My Profile

@olsonm73

O Fallon, IL Raving since 2015 Marathon Maniacs #11158 Active 6 years, 8 months ago

About Me

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

    2016 Marine Corps Marathon

  • I run because:

    I’m an “average joe” runner who wants to be inspired or inspire others. Running mimics life … We need to hang in there; Endure the struggle and Celebrate the journey! – Blessings to all my fellow runners

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 (1)

Race Distance Location Date Result
Marathon Louisville, KY Apr 30, 2016 3:37:04

Future Races (0)

Race Distance Location Date Paid

Past Races (27)

Race Distance Location Date Result My Raves My Performance
Marathon Tulsa, OK Nov 20, 2016
Marathon Madison, WI Nov 13, 2016
Marathon Indianapolis, IN Nov 5, 2016
Marathon Arlington, VA Oct 30, 2016
Marathon Springfield, IL Oct 16, 2016
Marathon Columbus, OH Oct 16, 2016
Marathon St. Charles, MO Oct 2, 2016
Marathon Wright-Patterson AFB, OH Sep 17, 2016
Marathon Columbia, MO Sep 5, 2016
Marathon North Salem, IN Aug 13, 2016
Marathon Byron, MN May 29, 2016
Marathon Rockford, IL May 22, 2016
Marathon Kenosha, WI May 7, 2016 4:02:56
Marathon Louisville, KY Apr 30, 2016 3:37:04
Marathon St Louis, MO Apr 10, 2016 3:42:05
Marathon Little Rock, AR Mar 6, 2016 3:48:34
Half Marathon Carbondale, IL Feb 13, 2016 1:47:32
Marathon Arlington, VA Oct 25, 2015 3:43:20
Marathon Springfield, IL Oct 11, 2015 3:57:00
Marathon St. Charles, MO Oct 4, 2015 4:06:06
Marathon Wright-Patterson AFB, OH Sep 19, 2015 3:56:57
Marathon Columbia, MO Sep 7, 2015 4:10:09
Marathon North Salem, IN Aug 15, 2015 4:34:06
Marathon Rochester, MN May 24, 2015 3:47:05
Marathon Champaign, IL Apr 25, 2015 4:04:07
Marathon St Louis, MO Apr 12, 2015 3:56:09
Half Marathon Mascoutah, IL Oct 4, 2014 1:40:00

My Raves

The course lay out was great - It has you running the first half along the waterway ... That said the race had 20-20+ mph wind gusts so when you … MORE

The course lay out was great – It has you running the first half along the waterway … That said the race had 20-20+ mph wind gusts so when you weren’t facing the head-wind, you were getting sand-blasted by the coast (off Lake Michigan), all none of the course directors fault. So Scenary would’ve been awesome if weather hadn’t made it suck. The other down side was the Medal was a joke. It was of a cartoon cheese guy with a cape. I get it Wisconsin cheese… And I have a great sense of humors, just saying if you want serious bling… Don’t run this one. Finally – Race production/support at water stations and volunteers was EXCELLENT! THis is a great beginner to intermediate runner’s race. What stunk for me was the weather which of course made it memorable and also in a horrible way, one of the best races I’ve completed.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
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4
SWAG
1

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

What made this run so unique was that you had the privilege of running around Louisville and through Churchill Downs. While you weren't allowed to run on the actual horse … MORE

What made this run so unique was that you had the privilege of running around Louisville and through Churchill Downs. While you weren’t allowed to run on the actual horse track, you ran on the paved parts and we’re still inside the stadium … What a Rush! How many times can you say you’ve done that??? The rest of the run was Great. Overall it was flat minus the midway point around there was a significant peak for a mile and another uptick around mile 22 so the Elevation chart was pretty fair and accurate. The support was Awesome and the event was just well organized.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3

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Love this race - Great course that has you running all around St Louis and through a tough but enjoyable pass through Enchanted forest called Forest Park. The Bridges (yes … MORE

Love this race – Great course that has you running all around St Louis and through a tough but enjoyable pass through Enchanted forest called Forest Park. The Bridges (yes 2 big ones) serve as your hills and the course was Awesomely supported. I Love this race and am a repeat runner from last year because of how well put together this event is.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
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4
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3

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

Best supported event I've been to (aid station every 2 miles, plenty of portapotties, refreshments etc) which comes in handy when running the Full. This event is would not be … MORE

Best supported event I’ve been to (aid station every 2 miles, plenty of portapotties, refreshments etc) which comes in handy when running the Full. This event is would not be what I recommend for newcomers … it had sloping hills nearly the first 17 miles and then a large one between 24-25 (it was a doozy). Great scenery/route not to mention the bling of all race medals … a 3 lb finishers medal that is the size of a hub-cap. No wander this is a bucket-list item

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3

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I believe this event cost $30 for a half and I got a killer sweatshirt that comes in handy when it's not quite warm. The event itself was fine... good … MORE

I believe this event cost $30 for a half and I got a killer sweatshirt that comes in handy when it’s not quite warm. The event itself was fine… good course through Crab-orchid reserve park but it was a tad cold (10 degree run). The post race snacks stunk and it was hard to find the one sign to check in.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Fantastic race - With over 4K volunteers and 100K spectactors - no wander why this is one of the Top US races. This was my first MCM and boy was … MORE

