Matthew Soo's Staging Area

Overall , this was a fun race in the bluegrass state of Kentucky.

Packet pickup was a bit of a pain if you are coming in from out of town as there is NO race day pickup. You do have an option to get your packet mailed to you though. Parking was OK but it is pitch black outside when you arrive and if you are not familiar with the area it is not easy to find the starting line unless you are lucky enough to find someone who knows where they are going. There were multiple people (myself included) who were just wondering around and hoping for the best. Some signage would be helpful in this regard.

The race itself went off without a hitch. For the vast majority of the half (and probably the 12k) you are basically on one road (one road but the name chages) with 2 turnarounds. Scenery is pretty rural and you will see horses during your run. Some rolling hills but I did not think they were overwhelming. Not a lot of course support if you are someone who thrives off of that but there were plenty of aid stations although some were pretty close together. Finish line had your usual fare of bananas, granola bars, bottled water, etc. Swag was a nice Brooks running shirt and the medal was also nice.

All in all, I enjoyed the run and was glad I made the trip to Midway for it. =)

I actually ran the SquatchFecta which is the 13.1, 10k, 5K & 1 mile for a total of 23.4 miles. Let me just start by saying there are a lot of rolling hills both up and down…very little flat running especially the half course. Nice amount of aid stations with gatorade, water and gels. Volunteers were all nice and pleasant. The scenary is quite rural with a whole array of animals you may come across including cows, horses, dogs, cats, etc. I personally enjoyed the route.

The medals (especially if you do the Squatchfecta and get the connector piece) are nice as is the race shirt. Quite a few photos are available as well.

The finish line area had an assortment of drinks to choose form but oddly there were no snacks at all. No bananas, bars, donuts, etc which was a bit surprising. If I had one complaint this would be it…the people DEMAND bananas!!!

All in all if you are looking for a challenging course I would definately recommend this one.

Race was a basic out and back for the 5k (2x for the 10k and 3 for the 15k). Course at this park is quite flat and fast.

The finishers medal was above average and the volunteers were very nice. I wish Bodies added something more to their shirts. The majority of times I have ran their races this year (exception being the Hometown Half) they lack wording specifically to the “racing” features. No 5k/10k,15k or, in the Summer Sizzler case, no mention of Bodies Racing Company at all. Although it was a nice shirt it looked like something you just grabbed off a rack at Target. Also, the “free photos” that are advertised have a lot to be desired. It was literally a perfect day and the photos (or lack of) are not up to snuff…almost better to not even advertise.

Finish line did provide Kona Snowcones which was nice. Bottled water and 2 other snacks were provided.

All in all it was an average race experience for me.

Good run on the Katy Trail in St. Charles, Missouri which is a tad bit west of St. Louis. Most of the run is on a trail with some pavement running at the beginning and end. Being in the middle of June, St. Louis is generally hot and humid but the trail provided a lot of shade which helped a lot. Shirt is nice and the finishers medal for the 1/2 marathon were HUGE!!! Was a decent run BUT the medal is what convinced me to do this one.

To start…you will not be running with cows. Having said that this is a nice little half-marathon in a small town. Course has quite a few rolling hills with 2 out and backs. There is very little shade so the sun will beat down on you and make it feel hotter than what it actually is. Scenary is subjective. If you love the rural feel then this is the course or you. Good amount of hydration stations and one of them had gels. Nice finishers medal and shirt. Very nice spread is waiting for finishers at the end with a nice selection of sandwiches, chips, fruit, etc. Great community support and you feel that midwestern hospitality. Overall a good experience.

I will admit I decided to drive the 4 hours or so to do this race as I love history and have always found John Brown a very interesting man in the annals of US history. Now, for the run itself. We stayed at the only hotel (that I am aware of) in Osawatomie, Kansas. The room was a lot better on the inside than what you would expect from the outside. Original date had to be rescheduled due to hazardous conditions but went off without a hitch once it started. Small race in a very small town. Race is fairly flat on a trail with aid stations. I really liked the finishers medal and the additional bling for placing in my age group. Everything else was pretty straight-forward. If you enjoy US history (specifically the Civil War) then you may want to look into this race and visit the John Brown Musuem while you are there.