all the stations with gels at mile 8. … MORE

The Madtown Half was a great rolling course starting and ending at the Capitol. There was plenty of water and Gatorade at all the stations with gels at mile 8. There was no expo, just a packet pickup with no clear bag provided (provided morning of race if needed). Free race photos were fantastic!!

Overall it was a nice race with few spectators but great volunteers. We had a great time after, using the electric bikes and touring the area. It was a nice weekend!

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3

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This was a great event. The expo was small but sufficient and had everything I needed. The Lincoln Track Club even offered me a free long sleeve shirt when I … MORE

This was a great event. The expo was small but sufficient and had everything I needed. The Lincoln Track Club even offered me a free long sleeve shirt when I mentioned I was from Florida and it was colder than I was expecting! Then the free spaghetti dinner.

The race itself was fantastic! It was perfect weather. I loved the rolling hills, the many many families and band cheering runners on, with full extra aid stations. What a great welcoming city. The Nebraska Army Guard was everywhere which was really nice. They were working , running, and playing music! The roads were nice and neighborhoods were scenic to run through. The swag at the end included a lunch bag filled with goodies. The best part was the water/Gatorade came with lids and straws. I’ve never experienced this and I didn’t have to stop once. Brilliant.

This is one I would come back to – it was delightful!

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
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I did the weekend series - the 10k and the Half. What perfect weather! It was such a huge production, very well done. First, the swag was the nicest ASICS … MORE

I did the weekend series – the 10k and the Half. What perfect weather! It was such a huge production, very well done. First, the swag was the nicest ASICS jacket Ive ever received at a race, a tshirt, finisher long sleeve shirt, 3 medals and two boxes of BioFreeze. The expo had many vendors and you could test drive a BMW.

The start/finish was incredible with huge screens, cars, and great announcers. Every detail is thought about – from the fireworks during the National Anthem to the BioFreeze station. The city lights up with Marathon messages on the building and runners around Reunion Tower. So neat!

It’s a nice course with the uphill at the beginning and the downhill in the back half. I dropped a glove and someone sprinted to me to get it back – really nice runners!

It was a great weekend as well with many places to visit and easy public transportation. I recommend this one as a great destination race. I’m hoping to come back next year!

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

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Revel races are great! I liked the Big Bear course with rolling hills the first 9 miles and all downhill from there. It was an unusually hot year - so … MORE

Revel races are great! I liked the Big Bear course with rolling hills the first 9 miles and all downhill from there. It was an unusually hot year – so the last 3 miles were very hot in the 90s, but low humidity and downhill. The community provided additional water stops which was really appreciated. I ran the marathon this year and had a PR, but the half I believe is the fastest in the country. I highly recommend this race and the Revelers Facebook group, and Coach Paul Carmona.

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I only ran 22 miles intentionally. However, I liked the course, going through the Broncos stadium and through other points of interest. It was tough for me as I live … MORE

I only ran 22 miles intentionally. However, I liked the course, going through the Broncos stadium and through other points of interest. It was tough for me as I live at sea elevation, so 5k elevation with some inclines did make it notably harder than normal.

There were some places that were a little tight like the trail, but it did not impact me at all. I moved aside as the front runners were going past.

Water and Gatorade stations were frequent, gels only at 6&20 but I brought my own. I would say it had decent crowd support. Overall a fun weekend!

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
4
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I loved everything about the weekend. We went on hikes, went to Mt.Rushmore, and the train museum. I only wish we had more time. The race itself is exceptional. Before … MORE

I loved everything about the weekend. We went on hikes, went to Mt.Rushmore, and the train museum. I only wish we had more time. The race itself is exceptional. Before the race we looked at the exhibits at the visitors center. Then the race! Some hills, but the beauty and perfect weather made it one of my favorites. There is a lot to do for non runners as well. We will be back!

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
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The organization and swag is great. I think they listened closely to feedback from prior years. I love downhill races. This felt downhill until Mike 10. I know on paper … MORE

The organization and swag is great. I think they listened closely to feedback from prior years. I love downhill races. This felt downhill until Mike 10. I know on paper it still goes downhill but there are several ups to that as well! And it did get really hot running in the full sun. However, I anticipated that coming in and adjusted my expectations. If you’ve never run here, the scenery and course are beautiful! I would recommend it – for the challenge.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
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SWAG
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This is a great course, and I think the second fastest in the country- with the fastest half being Big Bear. I really enjoyed it! The volunteers were great, love … MORE

This is a great course, and I think the second fastest in the country- with the fastest half being Big Bear. I really enjoyed it! The volunteers were great, love the shirt and swag.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

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