Julie Kotowski's Staging Area

This was a very, very small race event, with 150 half marathoners and 102 5k’ers. The course was mostly on roads, going with traffic. There were no cones to separate us. I hoped that the cars were paying attention (it was a concern). There were mile markers and an occasional arrow to point you in the right direction but I felt like I had to be super aware because I was basically running alone. The course was very hilly but the scenery was pretty. The shirt and medal are nice and we got a small bottle of maple syrup. The finish line had water, bananas, pringles and bags of white cheddar popcorn. For me personally, the race was a little too small but it was a nice way to visit Vermont.

Trying to get a race in all 50 states, this was billed as the one to do in North Dakota. Starting with packet pick up on Friday, there was a long line out the door to get into the expo; not a big deal. Realizing the 5k was starting right there on the college grounds was a little disappointing if you’re trying to do a race in all states and the 5k starts and ends in Minnesota but crosses over into North Dakota so I guess technically it counts. The half marathon the next day started outside Fargodome. The course had to be altered due to potential river flooding. There were so many turns going through neighborhoods. The good thing was there was plenty of shade in the neighborhoods. The most scenic part of the run was going through the downtown area? on Broadway, I found that to be the most interesting part of the route. I felt like there weren’t enough aid stations or support. The course also lacked monitors at intersections that made it unsafe for runners. There was a lot of crowd support and music that was great to have. The finish line had water, powerade, granola bars, fruit snacks, maybe some other things I didn’t take. The medals were nice and a challenge medal was given for doing the 5k + half marathon.

Nice local race without a lot of bells & whistles. The 10k course is a steady incline for almost 3 miles before you run over the freeway overcrossing to turn around, but then you are treated to a glorious downhill run on the way back. This race goes all out with the finish line food and snacks and family and spectators were invited to indulge. Entry fee does not include a shirt (can buy it separately) and the finisher medals are nothing special, so this is not a race you do for the bling. Overall it was a hard race but fun.

Inaugural year; I didn’t see a lot of advertising ahead of time. The course was on a nice paved trail. Marked well, a few small inclines. The finish line festival had an awesome coffee bar, donut wall, some games for the kiddos. This race supported a good cause, more of a fundraiser race, so no race shirts but they did have a small acrylic ‘medal’ at the finish line. I would do this race again.