Aaron Riddle's Staging Area

The Buckeye Marathon itself is a point-to-point race. Runners park their cars and start at a local baseball field complex to the north, and then run south through a community and then along a long stretch of highway road ultimately finishing at an airfield by some large airplane hangars. I remember one review I read of the race compared the course to a “road runner cartoon”. Having never been in a desert area, I was looking forward to a new terrain experience for my latest marathon.

The weather was calling for perfect race conditions that day with a high in the mid to upper 50s and sunny. That morning it was pretty chilly waiting around at the start, but luckily I had brought some light pants and jacket which I was able to wear and then stuff in my hydration pack before the race. There was also a beautiful sunrise that I was able to take in while waiting around as well. As this was a small race with around 200 marathon runners, the amount of port-o-pots at the start were not that many (so if you plan on running this race, be sure to get in the bathroom line earlier rather than later).

For this marathon the first three miles running through the surrounding community were slightly uphill, but then the rest of the race was flat or down hill. Since we ran along a desert stretch of highway, there was not much to look at other than a random cactus or two that you would pass. In fact it was odd…even though the course was flat, I read about and experienced first-hand desert hypnosis. This was the feeling of the course seeming like it was going slightly uphill due to the curvature of the earth, even though it was flat.

Obviously this course did not have much runner support aside from those at the aid stations which were every 2-3 miles. However those helping out at the aide stops were very nice, friendly, and encouraging. As usual I supplied my own fuel via hydration pack and energy gels, so I didn’t have to depend on the supplied snacks.

The post-race celebration wasn’t anything spectacular (standard fare of bananas and granola bars), but is always appreciated. I took a few pictures with my family and we headed back to our rental car to begin our drive back towards Los Angeles to catch a flight home the next day…but not before I got one last picture with a cactus!

Read my full race report with photos and much more detail at https://runningriddles.com/races/2020-buckeye-marathon-in-arizona/.

Atlantic City was personally not my favorite place to visit (my sole opinion), but the marathon itself was a good one to run and cross New Jersey off the state list.

Several reviews online stated the course is “pancake” flat. This is not the case. Yes, MOST of the course is flat, but there are a few portions towards the beginning that take you up a few highway ramps that are a bit of a challenge. My Garmin noted a total elevation gain of around 200 ft by the race’ end. Not hilly at all, but not completely pancake flat.

Packet pickup was held at Bally’s Casino’s Grand Ballroom. Parking was easy (there were several lots and garages around…thought the area doesn’t seem that nice to walk in), and I breezed my way through the slot machines and card tables towards the expo area. I am not a fan of gambling, so I immediately got my bib and exited the building. I will say the swag they gave you (a hooded long sleeve shirt) is one of my favorites from any race I have run.

My only complaint about the race start was that it was position right on the boardwalk in front of a few of the casinos which constantly played loud advertisements from their speakers. Apparently the National Anthem was sung, but the speakers of the casinos were turned up so loud, that many of us not realize it until it was almost over. That made me sad and believe that should be addressed in future editions of the race. Luckily we were able to hear the starting gun and made our way down the boardwalk to begin the first mile of 26.2.

The experience as a whole was a fun one though. The pacing group was very good and it was fun to run along the boardwalk for 6-7 miles of the race. I’d recommend running it for New Jersey…just stay out of the Atlantic City area other than on race day.

You can read my whole race report at https://runningriddles.com/races/2019-atlantic-city-marathon-in-new-jersey/.

Who knew Indianapolis, IN had a trail marathon?

I live in the mountains of Virginia and frequent Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian trail with my family. We are used to steep trail ascents and descents hiking up and over the Appalachian mountains. With the Eagle Creek Trail Marathon being held in the Indianapolis area, I was anticipating mostly flat, well-maintained trails for the 26.2 miles. However I would be in for a challenging surprise.

The course would wrap around the perimeter of Eagle Creek Park running from the west side of the Eagle Creek Reservoir over to the east side, looping around a small lake, and then heading back to the starting point. One lap would be a half-marathon distance, so that meant the marathoners would be looking at two laps. As for terrain it would be mostly dirt trail in the woods, with the lap portion around the lake taking place on a gravel road. Only a mile or so of each lap would be on paved surface where runners would cross over the reservoir via a 56th street bridge.

The trail was fairly narrow but made of well packed dirt, and with no rain for the past few days, the traction and footing was good. However every few minutes it seemed like there was a tree down across the trail in which you either had to jump over, or for several of the larger ones, stop and actually step over one leg at a time. The trail took us continually up and down hills, some of which had wooden crafted steps to get up them, and some of them did not.

