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@explaurations

Charleston, SC Raving since 2024 50 States hopeful/finisher Active 11 hours, 13 minutes 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

Future Races (46)

Race Distance Location Date Paid
Half Marathon Tulsa, OK Nov 24, 2024
Half Marathon Biloxi, MS Dec 15, 2024
Half Marathon Birmingham, AL Feb 8, 2025
Half Marathon Nashville, TN Apr 27, 2025
Half Marathon Indianapolis, IN May 3, 2025
Half Marathon Cincinnati, OH May 4, 2025
Half Marathon Coeur d'Alene, ID 2025
Half Marathon Kailua-Kona, HI TBD
Half Marathon Cordova, AK TBD
Half Marathon Anchorage, AK TBD
Half Marathon Austin, TX TBD
Half Marathon Dallas, TX TBD
Half Marathon New Orleans, LA TBD
Half Marathon Thomas, WV TBD
Half Marathon Houston, TX TBD
Half Marathon Chicago, IL TBD
Half Marathon Chicago, IL TBD
Half Marathon Bellvue, CO TBD
Half Marathon Eugene, OR TBD
Half Marathon St. Louis, MO TBD
Half Marathon Olathe, KS TBD
Half Marathon Wilson, WY TBD
Half Marathon Albuquerque, NM TBD
Half Marathon Burlington, VT TBD
Half Marathon Hartford, CT TBD
Half Marathon Indianapolis, IN TBD
Half Marathon Lehighton, PA TBD
Half Marathon Douglas, AK TBD
Half Marathon Lawrence, KS TBD
Half Marathon Waterbury, VT TBD
Half Marathon Baton Rouge, LA TBD
Half Marathon Madison, WI TBD
Half Marathon Wells, ME TBD
Half Marathon Lahaina, HI TBD
Half Marathon Milwaukee, WI TBD
Half Marathon Frenchtown, MT TBD
Half Marathon Mystic, CT TBD
Half Marathon New York City, NY TBD
Half Marathon Brooklyn, NY TBD
Half Marathon Ocean City, MD TBD
Half Marathon Philadelphia, PA TBD
Half Marathon Evergreen, CO TBD
Half Marathon New Orleans, LA TBD
Half Marathon Anchorage, AK TBD
Half Marathon Saint Louis, MO TBD
Half Marathon St. Michaels, MD TBD

Past Races (29)

Race Distance Location Date Result My Raves My Performance
Half Marathon Lincoln, NE Oct 27, 2024
Half Marathon Des Moines, IA Oct 20, 2024
Half Marathon Mankato, MN Oct 19, 2024
Half Marathon Bismarck, ND Sep 22, 2024
Half Marathon Deadwood, SD Jun 2, 2024
Half Marathon Louisville, KY Apr 27, 2024
Half Marathon Little Rock, AR Mar 3, 2024
Half Marathon Mesa, AZ Feb 10, 2024
Half Marathon Charleston, SC Jan 14, 2023
Half Marathon Asheville, NC Mar 20, 2022
Half Marathon Las Vegas, NV Nov 17, 2019
Half Marathon Seattle, WA Jun 9, 2019
Marathon Relay Burlington, VT May 26, 2019
Half Marathon San Diego, CA Apr 28, 2019
Half Marathon Grosse Ile, MI Mar 24, 2019
Half Marathon Newport, RI Oct 7, 2018
Half Marathon Hampton, NH Sep 30, 2018
Half Marathon Tybee Island, GA Feb 3, 2018
Half Marathon Boston, MA Oct 8, 2017
Half Marathon Salt Lake City, UT Sep 9, 2017
4 Miler Saratoga Springs, NY Jul 4, 2017
Marathon Oceanport, NJ Apr 30, 2017
Half Marathon Miami, FL Jan 29, 2017
Marathon Arlington, VA Oct 30, 2016
Half Marathon Westerly, RI Sep 11, 2016
Half Marathon Glouchester, MA Apr 3, 2016
Half Marathon Boston, MA May 24, 2015
10K Wethersfield, CT 2014
Half Marathon Westerly, RI 2013

My Raves

First time even visiting Nebraska on my 50 states journey - so glad I chose this race! I signed up back in June and glad I did because I believe … MORE

First time even visiting Nebraska on my 50 states journey – so glad I chose this race! I signed up back in June and glad I did because I believe it sold out at least a month before the race.

