Toni Laskey's Staging Area

I live in the west where mountain running requires you to understand tangents so you aren’t running farther than necessary. This race was dead on every mile marker UNTIL mile 8 when suddenly, everyone’s GPS was reading 8.3 or more. Same thing at 9, 10, 11, 12 and then then finish 13.47 for me. Seriously, WTH? Packet pick up was easy to get to and navigate. You got a nice water bottle and shirt, there was supposed to be a beach towel but they had supply chain issues. I stayed at the Renaissance downtown because of it’s location, only a couple of blocks from the start/finish. DO NOT waste your money on this. Hella expensive, super noisy (aka NO sleep at all because of people in the halls all night, trains blowing their whistles, car alarms, totally ridiculous). Important note if you run for time, this is a gun time start, chip finish. This sucks because people don’t know how to self seed and you end up stuck behind people from the minute the gun goes off. There were a fair number of water stops and lots of course marshalls to keep you safe. It’s run on the roads of Montgomery which hare variable in terms of quality which means lots of potential for a twisted ankle. It’s March in the south so the weather can be touch and go but it was fabulous this year, crisp, cool and without terrible humidity. You finish in the outfield of the baseball stadium. The medal was ok, the post race food was over the top good–biscuits, grits, real eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes and two beers (??). The food really was nice. What wasn’t nice was finishing a race just before 9 and them not doing AG awards until 10:45. The awards were final but OMG. First off, no one stays that long unless you win and secondly, most hotels require check out before you could possibly get your award, get back and shower, and not all hotels will do late check out. Overall, did it because i was here for another reason and always looking for new states on my second quest but not sure I can recommend

This is an all time favorite that I try to hit over and over. They moved it this year to the weekend before Thanksgiving (used to be first weekend of Nov). Because it is now after DST, the start time is later (9A) and you don’t have to be on a bus quite so early which is lovely. It’s cold up top but they have space blankets and SO MANY porta potties and hot chocolate/coffee. This is incredibly well supported at the start. you cannot beat the scenery, you run into Snow Canyon and it is staggering to see as the sun lights the rocks. You come out of the park around mile 8 and then the work really starts–you have some flats and some hills that hurt because of your canyon legs. As you finish, you’ll be running through some neighborhoods and then up into the high school track. Push hard! The medals are good and the AG awards are always nice (not another medal, usually pottery or some statue thing). Great food at the finish. If you’re a 50 stater, this one is a kind UT one since the altitude isn’t awful (top of canyon is not even 5000 ft).

Had a weekend available and wanted to come to Sacramento to see family so was able to squeeze this one in. The packet pick up is at the start/finish line so that allowed some prescouting. The shirts are super cute and nice material. You also get a sticker and aluminum cup. Start is in 3 waves (honor system) that was nice because at the very least, people expecting to be less than 2h could be in one “herd” which is good because they course stays pretty dense for the entire course. There was no time that it thinned out noticeably. The course is very wind-y (as in lots of turns, not the weather feature) which gives the allusion of running farther than you really have. Be smart and pay attention to tangents given the number of turns. You can add serious mileage if you’re not paying attention. The crowds were everywhere in the neighborhoods and the water stations were super well staffed with great volunteers that were super enthusiastic. The course takes you through neighborhoods and the park and then up towards the capitol and the Tower Bridge and Old Sacramento. They had lots of way points to update people on your status. Finish line even had a huge arch telling you had 1/2mile left (love that). Medal was a cowbell which made for hella noise at the finish line. Lots of food but get this—free beer (ok), but NO CHOCOLATE MILK. It’s a race about cows! How can there not be chocolate milk??? overall, great production, would recommend it for beginners, flat course with good support!!

I’ve run this one 3 times now and love it every time. It’s COOOLD at the start but they give you Mylar blankets (which looks hilarious to see the farm of space people trying to stay warm before the sun comes up). Tons of porta potties spread out so you don’t have to all be vying of the same lines. This year, the swag included a choice of shirt type (triblend or tech) and a hat with a Velcro patch on the front that if you place, you get an AG patch to put on it. The medals are big and cool. The course is challenging but not painful (some are awful when you come out of the canyon, you are forced to climb right away, this has a couple miles of flat before a drop into the finish line. The canyon has lots of curves so be smart and learn to run tangents or you will unnecessarily extend your time. The last 5 are a long straightaway. You can see the finish easily with a mile to go. Good post race support. Will keep running this one because of the experience and the course!

