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@GFRunner
Cedar Falls, IA Raving since 2018 50 States hopeful/finisher, Half Fanatics #10575 Active 4 years, 6 months agoAbout Me
My Races
Organize, track & review your races and personal bests here.
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| Race | Distance | Location | Date | Paid |
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Past Races (2)
| Race | Distance | Location | Date | Result | My Raves | My Performance |
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| Des Moines Marathon | Half Marathon | Des Moines, IA | Oct 20, 2019 |
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| Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon | Marathon | Cincinnati, OH | May 6, 2018 |
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Des Moines Marathon
Nice course, great expo, few issues
Des Moines Marathon
The expo was great. Off street parked to avoid paying $10 for an hour at the expo. picked up my packet and love the awesome jacket. (Sort of wish it … MORE
The expo was great. Off street parked to avoid paying $10 for an hour at the expo.
picked up my packet and love the awesome jacket. (Sort of wish it was cotton or sweatshirt lined). Thought there were too many places selling ‘nutrition’ items at the expo.
Race info before and during were great. Enough emails, not too many, keeping us updated. Day off line up was great. Couldn’t really hear the speakers in the back of the pack. Need more speakers set up to allow announcements to carry back.
I was injured a few weeks before the event, and had to walk it with a slower pace than I otherwise would have. While I always carry water on me after a bad 10k race experience, I was still shocked and disappointed to see Mile 2 water station was folding tables when we came through, knowing there were still people behind us. Mile 4, one of those folks passed me, saying she was glad to finally get water. Many runners don’t carry during the event.
Around the Water Works park was pretty. PLENTY of water / nutrition support on the course, except for two aid stations. One was before the park, and the high school volunteers had their backs turned to the course and on their phones. The other was inside the park, and about where the circle comes back to the in/out path. The boy aid station workers had the silver pans of items in their hands out towards the road, until we came up to them, then they literally turned their backs and faced the table, while one young man tried to “hock” his ‘autographed banana’. No one wants an assaulted banana during a race. Another one said can we can you anything, and I was like “where are the oranges, I spied a pan of oranges as I was coming up”. Oh, those were already sitting on the table.
Grays Lake was great to view. Didn’t know the story of the bridge, but seems to be a memorial one of some sort.
Past an area where we could see Confluence Brewery.
Area leading to the finish was great atmosphere, encouraging.
Finish area was a little to be desired, simply crossed the line and there were people all around, but I had no idea where to get my medal because *no one was stepping forward*. I finally spied someone (adult) with medals on her arm, who inquired how can she help. Medal, I’d like my medal. She directed us across the intersection to another person who had the half medals.
Then we exited and had the option of going right for merchandise and some food for sale, or left for finish food. We went right first, then got in the long line for the food. The line moved quickly. Chocolate milk was the only thing I could eat, as the rest was all gluten.
Felt the after event was a little lacking, but maybe that’s because it took me longer than normal on the course for having pulled a deep muscle before the event.
Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon 🏆
Great Race, fun city.
Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon 🏆
Loved most of this race. The hills/climbs in the first 9 mile aren't too bad (and I'm a flatlander/river bottom person). They were challenging and well worth the view. Running … MORE
Loved most of this race. The hills/climbs in the first 9 mile aren’t too bad (and I’m a flatlander/river bottom person). They were challenging and well worth the view. Running into KY and seeing beautiful buildings and bridges throughout the area was great!
I am a slower competitor. After a car collision I have had to become a walker. I started in a later corral. I was on pace with under 16 minute miles. It was still sad and frustrating to see aid stations being taken down as I was going past. What about the competitors behind me? It was a hot day and sunny day. I haven’t had many of those to train in this year. That made it a little more difficult. I appreciated the med tents having sunscreen on this sunny day. I appreciated the fire dept who handed out baggies of ice. I appreciated the aid stations that had ice on hand for runners.
I was disappointed with the ‘snacks’ at aid stations. I expected water and gatorade, and both were present. I was disappointed in the cookies cookies and pretzels handed out on course. The volunteers who tried to hand them to me, even though I was not giving them eye contact and trying to veer away without going out of my line. Loved the pit bull people who had orange slices on course, and the friendly neighbors out on course who had some orange juice. Loved the neighborhood in the Meriweather(?) area who had decorated their street.
For all the neighbors who came out and had ‘block parties’ during the race, it was fun to see them out there, but also weird to see people with tables of food and beverages on the side of the road and know that wasn’t for the runners, but for them. . .that was just weird.
Would I do the Pig again? absolutely!