My Profile

@seagroves87

Salem, NH Raving since 2020 50 States hopeful/finisher, 100 Half Marathons Club, Seven Continents Club, Marathon Maniacs #15648, Half Fanatics #18410 Active 1 hour, 30 minutes ago

About Me

  • Running club(s):

    NYRR, Greater Rochester Track Club, Greater Derry Track Club, 50 States Half Marathon Club

  • Rave race:

    Los Angeles Marathon 2020

  • Race that's calling my name:

    New York City Marathon

  • I run because:

    Running changed my life! I started running again after a many year hiatus to curb some bad habits and get a more positive outlook on life. As a result I am a much happier, healthier person since I started running again in Fall 2018 and I have no plans to stop any time soon! My ultimate goal is to run a half marathon or longer in every state, province and continent!

My Races

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

50 States Map
image/svg+xml FL TX NM AZ AK CA NV UT CO OR WA ID HI OK MT WY ND SD NE KS MN IA MO AR LA MS AL GA SC IL WI MI IN OH TN KY NC WV VA PA NY ME VT NH RI CT NJ DE MD MA DC

Half Marathon

Marathon

Ultramarathon

(Marathon or Ultra) + Half

Marathon + Ultra

Other

Future Races

Personal Bests (33)

Race Distance Location Date Result
Sprint Silver Lake, NY Sep 26, 2021 2:38:44
12 hr Honeoye Falls, NY Jul 17, 2021 17.12 mi
9 hr Victor, NY Jun 10, 2023 13.68 mi
6 hr Shortsville, NY Nov 20, 2021 16.1 mi
Marathon Los Angeles, CA Mar 8, 2020 5:20:34
30K Pacoima, CA Feb 9, 2020 3:45:00
25K Bath TWP, OH Nov 22, 2020 3:16:29
Half Marathon Pasadena, CA Jan 19, 2020 2:21:41
10 Miler Huntington Beach, CA Sep 21, 2019 1:48:52
10 Mile Relay Auburn, NH Aug 27, 2022 1:52:38
9.3 Challenge (5K + 10K) Los Angeles, CA Jan 5, 2020 1:39:01
15K Philadelphia, PA Apr 2, 2022 1:50:28
8 Miler Ellicottville, NY Aug 16, 2020 1:56:45
Quarter Marathon Liverpool, NY Feb 12, 2022 1:25:37
10K Los Angeles, CA Nov 28, 2019 59:39
6 Miler Voorheesville, NY Oct 31, 2021 1:42:19
9K Boston, MA Jul 22, 2023 1:23:04
5 Miler Clyde, NY Nov 21, 2020 51:54
8K Rochester, NY Jul 21, 2021 52:28
7.7K Salem, NH May 20, 2023 56:41
4.5 Miler Honeoye Falls, NY Oct 18, 2020 1:06:04
4.4 Miler Webster, NY Nov 25, 2021 45:24
7K Gulf Shores, AL Jan 28, 2023 48:20
4 Miler New York City, NY Dec 13, 2020 45:07
3.5 Miler Webster, NY Sep 4, 2021 54:14
3.4 Miler Lewiston, NY Aug 9, 2021 45:06
3.3 Miler Brooklyn, NY Dec 12, 2020 36:28
3.14 Miler Baldwinsville, NY Mar 14, 2021 32:44
5K Los Angeles, CA Dec 14, 2019 28:40
3 Miler Bedford, NH Jan 17, 2021 31:03
2.2 Miler Auburn, NY Sep 19, 2021 25:02
2 Miler Manchester, NH Mar 26, 2023 33:48
1 Miler Londonderry, NH Jan 1, 2021 7:55

Future Races (46)

Race Distance Location Date Paid
Half Marathon Staten Island, NY Oct 8, 2023
Half Marathon Baltimore, MD Oct 14, 2023
Half Marathon Lowell, MA Oct 15, 2023
5K Manchester, NH Oct 21, 2023
Half Marathon Concord, NH Oct 22, 2023
3K Manchester, NH Oct 28, 2023
Half Marathon Newburyport, MA Oct 29, 2023
Italian Stallion Challenge (10 Mile + 5K) Philadelphia, PA Nov 11, 2023
Half Marathon Williamstown, NJ Nov 12, 2023
Half Marathon Norfolk, VA Nov 19, 2023
Half Marathon Memphis, TN Dec 2, 2023
Half Marathon Nashville, TN Dec 3, 2023
5K Biloxi, MS Dec 9, 2023
Half Marathon Biloxi, MS Dec 10, 2023
5K Lowell, MA Jan 1, 2024
1 Miler Londonderry, NH Jan 1, 2024
Half Marathon New York, NY Jan 7, 2024
Half Marathon San Diego, CA Jan 13, 2024
Half Marathon Anaheim, CA Jan 14, 2024
Half Marathon Pasadena, CA Jan 21, 2024
5K Homestead, FL Feb 9, 2024
Half Marathon Homestead, FL Feb 10, 2024
Half Marathon Melbourne, FL Feb 11, 2024
Half Marathon Austin, TX Feb 18, 2024
Half Marathon New York City, NY Feb 25, 2024
14 Miler White Sands, NM Mar 16, 2024
Half Marathon Derry, NH Apr 6, 2024
Half Marathon Newmarket, NH Apr 7, 2024
Half Marathon Newport, RI Apr 13, 2024
Half Marathon Wells, ME May 4, 2024
Half Marathon Conway, NH May 5, 2024
5K Buffalo, NY May 25, 2024
Half Marathon Buffalo, NY May 26, 2024
Half Marathon Boston, MA May 27, 2024
Half Marathon Fargo, ND May 31, 2024
Half Marathon Hermosa, SD Sep 28, 2024
Half Marathon St. Michaels, MD 2024
Half Marathon Koloa, HI 2024
Half Marathon Rehoboth Beach, DE 2024
Half Marathon Hamilton, MA 2024
Half Marathon Fredericksburg, VA 2024
Half Marathon Manchester, NH 2024
Half Marathon Sanford, ME 2024
Half Marathon Eugene, OR 2025
Half Marathon King George Island, Antarctica 2025
Half Marathon Helsinki, Finland 2026