Travel: I didn’t have great route options to Lincoln, so I flew into Omaha and rented a car, which was really easy, about a 55 min drive

Logistics: expo was easy for packet pickup, plenty of parking there. Swag was decent – long sleeve shirt. Wish there was more “Nebraska red” or the shirt/medal said Nebraska on it. The pick up bag had honestly a little too much waste for my liking. Tons of coupons inside a box and package of spicy beer jerkey. Not ideal for someone who swings vegetarian and can’t do “spicy”!

I stayed at the courtyard in downtown Lincoln and purchased a $10 shuttle pass with my registration (WORTH it but honestly this should be included in the race registration) the shuttles went from downtown (about 6 min walk from my hotel) to the start line. Alternatively you can drive to the start and shuttle back after. If you’re downtown, it only makes sense to do the downtown shuttle.

We arrived by 7:15 so had over an hour to wait. It was pretty freezing waiting around, but luckily was able to wear a warmer layer and put it in my gear check bag up until 15 mins pre race.

Huge turnout with about 7,100 runners for this race! It started in waves, so crossed the start about 9-10 mins after the kick off

The race:
Honestly so much fun. I didn’t even put my headphones in. I couldn’t believe how the miles just flew by with great crowd support and entertainment along the way. First few miles definitely had some rolling hills, then most of the race was a gradual downhill.. except in mile 12.7 there’s quite a climb over a bridge, but then it’s smooth sailing into the finish area.

This was quite literally the only race where I ran a clean 13.11 miles exactly on my watch!

Post race: tons of treats. Water/gatorade/iced tea bottles, chocolate milk, mini donut holes, granola bars, bananas and clementines, cookies, goldfish, BREAKFAST BURRITOS individually wrapped in foil. Was able to fuel perfectly with all that was offered.

They also had multiple spots for photos with the same back drop, so no crazy lines. Super easy to get my gear checked bag after, and a short walk back to the hotel!

10/10 recommend the good life halfsy!

DIFFICULTY
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2 members marked this review helpful. Agree?

On my 50 states journey - ran Mankato Minnesota the day before - felt sore but the course was overall great. Definitely more incline than anticipated as course is advertised … MORE

On my 50 states journey – ran Mankato Minnesota the day before – felt sore but the course was overall great. Definitely more incline than anticipated as course is advertised as fast/flat. Beautiful trails/parks for a good chunk of the race. Perfect weather, great swag with a jacket! Definitely can use this as a rain jacket as it has a hood – and zippered pockets! Plenty of aid stations along the way. I stayed at the Renaissance which was like a 2 min walk to start/finish, very convenient. Pizza post race was tasty. My only drawbacks were some disorganization, especially at the starting line. Very unclear of where to enter the corrals or how to enter them. It was like moving through molasses trying to walk from the front of pack to a corral, weaving among spectators and racers with minutes to go before the start. Also confusing long line for taking photos with the 13.1 sculpture. Overall – beautiful course, great crowd support, nice people, great selection for your Iowa race!

DIFFICULTY
3
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This is an excellent race to choose if you’re on your 50 states journey. Mankato is a cute town, the scenery had beautiful foliage, views of farms, running through tree-lined … MORE

This is an excellent race to choose if you’re on your 50 states journey. Mankato is a cute town, the scenery had beautiful foliage, views of farms, running through tree-lined trails, and overall was peaceful and beautiful. Difficult course with lots of hills thrown in. Pleasantly surprised at how easy all logistics were – especially given the half marathon starts almost an hour after the full – still plenty of parking in the parking garages (which they call “ramps”) within a 10 min walk to the start. No corral crowding, easy bag drop. Bonus was having PTs at the end for a little post race rehabbing, which I needed. Also loved the post race snacks – potato chips and munchkins were treats in addition to the usual suspects (bananas Gatorade bars etc)

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4
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Absolutely loved this race and the folks of Bismarck. I’m on my 50 states journey and had never been to North Dakota before, and I’m so glad I chose Bismarck. … MORE

Absolutely loved this race and the folks of Bismarck. I’m on my 50 states journey and had never been to North Dakota before, and I’m so glad I chose Bismarck.

