Keith Roberts's Staging Area

Overall Rating: Excellent! Fantastic all paved course down the main beach frontage roads in PCB.

Course Difficulty: A few tiny ups and downs and a couple speed bumps and potholes, otherwise, cake. The course is open, which is why I gave it a 4 (I had to yell to get some kids eyes off their phone and back on the road), but overall, about as good as it gets.

Course Scenery: Running along the beach is always good, and here on the gulf coast winter doesn’t hurt you too much.

Race Production: Really good. Packet pickup had no hiccups, pre-race communication was timely and accurate, and race production was really good. The one thing that seemed like it could have been better was the on course fuel. There were peppermints at each aid station, so my fuel for the race was 4 peppermints and a bottle of Gatorade. After all of the races I’ve run, this seems to be a point that is not well addressed. It would be wise to bring fuel with you if you do this race.

Race Swag: High quality custom medal, pretty sweet sticker, and nice long sleeve tech shirt.

My Performance: LOL, this should be entertaining. Tuesday night I was taken to the ER with a passing kidney stone, Wednesday I was at home trying to not die and pass a kidney stone, Thursday I flew to Florida (time bomb still ticking), Friday I tan a few test miles, could only do 4 and averaged 13 min/mi (not good enough for the 6 hour cutoff).
I was shocked that I could even finish this race, and thought really seriously about a DNS (more on that in the blog later), and when I pulled off a sub 5 I was ecstatic!!!

Final notes: This was a pretty big race for me and my Raceraves profile, because I finally turned that last dark blue state to purple-that’s right Karen, I have now “officially” run an “actual” marathon in all fifty states-lol. I still have to deal with the kidney stone and get that thing passed, but this a pretty nice way to seal up 2021!

Overall Rating: Tough race with rainy conditions then heat.

Course Difficulty: Lots of big hills at the beginning and flattening out after halfway. A couple of unsupported major highway crossings. Nice course.

Course Scenery: About as good as it gets for southern Illinois. Start at Garden of the Gods SP and ends downtown Harrisburg.

Race Production: Not great this year. I give a lot of grace to RD’s, especially during COVID season. The aid stations/volunteers were lacking, as was course support. At the end of the race, runners had to snake their way through the stage area of a local festival to get to finish line. I think there could have been a little better option logistically, but I was happy to see this race happen.

Race Swag: Had a repeat medal and shirts from a previous year. Not casting any stones, as each participant received two long sleeve tech shirts and it is a nice medal…just expected it to be different as a repeat runner.

My Performance: Not awesome. Started off on a PR pace running in a nice warm rain, then the rain stopped and the leg cramps started (only my second race with leg cramps), which I credit partly to the lack of salty foods, drinks, or GU at aid stations. All in all not a terrible day.

Final notes: I make an intentional effort not to blame others for my outcomes. At the end of the day, I am thrilled that this race happened and love the work that the RD is doing! If anything, I should have shown up with more than a water bottle…so all good!

The Nebraska State Fair marathon was wonderfully organized with outstanding volunteers. We had no issues with packet pick up, race start, or direction on the course.

The volunteers were very friendly, and always eager to help. I am sincerely thankful for the neighbors who faced their lawn sprinklers toward the road, those little burst of cold were a lifesaver.

This race was as advertised – flat and fast. I was expecting to be about 5:15 – 5:30 with my injured leg, so imagine my surprise when it was a 4:37…what???

The day was hot, and I expect it will probably always be that way in Nebraska in August, but there was plenty of Gatorade and water, along with GU’s, fruit snacks and cuties. The aid stations were every 2 miles on the mark, we’ll done!

The swag was pretty decent; a nice custom medal and a long sleeve tech shirt.

The one thing I didn’t love, is that there were no really salty electrolytes on course. I usually bring my own, but forgot them at the hotel…the day was hot enough that the Gatorade wasn’t doing the trick and many people were cramping up on course. I don’t blame the race for this, just caution future runners not to forget yours.

All in all, a wonderful race to cross Nebraska off of your state list or to simply cross a marathon off of your bucket list.

Happy running!!!

Overall Rating: Good. No issues, started on time. Course was crazy windy.

Course Difficulty: This course was really flat and fast. A few rollers here and there, but overall easy. The downside is probably that you are completely exposed to the elements, so anything other than perfect conditions would affect you.

Course Scenery: The first 2 miles are pretty cool as you are going over old bridges on Rt 66, the next 8ish mile are on a levee (pretty boring), back over the bridges, 10 more pretty boring miles, and then it gets interesting running in front of the arch and some historic riverfront and old town.

