My Profile

@jsquinks

Alexandria, VA Raving since 2022 50 States hopeful/finisher Active 1 week, 5 days ago

About Me

  • Running club(s):

    Nike Run Club

  • Rave race:

    Run the Bluegrass

  • Race that's calling my name:

    NYC Half Marathon

  • I run because:

    I want to visit every state in the USA and this is such a cool way to do that!

My Races

Organize, track & review your races and personal bests here.

50 States Map
image/svg+xml FL TX NM AZ AK CA NV UT CO OR WA ID HI OK MT WY ND SD NE KS MN IA MO AR LA MS AL GA SC IL WI MI IN OH TN KY NC WV VA PA NY ME VT NH RI CT NJ DE MD MA DC

Half Marathon

Marathon

Ultramarathon

(Marathon or Ultra) + Half

Marathon + Ultra

Other

Future Races

Personal Bests (2)

Race Distance Location Date Result
Half Marathon Two Harbors, MN Jun 19, 2021 1:53:27
10 Miler Washington, DC Apr 12, 2015 1:22:00

Future Races (28)

Race Distance Location Date Paid
Half Marathon Newport, RI Oct 13, 2024
Half Marathon Anchorage, AK TBD
Half Marathon Lakewood, CO TBD
Half Marathon Alton, NH TBD
Half Marathon Cascade Locks, OR TBD
Half Marathon North Charleston, SC TBD
Half Marathon Des Moines, IA TBD
Half Marathon Eugene, OR TBD
Half Marathon Fargo, ND TBD
Half Marathon Mobile, AL TBD
Half Marathon Olathe, KS TBD
Half Marathon Kiowa, MT TBD
Half Marathon Honolulu, HI TBD
Half Marathon Lincoln, NE TBD
Half Marathon Idaho Falls, ID TBD
Half Marathon Jackson, MS TBD
Half Marathon New York City, NY TBD
Half Marathon Oklahoma City, OK TBD
Half Marathon Kitty Hawk, NC TBD
Half Marathon Philadelphia, PA TBD
Half Marathon Las Vegas, NV TBD
Half Marathon Bentonville, AR TBD
Half Marathon Crazy Horse, SD TBD
Half Marathon Sedona, AZ TBD
Half Marathon Salt Lake City, UT TBD
Half Marathon Shiprock, NM TBD
Half Marathon Portland, ME TBD
Half Marathon Nashville, TN TBD

Past Races (20)

Race Distance Location Date Result My Raves My Performance
Half Marathon Harpers Ferry, WV May 20, 2023 2:35:17
Half Marathon Baltimore, MD Oct 15, 2022 2:11:00
Half Marathon Napa, CA Jul 17, 2022 2:06:27
Half Marathon Mystic, CT May 15, 2022 2:01:38
Half Marathon Jackson Hole, WY Sep 25, 2021 2:09:06
Half Marathon Two Harbors, MN Jun 19, 2021 1:53:27
Half Marathon Chicago, IL Sep 29, 2019 2:17:10
Half Marathon Lexington, KY Mar 30, 2019 2:21:20
Half Marathon Austin, TX Feb 17, 2019 2:22:56
Half Marathon New Orleans, LA Feb 10, 2019 2:19:00
Half Marathon Fort Oglethorpe, GA Nov 10, 2018 2:10:35
Half Marathon South Pomfret, VT Jun 3, 2018 2:15:03
Half Marathon Rehoboth, DE Dec 2, 2017 2:06:19
Half Marathon St Louis, MO Apr 9, 2017 2:22:00
Half Marathon Princeton, NJ Nov 6, 2016 2:21:45
Half Marathon Cincinnati, OH May 1, 2016 2:25:00
Half Marathon Virginia Beach, VA Sep 6, 2015 2:16:00
Half Marathon Indianapolis, IN May 2, 2015 2:05:50
10 Miler Washington, DC Apr 12, 2015 1:22:00
Half Marathon Lake Buena Vista, FL 2014 2:09:00

My Raves

I really enjoyed this small town race! The course runs via some beautiful spots and gorgeous views. It’s so incredibly hilly, though - truly, I only saw one person running … MORE

I really enjoyed this small town race! The course runs via some beautiful spots and gorgeous views. It’s so incredibly hilly, though – truly, I only saw one person running up the big hill at Mile 10. You won’t get a PR here, but that was ok by me.

As for production: everything seemed to run well. I thought the medals were a bit lackluster, but the shirts are cute. I’m also fully aware that it’s small and family run (maybe?), so I’m not upset about it.

My two complaints: I wish they had mile markers! I only knew how far I’d gone because of my watch. And the post-race food tents only had bananas, clementines, water, and pizza — would’ve been great to have a bit more variety. Overall, though, I enjoyed this race and think it’s a good option for a 50 States hopeful 🙂

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1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

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 … MORE

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.

DIFFICULTY
5
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The first half of this race is tough. You quite literally run up a massive hill in the first 2 minutes of the run. So - prepare for that! After … MORE

The first half of this race is tough. You quite literally run up a massive hill in the first 2 minutes of the run. So – prepare for that! After about Mile 6 the course gets flatter (though I wouldn’t ever call it flat) and faster. I ended up doing much better than I’d anticipated, though I didn’t get a PR. Personally, I love a rolling course, so it was fun!

Other stuff: I like the medal and the shirt’s not bad. I didn’t stick around for much of the post-race wine fest, but the snacks and drinks at the end were plentiful. I thought the packet pickup was underwhelming, but not at all difficult (in fact, I thought the race ran quite smoothly overall, except for an unexplained 15 minute delay on race day morning).

