My Profile

@musical23

Burton, MI Raving since 2019 Active 1 year ago

About Me

  • Running club(s):

    Flint Area Year Round Runners

  • Rave race:
  • Race that's calling my name:

    Monument Marathon- NOv 2019

  • I run because:

    I run because I like to eat and I don’t want to get fat again. I want to be an inspiration to others and run till they put me in the ground.

My Races

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

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Half Marathon

Marathon

Ultramarathon

(Marathon or Ultra) + Half

Marathon + Ultra

Other

Future Races

Personal Bests (8)

Race Distance Location Date Result
Marathon Baltimore, MD Oct 20, 2018 4:27:59
Half Marathon Grosse Ile, MI Mar 29, 2015 1:58:30
10 Nautical Miles (11.5 miler) Millington, TN Jun 2, 2019 2:03:56
10 Miler Flint, MI Aug 27, 2016 1:34:41
10K Saginaw, MI Sep 6, 2014 53:50:00
8K Flint, MI Aug 23, 2014 43:14
5K Ann Arbor, MI Apr 10, 2022 32:29
1 Miler Flint, MI Aug 27, 2016 7:25

Future Races (0)

Race Distance Location Date Paid

Past Races (31)

Race Distance Location Date Result My Raves My Performance
Half Marathon Elizabeth City, NC Mar 3, 2023 2:31:11
Half Marathon Homestead, FL Oct 22, 2022 2:22:19
5K Ann Arbor, MI Apr 10, 2022 32:29
Half Marathon Elizabeth City, NC Mar 5, 2022 2:20:23
Half Marathon Cleveland, TN Oct 23, 2021 2:19:00
Half Marathon Hermosa, SD Sep 18, 2021 2:40:50
Half Marathon Versailles, KY Mar 27, 2021 2:20:49
10 Miler Flint, MI Aug 22, 2020
Marathon Indianapolis, IN Nov 9, 2019 4:36:24
Half Marathon Townsend, TN Sep 6, 2019 2:13:10
10 Miler Flint, MI Aug 24, 2019 1:49:07
10 Nautical Miles (11.5 miler) Millington, TN Jun 2, 2019 2:03:56
Half Marathon Indianapolis, IN May 4, 2019 2:26:25
Marathon Baltimore, MD Oct 20, 2018 4:27:59
Marathon Cincinnati, OH May 6, 2018 4:45:43
Half Marathon Frankenmuth, MI 2018 2:00:49
Marathon Detroit, MI Oct 15, 2017 5:01:36
10 Miler Flint, MI Aug 26, 2017 1:50:26
8K Frankenmuth, MI 2017 44:03
Half Marathon Washington, DC Sep 18, 2016 2:12:02
10 Miler Flint, MI Aug 27, 2016 1:34:41
1 Miler Flint, MI Aug 27, 2016 7:25
Half Marathon Fredericksburg, VA May 15, 2016 2:05:47
Marathon Toledo, OH Apr 24, 2016 4:39:49
Marathon Arlington, VA Oct 25, 2015 4:40:28
Marathon Wright-Patterson AFB, OH Sep 19, 2015 4:44:03
10 Miler Flint, MI Aug 22, 2015 1:35:22
Half Marathon Toledo, OH Apr 26, 2015 2:11:54
Half Marathon Grosse Ile, MI Mar 29, 2015 1:58:30
10K Saginaw, MI Sep 6, 2014 53:50:00
8K Flint, MI Aug 23, 2014 43:14

My Raves

This was my 2nd year running it and the Coasties did a great job... bigger and better than last year. The overall race production and communication were wonderful, felt well … MORE

This was my 2nd year running it and the Coasties did a great job… bigger and better than last year. The overall race production and communication were wonderful, felt well informed when I arrived.

On race day, show up early to get a close spot. There is plenty of free parking, but with road closures, the close ones fill up fast. Don’t sweat the long porta john lines; there is one line foal ALL the porta johns, so it moves fast.

One the race course, I was pleasantly surprised at how many people come out and cheer you on, even during the 5k… Thank-You Elizabeth City. The course is flat and plenty to see. The Coast Guard changed the courses a little this year, but for the better. The starting ceremony was awesome and not too drawn out; everyone seemed to enjoy the flyover. The finishing chute was nice and the medal was fantastic as usual.

I had only two things that could be addressed, I had trouble figuring out where to pick up my Semper Paratus Challenge coin. It was at the finish line, but I had to ask a couple of volunteers before anyone knew where to find them. The 2nd issue was the wind… I know nothing could be done about it, but it seemed like for 10 of the 13.1 miles, it was always in your face. The only place it was at your back was on the air strip… not complaining, just mentioning.

Overall, AWESOME job Coasties. Once the word gets out about it, this race is destined to become one of the biggest and best military races.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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I completed the Everglades Alligator challenge put on by Vacation Races. If you've ever run one of they're events, you know they are run well. On Friday , the 5k … MORE

I completed the Everglades Alligator challenge put on by Vacation Races. If you’ve ever run one of they’re events, you know they are run well. On Friday , the 5k had one hiccup… it was about a half mile long. If you usually run longer distances, this isn’t an issue, but not everyone participation fits into that category. If you are new to running or train for the 5k distance, that extra half mile can be discouraging.

