My Profile

@Margo7

Indialantic, FL Raving since 2018 Active 4 years ago

About Me

  • Running club(s):
  • Rave race:
  • Race that's calling my name:

    Space Coast Marathon & Half-Marathon

  • I run because:

     

    It gives me joy and a sense of freedom and aliveness.

     

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 (3)

Race Distance Location Date Result
Marathon Warsaw, Poland Sep 30, 2018 4:52:55
Half Marathon Cocoa, FL Nov 25, 2018 2:15:41
10K Titusville, FL Feb 3, 2019 1:00:44

Future Races (0)

Race Distance Location Date Paid

Past Races (13)

Race Distance Location Date Result My Raves My Performance
10K Titusville, FL Mar 1, 2020
Half Marathon Melbourne, FL Feb 2, 2020
5.4K Warsaw, Poland Jan 1, 2020
Half Marathon Jonas Ridge, NC Jul 13, 2019
Half Marathon Cocoa Beach, FL May 12, 2019
Up to you! Sunrise, FL May 5, 2019
10 Miler Viera, FL Mar 17, 2019
Half Marathon Melbourne, FL Feb 10, 2019
10K Titusville, FL Feb 3, 2019 1:00:44
Half Marathon Cocoa, FL Nov 25, 2018 2:15:41
Half Marathon Cape Canaveral, FL Nov 11, 2018 2:18:25
Half Marathon Cape Canaveral, FL Nov 11, 2018 2:18:25
Marathon Warsaw, Poland Sep 30, 2018 4:52:55

My Raves

The organizers of this great running event have delivered yet again. This was my third Publix half-marathon and while I was hoping that third time would be the charm – … MORE

The organizers of this great running event have delivered yet again. This was my third Publix half-marathon and while I was hoping that third time would be the charm – it wasn’t. Mainly because I still had a bit of a cold and breathing posed a challenge. Apart from that, the route was just as lovely and difficult as last year with two causeways to cross. On the second one there was a piano with a colorful bouquet on it and enchanting tunes were flying all around. There were other great musicians and singers along the course and that really made a difference. I thoroughly enjoyed their performances. Maybe it was just me, but the red carpet at the finish line seemed more red, plush and soft than in previous years. It made me feel somewhat victorious despite my not-so-great performance in this race. Since the avocado is the patron of this race, the finisher medals were in the shape of cute avocados with smiling faces, dangling legs and revolving pits in the middle. The post-race support was great with a variety of cold drinks – not just beer – fruits and snacks. All in all this is a great running event to be in at the Space Coast.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

Was this review helpful?

The New Year's Day race at the Skaryszewski Park in Warsaw (Poland) was an absolutely magical event. This was the first time that we participated in this run through the … MORE

The New Year’s Day race at the Skaryszewski Park in Warsaw (Poland) was an absolutely magical event. This was the first time that we participated in this run through the historic park at the distance of 5.400 km (that is 5km and 400 meters). Skaryszewski Park is known as the most beautiful park in Poland and one of three most beautiful parks in Europe, so I was particularly excited about starting the New Year and the new decade in this special venue. It was really nice to see some people dressed up for the fancy costume contest and also very motivated furry runners. There was even a team of two people dressed in Santa costumes who had a dog in a matching Santa costume. The race was preceded by a dynamic warmup which was much needed and appreciated because of the icy cold wind. The route was a picturesque, wide alley with a view of a canal shaped pond and some sculptures in the distance. Even in winter the majesty and beauty of the place could be sensed. I thoroughly enjoyed this race also for another reason, namely the class of the participants. While quite a few people wore costumes, once the race started everyone was focused on… running! It may seem self-explanatory, but in quite a few running events in which I have participated, there were people who would abruptly stop in the middle of the path to take a selfie, without any consideration for the runners approaching from behind. I don’t mind people having a good time as long as it doesn’t affect other participants. Here, at the park the atmosphere was cheerful, friendly, respectful, without people crushing into each other because someone absolutely had to take that selfie. The runners at this New Year’s Day were an inspiration to me.
After the race there was split pea soup in two versions: traditional with meat and a vegetarian one which of course I was happy to see. There was also hot tea sweetened and unsweetened. I could not have imagined anything better than hot tea on that icy cold afternoon. The soups and tea were served in cardboard bowls and cups as opposed to plastic. I cringe at the heaps of plastic waste at running events – or anywhere else for that matter. The organization of this event was absolutely superb. There were finisher medals with snowflakes on them, awards for overall results – no age groups – and for costumes. My husband and I wore similar Santa outfits and we each got a sweet prize from the sponsors: cookies, energy bars and jars of absolutely delicious buckwheat honey. All in all, I could not have imagined a better way of welcoming the New Year and decade than at this most memorable event.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

Was this review helpful?