Race Production: Really good. The only issue I had was coming into town as on Sat, and no available packet pickup that afternoon/evening. I was planning to be dropped off at the start, but the race was 100% in on packet pickup at the finish and take the shuttle bus. Ended up having my son pick up the packet earlier in the week (which he had no issues with). Not a big deal, but definitely needs to be planned for.

Race Swag: Good medal, nice long sleeve shirt, and commemorative mug.

My Performance: Good, probably would have gotten a PR, just ran out of steam after fighting the wind.

This was a good race that was pretty close to home. I generally don’t do city races, and didn’t love fighting the post race (Cardinal’s game) traffic when it was over, but I was super thrilled to get back into an actual in person race.

If you’re looking for a race that is fast and well run in the StL area, this will do.

This race was a crazy challenge for me. I wanted to do a 100 this year, and most were cancelled, but in the true spirit of the Honey Badger Race…this one went on.

I am going to make this a short review and say the race production, and course were excellent, my performance stunk.

All was going according to plan (13 min/mi pace) until I blistered the bottom of both feet and rubbed the skin off of the inside of my legs at about mile 55. That’s right, you can chafe that bad. At mile 67 I threw in the towel, but my crew wouldn’t accept that. They coned me out, tossed me in the shower (ouch!!!), stuck me on a cot with a fan blowing on my unmentionables for about 5 hours, then took my whiny butt back to the course. That next part was a brutal 50k, but it’s what hundred mile races are…raw – gritty – determination.

I will be forever grateful for my crew for pushing me through that, no way I would have made it without them.

At the end of the day (and a half), if you want to try a hundred miler, this is a great one. It’s hard, not in mountain or trail sense, but in a cooking eggs on the pavement sense. BTW, there were only 13 finishers, so that will tell a little about how hard it was.

Overall Rating: Really good cold weather run.

Course Difficulty: A few rolling hills to keep the legs and mind challenged, but wide and flat asphalt or cinder the entire time.

Course Scenery: Nice northern landscape. The four loops get a little old, but the scenery around the lake and river is enough to keep it interesting.

Race Production: Good. There were some aid stations called out on the race documentation that weren’t there, and some of the AS food and drink was different, but all in all, no major hiccups or blunders…definitely a solid organization.

Race Swag: The real reason I was here. I needed that 12th buckle for the year and this is a nice one! Other features were a well designed long sleeve tee, a race sticker, and an aluminum water bottle – all high quality stuff.

My Performance: Better than expected. I picked up some new friends on the way, stopped to help a couple of people in need (which ate up about 10 minutes), and still managed a PR; needless to say, I’m good with that.

Final notes: I don’t love cold, so this will never be my favorite race, however, it is a fantastic race and a really good organization; I can certainly put my stamp of approval on it.

In speaking with the RD, due to complications with local municipalities, this is likely the last year for this race in its current form.

The Shawnee Marathon has been a true representation of Southern Illinois scenery, and has provided local runners with an outstanding opportunity to gain access to a quality marathon without breaking the bank. This years medal is one of the best I have received at any race to date, and the volunteers willingness to stand in the wind and rain, shows some serious dedication to the runners.

I’m a little sad to see this one go, as it was my hometown marathon and the first race that I ran with any of my kids; but looking forward to the next iteration and the continued chance to give runners access to some of southern Illinois’ hidden scenery.

Overall Rating: Excellent. Good.

Course Difficulty: Just enough uphill and downhill to keep it interesting.

Course Scenery: Nice city main street and tour of local neighborhoods.

Race Production: Really good. Aid stations had water, electrolytes, and fruit, plenty of restrooms, lots of course marshals and local PD to give direction.

Race Swag: Gloves for the streakers this year, good race medal and ultra soft tee.

My Performance: Was shooting for 5hrs and got 4:58…so slow, but predictable.

Just a straightforward, good run. No issues and no surprises. This is a marathon only, so no other races to cause any kind of confusion.

Overall Rating: Outstanding course and volunteers…maybe the best aid station workers anywhere!

Course Difficulty: I struggle with rail trails, and this was no exception. The course was smooth with crushed limestone (typical rail trail) with really long drawn out ups and downs. I’m pretty sure we were never on flat ground and we only went over a total of three hills in the entire 100 miles…so yes, there was one 18.5 mile uphill. Up to about 50 miles I was on track for a 22-24hr finish…then the incessant pounding of my feet got the best of me and I limped the rest of it and made just over 29 hours.

Course Scenery: Absolutely gorgeous. Since I was walking a lot, it was nice to be surrounded by forest, rock formations, creeks with amazing rapids, and some beautiful skies.