On Saturday, the half went off without much of a hitch. The only negative would be the scenery or lack of it. When you run a Vacation race, you tend to expect nice/beautiful scenery… We ran on roads that separated the fields where tropical plant and Fruits and vegetables are grown. That got old real quick.

Overall, the race was pretty good… not my favorite, but a Vacation Race is better than most good races hands down. If you haven’t run one of theirs before, I suggest you do it. They are top notch

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
2
SWAG
5

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A sea of maize and blue... if this sounds good to you, then this is your race. From kids in strollers to adults that are are the mature side, everyone … MORE

A sea of maize and blue… if this sounds good to you, then this is your race. From kids in strollers to adults that are are the mature side, everyone was showing their U of M spirit.

The race takes you around campus and gives you a great view of the architecture that the University is famous for. The finish is at the 50 yard line of the famous Big House and is played on the giant scoreboard.

Communication about the race is plentiful and packet pick-up was smooth. It was held at Crisler Arena and the M Den was open to purchase your hard to find U of M apparel.

Overall, a very good time and a must do.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4

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For the first in-person running of this race, things were almost completely without a hitch. Packet pick-up was simple and the expo was very small, although I can see that … MORE

For the first in-person running of this race, things were almost completely without a hitch. Packet pick-up was simple and the expo was very small, although I can see that growing as the race grows. I ran the 5k and the half; both courses were well marked and very flat. For a small town like Elizabeth City, there was surprisingly a good bit of crowd support. A lot of people up early cheering you on. One of the middle schools had their band playing and even a group of cheerleaders. The shirt was nice and the medal was awesome. I even received a challengers coin for doing both races. The aid stations were plentiful as were porta-johns. Plenty of law enforcement, Coast Guard members and volunteers to keep the roads clear and keep you going in the right direction. Another plus was plenty of downtown parking within walking distance to the start/finish line.
The only real negative was a 30 min delayed start to the 5k on Friday. Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, but it was quite chilly and windy.
All-in-all Two Thumbs up for this race, the Coast Guard and the Elizabeth City N.C. Put this on your to do list, especially if you enjoy the different military branch races.

DIFFICULTY
2
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4
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The city of Cleveland, TN is a nice quiet to with a beautiful campus a Lee University right in the middle of it. Communication before the race was nice. Terra … MORE

The city of Cleveland, TN is a nice quiet to with a beautiful campus a Lee University right in the middle of it. Communication before the race was nice. Terra Running Co was quick to respond to any questions, directions were right on and packet pickup was in they’re store/coffee shop. Everyone was friendly and could tell by our accent that we were from out of town, but they made us feel welcome.
This is usually a late spring race, but was moved to late Oct. The weather was perfect, chilly before the start but gradually warmed up. Race instructions were numerous and helpful. Along the course, volunteers were friendly helpful and always cheering you on.
The Half marathon course went through the campus of Lee University and a couple of really pretty old neighborhoods, then finally onto the city’s Greenway. From here, the course followed the river and provided plenty of shade. There were plenty of aid stations which were well maintained. There were only two spots I could see that could have used better course makings, but since this is a young race, I’ll give them a pass.
No port-a-johns on the course… Let that sink in….. but you didn’t need them. The city has provided plenty of bathrooms, which are well maintained, with flush toilets and running water… who needs port-a-johns….
The finish are was small, but very welcoming and sense parking was free on the streets and at the museum, the downtown was very walkable.
My only real complaint is that the course was long…. the half was 13.5, just bit too long.
Overall very nice small town race, definitely worth the drive if you aren’t from here. Great Job, Terra Running.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
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4
SWAG
4
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As usual, Vacation Races did an awesome job. There were a couple of hiccups, but they explained and owned them. The scenery for this course is simply beautiful, definitely worth … MORE

As usual, Vacation Races did an awesome job. There were a couple of hiccups, but they explained and owned them. The scenery for this course is simply beautiful, definitely worth the difficulty of the course. Everything was well marked, aid stations were plentiful, well stocked and the volunteers were great. Being from the mid-west, there was no way I could be fully prepared for the altitude or the hills… we don’t have anything like that in Michigan. All in all GREAT race and GREAT race production. If you’ve never done a VR race, it’s totally worth it just to listen to Colleen the race announcer… 👍🤘

DIFFICULTY
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I have had this race on my list "to do" list since I saw the medals. I was excited to run it last year for the 10th anniversary.... but in … MORE

I have had this race on my list “to do” list since I saw the medals. I was excited to run it last year for the 10th anniversary…. but in person was not to be… 🙁
This was a new year looking forward to finally running an in person race. Communication was excellent with emails as was packet pick-up. you scheduled a time for pick up, so as not to be bunched up. As we waited for our turn to enter, there were two ladies answering questions about the race, the area, etc. Pickup was smooth as silk…. Race day… you were assigned a wave before race day with an approximate start time. Something happened that I have never seen at a race before… the waves started a couple a minutes early, usually they start late. Start went off without a hitch. Course directions were easy to to follow. Aid stations were all manned but small… once again not a bad thing. All had bottled water and a porta-john… two thumbs up for that. The course is what it is… beautiful. Don’t expect crowd support, although the volunteers were very encouraging. Finish line was quick, snacks were bagged and handed to you as well as the medal.
Overall, awesome race, word to the wise… DO YOUR HILL TRAINING… the hills are no joke.