This was an incredible experience and I am glad that I participated in this running event. I was not quite prepared for what was ahead of me which in retrospect … MORE

This was an incredible experience and I am glad that I participated in this running event.
I was not quite prepared for what was ahead of me which in retrospect is probably a good thing. The route went from Jonas Ridge down to the ghost town of Mortimer, NC. While the altitude somewhat bothered me at the top of the mountain, eventually things got better as I was descending. The route was gorgeous with forest and rocks and mountains all around. There were lengthy sections when I was all alone on the steep downhill path and it felt great. I had this exhilarating sensation of flying as I was sprinting as fast as I could down the mountain. The path itself was bumpy, sometimes it was dirt, sometimes gravel and there were rocks and roots sticking out, so you really had to pay close attention in order not to go flying too high and colliding with the path. Unfortunately good things tend not to last and this joyful downhill flight turned into an uphill battle and a steep one at that. It went on and on in the second part of the course and to make things even more challenging it got hot and muggy. I struggled through that part right to the finish line. The organizers did a great job though. They bused us to Jonas Ridge where the start line was and then from Mortimer back to the campsite at the Brown Mountain Beach Resort for the after race party. There were aid stations on the course with friendly volunteers and we all got water at the finish. I am also grateful for the nice lunch at the campsite. Normally at a lot of running events you have pepperoni pizza and beer. That does not cut it for me because I’m vegetarian and a teetotaler. They had vegetarian burritos, tomatoes, chips, watermelons and delicious cookies, and yes beer too for those who drink. There were no long wait lines for the buses, nor for the food. It was all in all a very well organized event. That being said, this race is definitely not for everyone because of the difficult terrain. Lots of people struggled and quite a few did not finish. I loved the beautiful nature all around us and I am happy to have been part of this, but I will probably not be signing up for next year’s edition.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
4

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

This was a nightmare. I do not blame the organizers for everything that was not-so great at this running event. What did me in was the oppressive heat and insufficient … MORE

This was a nightmare. I do not blame the organizers for everything that was not-so great at this running event. What did me in was the oppressive heat and insufficient support. The sand on the beach was relatively hard and flat, but it was still a challenging course. While the heat and lack of shade were to be expected, the relatively few aid stations – four each way – made it that much harder to make it. I felt bad for the volunteers as well who had no shade to hide in from the heat that was pouring down on us. The reason why I decided to participate in this event was the finisher medal in the shape of a whale mother with a calf. The animal lover in me could not resist this cute looking medal. When it comes to the environment, both my husband and I had an issue with the awards. While I did a personal worst at this event, my husband won his age group. The awards though were conchs. Getting a conch involves killing the animal that inhabits it. As vegetarians and environmentalists we really did not want to have anything to do with this. We did not make a fuss with the organizers, just left before the awards ceremony began. The post-race support was also rather poor. No carbs, some mimosa drinks which were not bad, but nothing of substance. Anyway, I did it, I survived and I will not do this again.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4

Was this review helpful?

The City of Sunrise delivered yet again. This was our second year of participating in the Wings for Life Worldrun. I thoroughly enjoy running for charities and this is a … MORE

The City of Sunrise delivered yet again. This was our second year of participating in the Wings for Life Worldrun. I thoroughly enjoy running for charities and this is a great one because it helps fund research for people with spinal cord injuries. In fact, there have been some significant breakthroughs in Europe recently. In Wings for Life we run for those who can’t in hopes that one day they will be able to run with us. This year’s event was bigger, better and with a much nicer route than last year. We started at 7:00 am sharp with a flurry of colorful confetti. The support was absolutely fantastic and so was the atmosphere. When I returned on the bus to the sports center after the chaser car passed me I was given a medal by a little boy in a wheelchair. So yes, I am preregistered for Sunrise 2020!

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

Was this review helpful?