Race Production: Perhaps the best part of the entire race. The people working at the aid stations treat you like family (the good side), and there were no surprises along the way. Packet pick up and finish line were pretty low key, but got the job done.

Race Swag: Shiny new buckle, super soft cotton tee, and hammer collapsible cup.

My Performance: As mentioned earlier, I struggle on rail trails; there just isn’t enough variability in the terrain, so my performance was not great. I think I would just sum it up by saying, “I didn’t quit”.

Final notes: This was a hard run for me, and I’m not sure I have any more 100 milers in my future. I don’t want this review to reflect negatively on the course or volunteers in any way…both were outstanding; I think I probably just don’t have the time to put in the necessary amount of miles to thrive at this distance. Of course, it has only been 1 day since I completed the race, it could just be my aching feet talking…I suppose time will tell.

Overall Rating: Really good. Big RWB event with camping and rucking.

Course Difficulty: Flat and fast, although I had a lot of trouble with the “flatness” of the course making my feet hurt. I suppose over the last few months my feet have gotten used to ups and downs with a lot of movement over small obstacles. This course was a 5 mile loop on rail trail with very slight grade.

Course Scenery: I was on the course for nearly 16 hours and I didn’t really get bored. The out path is run next to a canal, over a bridge, and then back along a river. Nice mid-western scenery.

Race Production: Really good. No surprises at all. Everything started on time, and the volunteers were great. One large aid station at the start finish and a few smaller ones along the way. All aid stations were as advertised, and the course needed no marking. Pre-race information was timely and accurate. Registration was a breeze.

Race Swag: Awesome buckle and moisture wicking tee.

My Performance: I went into this race thinking it would be an easy run, but there are no easy 100k’s…period! I had a breakdown somewhere around mile 15, and if my son hadn’t paced me for 15 miles throughout the race, I am certain that I would have quit early.

Final notes: I’m not sure why this course was so hard for me, other than I think I broke something psychological during the UROC 100k in May and haven’t recovered yet. This is an excellent course for first time or experienced ultra runners. The RD was on course all day, and really tries to take care of his runners. If you’re looking to PR or break into the Ultra world, this would be a great place to do it!

Overall Rating: Outstanding. Tough course. Great Organization.

Course Difficulty: Although it wasn’t the most technical trail you will ever run, the elevation gain more than makes up for it. The uphills, especially B.A.H. (the fact that they named it should tell you something), will leave you gasping for air, and the downhills will set your quads and knees on fire. It is a different kind of difficult than some other races, as this one will make you work for it all day.

Course Scenery: Really good. Views of several waterfalls, runs that trace the river, and some overlooks. The trees weren’t in bloom quite yet, but still very nice.

Race Production: I am very impressed with this race organization. The running community in this part of the world is very tight knit, and so the production team and it seems most of the runners were very close and constantly talking. Course markings were excellent, so I was never afraid that I was lost, and communication was good. Aid stations and volunteers were second to none. RD’s were on the course throughout the day cheering runners on and taking feedback. Just really good.

Race Swag: Yes please! Headsweats technical trucker, cotton blended tech shirt, and the Forget the PR buckle I’ve been chasing. Other runners got a second 5 year or 10 year buckle that was little fancier.

My Performance: My goal was 8 hours, and I finished in 8 hrs 39 seconds…so I performed as expected. I didn’t push really hard in this race, as it was, in large part, training for the UROC 100k. I am certainly happy with this finish time.

Final notes: I think the number of runners I spoke with on the course, who have done this race 5-10 times, and are also doing the 100 miler in June speak well enough for the organization and quality of the run. It was exactly as hard as I expected it to be, and I was pleasantly surprised by all the other “little extras”. If you plan to go and run this one, get ready for a couple of monster hills, and enjoy your time in the woods.

Overall Rating: Easier than Bandera, harder than Rocky Raccoon; slower than both.

Course Difficulty: It was tough. The course was two 31 mile loops with five creek crossings in the first two miles, so wet feet the whole race. Lots of hills, rocks, and roots, but many more sections that could be run than Bandera at Camp Eagle. There was a very technical portion from about mile 17 to mile 20, made more so by the constant drizzle. Somewhere between mile 20 and 25 there is a nice long flat boring stretch, which would normally be agony, but by this point your legs will be begging for it.

Course Scenery: Beautiful. Had some vistas overlooking the Colorado River (the Texas one), and surrounded by waterfalls and rock formations all day.