Past Races (291)

Race Distance Location Date Result My Raves My Performance
Half Marathon Milwaukee, WI Oct 1, 2023
Half Marathon Keene, NH Sep 24, 2023
5K Moultonborough, NH Sep 23, 2023
5K Manchester, NH Sep 17, 2023 40:51
Half Marathon Westerly, RI Sep 10, 2023 3:25:09
5K Bristol, RI Sep 9, 2023 50:13
Half Marathon New Haven, CT Sep 4, 2023 3:26:22
Half Marathon Swanzey, NH Sep 3, 2023 3:28:34
5K Waterville Valley, NH Sep 2, 2023 1:21:46
Half Marathon St George, ME Aug 27, 2023 3:37:37
10 Mile Relay Manchester, NH Aug 26, 2023 2:41:49
Half Marathon Stillwater, MN Aug 12, 2023 3:24:00
Half Marathon Rockport, MA Aug 6, 2023 3:29:12
10K Cape Elizabeth, ME Aug 5, 2023 1:28:44
5K Bedford, NH Aug 3, 2023 52:46
10 Miler Newburyport, MA Aug 1, 2023 2:21:09
Half Marathon Estes Park, CO Jul 29, 2023 3:26:24
5K Estes Park, CO Jul 28, 2023 44:43
5 Miler Merrimack, NH Jul 23, 2023 1:24:33
9K Boston, MA Jul 22, 2023 1:23:04
4 Miler Salem, MA Jul 21, 2023 1:03:17
10K New London, CT Jul 15, 2023 1:28:57
Half Marathon Waitsfield, VT Jul 9, 2023 3:40:09
10K Derry, NH Jul 4, 2023 1:31:11
5K Anchorage, AK Jun 24, 2023 38:33
Half Marathon Anchorage, AK Jun 17, 2023 3:20:55
Half Marathon Lake Placid, NY Jun 11, 2023 3:48:44
9 hr Victor, NY Jun 10, 2023 13.68 mi
1 Miler Rochester, NY Jun 9, 2023 11:06
5K Rochester, NY Jun 9, 2023 40:35
5K Savannah, NY Jun 4, 2023 42:32
5K Henrietta, NY Jun 3, 2023 39:18
4 Miler Mendon, NY Jun 2, 2023 1:33:50
Half Marathon Potomac, MD May 29, 2023 3:09:21
Half Marathon Buffalo, NY May 28, 2023 3:10:28
5K Buffalo, NY May 27, 2023 36:34
5 Miler Rochester, NY May 24, 2023 1:04:56
Half Marathon Mystic, CT May 21, 2023 2:56:33
7.7K Salem, NH May 20, 2023 56:41
5K Dryden, NY May 14, 2023 41:44
Half Marathon Ellicottville, NY May 13, 2023 3:09:50
5 Miler Henrietta, NY May 7, 2023 1:36:10
5K Naples, NY May 6, 2023 38:33
Half Marathon Oklahoma City, OK Apr 30, 2023 3:10:07
Half Marathon Rochester, NY Apr 23, 2023 3:08:19
Half Marathon Derry, NH Apr 16, 2023 3:15:06
Half Marathon Albany, NY Apr 15, 2023 2:58:56
Half Marathon Cleveland, OH Apr 8, 2023 3:29:42
5K Rochester, NY Apr 2, 2023 44:11
5K Syracuse, NY Apr 1, 2023 39:29
2 Miler Manchester, NH Mar 26, 2023 33:48
Half Marathon Manchester, NH Mar 25, 2023 2:56:29
Half Marathon Virginia Beach, VA Mar 19, 2023 3:19:09
Half Marathon Washington, DC Mar 18, 2023 3:17:53
Half Marathon Burlington, Canada Mar 5, 2023 2:54:59
Half Marathon Tucson, AZ Feb 18, 2023 3:34:05
Half Marathon Melbourne, FL Feb 12, 2023 3:26:12
3 Miler Rochester, NY Feb 5, 2023 42:00
Half Marathon Gulf Shores, AL Jan 29, 2023 2:55:44
7K Gulf Shores, AL Jan 28, 2023 48:20
Half Marathon New York, NY Jan 22, 2023 3:24:07
Half Marathon Daufuskie Island, SC Jan 14, 2023 3:05:47
Half Marathon Rochester, NY Jan 7, 2023 3:08:26
1 Miler Londonderry, NH Jan 1, 2023 9:24
3 Miler Rochester, NY Dec 18, 2022 39:27
5K Rochester, NY Dec 10, 2022 36:23
Marathon Folsom, CA Dec 4, 2022 6:33:57
Half Marathon Seattle, WA Nov 27, 2022 3:10:43
1 Miler Shortsville, NY Nov 19, 2022 19:06
Half Marathon Kitty Hawk, NC Nov 13, 2022 3:39:26