For some illogical reasons I have pre-race jitters. I try to combat them, but sometimes things get unnecessarily aggravated. When we arrived at the venue it was still dark. Our … MORE

For some illogical reasons I have pre-race jitters. I try to combat them, but sometimes things get unnecessarily aggravated. When we arrived at the venue it was still dark. Our first destination was the gear check, but that turned out to be easier said than done. We and a few other people were running around trying to find the gear check place, but initially to no avail. We were asking around and we were asked a number of times and eventually somehow we found the building where we could drop off our bag. Then, we made it to the start line – or so we thought. As it turned out the place with a large sign that read “start” was not our start line. There were a few events there and as we found out later, this was the start line for the 2-miler and not our 10-miler. The announcer was telling people to go to the start line and we were just standing around not knowing in which direction to turn for the 10 mile run. Since there were no signs, we just followed a group of people who obviously had been to this event before. We walked through some field and there it finally was – the CORRECT start line. I could relax, watch the knights duel and after a few minutes the race began. The route was nice and easy, but then the weather demon decided to attack. This was the second running event in a row during which we got totally soaked. After finally crossing the finish line we got a beautiful medal in the shape of a castle with little “diamonds”. After a run, I do not feel like eating, so I cannot comment on the post-race food. We are vegetarian and my husband was not super excited over the selection of meat-free food. He had a bagel and I had a smoothie which was really good. There were also nice little sets, like thrones for a king and queen, dragon, stocks and the Excalibur stuck in a rock. I was really impressed with the brave volunteers who were dressed in medieval costumes which was very challenging when the skies opened up. I tried to thank as many of them as I could. Their support was greatly appreciated. In general, despite the initial nervousness I am pleased with this running event and am considering participating in it again next year.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

Although this was the second time that I participated in this particular race, it was still by far the most challenging running event that I have ever been in. Normally, … MORE

Although this was the second time that I participated in this particular race, it was still by far the most challenging running event that I have ever been in. Normally, when I look out the window and see that the skies have opened up and there is a very strong wind – I do not go out for a run. This time was different. There was no thunder and lightning, so the organizers had no reason to cancel the race. It wasn’t raining any more when we were standing at the start line. My hope was that it was over. Wrong. This event has a nice, but rather difficult course with two tall bridges on the way. The first bridge is halfway through and the second one is just before the finish line. As some law of the universe would have it, the skies opened up and the strongest wind was blowing as I was running up the first bridge. It felt as if someone was throwing bucket after bucket of water right at my face. No personal bests this time. I applaud the brave volunteers, police and organizers for being there and supporting us under those not so great conditions. The organization was flawless, just as it was last year. A lovely medal with a happy, surfing strawberry was waiting for us at the finish. I have already signed up for next year which will be the year of the avocado.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

3 members marked this review helpful. Agree?

This was a truly unique experience, a race on the historic shuttle landing runway. You have to be a US citizen to participate. A few days prior to the event … MORE

This was a truly unique experience, a race on the historic shuttle landing runway. You have to be a US citizen to participate. A few days prior to the event we found out about the packet pick up. I don’t really see this as a glitch, especially since the event itself was absolutely wonderful. This was only the 3rd race at that location benefitting the American Cancer Society. Great cause, great location and the weather cooperated as well. There was a moist, cool mist which made the run on an exposed surface comfortable and pleasant. Afterwards all finishers got an absolutely amazing medal with a rocket, a satellite in space, the moon and stars. The words “Gateway to Space” slightly glow in the dark. All in all it was a fantastic, out of this world experience.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
My Media

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

As a general rule, I try to avoid races that go there and back again. I find them to be psychologically more challenging than going on a loop, or from … MORE

As a general rule, I try to avoid races that go there and back again. I find them to be psychologically more challenging than going on a loop, or from point A to point B. Either way, I decided to participate in this event because it is after all the oldest race in the state of Florida, it is close by and I really like the space exploration theme. Also, this year begins a three to four year challenge, the so-called Big Bang Series. I do not regret being part of this beautiful celebration of manned space flight. This year’s theme was the Mercury Project, the first human spaceflight program. The organization was nothing short of perfect with buses circulating regularly to and from the start-finish line, great support with fantastic volunteers and lots of aid stations. The weather cooperated as it was a cool and overcast morning and the route enchanted us with the picturesque vistas of the Indian River Lagoon. There were two half-marathon routes this year, the slightly slower south route and the faster north route. I was on the north route. The after race support was fantastic with lots of fruits, drinks, delicious muffins and even fried eggs with pancakes for those with bigger appetites. I intend to participate in the four year challenge.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

2 members marked this review helpful. Agree?