Overall, it’s a beautiful run and definitely worth putting atop your bucket list races. Highly recommend!

DIFFICULTY
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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, … MORE

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.

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Jackson Hole is absolutely beautiful - this course is blessed with breathtaking scenery. I was a bit disappointed that it didn't take advantage of the scenery a bit more (you … MORE

Jackson Hole is absolutely beautiful – this course is blessed with breathtaking scenery. I was a bit disappointed that it didn’t take advantage of the scenery a bit more (you can see the mountains, but you don’t run through anything more exciting than a neighborhood and a downtown area), though I understand getting into the mountains would’ve been logistically and physically demanding for both the runners and the organizers.

Aid stations were fine; no real spectators, but I expected and was ok with that. My only real complaint was packet pickup – perhaps this was a COVID measure (first timer here!), but it took place in a park in Jackson Hole and was extremely disorganized. Things happen, and waiting in two separate lines for bibs and shirts isn’t the end of the world, but just something to be aware of.

Overall, would absolutely recommend this race and am so glad it served as my WY half!

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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 … MORE

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!

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I didn't like anything about this half marathon. It's boring (there's nothing *that* scenic about Lake Shore Drive except for a far-away view of the skyline, though perhaps that's just … MORE

I didn’t like anything about this half marathon. It’s boring (there’s nothing *that* scenic about Lake Shore Drive except for a far-away view of the skyline, though perhaps that’s just my unpopular opinion) and the course support is merely fine (there aren’t a ton of people along the Drive, understandably). In 2019, the weather was atrocious – of course, the organizers can’t control that, but they CAN control how they react, and gear pickup after the race was one of the single worst race experiences I’ve ever had. I waited nearly an hour in the rain to get my stuff back, and that only happened because some nice guy next to me eventually jumped over the barrier and picked up his bag and mine. I loved the medal they gave out, and the shirt is ok (long-sleeved, which was nice), but there’s zero else I’d recommend about this race.

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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 … MORE

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!

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I didn't love this race, though I really wanted to! It started SO late (we legit stood around at the start line, with no updates or info about what was … MORE

I didn’t love this race, though I really wanted to! It started SO late (we legit stood around at the start line, with no updates or info about what was going on, for quite a long time). The half course is very hilly and I don’t think it really highlighted Austin in any fun way (except for the end – finishing in front of the statehouse is cool). The swag is fine, but nothing to write home about. I’m glad I ran this as my TX half, but I don’t think I’d make it priority again, especially since it was my worst finishing time to date.

DIFFICULTY
4
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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 … MORE

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.

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I quite enjoyed this race (despite the cold! Don't let GA fool you - November can be quite chilly). It's run through a national military park that was a Civil … MORE

I quite enjoyed this race (despite the cold! Don’t let GA fool you – November can be quite chilly). It’s run through a national military park that was a Civil War battlefield, so you’re surrounded by history and quiet, natural beauty. As a result, there aren’t really any spectators cheering you on, so if you’re looking for that sort of course support this isn’t the race for you. It’s also quite hilly, so be prepared for tired legs toward the end. They do such a great job with the swag and the post-race celebration (literal trays of homemade foods, soups, desserts – I’ve never been so impressed with a post-race spread). Packet pickup was easy too. Overall, would definitely recommend this race and would love to run it again!

DIFFICULTY
3
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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 … MORE

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).

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This race is incredible! It's about half gravel path/trail, half road, which I enjoyed. You run along the beach and through a nature preserve-type-area, so not a big city race … MORE

This race is incredible! It’s about half gravel path/trail, half road, which I enjoyed. You run along the beach and through a nature preserve-type-area, so not a big city race by any stretch. It’s flat and fast and simply gorgeous. It also has a very small-town feel, which I loved. Plus, the medal is so cool! Honestly, I can’t say enough good things about this race – do yourself a favor and add it to your list!

DIFFICULTY
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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 … MORE

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.

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This race encapsulated everything fun about small town races. There's nothing better than running through a college town in the fall and Princeton really pulled out all the stops for … MORE

This race encapsulated everything fun about small town races. There’s nothing better than running through a college town in the fall and Princeton really pulled out all the stops for us. The course lets you see most of the town and campus, with a bit of trail running thrown in for good measure. Definitely a few hills in there, so be prepared! And the swag isn’t great, but that’s my only real complaint. Seriously, add this race to your list!

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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 … MORE

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!

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I can't say I'm surprised this race was discontinued. It was simply fine - the course wasn't particularly scenic or difficult and the support (both crowd and water/aid stations) wasn't … MORE

I can’t say I’m surprised this race was discontinued. It was simply fine – the course wasn’t particularly scenic or difficult and the support (both crowd and water/aid stations) wasn’t overwhelming. The weather also didn’t cooperate (it rained the first few miles), which made the entire experience a bit dismal. Plus, I’m always disappointed by the Rock ‘n Roll races – they never seem to have as much exciting music and swag as they advertise. More music would’ve made this so much more fun! Overall, the experience was ok (I ran with a friend and taking a girls’ weekend was a blast), but not sad to see this race taken off the roster.

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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 … MORE

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.

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This race does everything right - perfect distance, perfect route, lots of great support (from the race itself and spectators) along the course. The swag is pretty good and the … MORE

This race does everything right – perfect distance, perfect route, lots of great support (from the race itself and spectators) along the course. The swag is pretty good and the packet pickup was well organized. Also, it’s just so scenic! DC is a great backdrop for a race of this length.

Highly recommend, and will likely run this race again in the future.

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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 … MORE

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.

DIFFICULTY
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