This was my second worse half marathon. I literally only signed up for this knowing it was a trail race because I wanted to do the Grand Quad, which is the 5K and Half in Grand Teton the week before and then the 5K and Half in Yellowstone.

Their production is among the best in the country (and I’m a 50 stater nearing 100 completed half’s–I’ve seen a lot of productions!). Their communication is outstanding, their deferral policy is forgiving, you can even legally transfer your bib.

This is not a course for a novice or someone just starting to run half marathons. This was a highly technical trail that was brutal and had more than a few walking wounded as a result. The race starts out the same as the 5K on tiny bit of pavement, then chat/gravel and rapidly deteriorates onto Forest Service Roads. The roads were deeply rutted, badly water logged (wet spring) with standing water, deep mud or marsh and no good route through it. Then, they had heavy equipment on the course that had chewed up the road making soft powder, loose rocks, dangerous sticks/branches/logs strewn everywhere you had to pick your way through. I wiped out badly at mile 9 (along with many others apparently, having witnessed at least 2 other wipe outs personally and seeing the bloody mess at the finish line of many more). Mile 9 was rock/boulder/sand and there was no place to pick a path that wasn’t sketchy. The hill from mile 5-7 (no lie, that long) was not runnable, and I live at altitude and train in the foothills. If you’re a flat lander, it’s gonna hurt BAD. I literally NEVER walk in a race and I decided survival required power hiking that.

I took second AG (which tells you something with that time) (I took home a total of 12 medals for the two weekends of running). Snack box was great (actually went online and to the store to buy more of some of the things in there they were so good) and chocolate milk at the finish is always bonus. They do awards 5 deep at every category which is amazing. The shirts are great too.

Advice–get your housing situation squared away a year in advance. I was originally registered for 2020 but you know…Covid…When I booked that housing, I waited till maybe 6 months before and there was NOTHING anywhere near the start which would have meant camping and I’m too old to camp before/after a race. This time I learned my lesson and booked a year in advance and found an incredible condo within walking distance of the start and a couple blocks from the park entrance.

While I loved the production and I loved the medals, I will not run this race again. I will literally have scars to show for it and I prefer to run fast on pavement.

I wasn’t setting any personal records on this course, it’s higher elevation than I live and a steady climb from start to finish but holy cow was it amazing. The scenery cannot be beat. You literally run along and over the Snake River and see osprey and eagles hunting. You then turn up the airport road and run with the Tetons on your side for half the race. The pictures have the snowcapped Tetons as your backdrop. The medals are to die for (I scored 12 overall for the 2 weekends of racing). The race director/crew is second to none. The people you meet and see at all 4 races are wonderful and become fast friends (ha, get it?). Snack boxes and chocolate milk were awesome, the shirts are great, the swag for sale was fun…I would run this one again in a heart beat. It was one of my favorite half’s of nearly 100 so far.

Repeat runner, looking for a race in November…enjoy Runtastic events because they know how to do the swag like no other. Course is a huge meh, and the fact that people have no idea how to self seed is frustrating because the course is narrow to start and finding a line is hard. I had to dart out and around on the grass several times. Don’t be fooled by the fact that this is in the valley and not a canyon race, you’ll work for it—lots of hills on a golf course and in the neighborhoods. Love the gratitude signs to understand what we all should be grateful for. And the medals! And the pie!

Runtastic always does a great job—from their shirts (which do run small ladies, size up for sure) to their incredible medals and their age group medals and their trilogy medals…Love the run down the canyon, even if it was raining, fire pits at the start line and fun finish line. They listened to runners a few years ago and reversed the direction of the finish in the park to minimize a hill at the end (thank you!!!). You can never go wrong with a Runtastic Race.

