Jordan Miller's Staging Area

I would say this is a local must-do race if you live near Indianapolis or are a racing enthusiast. The highlight is obviously the 2.5 mile lap on the track at Indy Motor Speedway, both for the legendary status of the venue and the pristine running surface. The spectator energy is really great too. (Plus you might luck out like this year with perfect spring weather.) The downsides are the roads and the surroundings. Indy is notorious for potholes, so while most of them on the course have been repaired, I still felt like I was dodging rough patches quite a bit. Also, the route from downtown to Speedway is a more run-down part of the city. Overall it’s a very good race and a prime spot to PR.

Starts near the Pentagon, hits several neighborhoods, and of course passes by so many landmarks in DC. Organization and on-course support by the Marines were fantastic. Energy was so high with so many thousands of runners and great crowd support throughout. Bonus for your cheering crew is the DC subway system which allows seeing your runner(s) multiple times. I would happily run this one again someday.

You have to go into this one with the right expectations. It’s super flat but swarming with 10s of thousands of runners, walkers, and everything in between. You basically need an early seeding/wave to avoid a ton of bobbing and weaving early on. Plus, there are character photo options (so many I forget the number), which often have lines (appropriate at Disney World). And if you time it right, you can ride Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom! Who can say they rode a roller coaster mid-marathon?! You can also grab a tasty snack or beverage during the last mile in Epcot World Showcase. Biggest downsides: (1) so many highway miles between the parks but it’s unavoidable; (2) 5AM start time so as to not interfere with theme park opening; (3) be prepared for the high price tag! All in all, very fun race.

I lived nearby and enjoyed running the trails at Farmdale, so it was a logical choice for my first ultramarathon. Very helpful and supportive staff. With 10-mile loops and a couple of aid stations, it’s easy to pack light. Great scenery out in nature. I don’t have numbers on the vert, but definitely a good challenge. I’d happily recommend anyone interested in running it!

The best thing I can say about the Air Force Marathon is their organization. Everything went very smoothly, and that counts for something. The course is nice but nothing too outstanding in my opinion. The highlight was running through Wright Pat AFB. Be prepared for a few decent hills.

Mostly flat course made this one relatively easy. Being in Indy on the first weekend in November, it is normally pretty chilly, however you interpret that as good or bad. There wasn’t one single thing that stood out to me, but it was just overall a good course, good organization, and good race.