Pre-race: easy packet pickup and amazing swag – super comfy hoodie and beanie and no wasted junk at packet pickup!

Probably the most endearing highlight – the race announcer was at packet pickup and wanted to meet out of staters and ask some interview questions, which I heard him share as I crossed the finish line! Super sweet and thoughtful, he shared the reason for this was “for people coming out of state who don’t know anyone, to know they are cared about here” – this alone sealed the deal for me of this being a race I’d recommend to anyone!

Race: Nice small race, no overcrowding. Perfect weather, crisp air. Beautiful scenery across the Missouri River and we spent quite a bit of the race on a beautiful paved trail. The only drawback was the last 5k was pretty full of incline. The rest of the race was fast and flat though.

Post-race: had the basics of anything you need AND they had free stretching from PT’s! Got a quality stretch and it wasn’t a super long wait.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
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5

2 members marked this review helpful. Agree?

This race was recommended to me by someone who had completed their 50 states. Knowing nothing about South Dakota, I went for it, and so happy I did! South Dakota … MORE

This race was recommended to me by someone who had completed their 50 states. Knowing nothing about South Dakota, I went for it, and so happy I did! South Dakota blew my expectations away – beautiful state, deadwood is a super cool/cute kind of kitschy old western town. We got bussed to the start and it was a rolling start, which helped with congestion of runners. Absolutely beautiful trail – I didn’t even use music to take in everything, truly stunning. Net downhill made it pretty easy but there were some hills in there too. Recommend for sure! I visited the badlands and Mount Rushmore too

DIFFICULTY
3
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5
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3

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Great race to check off Kentucky! Bought a cool Sweatshirt with a unicorn - wish the race swag had this design. Well organized. Hotels within walking distance of the start/finish. … MORE

Great race to check off Kentucky! Bought a cool
Sweatshirt with a unicorn – wish the race swag had this design. Well organized. Hotels within walking distance of the start/finish. Much more humid than expected. Very cool to run through Churchill downs and see some horses practicing.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
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Came here for my 50 states quest. Got into town a day early to check out hot springs - worth the trip! The race was well organized, the expo had … MORE

Came here for my 50 states quest. Got into town a day early to check out hot springs – worth the trip! The race was well organized, the expo had therapy dogs which was amazing. Plenty of hotel options in walking distance of the start/finish line. They moved the start time to 2 hours earlier the night before due to heat, which I’m not sure was necessary. Course had more hills than expected. Nice people and good opportunity to meet other 50 staters

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
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3
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3

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Mesa is a great race for checking off Arizona. Easy packet pick up and great sweatshirts we purchased. Plenty of parking on race morning. The hiccups followed after this - … MORE

Mesa is a great race for checking off Arizona. Easy packet pick up and great sweatshirts we purchased. Plenty of parking on race morning. The hiccups followed after this – there were some unclear lines to get on buses (not clear on which race distance belonged where) and we had to wait nearly an hour in the rain. Once we were bussed to the start, they delayed the race 30 minutes. There were some heat lamps, and I’m sure it’s not common for it to be cold and rainy for this race, but still. Then they started the race before the 30 minute delay! Kind of confusing and chaotic. The course was great with a subtle downhill. Scenery nothing really to write home about – great to visit Phoenix, Sedona and the Grand Canyon after!