5K Kitty Hawk, NC Nov 12, 2022 1:00:58
Half Marathon Louisville, KY Nov 6, 2022 3:27:19
Half Marathon Indianapolis, IN Nov 5, 2022 3:00:23
Half Marathon Portsmouth, NH Oct 30, 2022 2:52:30
5K Rochester, NY Oct 29, 2022 39:03
5K Bridgeport, NY Oct 23, 2022 34:43
5K Hamlin, NY Oct 22, 2022 38:37
5K East Rochester, NY Oct 22, 2022 35:55
Half Marathon Des Moines, IA Oct 16, 2022 2:54:09
Half Marathon Kansas City, MO Oct 15, 2022 3:24:06
7K Le Roy, NY Oct 8, 2022 57:18
Half Marathon Portland, ME Oct 2, 2022 3:19:24
Half Marathon Bristol, NH Oct 1, 2022 3:02:48
Half Marathon Rochester, NY Sep 25, 2022 3:10:21
Half Marathon Randolph, NY Sep 24, 2022 3:33:03
10 Miler Bronx, NY Sep 18, 2022 2:31:32
Half Marathon Southampton, NY Sep 17, 2022 2:48:30
10K Spicewood, TX Sep 9, 2022 1:57:18
10K Rochester, NY Sep 4, 2022 1:21:35
5K Canandaigua, NY Sep 3, 2022 46:02
5K Webster, NY Sep 2, 2022 43:23
10 Mile Relay Auburn, NH Aug 27, 2022 1:52:38
5K Honeoye Falls, NY Aug 24, 2022 44:27
1 Miler Rochester, NY Aug 23, 2022 9:36
5K Chicago, IL Aug 20, 2022 40:30
5K Rochester, NY Aug 17, 2022 37:34
5K Bergen, NY Aug 13, 2022 39:03
15K Buffalo, NY Aug 7, 2022 2:07:38
5K Phelps, NY Aug 6, 2022 44:09
5K Honeoye Falls, NY Aug 3, 2022 42:46
5K Washington, DC Jul 31, 2022 41:25
Half Marathon Penn Yan, NY Jul 23, 2022 3:42:22
8K Rochester, NY Jul 20, 2022
5K Rochester, NY Jul 17, 2022 39:23
5K Hamlin, NY Jul 16, 2022 41:36
12 hr Honeoye Falls, NY Jul 16, 2022 7 mi
15K Utica, NY Jul 10, 2022 2:17:55
2 Miler Rochester, NY Jul 4, 2022 38:49
5K Sodus Point, NY Jul 2, 2022 57:57
5K Irondequoit, NY Jun 25, 2022 51:52
Half Marathon West Yellowstone, MT Jun 11, 2022 3:43:28
5K West Yellowstone, MT Jun 10, 2022 49:52
Half Marathon St Charles, ID Jun 9, 2022 3:22:27
Half Marathon Wilson, WY Jun 4, 2022 3:22:58
5K Wilson, WY Jun 3, 2022 40:01
Half Marathon Buffalo, NY May 29, 2022 3:24:34
5K Buffalo, NY May 28, 2022 35:50
Half Marathon Chicago, IL May 22, 2022 3:07:36
5K Williamson, NY May 20, 2022 38:34
5K Geneva, NY May 14, 2022 36:53
Half Marathon Oakhurst, CA May 7, 2022 3:20:45
Half Marathon Newport Beach, CA May 1, 2022 2:53:34
5K Costa Mesa, CA Apr 30, 2022 39:27
Half Marathon Rochester, NY Apr 24, 2022 2:57:21
Half Marathon Derry, NH Apr 10, 2022 2:44:42
5K Concord, NH Apr 9, 2022 53:00
Half Marathon Atlantic City, NJ Apr 3, 2022 2:45:37
15K Philadelphia, PA Apr 2, 2022 1:50:28
Half Marathon New York City, NY Mar 20, 2022 2:56:31
Half Marathon New Port Richey, FL Mar 13, 2022 2:42:56
Half Marathon Little Rock, AR Mar 6, 2022 2:58:54
5K Little Rock, AR Mar 5, 2022 53:03
Half Marathon Atlanta, GA Feb 27, 2022 3:07:16
5K Atlanta, GA Feb 26, 2022 54:16
5 Miler Webster, NY Feb 20, 2022 1:44:39
4.4 Miler Webster, NY Feb 19, 2022 56:27
Quarter Marathon Liverpool, NY Feb 12, 2022 1:25:37
Half Marathon Miami, FL Feb 6, 2022 3:09:45
5K Miami, FL Feb 5, 2022 36:48
Half Marathon Baton Rouge, LA Jan 16, 2022 2:57:09
5K Allen, TX Jan 1, 2022 53:32
5K Allen, TX Dec 31, 2021 43:59
Half Marathon Allen, TX Dec 31, 2021 3:14:20
5K Montclair, NJ Dec 12, 2021 36:17