Badly wanted to get back to racing and found this gem. We love Sun Valley no matter what time of year it was and I was willing to pay a premium for the race and the location. I was in the Saturday group and in the first wave for the half (ie, bus at 4:30A and start at 5:30). While I certainly whined about that, I was glad it was the case. I was done before some of my family were even awake for the day! Packet pickup was small but with really helpful volunteers. Shirts were nice and you had a choice of tech or cotton. Additional swag included a nice thermal tumbler. The parking in the morning was easy and convenient. The buses were top notch (no school buses here!) and masks were required. Drove out to the start line and the bus dropped off the first wave. We all lined up single file and literally started one at at time. Running down the shoulder of 75 as the sun came up and the full moon set over the mountains was beautiful and quiet. Occasionally I’d pass or be passed but in general, it was like a run on my own which was great for pacing and time—no need to dodge and weave, no bad mannered runners running multiple abreast and failing to yield and no human loud speakers to contend with. Gentle downhill was nice and when you get into town, you know it’s all downhill from there. The run in to the finish is great and there is a great backdrop for pictures against the mountains. Absolutely loved this, love Revel and hope that this isn’t really a limited edition. My daughter ran her 20th (at age 20) and my son ran his first (at 18) on Sunday. Thank you Revel for catering to the race hungry and making it worthwhile!

Runtastic is by far one of the best race organizers out there. Normally I race 1-3 times a month. This year COVID has destroyed my racing schedule. I haven’t run a race since the first week of March and my speed is hurting for it. I deferred a couple of races that were scheduled to happen this summer because I wasn’t sure it would be safe but went ahead with this one because I think Runtastic did have safety measures in place. Packet Pick Up was well done with plenty of space to avoid crowding. The race shirts are always fun (ladies, they run REALLY small, trust me. I usually wear a small and I’ve tried every size from S to L and the Large is the first to fit me like a normal small would). The backpack had a fun sugar skull on it and they write your number on the bag in case you forget to put your bib tag on it. The race this year started at the top of East Canyon to keep everyone in the canyon in Emigration instead of having to run through Sugar House and tie up traffic there. The buses were filled but you had to wear a mask and they checked temps. In previous years they had you on a bus no later than 6:30 leaving at 6:45 and starting the race at 8:30 which meant a LONG, cold time at the start. This year, they moved the start to 8 (THANK YOU!!!) and we actually didn’t get off the bus until 7:40 which was perfect. Time to go to the bathroom (lots and lots of portages potties) and get rid of our bag before toeing the line. Costume contest was fun with cute ideas to be sure. Headless horseman was a Dia del Muerto instead which was cool. The start was more crowded than I expected. The first 3 miles are down East Canyon. Then, the Haunted Hill from Hell…UP from the reservoir for a little more than 1.5mi. Absolutely brutal slog and I live at altitude and run in the hills. Once you crest the hill to the old start line, it is a long, steep down hill with flats and rollers in the last 5. I have PR’d at this race twice before and always place or win my division but wasn’t in racing form this year and the walk up the hill out of necessity killed my time, but I did recover my average split on the steep part of Emigration. The medal was AWESOME as usual and they were handing out masks at the finish if you didn’t have one for the finish line festival. Highly recommend this and all Runtastic races.

I had heard this was a good race, and looking for races in February, you take what you get since there aren’t many choices. Flew into LAX and stayed in Fountain Valley (15min inland and much, much cheaper). Got in too late on Friday night to go to packet pick up. On Saturday AM, they actually opened early (supposed to be 10 but they opened closer to 9:30 which was nice since the mile race was at 11). Parking is a super challenge by the beach so we paid $15 for all day parking at a beach lot that was super convenient. I’m not a fan of assigning bibs to runners at the expo–room for error is great and it happened to me that they did it wrong and I found out after the race that my bib wasn’t associated with my name. To be fair, the timing company did fix it when I provided proof (Garmin data and a picture of me finishing) that it was me but stressful nonetheless. I ran the Beach Mile on Saturday AM. It was an out and back on the soft sand at 11A so it was hot and HARD. There are no land speed records to be set here but that’s ok, it’s fun. The medal was actual rubber for this race. Next AM, the 5K starts at 7A and the Half starts at 7:45 so there were some that ran the 5K and then ran the half (gunners!). Parking is available for shuttles or you can drive around and find neighborhood parking for free if you’re willing to gamble. I found a spot less than a mile from the start that was free. The race is waved but on your honor which is frustrating since people frequently put themselves where they don’t belong creating a cluster at the start. The race course is FLAT with an out and back with a side lollipop. Since the full starts so much earlier than the half, the middle and back of the pack marathoners are encountered first at about mile 3-5 on the half course. The course then starts to get pretty congested because of the lollipop stem (3 lanes for those going out and 1 coming back so winners of half are needing to pass slower marathoners and things get choked). This wasn’t awful, just noticeable. Good course support throughout. Weather was outstanding, cool and foggy/overcast. Finish line is visible for at least half a mile and it’s a straight, flat run in. Expo is open afterwards. Medal was cool with a real wood surfboard and medallion and a bonus medal for running the Beach Mile the day before (pick this up in Expo after race). Enjoyed this race, would run again.