DIFFICULTY
4
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As advertised, the course was mostly flat almost always had something to look at. Packet pickup was smooth and the expo was not overwhelming. On race morning, it was un-seasonably … MORE

As advertised, the course was mostly flat almost always had something to look at. Packet pickup was smooth and the expo was not overwhelming. On race morning, it was un-seasonably cold. Thankfully the convention center was open and you could hang out in there until race time. The start went off without a hitch, I wish the corrals we marked a little clearer, but not the end of the world. Once the race started, aid stations were spaced pretty evenly, however a couple of the early ones didn’t seem prepared and left people standing waiting for water. Several places along the course people had buckets of left over Halloween candy, the good stuff, not the stuff I give out. At the finish, volunteers were a plenty with the medals, heat shields and even race specific beanies… a nice touch. I would like to give a shout out of thanks to Denna Kastor, the American great who was at the finish line handing out heat shields. I finished around the 4:36 mark and she was still out there.
The only negatives I had were at times, the marathoners seemed to only have less than 1 lane to run in. I realize Indy is a huge city, but we could’ve used a little more space. The conditions of the roads were surprising. potholes and simply rough pavement, not a great way to showcase the city.
Final Advice- stay downtown…. everything is in walking distance and you don’t have to fight traffic and use the porta-john before the race and try to hold it again until after mile 19 otherwise you’ll wait in line. Overall, very nice race.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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To me, the thing that stands out the most about this race were the amenities; things that were provided to make your race experience better... On Friday, there were volunteers … MORE

To me, the thing that stands out the most about this race were the amenities; things that were provided to make your race experience better… On Friday, there were volunteers EVERYWHERE; helping you park, ensuring that you were in the right line, answering questions and my favorite, the s’mores. On Saturday, the volunteers were assisting with traffic control, which could have been a nightmare and parking. After the bus ride to the starting line, there were plenty of port-a-johns, hot coffee and hot chocolate, bananas and plenty of Vaseline… in case you forgot. There was a young lady on the mic that kept us informed and entertained at the same time. There was a raffle and awesome prizes, even though I didn’t win… and this was all before the race.
You cannot say enough about the gorgeous scenery, this was running through the Appalachians as you would imagine it to be. The weather was warm and very sticky, but we were warned ahead of time of this and encouraged to hydrate and watch our electrolytes.
The start was a little congested, but only because we were restricted to one lane of a two lane road. Things began to thin out after a mile or so and any vehicles we did encounter were courteous and supportive. We did have to watch for bicyclists coming from behind, but they were usually good about announcing their presence and encouraging us as they rode by.
Aid stations were plentiful and once again, the volunteers were supportive and encouraging. The only part of the course that would bear a caution is at times, the pitch of the road was pretty steep. I did read about it beforehand, but actually experiencing it was another matter… not too tough, but be prepared.
At the end, that medals are by far my favorite half marathon and 5K medals. The Black Bear Challenge medal is pretty cool too.
If you are looking for a fantastic, destination race, this needs to be on your list… Great job VR and most importantly, THANK-YOU Volunteers… you were awesome.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
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1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

The most notable thing about this race is the oppressive heat. The group that runs this race did a very good job creating an atmosphere that celebrated both active duty … MORE

The most notable thing about this race is the oppressive heat. The group that runs this race did a very good job creating an atmosphere that celebrated both active duty military and veterans alike.
The course has a few small bumps (hills) but weren’t too difficult . there wasn’t much scenery, but is was quiet and peaceful.
The finish was easy to navigate and the food was almost as impressive as the medal.
Every veteran should consider this race at least once.

DIFFICULTY
4
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The course is hilly and difficult, but not too difficult if you train for hills. Start line was at Camden Yards and was very nice. I wish they would have … MORE

The course is hilly and difficult, but not too difficult if you train for hills.
Start line was at Camden Yards and was very nice. I wish they would have a wave start, because the start was a bit congested. the course was nice with lots of community support. It seemed like every neighborhood we traveled through had crowds cheering us on.
The finish at the harbor was nice but a little crowded. Medal was awesome.
Overall, very nice race…

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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The race and expo are run well. The medal is nice and the shirt is bland. The course is flat lacks scenery worth remembering. It was nice to start and … MORE

The race and expo are run well. The medal is nice and the shirt is bland. The course is flat lacks scenery worth remembering. It was nice to start and finish at U of T, but that is the most memorable part of the course.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
2
SWAG
3

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