I definitely underestimated this trail marathon and was not anticipating the heat and humidity to affect me as much as it did. As it turns out I was not the only one to have a tough time with the trail, as I finished 35th out of 66 runners. Come to find out 136 people signed up for the marathon…88 actually started it (meaning most switched over to the half-marathon distance prior to the start)…and only 66 actually finished. Despite my slow time, it made me proud that I completed the race under tough conditions and played it smart to ensure a finish to add another state to my list.

I highly recommend this trail race for trail runners looking for a nice challenge during the summertime! You can read my full race report at: https://runningriddles.com/races/the-2019-eagle-creek-trail-marathon-in-indianapolis-in/

Overall the race was very well organized and I would highly recommend it. You get to run through a working firehouse and the NFL Denver Bronco’s stadium twice!

The course is not super difficult…a couple gradual inclines but nothing a little hill training fix. But be warned that the crowd support is limited. I wondered if many people in Denver even knew if the marathon was going on. This in no way matters to me…but is something to consider if that is a requirement of yours for a race.

However this is made up for the fact that they really reward you after the race with plenty of treats, and even provide FREE high-quality race photos a few days after the race.

I really go in-depth with the whole experience in my race report here: https://runningriddles.com/races/colfax-2019-marathon-in-denver-co/

I ran this half-marathon as a pacer for my brother (who was running his first-ever half). Overall the race was very enjoyable. The race begins on
Assateague Island (by the Atlantic Ocean) and you run from there to the famous boardwalk area of Ocean City.

There was some communication from the organizers leading up to the race, but not much. I had to ask a question or two on their social media account, which they quickly answered. Swag for the race was a really nice t-shirt.

Race day morning there was plenty of parking at the finish line area at the boardwalk. You park there and then take a bus over to the starting area on Assateague Island. On this day the weather was perfect, and we even got to see a beautiful sunrise while waiting for the start.

As for the course, the beginning and end is really nice. Right after starting you run over a bridge across a river which is very scenic. This is also the only hill of the race. The rest is pancake flat! The middle of the race isn’t much…just long flat stretches of road and even going through a community development at one point. The last few miles are great as you run across the Route 50 bridge to the Ocean City boardwalk area…and then the last mile or so is actually on the boardwalk itself.

The finishers medal was cool and timing results were posted shortly after (though I did have to look for them…no results were emailed). My one complaint is that while I saw photos being taken during the race by pro photographers, I have yet to receive a link to view the photos…nor can I find them on the organizer’s website or social media accounts.

Overall this was a good race for a first-time marathoner or someone looking to set a PR on a very flat half-marathon course.

This race was the perfect choice for my first-ever ultra trail race (I’ve done a 50K before, and a trail marathon…but never an ultra trail marathon ha!). I actually registered for the race only a few days before-hand due to some last minute scheduling issues. I was planning on running a road marathon previously, but I am SO glad I switched over to this trail race as I loved every minute of it.

First off the race communication, instructions, and logistics are all top notch. Packet pick-up was very easy at the local Dick’s Sporting goods, there was constant email directions provided leading up to race day, and parking was plentiful at the local park where the trail run took place. All volunteers were SUPER friendly, encouraging, and willing to help out any runner.

The course itself is a 10 mile or so trail loop around St. Mary’s River Park encircling a lake (3 laps is a 50K). There are some hills, but nothing crazy elevation-wise (I believe my watch ended with around 1,600 ft total elevation). The challenge however comes from the condition of the trail depending on weather. On this day it was extremely muddy, and there were spots where you had no choice but to slosh on through getting up to your ankles in water / mud. I love this type of challenge, but just be prepared going into this race that it is a trail run…so expect to get dirty!

The aid tents were stocked full of so much different food and drinks it was crazy. There were tons of home-made goodies waiting at the trail loop start / finish…so you could easily grab some fuel to get you through the next loop.

I absolutely loved this race and highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to enter the world of trail ultra running. Check out my race report regarding details of my performance and how I prepared for and tackled the race itself.

The Savage Seven Racing Series is a 7 day long event with the following races held each day: Half-Marathon, Marathon, and Ultra 50K. The races are held at the 5 mile loop at the Greenway Park Trails in Ocala, FL during the week between Christmas and New Years. The course is USATF-Certified with 5 laps around this loop being a marathon distance, and 6 laps being the 50K (approximately 31 miles) distance. It is actually rather peaceful as you spend the whole time running through the park amongst Florida greenery and palm trees (most of the course is shaded too!).