I love Runtastic Events–they put on a great production no matter which race you run. I tend to volunteer at the Thankful 13 (every hour you volunteer is an 20% off a race!!) and did again this year at Packet Pickup. This also is a good opportunity for me to appreciate what it feels like when there is a crowd at the table and the volunteers are going as fast as they can…calm down people! Don’t shout out your numbers, hand them to me so I can read them (ps, please write legibly and preferably in numeric order if there is more than one!!). After 6 hours of volunteering, I went home to sleep before the race. A huge snowstorm was headed in so I didn’t know what to prepare for. Next morning, it was cold and snowing in parts of the valley but not at the race start (just snow showers). You can hang out with the heaters and fire pits in the garage until race time which was nice. The race starts out in Thanksgiving Point and then winds its way through the golf course before connecting to the Jordan River Trail. This is wonderful because it’s paved, scenic and relatively flat (some tough, short inclines were icy so you had to go slow). As you start, the crowd thins (this is a huge race since there is a distance for the whole family, there are lots and lots of people). Running along the river is quiet and pretty. There are dozens and dozens of thankful signs which are nice distractions and humbling to read (“Thankful for a cancer free year” made me tear up…wow I have it easy). You come off the trail to run through some quiet neighborhoods and since it’s Thanksgiving morning there is hardly any traffic at all. After a few miles in the neighborhoods, you rejoin the Jordan River Trail and head back. There are some underpasses that were a little icy so you had to be careful. I made the mistake of worrying too much about wet feet and chose to run in trail shoes which beat the crap out of my feet since I was running on pavement. There is a small segment of the JRT trail that you double back on (it’s sort of a squished figure 8 course with a stick in the middle that is out and back) and then you veer across the river to make it to the finish line. We were lucky and it was only snow showers and cold but not freezing cold…until literally the last 0.2 miles. Uphill into a head wind…ooph! Cross the finish line and get an incredible medal (Runtastic does the best medals!). Hot chocolate, rolls and pumpkin pie were waiting in the garage out of the wind. Age group winners (yea!) got another huge medal and a turn on the podium (it’s the little things that make me happy!). Overall winners took home Thanksgiving feasts. Parking is abundant and free–all the businesses in the area are closed for Thanksgiving so literally you could choose just about anywhere and you were in easy walking distance of the start/finish.

I can’t say enough great stuff about Runtastic Races. If you can’t run them, volunteer…these ladies run a great show. And check out their Black Friday pricing! You can buy a pass to ALL their races at a huge discount, or buy a trilogy pack (they have special medals for those who run 3 in a calendar year).

Was in New Orleans for work and was fortunate to have this available. Packet pick up at the hotel (Renaissance Arts Warehouse District) was convenient but small. Not really an expo. Shirt was really nice (unisex sizing), nice color, comfortable material. Race morning the start was delayed by 30min because of rain resulting in people having problems getting there (shout out to race organizers for not stressing people out by forcing an on time start). The start line was not well marked (but follow the masses…). Course had to be detoured due to Hard Rock Hotel falling down a few weeks ago. Start out with a 1.5mi out and back to the Super Dome and then another long straight away out to Audubon Park where you run a lap and come out to return around mile 9. To say this was flat is an understatement. SOOOOOO flat. I train and live at altitude so a combination of sea level and flat was a dream. Plenty of water on the course. Finish line is at a long straightaway so you can see it and not waste effort on turns (LOVE this kind of finish). Medal was decent. Food was not great–no bagels/pretzels/cookies/chips/chocolate milk. There was red beans and rice, jambalaya or hot dogs and beer. Good bands playing. Awards took FOREVER–winners were done by 9:30 even with late start and they didn’t do awards for anything including the 5K till nearly 11. It was freezing by then and standing around forever was no fun. Be aware they only do first place age group, masters, grand masters, seniors and overall. This was a disappointment. Pictures are not free and there weren’t really photographers on course, just at the finish.

