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@reedrach
Seattle, WA Raving since 2022 Active 1 year, 4 months agoAbout Me
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 (5)
| Race | Distance | Location | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chuckanut Foot Race | 7 Miler | Bellingham, WA | Jul 16, 2022 | 1:14:50 |
| Carkeek Cooler Trail Run | 10K | Seattle, WA | Nov 5, 2022 | 59:34 |
| Electric Cookie Run | 5.6 Miler | Seattle, WA | Dec 3, 2022 | 50:23 |
| Fidalgo Trail Run | 5 Miler | Anacortes, WA | Oct 1, 2022 | 49:00 |
| Hot Chocolate Run Seattle | 5K | Seattle, WA | Mar 6, 2022 | 25:49 |
Future Races (0)
| Race | Distance | Location | Date | Paid |
|---|
Past Races (5)
| Race | Distance | Location | Date | Result | My Raves | My Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Cookie Run | 5.6 Miler | Seattle, WA | Dec 3, 2022 | 50:23 |
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| Carkeek Cooler Trail Run | 10K | Seattle, WA | Nov 5, 2022 | 59:34 |
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| Fidalgo Trail Run | 5 Miler | Anacortes, WA | Oct 1, 2022 | 49:00 |
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| Chuckanut Foot Race | 7 Miler | Bellingham, WA | Jul 16, 2022 | 1:14:50 |
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| Hot Chocolate Run Seattle | 5K | Seattle, WA | Mar 6, 2022 | 25:49 |
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Electric Cookie Run
Participants glimmered, cookies existed
Electric Cookie Run
I was really excited for this race!! A few changes/forewarnings could've made this a lot more fun for me. It seemed like maybe the organizers were new/inexperienced with organizing runs/races, … MORE
I was really excited for this race!! A few changes/forewarnings could’ve made this a lot more fun for me. It seemed like maybe the organizers were new/inexperienced with organizing runs/races, and maybe they were also understaffed/resourced.
PROS:
– Finisher medals are superrrr cute
– Awesome, festive atmosphere fueled by participant cheer
– Warm bib pickup location at Road Runner Sports was nice for the chilly day
– The long-awaited cookies were provided in a grab bag
– Chip time and festive pre-race photo opportunity!
– Great park for a flat road run or walk.
CONS:
– Long line at bib pickup. Only two volunteers that I saw handing out bibs. Seemed like they could’ve used some help.
– No gear check or even bag drop spot. 🙁 Never not had this before, so I just assumed, road my bike to it, and had nowhere to stash my bag, water bottle, bike gear, etc. When I finished, I saw some folks piled their stuff in the corner of the store to grab afterwards. For eco-conscious race organizers (it was a cupless race), it seems like a no-brainer, knowing you are going to have likeminded participants come by alternative transit/have no car to stash their stuff (e.g., water bottle, warm clothes).
– At least one organizer was really pushing everybody to pick up their cookies before the race to make it easier for them afterwards (and run with them??). All of the pre-race materials said pickup was after race, so that was weird to me.
– No mention in pre-race info of a head lamp or flashlight being necessary for on-course safety. The race website photos showed the race being in daylight, but the run started just after sunset, and, despite it being in an urban park, 90% of the course was very dark. Potholes, deep puddles, uneven pavement… all could really hurt someone.
– No volunteers or water stations visible to me on the course.
– I saw only two arrows on the course, which I’m not sure were put up by the race organizers. And it was, again, pretty dark, so I missed them entirely in my first loop.
– Regular park-goers seemed surprised/confused and a bit put out that the walkway was completely blocked at the starting area by the park’s parking lot for 10 minutes or so. I didn’t see any signage around besides the arch at the finish line warning park goers that a race was going on and would cause some congestion.
– I didn’t hear any communication at the end telling us we should go back to the store to pick up our grab bags of cookies/not continue to clog the walkway at the finish line. Also didn’t see anything about what to do after race in pre-race info.
– One water jug with cups a few yards away was on a ledge by a tent if you needed water, no other refreshments by finish line at all, to my knowledge. There was definitely not enough water for everyone to fill one water bottle, and it took me a while to find it. I didn’t see any water back at the store.
– I also thought we would have something beyond 3 cookies each and one jug of water overall in term of festive refreshments afterwards. Maybe some hot cocoa with the cookies? It was a frosty night, and that would’ve been a real pick-me-up to mingle over. And, with all of the focus on cookies (website reads “Celebrate your achievement by dining on the finest cookies from Seattle’s bakeries.”), I thought they would be pretty awesome, but they looked like something you would get at a regular old grocery store.
Fidalgo Trail Run
Stunning views, amazing organizers <3
Fidalgo Trail Run
PROS: - The views from the trail are amazing - The shuttle to/from the start line (with limited parking!) was well-planned - Bag drop is always handy, even if it … MORE
PROS:
– The views from the trail are amazing
– The shuttle to/from the start line (with limited parking!) was well-planned
– Bag drop is always handy, even if it was a bit informal (just stashing our own stuff under a tent)
– Extra restrooms (portapotties) brought in at start line
– Plenty of pre-race info to prepare you for how technical the course is and how many water break spots there will be/notes that it is cupless race
– Physical therapist onsite along with some handy recovery tools (nice!)