I thoroughly enjoy running for charities and participating in new races in interesting, unique locations. An opportunity arose when we found out about the Inaugural Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation Half-Marathon. … MORE

I thoroughly enjoy running for charities and participating in new races in interesting, unique locations. An opportunity arose when we found out about the Inaugural Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation Half-Marathon. The charity aspect was that the race was benefiting the historic, 150 year old lighthouse. The event was going to take place at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station with the course meandering through a nature reserve, runways and launch pads. There were some organizational glitches which was to be expected with an inaugural event. There was certainly a shortage of information and some of it was confusing. We were told many times in no uncertain terms that we were “going to be disqualified” for a variety of offense, like for not being at the right place at the right hour – sharp! Unfortunately, as my husband and I found ourselves on the road leading to the entrance of the base, there was a huge traffic jam. We did not know, if we were going to make it on time, but we decided to just go with the flow and see what happens. What happened was that we finally got into the premises and despite the very long line of people waiting to get on the bus, that part went smoothly and efficiently. There was no way however that the race was going to start at 7:00 sharp. It started at 07:15. I know that since this is a military facility, there are many rules and restrictions on what and who can go there. Hence, some of the confusion. As for the runners, only US citizens can participate. The course itself was lovely with fascinating history. Someone made the effort to put up signs with information about the different sites of interest that we encountered along the way. For example, there were two dome-like structures and the sign said that in one of them were the remains of space shuttle Challenger. The nature was beautiful, with lots of untouched green areas, canals and vistas of the ocean. Since the course is flat with a smooth asphalt surface, I was hoping to do a personal best and break a half-marathon jinx that I have been experiencing. Unfortunately, that was not meant to be because of the weather. The heat was absolutely oppressive with no shade and despite a strong motivation and drive, I ended up spinning my wheels for a large portion of the race. Still, it was a memorable event and if it is organized again next year, I will be happy to participate.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

Was this review helpful?

This was my first marathon, but not my first race. I participated in a few half-marathons and 5km races. I chose this particular race because of its 40th anniversary, my … MORE

This was my first marathon, but not my first race. I participated in a few half-marathons and 5km races. I chose this particular race because of its 40th anniversary, my birthday and the year of Poland’s 100th independence anniversary. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this event exceeded all expectations. It was like stepping into a beautiful fairy tale and a dream come true. The organization, starting with packet pick up and throughout the event was efficient and quick with friendly and knowledgeable volunteers. It was nothing short of perfect. Since it was chili, we dropped our warm jackets in one of the vans provided by the organizers. Our bibs had the number of the van designated for our gear. It was all transparent, quick and easy to do both at the start and at the finish line. No lines, no fuss with the help of fantastic volunteers.
Apart from the truly great technical aspect of the organization, what also made this event special was the atmosphere and wonderfully cordial support from the people of Warsaw. Just to give you one small example, at one of the tram stops there were three little girls, they were maybe 5-6 years old and shouting towards the runners: “you will make it! you will make it!” Now how can one not make it with such incredible support? All throughout the gorgeous course that took us through some of the landmarks and most beautiful, historic places in the city, there were people cheering us on by our names that they read on our bibs. I could feel this positive energy which was extremely helpful. There were also numerous bands that were giving beautiful performances ,also a fantastic children’s group. The route itself could not have been more spectacular. We ran through one of the city’s most beautiful parks, the zoological garden (by the way, the movie “The Zookeeper’s Wife” was set there which I strongly recommend watching), bridges and historic areas. When running over the bridges we could see the Vistula River below sparkling with millions of diamonds and the breathtaking panorama of the city on the other side. We could see the historic Old Town and the skyscrapers in the background. Stunning views and a magical atmosphere was accompanying us all the time. The support along the course was great with long aid stations supplied with water, sports drinks, bananas and sugar cubes. After crossing the finish line one could get a meal, different types of drinks and even a massage. My husband and I were too tired to hang around, so we got our medals, took something to drink and left. The medal is gorgeous , with two historical landmarks and a fragment of lyrics of a song about Warsaw. It is also worth noting that there was fantastic technical support. There were automated cameras that were taking pictures of the runners as well as human photographers. Live tracking was available to fans at home. The data showed the map of the city, name of the runner, distance, speed and flag of the country they were from. According to the stats, people from 55 countries were participating. An interesting element was an oxygen tunnel that you could go through. I went through it and it was nicely refreshing to have cool oxygen be blown at me from numerous jets. I feel privileged and honored that I was part of this beautiful event which was a grand celebration of positive emotions.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

My Followers