Half Marathon New York, NY Dec 11, 2021 2:43:54
Half Marathon Haverhill, MA Dec 5, 2021 2:54:08
3 Miler Manchester, NH Dec 4, 2021 32:31
5K Swampscott, MA Nov 28, 2021 52:55
4 Miler Concord, NH Nov 27, 2021 50:55
5K Amherst, NH Nov 26, 2021 35:08
4.4 Miler Webster, NY Nov 25, 2021 45:24
5K Buffalo, NY Nov 21, 2021 37:45
6 hr Shortsville, NY Nov 20, 2021 16.1 mi
5K Washington, DC Nov 14, 2021 35:03
Half Marathon Richmond, VA Nov 13, 2021 2:37:32
Half Marathon Relay Manchester, NH Nov 7, 2021 2:25:32
5K Manchester, NH Nov 6, 2021 32:51
6 Miler Voorheesville, NY Oct 31, 2021 1:42:19
Half Marathon West Haven, CT Oct 30, 2021 2:42:53
Half Marathon Ann Arbor, MI Oct 24, 2021 2:47:29
5K Akron, OH Oct 23, 2021 32:23
10K Lackawanna, NY Oct 17, 2021 1:14:15
10K Syracuse, NY Oct 16, 2021 1:14:52
Marathon Wichita, KS Oct 10, 2021 5:53:42
Half Marathon Hampton, NH Oct 3, 2021 2:28:50
5K Nashua, NH Oct 2, 2021 34:41
Sprint Silver Lake, NY Sep 26, 2021 2:38:44
Half Marathon Randolph, NY Sep 25, 2021 3:12:46
2.2 Miler Auburn, NY Sep 19, 2021 25:02
5K Canandaigua, NY Sep 18, 2021 36:45
5K Watkins Glen, NY Sep 18, 2021 36:00
Half Marathon Westerly, RI Sep 12, 2021 2:38:56
Half Marathon Manchester Center, VT Sep 11, 2021 2:50:12
5K Groton, NY Sep 6, 2021 37:09
5K Geneseo, NY Sep 5, 2021 35:55
3.5 Miler Webster, NY Sep 4, 2021 54:14
5K Webster, NY Sep 3, 2021 30:49
Half Marathon Mendon, NY Aug 29, 2021 2:38:43
5K Weedsport, NY Aug 28, 2021 33:35
1 Miler Rochester, NY Aug 26, 2021 8:28
5K Rochester, NY Aug 25, 2021 35:58
5 Miler Henrietta, NY Aug 21, 2021 1:12:03
5K Honeoye Falls, NY Aug 18, 2021 37:25
5K Chicago, IL Aug 14, 2021 32:36
5 Miler Churchville, NY Aug 11, 2021 1:14:03
3.4 Miler Lewiston, NY Aug 9, 2021 45:06
Half Marathon Emporium, PA Aug 8, 2021 2:44:35
5K Emporium, PA Aug 7, 2021 35:00
10K Emporium, PA Aug 7, 2021 1:13:49
5K Batavia, NY Aug 5, 2021 32:38
5K Honeoye Falls, NY Aug 4, 2021 35:03
Half Marathon Washington, DC Aug 1, 2021 2:44:07
5K Kennedyville, MD Jul 31, 2021 35:55
5K Wilkes-Barre, PA Jul 31, 2021 34:14
Half Marathon Mt Jewett, PA Jul 25, 2021 2:55:36
5K Liverpool, NY Jul 24, 2021 32:26
5K Mt Jewett, PA Jul 24, 2021 36:42
8K Rochester, NY Jul 21, 2021 52:28
5K Mendon, NY Jul 17, 2021 41:28
12 hr Honeoye Falls, NY Jul 17, 2021 17.12 mi
5K Auburn, NY Jul 14, 2021 34:49
10K Palmerton, PA Jul 11, 2021 2:22:32
Half Marathon Hamlin, NY Jul 10, 2021 2:35:07
5 Miler Webster, NY Jul 7, 2021 1:30:38
10K Rochester, NY Jul 4, 2021 1:14:27
5K Fairport, NY Jul 3, 2021 33:27
5K Savannah, NY Jun 27, 2021 36:56
5K Buffalo, NY Jun 26, 2021 32:08
5K Hampton, NH Jun 20, 2021 34:19
Half Marathon Rochester, NY Jun 19, 2021 2:40:27
5K Rochester, NY Jun 16, 2021 32:31
Half Marathon Wilmington, DE Jun 13, 2021 2:46:00
Half Marathon Philadelphia, PA Jun 12, 2021 2:46:31
5K Dundee, NY Jun 6, 2021 42:37
5K Henrietta, NY Jun 5, 2021 33:55
4 Miler Mendon, NY Jun 4, 2021 1:17:00
Half Marathon Potomac, MD May 31, 2021 2:39:24
5K Lorton, VA May 30, 2021 36:56
Half Marathon Purcellville, VA May 29, 2021 2:44:02
10K Rochester, NY May 23, 2021 1:10:59