Race Production: Very good. Race started and continued with no problem and course was marked really frequently so there was no fear of getting lost. No big fanfare or aid station support on this one, it was self supported, and at times lonely, but the race company did everything they said they would. Had a self sign in at each aid station and scenic overlook. I had my two oldest kids crewing for me, and I would not have made it to the finish without them; if you attempt this race, either take a crew, or be prepared to confront the deepest darkest parts of your soul, no free passes on this run.

Race Swag: Awesome buckle, questionable shirt. I’ve loved the other shirts that I received from this organization, but this sleeveless tee thing, I just don’t know…

My Performance: Not great, but it was the third brutal 100k in three months, so I’ll take the finish. In hindsight, if I had known these three races were going to be as hard as they were, I wouldn’t have done them all in one season (picture me raising my glass to a lesson learned).

Final notes: Tejas Trails intends to test your will, and they get it done. They want you to finish, but they are going to make you earn it. If you see someone with one of their buckles, just know it was a fight to get it and a little of that persons soul was left in those Texas Hills.

Overall Rating: She don’t love you, but she’s going to make sure you remember her name…

Before the review:
I am thoroughly impressed with this organization. On Monday before the event, the venue where the race was to be held cancelled, saying they could not allow this event to happen due to the recent rains. Instead of cancelling, this team went to work, found a different venue (Camp Eagle), cleared and marked trails, and made a plan. As an out of stater, I cannot express my gratitude that Tejas Trails did this. Outstanding!

This Rave is for the Camp Eagle location, as I did not run any at the Texas Hill Country State Park.

Course Difficulty: Really hard. Don’t underestimate this course. Very few runnable sections, lots of steep climbs, and rocks…oh, the rocks. On a scale of 1-10, I give this one an 8, to be a ten I would have had to cross a mountain and a river. I am thankful it was only an 8.

Course Scenery: Really good. Great high views of the Texas Hill country, several dry creek crossings, and lots of white limestone single track. As a bonus, on my 100k I was able to see sunrise, high noon, and sunset…lol.

Race Production: Volunteers were off the charts good, started on time (delayed an hour for the venue change, but well publicized), aid station were well stocked and right where they should be, course markings were outstanding. I have one complaint, but it’s minor; there was no service to deliver drop bags back to the start…for those of us that needed to get on the road, that was an issue. I muled my second one after the last time at that aid station, and packed them both back with me for the last 5.5 mile segment, which did keep me from running, it’s a minor complaint, but that’s why the 4 stars instead of 5, all else was great.

Race Swag: Good, solid 100k buckle and nice short sleeve tee.

My Performance: This was my first 100k, so I didn’t really have expectations; I thought maybe 14-16 hours. When I walked across the finish line at nearly 17 hours, I was really just happy I hadn’t quit…it was that hard. Needless to say, I am happy with my performance, simply being able to finish something that 3 years ago would have been impossible. Oh, and I beat the Western States qualifying time…so, there’s that.

Final notes: This race is a beast. Plan for it, train hard, and don’t underestimate it, the marketing definitely doesn’t do the difficulty justice. If you’re looking to test your mettle, give this girl a whirl; she’ll make you laugh, cry, and laugh at yourself for crying…then she’ll hand you a shiny new buckle and make you want to do it all over again.

Overall Rating: Great race with a lot of great people.

Course Difficulty: All rail trail-non technical course. I thought I may just skate through this one, but with the cold and the really long uphill, it turned out to be more challenging than I thought. Really wanted a sub ten hour run, but realized about 25 miles in that wasn’t going to happen.

Course Scenery: It was good. Course runs through the Cache River wetlands and quite a few outcroppings on the way back to the tunnel.

Race Production: Packet pickup was a little confusing, but ended up not being any problem. Aid stations and volunteers were excellent. Food was good at the end.

Race Swag: Outstanding buckle for 50 and 100 milers, nice thin cotton hoodie, choice of several hats.

My Performance: Not great, but I just don’t do well in cold weather. All in all I’m satisfied.

Final notes: This was a good 50 miler that was close to home, so I wanted to give it a try. I’m flirting with the idea of trying this as my first 100 miler, but may try for a warmer climate instead. Will just have to see. This course is obviously fast for those runners looking to PR or set a record, for the rest of us, it’s a large enough race that you have people to talk to the entire run. Worth it.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Course Difficulty: Easy. A few rolling hills, but overall very easy. There is one section (about 6 miles) that is really long, hot, and lonely…you’ll just have to struggle through it; otherwise a super easy run.

Course Scenery: As expected, a foot tour of Belleville, IL. Better than inner city industrial parks, not as good as the mountains of Colorado.