We used to come up to Sleeping Bear Dunes in the summer because it’s a wonderful little lake town in Northern Michigan and was cool at night, beautiful dark skies to see the Milky Way and Big and Little Glen Lakes are amazing, crystal clear lakes that are wonderful to play in. We’ve never been in the fall so I wanted to give this race a try. This is a small production, <500 runners for the half. Packet Pick Up is small and only a couple of hours on Friday night and pre-race Saturday morning. Empire is a village so there is no problem finding it or finding parking. The shirt was nice, cool emblem on it. They were selling previous year's shirts but they are smart and don't put the year on it so it isn't obnoxious to buy them. $5 a shirt couldn't be beat. Temp at the start this year was low 40s and overcast. The race starts out for the first 1.5mi on the road and quickly jumps over to the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. This is a wide paved trail that runs for miles and miles through the forest. It was beautiful and quiet. Be smart and run the tangents! I can't believe the number of people that follow curves like lemmings, adding distance to their race. There are some challenging grades (7-11%, marked for cyclists) with a brutal hill at mile 4-5 and 8-9. But remember, what goes down, also goes up. You can bank a little if you're smart on your downhills. The return on that steep part was a challenge because it's long and steep but keep at it and once on the other side you can lay down some speed miles to the finish. There were plenty of water stops and porta potties along the way. Spectators can find you in several places, and with it being an out and back they don't have to move too much if they don't want. The half turns at the Dune Climb and returns to Empire. The start time is an hour after the marathon so you aren't sharing the trail with them. The 5K is after the half so again, good course management. The medals were really nice, and age group awards this year were coasters with the emblem on it. The post-race food was little skimpy, but there was beer so that was a plus. I would definitely come back and do this one again, I love Glen Arbor and I loved this race.

Ran this as part of the 50 State Half Marathon Annual Meet Up. Wouldn’t have gone otherwise since it’s somewhat hard to get to (you can fly to MLI which is minutes from anywhere in the Quad Cities, but not a lot of flights. You could instead fly to Chicago but the drive is stressful and it’s about 2.5h). There are plenty of places to stay near by in any of the cities that make up the QC (Moline, Rock Island, Davenport, Bettendorf). Be aware that this year the construction to replace the I-84 bridge seriously jacked everything up. The expo isn’t a big one but there is a really fun Pump n’ Run option. You weigh in, based on your weight you are assigned a set amount to bench press and a different amount to curl. You do as many reps as you can without resting and with good form and this goes towards a reduction in your time from the race. There are separate prizes for this. The course is generally late with the exception of getting up and down on some of the bridges. The bridge to Rock Island is metal and since it was raining cats and dogs this year was scary slippery. The shirt was nice this year, the bridges on the shirt were highly reflective. There is a race poster you can collect for free. The medal was a nice size and quality. The post race had tons of food to choose from. It’s a loop course so spectators can see you in more than one place. The last 0.2mi is off a bridge and a down hill with a turn and then a straightaway for a quick finish.

If you’re from Utah, you know the Cottonwood Canyons are beautiful no matter what you’re doing in them. Run Elevated doesn’t really have an “expo”, you pick up your packet at the local running store. Shirt is ok. You have to be on the bus god awful early to avoid the heat at the finish. The start will be COLD. It doesn’t matter how hot it will be during the day, it will be freezing at the top–you will be at nearly 9000 feet elevation. This makes it beautiful and dark. There is nowhere to get warm so plan accordingly with your clothes or your drop bag. There are plenty of porta potties. The start is just as the sun is coming up but it doesn’t really come into the canyon till you’re nearly down. The first 8 miles are in the canyon and the grades are super steep. As you leave the canyon, gravity feels like it is turned up to 11. Your legs will be rubbery, even if you train here in these conditions. The 5 miles outside of the canyon are some of the hardest I’ve ever run because of the thrashing your legs take coming down (but your heart doesn’t have to do anything then!). There is a “short” hill in the neighborhood that is beyond brutal. It is staggeringly steep and your legs will be screaming. I have yet to be able to run up this. They call it the elevator. The very last 0.5mi is also super hard. As you come towards the finish and round the bend and have to cross the road, it’s an uphill that feels surprisingly hard. Good food at the finish and well organized gear check. Medal is ok.