Marathon Cary, NC May 15, 2021 5:49:31
Half Marathon Shelburne, VT May 8, 2021 2:44:57
5 Miler Rochester, NY May 5, 2021 54:45
Half Marathon Canton, OH May 2, 2021 2:44:45
5K Canton, OH May 1, 2021 32:30
Half Marathon Gettysburg, PA Apr 25, 2021 2:37:11
5K Bronx, NY Apr 24, 2021 56:54
5K Baldwinsville, NY Apr 18, 2021 32:25
50K Virgin, UT Apr 10, 2021 9:44:46
10 Miler Salt Lake City, UT Apr 3, 2021 2:10:00
5K Albion, NY Mar 27, 2021 30:42
Half Marathon Virginia Beach, VA Mar 21, 2021 2:34:15
8K Virginia Beach, VA Mar 20, 2021 57:05
3.14 Miler Baldwinsville, NY Mar 14, 2021 32:44
10K Washington, DC Mar 7, 2021 1:10:26
10K Lorton, VA Mar 6, 2021 1:14:18
Marathon Las Vegas, NV Feb 27, 2021 5:57:07
5 Miler Webster, NY Feb 20, 2021 1:51:20
3 Miler Rochester, NY Feb 14, 2021 41:37
Half Marathon Melbourne, FL Feb 7, 2021 2:42:08
3 Miler Bedford, NH Jan 17, 2021 31:03
5K Johnson City, NY Jan 10, 2021 35:27
Half Marathon Fairmont, WV Jan 9, 2021 2:29:49
1 Miler Londonderry, NH Jan 1, 2021 7:55
Half Marathon Brooklyn, NY Dec 20, 2020 2:41:51
5 Miler New York City, NY Dec 19, 2020 52:28
4 Miler New York City, NY Dec 13, 2020 45:07
3.3 Miler Brooklyn, NY Dec 12, 2020 36:28
5K New York Mills, NY Dec 6, 2020 32:53
Half Marathon Mahwah, NJ Dec 5, 2020 4:24:42
5K Henrietta, NY Nov 28, 2020 34:43
25K Bath TWP, OH Nov 22, 2020 3:16:29
5 Miler Clyde, NY Nov 21, 2020 51:54
3 Miler Honeoye Falls, NY Nov 13, 2020 55:05
5K Honeoye Falls, NY Nov 11, 2020 34:47
Marathon Manchester, NH Nov 8, 2020 5:48:56
5K Manchester, NH Nov 7, 2020 34:54
5 Miler Rochester, NY Oct 31, 2020 59:26
Half Marathon Ellicottville, NY Oct 24, 2020 2:29:16
4.5 Miler Honeoye Falls, NY Oct 18, 2020 1:06:04
5 Miler Erie, PA Oct 17, 2020 56:43
Half Marathon Concord, NH Oct 11, 2020 2:24:36
5K Rochester, NY Oct 10, 2020 32:22
Half Marathon Victor, NY Sep 27, 2020 3:28:33
Half Marathon Randolph, NY Sep 26, 2020 2:54:30
5 Miler Victor, NY Sep 25, 2020 1:26:12
5 Miler South Hero, VT Sep 20, 2020 52:46
Marathon Wellsboro, PA Sep 12, 2020 5:33:25
4.5 Miler Henrietta, NY Sep 9, 2020 1:09:08
10 Miler Auburn, NH Aug 29, 2020 1:55:30
3 Miler Henrietta, NY Aug 22, 2020 36:03
8 Miler Ellicottville, NY Aug 16, 2020 1:56:45
Half Marathon Hamlin, NY Aug 8, 2020 2:28:55
Half Marathon Canandaigua, NY Jul 24, 2020
Half Marathon Virgin, UT Jun 6, 2020 3:02:56
Marathon Los Angeles, CA Mar 8, 2020 5:20:34
10K Lake View Terrace, CA Feb 23, 2020 1:03:29
10K Los Angeles, CA Feb 16, 2020 1:06:04
30K Pacoima, CA Feb 9, 2020 3:45:00
Half Marathon Huntington Beach, CA Feb 2, 2020 2:26:29
Half Marathon Pasadena, CA Jan 19, 2020 2:21:41
9.3 Challenge (5K + 10K) Los Angeles, CA Jan 5, 2020 1:39:01
5K Los Angeles, CA Dec 14, 2019 28:40
10K Los Angeles, CA Nov 28, 2019 59:39
Marathon Long Beach, CA Oct 13, 2019 5:33:45
10 Miler Huntington Beach, CA Sep 21, 2019 1:48:52
10K Santa Monica, CA Sep 8, 2019 1:06:11
10K Los Angeles, CA Aug 10, 2019 1:05:57
10K Coto de Caza, CA Jun 28, 2019 1:23:38
Half Marathon San Diego, CA Jun 2, 2019 2:26:59
Half Marathon Irvine, CA Mar 17, 2019 2:30:24