While vacationing in Florida with family, I decided to run the full marathon for fun on Friday, December 28 but had the last second thought of switching over to the 50K option. I sent a note to the race director JC Santa Teresa asking if possible to switch over and he immediately responded no problem at all…I would just have to pay the monetary difference. Right then I made the call to attempt my first ultra race.

The race start time for each day was 6 a.m., so it was still quite dark at 5:30 a.m. when I arrived at the park where the trail was located. I was glad I had brought my headlight (which I almost debated on leaving at home). A small gathering of runners was already present by the picnic area we were to meet at. As I walked up to get my racing bib I was immediately greeted by race director JC Santa Teresa. He was super friendly and got me transitioned over to the 50K race. There was no swag aside from a small t-shirt (they had run out of other sizes), but if you are running this series it is not about swag…but running!

Roughly 20-30 people attended the days’ racing series when I was there…mostly a small group of marathon and running veterans…many whom are part of Marathon Maniacs like myself.

The course was open to the public (as it is a public park trail) during the race, so there were other individuals out there walking or running on the trail. However us participating in the race series were the ones wearing racing bibs!

Both aid areas were manned by awesome volunteers. At the halfway station, the gentlemen labeled our plastic cups with our bib number so we could keep reusing it if we wanted to help out the environment (awesome). The aid area at the start / finish seemed to have new food options each time we passed…bananas, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, hot egg breakfast biscuits, just to name a few.

Upon finishing, I was immediately congratulated by JC who gave me a really nice finishers medal and said “this medal is for bad a**es”. He also took a photo of me with the medal and one with my family. To top it off, he also gave me a helping of a type of chicken soup from his family’s own recipe (so good!).

I cannot say enough about how nice the organizers and runners of this race were. Everyone was so encouraging, friendly, and committed to seeing everyone finish no matter what their distance or goal that day. I’m really glad that this was my first-ever ultra race experience.

I was looking forward to this marathon all year long after reading incredible reviews of how it is one of the most beautiful races on all of the east coast. It did not disappoint!

The course itself runs from Bar Harbor, ME along the coast through Acadia National Park, finishing at Southwest Harbor..another coastal town on Mount Desert Island. I was blessed with incredible marathon running weather on race day (temps in the upper 30s / low 40s with clear skies) and the trees were at peak fall foliage. The view of the water, mountains, and trees was incredible.

Regarding elevation, the course is not an easy one. With a total elevation gain of around 1700 ft., there are several large, drawn out inclines that you will need to run. However each incline is followed by a nice decline…and the last two miles of the course are mostly downhill too. Be sure to include some hills in your training plan.

The race organization was top-notch. Constant updates were sent out via email and posted on the Run MDI website full of pre-race information along with a very detailed race packet PDF that was helpful not only to runners, but spectators as well. Packet pick up is a breeze in the town of Bar Harbor, which also features many things to do including shopping, boat / trolley tours, or visiting Acadia National Park.

Course support was very nice as well. There were few points on the course were there were not any spectators. The highlight of the course support to me was a large fishing boat of some type blowing its horn to cheer on and encourage the runners.

Due to proper training, amazing views, and great weather I was able to run my first-ever sub-4 hour marathon…so my experience was a fantastic one!

One final tip…I would register for this race early and book lodging ASAP. Bar Harbor has many bed and breakfasts with a few other hotels, and they fill up quick due to the tourists visiting to see the autumn colors of Maine. We were fortunate to stay in a hotel that was only a 10 minute walk from the starting line, and made our booking 9-10 months in advance.

The Lake Placid 2018 marathon was a wonderful experience. Running it to cross NY off my state list, I picked a great year as the weather was flawless (sunny, mid-60s). Logistics were a breeze as we stayed at Crowne Plaza hotel which was literally right next to the marathon expo, starting and finishing point. Packet pickup couldn’t have been easier…walk down hill to the expo, get race bib, walk back to hotel (haha). Communication leading up to the race was clear as well.

As for the race course itself, the first 3-4 miles take you around Mirror Lake and it is really pretty. Then it is back into town for a few miles before heading downhill past the Olympic Ski Jump area and into the back roads running along a river…which was very nice. However, once you head back into town, you have to run uphill for a good ways which is challenging…but if you are doing the marathon, you have to turn-around, and run back out of town and do it again! The positive is that you get to enjoy the scenic river / woods area again. The course ends with a steep uphill that leads back to the Olympic Speed Skating Oval area (now a track). That last hill is tough, so be forewarned.

