Jordan Shipley's Staging Area

I ran this as part of my quest for all 50 states and I think it stacked up nicely against others I’ve completed so far. The course was a bit hilly throughout but nothing unbearable. The views, especially along Ocean Ave, were nice and we were lucky enough to have a perfect day weather-wise. I don’t think it’s the most beautiful race in America, but it’s certainly nothing to sneeze at.

Packet pickup ran smoothly and although the food options at the end of the race weren’t extensive, I found a few things my stomach could handle. The medal is nice, as is the t-shirt. Overall: I wouldn’t go out of my way to run this again, but it was a nice race to check RI off my list! No major complaints 🙂

Overall, I enjoyed this race and thought it was well organized (if not particularly personalized, e.g., not a lot of pre-race communication from anyone except the medical team wanting me to fill out my race day emergency contact, stuff like that). The hills are no joke and the heat this past weekend was absolutely brutal (some stretches of the course have no shade at all, so a hat or lots of sunscreen on particularly sunny days is a must). The race field was incredibly diverse, the on-course support from spectators was top-notch, and the course itself wound through downtown Baltimore, which I appreciated as an out-of-towner. We got to see so much of the city! Plus, this medal is hands down the coolest one I’ve gotten so far.

Biggest complaints: the first water station was a hot mess (they had it behind barricades? Which you would’ve needed to realize a quarter mile back to run in the correct spot?). Not a fan, and it really set a bad tone for the remaining 10 miles on a very warm day. Also, the t-shirt is not impressive at all – which is only this disappointing because I was expecting big things, based on their partnership with Under Armour. However, both of these things are small potatoes, and I really did enjoy this race! You should sign up, especially if you’re looking to complete a run in MD.

I enjoyed this race! It’s small and doesn’t have a lot of course support by way of cheering crowds – fine by me, but if you’re looking for a large, boisterous affair, this isn’t your race. The course goes through the downtown, plus many miles of forest and quiet roads (all paved). Don’t take the “rolling hills” lightly, though — they were all along the course, so be sure to prep! The packet pickup was fine – the race swag isn’t particularly exciting (just a t-shirt and eventual medal) and there wasn’t an expo. But the Olde Mistick Village, where pickup happened, was nice to wander around.

Overall, fun and relatively fast, plus the town of Mystic really provides a cute weekend getaway.

The Garry Bjorklund Half was excellent – course is pretty flat and fast, race day support is top-notch, and running alongside the lake is so peaceful. The air just feels fresher (and chillier!) up here. There aren’t tons of spectators, but there are enough, especially when you pass through more inhabited areas of the course. This race had been a bucket list one for awhile and I’m so glad I sat by my computer and registered immediately when it opened (true story). Absolutely recommend, whether you’re trying for 50 States or not!

Hands down, my favorite half marathon to date. This race is absolutely gorgeous, though beware: SO. MANY. HILLS. I quickly abandoned any hope I had of finishing with a personal best and had much more fun as a result. KY is beautiful; there are so many horses alongside the course, and the race organized a fair amount of support (bathrooms, water/first aid, etc.), which was nice. Plus, the medal is one of my favorites too! 100000% recommend running this race – I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I don’t love NOLA, which unfortunately colored my impression of this race — it felt like we just ran through a lot of uninteresting streets and neighborhoods. Once again, Rock ‘n Roll didn’t provide much by way of course music or support, though there were a decent number of spectators along the route. The packet pickup was easy enough and I love the shirt we got, though was mildly disappointed by the medal.

In the end, would recommend if you’re looking to do your LA race in NOLA, mostly because I’m not sure how many other halfs the city hosts. Otherwise, largely forgettable.

Ok, so my biggest complaint with this race was the fact that we saw only three covered bridges?!?! And ran over only one. Maybe my expectations were just wildly off base, but I left super disappointed. The countryside was very pretty, at least. VT is gorgeous and my friends and I really enjoyed our weekend, so overall it was a fun experience, the race just left something to be desired.

Course itself is hilly and there aren’t a ton of spectators in some spots, but on the whole, I’m glad I did this for my VT race (just wish I’d tempered my expectations a bit).

I wish I had better things to say about this race, but it was just uninspired and not particularly scenic when I ran it. (Plus, there was a lot of downtown construction at that time, so you couldn’t even get good pictures afterwards! Not the fault of the race, of course, but a bummer nonetheless.) I think the course has changed significantly now, which is definitely a plus – running across multiple bridges into seedy areas of Illinois wasn’t fun, though I did enjoy the Budweiser brewery sections!

The swag was decent, as was the packet pickup experience, but overall not particularly memorable and not a race I’d run again.

I loved experiencing Cincinnati during race weekend! The race does a good job of incorporating the highlights of Cincinnati into its course – running across two bridges, past the stadiums downtown, up the STEEPEST, LONGEST hill for what felt like ages. The support along the course is great too (spectators and water/aid stations both). The swag is nice and the packet pickup went smoothly (and was in a convenient location). Would highly recommend this race!

I grew up in the Indy area, and while I wouldn’t call it my favorite city, it does have some really pretty spots. Unfortunately, the 2015 Mini Marathon didn’t run through any of those areas. I get that the draw here is the racetrack, but running there and back (!!) through Speedway (with all its potholes and broken up streets and little course support) was just not fun or scenic (or even safe for the knees, frankly). The swag was pretty nice and the atmosphere was fun, but I would never run this race again.

The Disney Princess Half Marathon jumpstarted my 50 Halfs, 50 States journey and I’m so grateful I chose it as my Florida race! Yes, it does take place largely along the highway, which isn’t fun. But running through the parks is simply magical and the entire experience is a big deal (in true Disney style). The swag is decent and you can’t beat taking photos mid-race in front of the Cinderella castle.

Overall, a great experience. Would I run it again? Probably not, but I always recommend it.