Race Production: Outstanding. Race day packet pickup was a breeze, race started on time, all aid stations were exactly as advertised, and post race food was excellent.

Race Swag: Medal was much better this year, and long sleeve shirt was a great color and design.

My Performance: I struggled for the first 7 miles, my legs just haven’t ever recovered from the New England races this summer, after that I probably ran the fastest 10 miles I’ve ever done, and then I hit a wall at mile 18 that just wouldn’t let go. It was ok, I would have liked a PR, but wasn’t willing to get injured to get it.

Final notes: I plan to run this race every year. It is a close race for me, and I definitely want to support the hometown races. Enjoy seeing it get better and better. Hats off to the Belleville Running Club and Toolen’s Running Start.

Overall Rating: Outstanding!!!

Course Difficulty: Hard. Horse trails for a portion and a lot of technical single track. I found myself carefully choosing each footstep along this course, seldom even raising my head to look around.

Course Scenery: Probably about as good as it gets for Kansas. I was never bored for something to look at. Course was shaded at least 80% of the way with a lot of rock outcroppings and lake views.

Race Production: Great. Registration and packet pickup were a breeze, start went off with no problems, aid stations were off the charts good. The Trail Nerds are an excellent organization.

Race Swag: Nice medal, finishers hat and choice of mug or glass, chip timing. I signed up too late to get a shirt, which is a bummer, but I’m not going to hold that against them since I was fully aware going in.

My Performance: I’m fully satisfied with a 6:52 on this course. It was tough, and warm…and tough…and warm.

Final notes: This is not a course for someone who only loves road running, but it is awesome for someone who wants an intro into technical trail running-doable, but not easy. I think we may have gotten the best trail conditions possible, improving the experience for me; I can see how the trail could get messy fast. Loved this race, highly recommend.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Course Difficulty: This course has some challenging hills, and on the day I ran it, a pretty stiff head wind and some rain. That aside, it is about average for races I run. 98% paved trail or road, with one small section of hard packed cinders.

Course Scenery: Awesome at times, boring at others. There was a section of the race that had a sign that said “twilight zone”, I thought it was a reference to the movie, but as it turns out, it was just a long boring stretch. I wasn’t really expecting that, but compared to the mountain views, the bay, and the dense forest, it was a small and insignificant portion of the run.

Race Production: Excellent! Good communication, outstanding volunteers, and timely starts. The RD was willing to let me pick my bib up on race morning if I needed, an important note for anyone doing a double or maniacs.

Race Swag: Awesome. Nice medal, drop bag, and a 1/4 zip tech pullover.

My Performance: Not great. My finish time doesn’t really reflect it, but when I woke up, I just didn’t want to run a marathon that day. I think maybe I had just been on the road too long and had lost motivation. I spent much of the run just trying to convince myself to keep going. Happy that I pushed through and got state 48 crossed off the list.

This is not the easiest race to get to. You are going to have to drive 100 miles through slow traffic to get here, but once you arrive, it is a good run. At one point on the trail, I followed an otter for about 100 yards, so you’re right in the middle of nature. If you don’t mind the drive, it’s a good run.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Course Difficulty: Super easy. The course started with an uphill out and back, then downhill or flat the rest of the way.

Course Scenery: Beautiful California mountain, agriculture and beach scenery. The smell of all the citrus blossoms and flowering plants was equal to or better than the scenery though.

Race Production: Great. The RD opened packet pickup a little early for me, the race started on time, excellent aid stations and volunteers, and perfect course markings. The only thing that I didn’t love (I get it, just didn’t love it), was that if you weren’t able to make packet pickup on time, there wasn’t a race day option, and your bib would be sold at the end of expo. Pretty tough for out-of-staters driving in, and a little extra stress before the race.

Race Swag: Loved the tech shirts and designs, and the medals were pretty fancy.

My Performance: Still recovering during this race, so I took it slow and easy. Managed to finish in less than 5 hours, and I was totally good with that.

My family and I walked from the finish to the beach (100 yds), where we relaxed for a little while after the race. Got to meet my Race Raves family on the way out, and then headed north for a week of camping along the coast. This is a very well produced and run event along a really pretty course; I can certainly recommend it.

Overall Rating: Very good course, not such great performance.

Course Difficulty: This one was tough for me, after running the first couple of loops, my shins really started to hurt (shin splints), the downhills on this course were super painful. A somewhat steep rolling course.

Course Scenery: Nice. Well manicured golf course and lake.

Race Production: Good, JC and team did a great job.

Race Swag: Good. Nice state shaped medal, and a dry blend t shirt.

My Performance: Not too good, but all in all, happy to still be moving forward on day 7.