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This race was especially cold, and windy. Which made it difficult running the last couple miles uphill on the highway. The majority of the course is super beautiful around downtown … MORE

This race was especially cold, and windy. Which made it difficult running the last couple miles uphill on the highway. The majority of the course is super beautiful around downtown Charleston, the end toward the North Charleston finish is less desirable. Overall well organized. This race has been deferred from 2022, which was cancelled a week or so before the race

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
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4

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This was still a freshly post Covid era and we were not able to race at the biltmore estate. The course was mostly around the river arts district and was … MORE

This was still a freshly post Covid era and we were not able to race at the biltmore estate.
The course was mostly around the river arts district and was beautiful, and surprisingly mostly flat considering how hilly Asheville was. I was so impressed with how well organized this race was! Beautiful weather too

DIFFICULTY
3
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5
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4

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Really awesome race, so cool to run right on the strip at night. It’s weird to have a 4pm start time, felt very dehydrated throughout the race but they had … MORE

Really awesome race, so cool to run right on the strip at night. It’s weird to have a 4pm start time, felt very dehydrated throughout the race but they had a good amount of Gatorade and water drops. Flat overall. A big party in the dark all lit up!

DIFFICULTY
2
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4
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4
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3

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So many hills in this race so I ended up needing to walk a lot. Had a tough time getting an Uber to the start so barely made it and … MORE

So many hills in this race so I ended up needing to walk a lot. Had a tough time getting an Uber to the start so barely made it and had to have a friend drive me at the last second. Still a beautiful course and Seattle is such a great city, especially for grunge fans.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
4
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4

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Our first marathon relay was a fun time with friends and beautiful weekend in Burlington. Course was well organized and very peaceful. Lots of fun - definitely recommend! MORE

Our first marathon relay was a fun time with friends and beautiful weekend in Burlington. Course was well organized and very peaceful. Lots of fun – definitely recommend!

DIFFICULTY
3
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5
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5
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3

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It is definitely worth it to do this race. The course is stunning. You will pay for it though with actual vertical climbs up Torrey pines. There’s another hill in … MORE

It is definitely worth it to do this race. The course is stunning. You will pay for it though with actual vertical climbs up Torrey pines. There’s another hill in mile 12 that feels like a slap in the face, but truly the views make up for it.

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5
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Rock CF is such a special race. Emily, founder of rock CF, lives with cystic fibrosis. It’s unbelievable to see so many CF’ers out there running these races - you … MORE

Rock CF is such a special race. Emily, founder of rock CF, lives with cystic fibrosis. It’s unbelievable to see so many CF’ers out there running these races – you truly can’t help but be inspired and in awe. Wonderful event for the CF community and Michigan as a whole. Beautiful sunrise at the start. Definitely chilly in Michigan in March, but course was pretty flat and fast, and we got to wait inside the school gym before to stay warm.

DIFFICULTY
2
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4
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Newport’s race course was absolutely stunning and charming. There are definitely some challenging hills in there. Very cute medal. Lots of post race food on the beach MORE

Newport’s race course was absolutely stunning and charming. There are definitely some challenging hills in there. Very cute medal. Lots of post race food on the beach

DIFFICULTY
4
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5
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3

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Great race and easy to get to from Boston. Well organized, good sized crowd, flat course. Beautiful views of the ocean and Hampton beach. Able to walk on the beach … MORE

Great race and easy to get to from Boston. Well organized, good sized crowd, flat course. Beautiful views of the ocean and Hampton beach. Able to walk on the beach before/after the race. Best part were the fleeces!!!

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
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4
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5

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Just did the half marathon, but cool concept to have so many different races throughout the weekend. Flat course, cute little beach town! Able to walk right on the beach … MORE

Just did the half marathon, but cool concept to have so many different races throughout the weekend. Flat course, cute little beach town! Able to walk right on the beach after finishing. Close to Savannah to explore after

DIFFICULTY
2
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5
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4
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3

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Ran this race in 2016 and just creating my race raves account in 2024, lol. BAA races are always pretty well organized. This particular year was very humid and then … MORE

Ran this race in 2016 and just creating my race raves account in 2024, lol. BAA races are always pretty well organized. This particular year was very humid and then poured at the end. Not easy to get out of the race area to the train/ubers etc without getting soaked