My Raves

This is a 5K/10K in Manchester, NH that celebrates it being halfway to St. Patrick's day produced by Millennium Running. St. Patrick's Day is kind of a big deal in … MORE

This is a 5K/10K in Manchester, NH that celebrates it being halfway to St. Patrick’s day produced by Millennium Running. St. Patrick’s Day is kind of a big deal in New England as Millennium Running has 3 different St. Patrick’s theme events. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to run this race so it was a last minute decision. Luckily you could sign up on race day. I can’t comment on pre-race communication other than Millennium usually has great communication and their website is very helpful and has all the info. I had plans in the afternoon and only had time for the 5K. The race takes place on Elm Street where most Millennium races start. One slight negative is it starts at 10:15 which is a little later. It was a beautiful day out and by far the best running weather we had in a while. If this start at 8 or 9am the weather would be perfect but it was a bit hot at the end of the race. Race day registration was easy. The swag item this year was a pint glass which was fine. Not the best swag I’ve gotten but sounds better than the “kilt” described from the prior review. The pint glass was not guaranteed to race day sign ups which is fair but they said to stop by after the race and see if there were leftovers which there were. The start had self seeded corrals and was organized. There was an announcer and Irish music and most participants wearing green which was fun. It was a fairly big race with about 500 runners doing the 5K and 250 doing the 10K. The race has a very fun energy and lots of back of packers which makes up for the lack of scenery. The first almost 1.5 miles is up Elm street which I have run so many times by now I know that street by heart. Then you turn down a side street and run a little under 1.5 miles down another street. Then you take a few turns to the finish. The roads are all blocked to traffic and the course marshals were going above and beyond to keep the race safe and were very engaged. There was an aid station a bit after mile 1. The course was very, very easy to follow. It’s a pretty fast course. The first half is net uphill but there is really only one hill which isn’t too bad and the second half is net downhill. There were a ton of people running my pace so it was fun to not be alone as I have been during a lot of races. I’d imagine the 10K is probably a bit lonelier in the back but there does not appear to be a time limit so it shouldn’t be a problem if you are slower doing the 10K. The finish line was big and it was chipped time. I was hoping to run under 40 minutes but ended up just a bit over. It was still one of my fastest paces since my lung injury so I was overall happy with my time. The end had basic snacks like crackers, bananas and pretzels. I also really like that Stonyfield the yogurt company from NH is starting to also give out non-dairy options at the end of Millennium Races. Overall this was a very fun event. Not one to run for scenery or swag but great production and great energy. I don’t plan my schedule around shorter races but I would definitely do this one again if it works out with my race/work schedule.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
1
SWAG
2

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

I ran this race a couple years ago and loved it. Of course that was before a stress fracture and lung damage significantly slowed my speed. I decided to run … MORE

I ran this race a couple years ago and loved it. Of course that was before a stress fracture and lung damage significantly slowed my speed. I decided to run this race again since I was moving back to New England and one of my favorite bands was playing in Rhode Island Saturday night. As I was progressing nicely with my time in the late spring and had a few under 3 hour half marathons under my belt, I thought I’d be fine when I signed up but it’s been a rough summer for me. This race has a 3 hour time limit and I knew I wasn’t going to make it. However it was a very fast course so I was hoping as long as the weather cooperated I would finish in the ballpark of 3 hours. For the race I stayed in Mystic, CT which is about a 15 minute drive to the race start and fun place for the weekend. I opted for race day packet pick-up since picking it up the day before wouldn’t time well with the concert. As soon as I woke up Sunday morning and left my hotel I knew I was in trouble. It was about 100% humidity and miserable just walking to my car. I thought about dropping down to the 5K but decided to attempt the half since I was 3 half marathons away from 100 half marathons and I looked at last years finishing times and saw a few people over 3:20. Most of the specific race details are in my review from last year and I am going to focus more on the issues I had in the back. Packet pick-up and parking very easy and free. Packet this year had polyblend shirt instead of tech shirt. It was still quite nice. For the race there were up to 3 hour pacers. I decided to try to follow them but it was way too humid for me to keep up. This year they reversed the course from 2 years ago which I though was better. It was again kind of dumbell shaped so you ran straight along the beach then did a loop and then straight along the beach and then a loop and then straight to the finish. This time the longer and hiller loop was first which I though was better so you got most of the hills over with as opposed to them being during the toughest miles. Although none of the hills are very big. This is a relatively flat race with about 200 feet elevation gain. It is quite scenic though it was a foggy morning so scenery was worse this year as well. It was actually kind of an odd experience being in the back as for the most part I hardly noticed. All the aid stations were open, there were race officials patrolling the course and everything was well marked. There was a timing mat at around mile 8 right by the start/finish and they let us go right through it with no indication there would be issues. I was very surprised to see a photographer at mile 11 because it was over 3 hours by then. There were also no issues with the roads since they are open anyways. However this is where the issues start. It was a rough race in the humidity and I pushed myself as hard as I could praying I would get a finish time. I see the finish line is being partially taken down (which honestly surprised me as nothing else was taken down on the course for the slower runners) and I cross my fingers I would get a time and sprinted to the end. Luckily I heard the sound of my time getting recorded. I did get a medal which was nice but not as nice as two years ago. Most people left the finish area but I also got my crabby challenge medal which was big and adorable. There was also finish line food though it is clam chowder so I just took the popcorn and granola. Now this probably all sounds fine and it was and if I just got a published finishing time I would have been happy and probably rated this race 5 sneakers, maybe 4 because the nerves about finishing weren’t that fun. However I looked and my time isn’t published. I’m like okay maybe they just need more time to record all the numbers. I had lunch in Mystic and went to see a movie and visited Mystic Village and then I was happy I checked later in the afternoon and saw my finishing time. Phew this would count and I am 2 away from my 100th half marathon. However later that night I drive home and see they posted on facebook that they have published the correct times and my time has disappeared. What? It was recorded. So I reach out to them the next day. And I will admit they were very professional in their responses but they basically said the timer was off at 3:15 and times weren’t recorded but I told them I had a finisher time and I saw it so they looked into it and it turned out the timer was never turned off so my finishing time was an accident so they didn’t want to publish it. I begged and pleaded as I really needed the finishing time and it literally was recorded and they eventually did publish it but told me to download my finisher certificate as they may decided to remove it and that they shouldn’t have to post my finishing time because I was over the time limit. While I am happy I got a finishing time this really upset me. Look I completely understand why courses may have to have time limits for runner safety, volunteer safety, staff safety or city permits. If I was pulled from the course at mile 8 which would have been an easy time to pull runners because it wasn’t safe for us or the volunteers to be out so long I’d be a little annoyed but I’d get it. If the timing mat was taken down because the city made them I’d be a little annoyed but I get it. But I don’t get not wanting to post recorded times because you think runners over a certain time don’t deserve a finishing time or something. Literally no one is hurt by posting my finishing time. It also seems really arbitrary that the time limit is 3 hours and someone who is 3:15 is okay but not 3:25. I mean I could sort of get being a stickler for the rules and not posting anyone over 3 hours. Anyways this left a very sour taste in my mouth after an otherwise good race. I have decided I will not be running with Hartford Marathon Foundation who produce this race anymore as even if I get faster I would prefer to support race companies that are less elitist and more supportive of athletes of all abilities. I was going to do the Hartford Half this fall but I decided to transfer my registration to another runner and do Baltimore Running Festival instead. It appears from my communication that Hartford Marathon Foundation is planning to be stricter with their time limits as they have been more lax the past few years so I would definitely reconsider running one of their races if you don’t think you can finish under the time limit and not just rely on past finishing times.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3

