Celebrate Life Half Marathon and Relay
Rock Hill, NY
- Half Marathon, Half Marathon Relay
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
CLHM 2023 is its 20th anniversary and final edition. *** Celebrate Life Half Marathon is a “Feel Good Race”. A beautiful scenic half marathon in Sullivan County. Voted one of the best half marathons in New York State by the 100 Half Marathons Club. Celebrate Life was featured in the March … MORE
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Great Cause, Great Organization
1. This race is typically one of the first Spring races in the Northeast. In 2021, it was one of the first races since the Pandemic started. 2. The director, … MORE
1. This race is typically one of the first Spring races in the Northeast. In 2021, it was one of the first races since the Pandemic started.
2. The director, Myriam, is amazing. Her emails are entertaining and it fits the feel of the race, which is a no-frills, “we’re hear to run and raise a lot of money for charity” and its a blast.
3. Myriam warns folks about this, but the race is in Sullivan County, NY and the first mile is entirely up hill, approximately 400 feet. You run through a beautiful area, but if you’re looking for flat/fast, this isn’t your race.
4. You never know what to expect conditions-wise. In 2021, It snowed, rained, had 25+ wind, and was sunny all in the same 90 minutes.
5. There aren’t many hotels in the area, but it is an incredibly easy trip from the New York area.
A feel good race
The race starts and ends right at the Ramada in Rock Hill so it's super easy to stay there, roll out of bed, and walk to the start. The race … MORE
The race starts and ends right at the Ramada in Rock Hill so it’s super easy to stay there, roll out of bed, and walk to the start. The race offers packet pickup both Saturday evening and Sunday morning and the hotel offers people staying there a continental breakfast and an affordable rate.
The weather this year was perfect and the race offers a walker start, early runner start, and then the general start and the finish line stays up until the last person finishes. It’s truly the only race I’ve run that is completely inclusive of all paces. The race course is definitely not flat and is basically a loop course…meaning some hills you run down you run up and vice versa. It’s definitely not a PR course for most, but that’s not the point of this race. This race benefits cancer patients 100% and you can even purchase a sign to honor someone who has fought or is fighting cancer (you run past this motivational mile twice, so you can pick up your sign on your way back).
The race swag includes a jacket and a pretty nice medal and the race director is awesome, sending out multiple emails to keep runners in the loop. The post race food is supplied by Outback and a local Italian restaurant. Runners are given a bracelet for either chicken or steak, salad, veggies, and bread from outback and the baked ziti supplied by the Italian restaurant is open to all.
Great Race
The race experience starts with a race director who is quite funny and dedicated. Her emails will explain how she's given up wine for lent and will also confirm with … MORE
The race experience starts with a race director who is quite funny and dedicated. Her emails will explain how she’s given up wine for lent and will also confirm with you the name on your bib and, if you purchase a sign for the course, what the sign says. Proceeds from the race go to help cancer patients local to the race with expenses and runners include survivors, those who’ve been touched by cancer in their family or friends, and just those who want to help the cause. You can purchase a sign for the Motivational Mile (which appears twice in the course so you can take your sign with you on your way to the finish) dedicated to a friend/love one who is battling, has battled, or was lost to cancer.
The race starts right outside of The Sullivan Ramada hotel in Rock Hill, which makes for a very convenient morning (plus, you get a late checkout of 1:30pm and free breakfast). The hotel also has an Italian restaurant and pizzeria next door as well as a restaurant across the street, which is super convenient. The race is very friendly to walkers and offers a walker start, early runner start for those running 2:30+, and then the regular runner start. The event is chip timed and you get a medal and jacket with your entry fee. This year was a purple windbreaker with the race’s logo embroidered on the left front.
The course itself is beautiful, but challenging, and Myriam (the race director) has amusing signs along the way (like “Mild rolling hills my a–“). You’ll want to stop and take pictures, because the course winds around a lake or two. This year, roads were either closed or had very little traffic.
The post race spread always includes baked ziti, which is free to runners and their friends/family alike, as well as food from Outback Steakhouse which you get with a band you pick up with your packet. This year, the offer was bread, salad, and chicken or steak.
Weather this year was a little chilly (mid 20’s with light wind), but it was very sunny so it was very pleasant running weather. Oh, and race photos are free, what could be better?
Gently rolling hills is a lie
This is a nice small local race with various starting times for walkers, slower runners, and runners. When you register, you have the option of donating to have a sign … MORE
This is a nice small local race with various starting times for walkers, slower runners, and runners. When you register, you have the option of donating to have a sign placed along the course honoring someone currently fighting cancer or in memory of someone who lost that fight. This section of the course (which you pass by twice, making taking your sign with you to the finish easy), is quite emotional.
The course description says “gently rolling hills”…that’s a lie that the race director herself has owned up to, having a sign along the course saying “gently rolling hills my butt” (among other amusing things). It is, however, a pretty course since you pass by a couple of lakes.
When you finish you have the option of baked ziti or burgers and the like (and you can only pick one so there is enough for everyone). The start/finish is at the local hotel (which is also next to an Italian restaurant and pizza place).
The only real downside is that the roads aren’t all closed (for 2017 they’re planning to close some of the open roads because a runner was hit in 2016. Luckily they were okay.).
Your registration comes with a zipper sweatshirt or fleece with the race insignia on it and the medal is pretty nice for a small local race. You also get personal emails from the race director that are pretty darn amusing.
Great: cause/food/medal/swag/director
Past years swag included a heavy duty windbreakers, and recently fleeces. Outback steakhouse provides the food. The cause...well, they give out really needed cash to pay medical copays, rides to … MORE
Past years swag included a heavy duty windbreakers, and recently fleeces. Outback steakhouse provides the food. The cause…well, they give out really needed cash to pay medical copays, rides to treatment, even refurbished cars to get to doctors appt. The race director keeps in touch during the year with really fun emails. Anddddd our names are on the bibs! And we get finisher medals. Ongoing jokes about the hills, but they aren’t that bad, suck it up and run for this gr8 cause!!
A feel good race.
Well organized. Three starts to help you finish with the pack and never feel alone. Pacers. Fantastic SWAG. Great Outback post race lunch. Economical entry. Donates 100% to help cancer … MORE
Well organized. Three starts to help you finish with the pack and never feel alone. Pacers. Fantastic SWAG. Great Outback post race lunch. Economical entry. Donates 100% to help cancer patients. A feel good race!
A Feel Good Race
Great aid stations, great friendly people, a race that supports local cancer patients. Great swag and a nice medal to boot, along with a beer / wine station at mile MORE
Great aid stations, great friendly people, a race that supports local cancer patients. Great swag and a nice medal to boot, along with a beer / wine station at mile 12!