Fantastic race – With over 4K volunteers and 100K spectactors – no wander why this is one of the Top US races. This was my first MCM and boy was it fun. The wheels started dragging about mile 22 and fell off at mile 25. The best supported race by far and totally embraced by the residents of Washington D.C. – If you haven’t run this one – I would highly consider/recommend it.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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This was one of the most scenic runs I've been on. With Fall Colors changing, it was really nice to run to appreciate it. Don't get me wrong, there was … MORE

This was one of the most scenic runs I’ve been on. With Fall Colors changing, it was really nice to run to appreciate it. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of Road and gravel grind but the parts of nature made it well worth it. It was very high priced for what you got in swag. The medal was lame and screamed: I refuse to have any creativity. The post race was a 3 on a scale of 10. The Strenths was that it was Awesomely supported. Plenty of water stations (not enough porta potties) and the course had plenty of Rolling hills … gentle not anything too steep but by the last 10K, you didn’t want to see another hill.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
5
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2

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

Fairly easy/flat course. Very cold (50's) and windy today. I started out too fast and tried to slow it down half-way but the wheels began to fall off for me … MORE

Fairly easy/flat course. Very cold (50’s) and windy today. I started out too fast and tried to slow it down half-way but the wheels began to fall off for me at mile 20. Decent route with an out and back on the last 10K which is very helpful. Good race support and scenic trails but the weather was a challenge.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4

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Remarkable race that is a Must-Do bucket list. The U2 fly over was a great way to kick off the Marathon as well as the final stretch through the static … MORE

Remarkable race that is a Must-Do bucket list. The U2 fly over was a great way to kick off the Marathon as well as the final stretch through the static plane displays to reach the finish line was awesome. The course was a tad harder than I imagined (I thought it was going to be mostly flat) and I rate it low for scenary. The weather this year was a factor (wet and windy) but the event scored High marks by me as it was absolutley well supported (Water/etc stops) with the best crowd and volunteers I’ve seen to date. It was overall a great event and I look forward to next year’s race.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
2
SWAG
3

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This was the most challenging Marathon I've run to date. The Route had sloping hills nearly the entire way with 2 major inclines. I do Not recommend this for first-timers. … MORE

This was the most challenging Marathon I’ve run to date. The Route had sloping hills nearly the entire way with 2 major inclines. I do Not recommend this for first-timers. 1 memoriable mention was the run by the lower river basin, there was a stink that almost made all runners pass out (pretty rank). This course was a rural run which added to the scenic run (Fantastic) and made this very rewarding and enjoyable but scored the low scores due to lack of any course support. Nature was your port-a-potty (BYO T-P). I had a solid 20m but the wheels fell off the last 10K. Still glad I ran this event.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
1
SCENERY
5
SWAG
1

3 members marked this review helpful. Agree?

Fun 10K loop consisting of a little of a mix of sand, woods, pebble gravel, and grass. Course had good race support for water and hydration but not so much … MORE

Fun 10K loop consisting of a little of a mix of sand, woods, pebble gravel, and grass. Course had good race support for water and hydration but not so much for others such as portapotties and post race food. If you run it just for the course, it is still worth the experience.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
5
SWAG
2

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Solid run with rolling hills the first 8 miles and multiple park runs throughout Rochester thereafter. Cool/light rain conditions made it comfortable. Ran the first split 1:47:08, and 2nd split … MORE

Solid run with rolling hills the first 8 miles and multiple park runs throughout Rochester thereafter. Cool/light rain conditions made it comfortable. Ran the first split 1:47:08, and 2nd split 1:59:58. Course was properly supported and relatively small so no overcrowding issues. The biggest charm was the scenic tour through the parks … not a boring out and back.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
4
SWAG
2

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Despite the horrible Wx, this event really was well put together and supported. The race course was evacuated due to severe wx after I crossed (25 lightning strikes...). It was … MORE

Despite the horrible Wx, this event really was well put together and supported. The race course was evacuated due to severe wx after I crossed (25 lightning strikes…). It was cold, windy, and wet for an unforgettable experience and yet it was supported by plenty of voluntters (hydration/gu/portapotties…etc). Plenty of bands playing in semi-covered shelters… for a great race experience. I recommend it to others and will run it again.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Race was well supported but as you went through Forest Park, you were one your own to hydrate. It was well advertised and marked on the course map, but for … MORE

Race was well supported but as you went through Forest Park, you were one your own to hydrate. It was well advertised and marked on the course map, but for people who don’t pay attention, it may have come as a surprise. The course was fairly flat. The 2 bridges (IADs and MLK) served as the course hills and were bunched up in the beginning. Mile 10 offered horrible tasting chocolate cookies – Yuck.
– Great race/solid event and I recommend it to others and will run it again in 2016.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
4
SWAG
2

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If you need a PR on a Half, this race is for you. It's flat and fast. The pro is that it's a patriotic run (lots of flags) and a … MORE

If you need a PR on a Half, this race is for you. It’s flat and fast. The pro is that it’s a patriotic run (lots of flags) and a portion of the funds get sent to Wounded Warrior Project which is a good cause. The negative is – not very scenic from what I can recall. It’s a popular, decent price and what I’d call a good Prep run for a bigger event.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

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