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This is a smaller charity 5K produced by Rhode Races & Events that raises money for a charity that helps support kids and family. It was only announced a few … MORE

This is a smaller charity 5K produced by Rhode Races & Events that raises money for a charity that helps support kids and family. It was only announced a few weeks before the race but I was looking for a 5K in Rhode Island as I was planning to spend the weekend in Rhode Island. There was good pre-race communication for a smaller race. It started/finished at a brewery and parking was pretty easy. The race started at 9am and is about 1.5 hours away from where I lived so I just live for RI race day morning. There is race day packet pickup. Packet included bib and a tech shirt with the race logo. It is grey and a bit plain but fine for a 5K. There were a few booths with some of the charities supported by the race. The race had a bit under 100 participants. It was manually timed but well organized. I was planning to walk this race since I had a half marathon with a strict time limit the next day and I had plans in Rhode Island that I didn’t want to be really sweaty and smelly for. I was worried with such a small race there may not be many walkers but about 1/3 of participants were walkers and even walking I was more in the middle of the pack. What I was disappointed with was the course scenery. I was hoping since Bristol is a coastal town it would have coastal views. But it was a loop mostly with industrial views and views of chain stores and a few neighborhood views. It was not scenic at all. But not the end of the world. The roads were open but there was a coned off space for participants and lots of room to run/walk. It was very well marked. There was a water station in the middle. I don’t think it was a very hard course. Maybe a few rollers. It’s hard to compare walking vs running but there were no hills I was out of breath walking. The biggest difficulty is it was super humid and hot. There wasn’t much of a finish line but you were cheered on. They had water bottle and basic snacks at the end and also some pizza. There was free beer from the brewery if you drink. They also had someone selling frozen lemonade which was perfect after the race. Overall this was a solid, smaller charity 5K. It’s not a race I would go out of my way for so I probably wouldn’t do it again unless I was planning to be in Rhode Island the weekend of the race but I would recommend it to locals.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
1
SWAG
3

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This is a race that takes place on Labor Day Monday in New Haven, CT. New Haven is about a 2.5 hour drive ffor me so I needed a hotel. … MORE