DIFFICULTY
3
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4
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4
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Most gorgeous scenery. Early and frigid start being bussed to the top of the mountain, but worth it because it’s all down hill from there - literally! This race will … MORE

Most gorgeous scenery. Early and frigid start being bussed to the top of the mountain, but worth it because it’s all down hill from there – literally! This race will tear your quads to shreds. I was more sore than after a full marathon. It is definitely downhill but the last few miles were out of the canyon flat and under the sun which felt tough. My watch died and there weren’t any clocks or anything at any mile markers, which was actually nice. Lots of post race food. Parking was easy pre race

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
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3

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Lots of fun for this local race. Pretty fast course - definitely hot but some neighbors had sprinklers which were much appreciated! Race photos were great to have too MORE

Lots of fun for this local race. Pretty fast course – definitely hot but some neighbors had sprinklers which were much appreciated! Race photos were great to have too

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
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3

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This was a great and well organized small/medium race. Fast and flat course, beautiful run by the ocean at the end. Pacers were great, medal was beautiful! MORE

This was a great and well organized small/medium race. Fast and flat course, beautiful run by the ocean at the end. Pacers were great, medal was beautiful!

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
4

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Miami was a great race, despite some rainy and windy weather. The real struggle was shivering afterward and having to buy a long sleeve shirt. My medal also broke shortly … MORE

Miami was a great race, despite some rainy and windy weather. The real struggle was shivering afterward and having to buy a long sleeve shirt. My medal also broke shortly after receiving it, but was able to get a replacement. Overall fast and flat course!

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2
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5
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3
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This race is amazing. It’s huge, but so well organized. The course is great, seeing all the sites of DC, the emotional blue mile in mile 10, great crowd support … MORE

This race is amazing. It’s huge, but so well organized. The course is great, seeing all the sites of DC, the emotional blue mile in mile 10, great crowd support throughout majority of the course. Miles 24-25 were boring on a highway, the finish line was uphill from what I remember. Highly recommend this race!

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
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4
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2nd time running this race, more humid in 2016 than 2013. The hill at mile 10 is tough. Beautiful course and nice to be able to walk right on the MORE

2nd time running this race, more humid in 2016 than 2013. The hill at mile 10 is tough. Beautiful course and nice to be able to walk right on the beach after!

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3

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Ran this race in 2016 and just creating my race raves account in 2024, lol Weather is unpredictable in New England in early April, and in 2016 it snowed, was … MORE

Ran this race in 2016 and just creating my race raves account in 2024, lol

Weather is unpredictable in New England in early April, and in 2016 it snowed, was windy and pretty treacherous by the ocean. We were able to wait inside the school gym before the race at least. The course was rolling hills, and was still able to PR.

DIFFICULTY
5
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4
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4
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Ran this race in 2015 and just getting around to my reviewers in 2024, lol. But this was my second half marathon and I ran a 10 min PR. If … MORE

Ran this race in 2015 and just getting around to my reviewers in 2024, lol. But this was my second half marathon and I ran a 10 min PR. If you’re looking for a race where you actually see the city of Boston – this is it! Again this was 2015 but the medal and shirt were average

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I’ve run this race twice and both times it’s been super well organized, and old Wethersfield is so lovely and charming. Not too crowded, highly recommend! MORE

I’ve run this race twice and both times it’s been super well organized, and old Wethersfield is so lovely and charming. Not too crowded, highly recommend!

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3

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Surftown was my first half in 2013, and I ran again in 2016 (just getting around to creating my race raves now..) Wonderful race organized by the Hartford marathon foundation. … MORE

Surftown was my first half in 2013, and I ran again in 2016 (just getting around to creating my race raves now..)

Wonderful race organized by the Hartford marathon foundation. Course is beautiful, tough hill in mile 10 from what I remember. Everything else was seamless, I still have my tech shirt from 2013 and wear it! Great medals too.

DIFFICULTY
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