I cannot speak to the aide stations as I carried my own hydration / gels…but I remember them being quite stocked full of drinks and food. The finishing medal was really nice, and the after party provided food was great too.

The cool thing about this marathon is you can make a family vacation out of it as Lake Placid is a beautiful area with plenty of things to do…from exploring the main street that goes through town, site-seeing the Olympic areas, to plenty of hikes / outdoor activities close by.

Highly recommended!

This was my first ever trail marathon and I really enjoyed it. Communication by the race directors leading up to the race was very clear. Packet pickup was in the city of Charlotte, which was sort of a pain, BUT it was easy to get to with a parking garage nearby (it was either free or cheap to use). The hoodie they gave me for registering was really nice!

The race location itself (US National WhiteWater Center) was really cool. I thought being close to Charlotte it would not be very scenic, but it takes place in a large park right by the Catawba River. Parking was plentiful for the race start time of 8 a.m. I stayed in a hotel 10-15 minutes from the park and had no problem getting there.

Now the course itself is TOUGH. For the marathon it is two loops around a mountain bike trail that winds and weaves its way all through the park. You run across fields, into the woods, by the rivers, up a very large dirt hill, and YES you are likely to fall quite a few times.

I carried my own hydration and fuel, which I would highly recommend as the aide stations are spaced out pretty far apart. I can’t speak for what they offered as I did not pay much attention. Upon finishing they had lots of food and goodies from your typical granola bars, power bars, and bean hummus wraps which I particularly enjoyed. Also the finishers medal was nice too!

I would NOT recommend this race for a first time marathon, but I would DEFINITELY recommend this race if you love running on trails, being in the woods, and are seeking a new challenge to add to your list of marathon accomplishments. Your time will be much slower, you will fall, get dirty, and maybe even cut up a bit…but you will enjoy your accomplishment of finishing that much more!

The race is held at the Kernstown Battlefield area just a bit south down Route 11 from the center of Winchester City. The race starts from the battlefield area, runs through a nearby suburb, back through the battlefield on a trail, and then onto the back country roads before returning to the finish at Creekside Station (a local shopping complex).

I picked up my race packet the day before which was held at a facility close to the race location. The swag included a really nice racing athletic shirt and hat along with other goodies. It was one of the best race packets I’ve had the pleasure of receiving.

With a start time of 8 a.m., I arrived early the morning of the race around 6:45 a.m. anticipating parking challenges, however the organizers make TONS of parking available via a nearby field close to the start, so parking was not an issue.

The start of the race is really cool as they shoot off an actual civil war canon instead of using a starter pistol. It was pretty flat at the beginning of the race going through the suburb area and back across the battlefield, but once the course led onto the back roads through Frederick County, there were quite a few significant hills to battle. Each morning when I run I deal with fairly steep hills on my home course so I was thankful for being prepared for that.

Also there is not much crowd support along the race course aside from the volunteers at the various aide stations, so the mental challenge was significant too. I do remember one family sitting outside their home along one of the back roads saying “You are halfway there!” when we were only around mile 5 or so. Tricksters!

This was my first time running this local race and my first time doing a half-marathon distance for time, and I somehow, someway managed to exceed my goals and get a pretty decent time.

Post-race festivities included a finishers medal with music and plenty of the usual refreshments along with pizza. I think this race is one of the best that is offered in the Winchester area and I plan on definitely doing it again next year!

This was the first marathon I ever ran and it was a great first-time experience. Having never even been to a marathon race before, I had no expectations going in. I spent the night in Richmond, VA the day before and visited the expo that evening to pickup my bib and packet. The expo was very large with many vendors. If I recall correctly it was held at an athletic facility so there was ample parking.

For the start of the race I parked on a side street a mile or so from the start. I did not have any problems finding a place to park. That morning it was rather chilly and I remember the starting line being full of runners (again this was my first experience running any type of marathon, and the Richmond Marathon is a rather larger one).

The course and race itself were terrific. They call it “America’s Friendliest Marathon” and it lived up to the name. The course takes you from downtown Richmond through surrounding suburbs, across the river, through parks, and around and back into the city. Rarely is there no support along the course. Through the communities people come out to cheer on the runners, and at most mile markers there is either a DJ playing music or some type of live band. I remember the aid stations offering a variety of fuel as well.

I’m not sure if the course is still the same as when I ran it in 2012, but it ended with a good downhill portion which can help if you are looking to set a PR. The post-race area was very large and offered some nice food and beverages.

The Richmond Marathon was a wonderful first-time marathon experience for me and I would highly recommend it due to the easy course, organization, and awesome crowd support!