I ran this one as a back to back with Portland, ME because I wanted to get New Brunswick. It is definitely off the beaten path and if you choose to do this one, PLAN AHEAD for housing! Look at VRBOs all over (we stayed in Whiting) or look on Campobello Island. Don’t wait, there is nothing in this area at all. You MUST do packet pickup by a deadline on Saturday night since you have to cross over to Canada to get your bib, then check in with US Border Patrol on the way back in for a sticker. Without this, you aren’t allowed to cross the next day. We had the lobster dinner (on the Canada side) for $22 you get a whole lobster, spaghetti, potato salad, cole slaw and dessert. Super good food CHEAP, and there isn’t really a lot of choices around anyway! Expo is very, very small but the volunteers are locals and so friendly. Next AM, buses leave 5:30A-7A (Eastern Time, be aware, Canada is on Atlantic time and your phone can randomly switch towers so figure out how to turn that off before you go), from Lubec. At the border, the Canadian Border patrol takes your customs declaration and you go to the start. It’s beautiful—and chilly. The race starts old fashioned (no starting mat, time is gun time for start, chip for finish). You run out to the point and then turn back and run the coast. Apparently some years they have seen whales and eagles. The people along the course are super friendly (Santa is at mile 3ish—not kidding), and everyone waves and if they can see your bib name, they call you by it. The course is HILLY. And I mean HILLY. Be prepared. I was running a back to back so had no extra to give but it was worth it, the scenery was nice to look at. You flip mile 12 before the visitor center where you got your bib and then brace for the final hill climb to the bridge and then up and over. You go through Canadian customs where they will give you high fives, then power over the bridge (wind whips through there) and then through US Customs where they too give high fives. Round the corner and turn on the burners for the finish under the lobster traps. Results are posted on paper and there are custom, hand made medals and hand made prizes by the same artist for AG. Age groups are 10 years, not 5. Excellent food—Dunkin Donuts, chocolate milk, Greek yogurt with Maine Blueberries, ice cream, bagels with cream cheese or peanut butter…the volunteers were awesome. Really great people. Totally worth it, would do it again.

I’m running all 50 and chose this one for WV because I had heard that Harper’s Ferry is brutally hard and humid, Hatfield and McCoy is hilly and hard and I wasn’t looking for a crazy hard one. Top it off with the fact I was coming off of an injury that had hobbled me badly enough I couldn’t run at all for the 4 weeks leading up to this. That explains my time but the good news is, I finished.

First off, the Greenbrier is an interesting resort–very old and sprawling. It is also expensive so helpful money saving hint is stay in one of the nearby towns at a vacation rental. We had a wonderful VRBO in Lewiston, a 20-ish minute drive to the start but totally worth it. Packet pick-up was easy and not terribly crowded. The shirt was a nice quality shirt (I wouldn’t run in it because there is a large screen printing on the back that would make it horribly non-breathable). I paid for an extra breakfast buffet for my husband ($55), don’t forget to get the bracelet at packet pick up. There is a night before dinner you can buy and a morning of breakfast, we didn’t do either.

You park at the train depot and there is a frequent shuttle to the start. You can walk easily if you want for a warm up if you aren’t running late. It was a humid, overcast day. The start was supposed to be a self regulating seeding. People are very bad at this. This is a course that is super convoluted through a golf course and there is a 10K and a 5K that is also running on the course at the same time (staggered start). You will need to pay attention to signs and course marshals to know when you turn. You will see people all over and it’s hard to tell who is in front and who is behind. There as some wicked hills but they are short. The last few miles of the course are on the other side of the road, you go under the street by tunnel and then have to keep running on the course on the other side before crossing back. There is a hill up to the finish.

After the race, you can use the pool (OMG this was a bonus, being able to soak your feet felt so good). You get a champagne flute and then the brunch. I will tell you if you are paying for an extra, you will be disappointed. It is a nicer spread than a regular race but it is not worth $55. You can eat outside or inside. The medal is nice and is the same image as the back of the shirt.