– Great signage on course, along with helpful volunteers anywhere it got a bit tricky
– I mean those little kiddos do their shorter race were just so cute
– Course following starting line gave us a bit of open terrain to sort ourselves out before we got onto single track
– The post-race provisions were on-point and seasonal (tomato soup on a crisp fall day is just the best!)
CONS:
– Hard to think of one. It really was a fantastic race. The only regret I have, that they didn’t have control over, was not being able to easily hop in the car after and cruise around the state park, since we had to head back to Anacortes with the shuttle.
We hope to do this one again, which is maybe the best review I can give, since there are so many pretty races/runs to do in the PNW. 🙂
Chuckanut Foot Race
Spectacular views, fantastic organizers
Chuckanut Foot Race
PROS: - THOSE VIEWS. I could cry. Makes the point-to-point nature of the race 1000% worth it. - Speaking of which, they had drop bag transit from start point to … MORE
PROS:
– THOSE VIEWS. I could cry. Makes the point-to-point nature of the race 1000% worth it.
– Speaking of which, they had drop bag transit from start point to end point of race. Andd…
– Shuttle back to the start was an old ski bus with CHARACTER. The perfect ending to our Bellingham experience.
– On-trail volunteers cheering runners on and helping us navigate the few tricky spots.
– Shoe recycling and extra restrooms carted in at the starting point (portapotties). Mid-point aid station.
– A really nice rolling/gentle trail run for those not looking to climb mountains.
– Super fun finish line food/drink set up at Larrabee State Park with great, refreshing refreshments. A really family-friendly picnic atmosphere with beautiful views just around the corner. Plus, plenty of restrooms.
CONS:
– I literally can’t think of one. This race set the standard for all trail races I’ve participated in since. GBRC is a really fantastic group of folks.
Hot Chocolate Run Seattle
Fun for families, plenty chocolate-y
Hot Chocolate Run Seattle
PROS: - High-energy atmosphere - Giant marshmallow balloon thing is cute - Organized into heats based on run time - Pacers - Plenty of extra restrooms (portapotties) at start - … MORE
PROS:
– High-energy atmosphere
– Giant marshmallow balloon thing is cute
– Organized into heats based on run time
– Pacers
– Plenty of extra restrooms (portapotties) at start
– Very organized bag-drop and packet pickup
– Course was well marked with volunteers and multiple drink stops
– Seattle Center is a fun place to start/end
– Respect, because things were shakey as we were emerging from Covid, and they canceled the longer race due to logistical issues with keeping the 15k route safe. Good on them for prioritizing safety.
– Chip-timed and a few photo spots to capture the fun
– The swag jackets are actually really comfy and mine held up for about a year of wearing pretty consistently around the house/on dog walks. Then my zipper broke, sadly.
– Individual snack/chocolate trays were turned out to participants like clockwork, making for many happy campers.
CONS:
– I wasn’t a fan of the hot chocolate. Haha. I think it was an allergen-free thing, so the goal wasn’t necessarily good taste. I think other folks did like it, so it could just be me.
– Being used to more locally-run PNW races with an eco-conscious bent, it felt like there was more waste than there needed to be (looking at you, swag bags).
– Promoted as raising money for St. Judes, but it’s not wrapped into the registration fee. It’s an opt-in thing where you put a tab on your bib in bins carried around by a handful of volunteers at the end of the race to donate $2 of your fee. So, they are basically banking on people not going through the trouble/noticing the volunteers to maximize race profits and minimize donations.
– Not really their fault, but my pacer did not pace themselves. Haha. I wanted to try to see how long I could keep up an 8-minute mile pace, but the pacer left me in the dust in the first .5 mile, and I never saw them again. When I checked Strava, I was running MUCH faster than a 8-min mile pace trying to keep up with them at the beginning, so… bummer.
Carkeek Cooler Trail Run
Loved it, & now I know it isn't chipped!
Carkeek Cooler Trail Run
PROS: - Great trail marking and volunteers to help at key points - Mid-point water at starting area was handy and well-placed for 10k! - Great vibezzz -- organizers were … MORE
PROS:
– Great trail marking and volunteers to help at key points
– Mid-point water at starting area was handy and well-placed for 10k!
– Great vibezzz — organizers were passionate and invited Seattle Parks & Rec to talk about volunteer opportunities if folks were interested (I was! Since I’m a major beneficiary of my local parks and how well their trails are cared for)
– Well, it’s in my favorite Seattle park for trail-running 🙂
– Helpful pre-race info on course, technical stuff
– Raffle and post-race snacks were fun and appropriate for our chilly day (soup, hot drinks, etc.). Everyone seemed in good spirits and ready to hang around for a bit to enjoy our surprise November sunshine.
CONS:
– Parking got a bit chaotic, I think — the park ran out of spots, and the walk from anywhere to the start line outside of the main lot is long/not clear
– It was not chip timed and we had a big bottleneck in the first few hundred yards that was frustrating for me since I got pushed to the back behind walkers and could not pass easily. The competitor in me got sad. :'( Lesson learned!