This is a race that takes place on Labor Day Monday in New Haven, CT. New Haven is about a 2.5 hour drive ffor me so I needed a hotel. I stayed at the Omni which is right by the start/finish and very convenient. It is a bit on the pricier side and the upper end of what I am willing to pay for race weekend but so convenient it’s worth it if you can afford it. There are cheaper hotels within walking distance but not quite as close. There was good race communication. There is packet pick-up race day and the day before. I would have liked to have done it the day before but it stopped at 3pm which is awfully early and I didn’t get there on time so I got it race day morning. I got it pretty early at around 7am so I could bring it back to my hotel and hang out a bit. it was easy that early but I heard it was a bit more chaotic with longer lines later in the morning. Packet included bib and shirt. The shirt is a nice, quality tech shirt but grey and kind of a plain design. It is fine and I will wear it. The half marathon/20K and 5K have separate starts so the races don’t mix. My biggest complaint about the race is it starts way too late. The race starts at 8:30. It was already hot at 8:30 and was going to be close to 90 degrees by the end. There is also a 3:15 time limit. I think I could finish in the time limit in nice weather but not in the high 80s. However I looked at past races and saw finishing times over 3:15 so I wasn’t too concerned. Other than the late start time the race is pretty great. It is a pretty large race with over 1000 runners which is perfect size for me. The only disappointing thing is with the tighter time limit there aren’t a ton of back of packers. I was always running with people but it wasn’t a party in the back kind of race like some other larger races I have done. There is a lot of crowd support with adorable families and friendly spectators. There are also a number of bands and musical acts so it is a fun environment. The course isn’t that scenic because New Haven is not that scenic of a city but they did the best they could to give a tour. A lot was through neighborhoods. Some parts were nicer than others. The one museum with the triceratops was cool to pass by. Course extremely easy to follow and it was so nice to be on closed roads as most of the races I’ve done this summer have been on open roads. There were frequent aid stations with water and electrolyte drink and one at around mile 7 had gels. There were also large mile markers with clocks. It’s also a pretty flat course. about 300 feet of elevation gain. Some minor rolling hills. Nothing crazy. It’s below average in difficult but I gave 3 sneakers due to the heat. I was initially feeling great with the fun environment and for the first 7 miles managed to run them all under 15 minutes and managed to bank enough time that I could run the rest of the miles in 16 minutes and finish within the time limit. I did start to feel the heat at mile 8 and mile 8 and 9 were about 16 minutes of mostly speed walking with some jogging. Then it just got so hot and I started to having breathing issues at mile 10. I knew the only way I would finish safely was to walk the rest so I had to walk the final 3 miles. I fell behind the needed pace for the time limit at mile 11.5. They did make us go to the sidewalk at that point but did let us finish. I don’t love finishing on the sidewalk but I was slower than the pace I needed to finish in the time limit and I understand city restrictions and why it needed to be done. The finish line was fine being slow. We still got finishing times, cheered on and got medals. Like the shirt the medal was fine but kind of generic and not that exciting. There was still plenty of post race food including veggie dogs, chips, yogurt, fruit, and granola bars. They actually had extra hot dogs and veggie dogs so us slow pokes got extra food. Overall I did think this race had a very fun environment with lots of spectators. However I wish it started earlier and had a longer time limit. If this start at 7:30 and had a 4 hour time limit I’d give it 5 stars. Although other than having to do the last 1.5 miles on the sidewalk it wasn’t a huge deal being a bit over the time limit. For 50 stater recommendations I’ve now done 3 half marathons in CT and each of them has different pros and cons. Of the 3 I’ve done in CT, I’d recommend this one if you like spectator support and on course entertainment, I’d recommend Mystic if you want a scenic race and the nicest location and medal, and I’d recommend Savin’ Rock if you are worried about a time limit since it was the only CT race I’ve done without a tight time limit.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
2
SWAG
2

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This is a smaller half marathon that takes place in Swanzey, NH which is near Keene by the Vermont border. This race is a fundraiser for the students of the … MORE

This is a smaller half marathon that takes place in Swanzey, NH which is near Keene by the Vermont border. This race is a fundraiser for the students of the local Middle/High School and is in honor of the race founder who also used to be a coach for the school. This was an interesting race to compare to Blueberry Cove last weekend as they are both smaller races that raise money. However this race had a much cheaper entry fee and better production. If you sign up early this race is $60 which is a fair price for a race like this. If you sign up last minute the price does go up to $80 which may be a little overprice for this race but that’s on you for signing up late. This race starts at 9am which is a bit late for this time of year but it is mostly shaded and Keene is a bit cooler than other part of the state. This race is also about a 1.5 hour drive for me so even though it got a bit hot at the end at least I didn’t have to wake up super early or get a hotel. Communication was fine. Not the most detailed website or emails but all the essential information was communicated. There is the option for early packet pick-up but I got it the morning of the race. Packet pick-up and the finish is at the school and it went smooth. I was happy to see actual bibs though they were generic. There is also an okay cotton T-shirt but better than nothing. The start was about a block from the school. It was just on the road and there is not a timing mat for the start but it’s a small race with about 100 runners so everyone starts around the same time. I think there was a start flag to indicate it. The course is very scenic. You go under a number of covered bridges which is really cool. The rest is though neighborhoods and farms and pretty forests. It is one of the more scenic races I’ve done in NH and the covered bridges definitely added to it. The roads are open which isn’t my favorite and some had kind of tight shoulders. It was very well marked with both arrows on the ground and course marshals and volunteers. There were also mile markers and aid stations every 2 miles with water and gatorade. One negative is the last 2 aid stations had no volunteers when I arrived. Not sure if this was just for slower runners or if they were short on volunteers. The course isn’t too hard. I think about 400 feet of elevation gain. Mostly rolling hills nothing terrible. There is one section for maybe a mile that is non-technical rail trail the rest road. The toughest part for me was since it’s such a small race I was running by myself a lot and I find it harder to motivate myself to go fast when I’m alone as I tend to go in training run mode. The finish has a timing mat and a clock with your finishing time. I was slow but as my race on Monday had a tighter time limit my goal was to take it easy and finish around 3:30 which I did. The medal was much improved from what I’ve heard. It wasn’t the biggest or flashiest medal but a very cute covered bridge design medal. The finish area was very fun for a small race. There was a raffle and I ended up winning some kitchenware for my new apartment. There was also a BBQ which included veggie burgers and pasta salad. Overall I thought this was a nice, scenic small race. Personally I prefer the big, exciting race atmosphere and don’t love running alone so much so it wouldn’t be my first choice for a NH half for 50 staters but if you like smaller races that I would definitely recommend this one for you. Since I now live in NH and I don’t need a hotel for this race, I would do this one again.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3

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This is a trail race that takes place in the Waterville Valley Village in the White Mountains of NH. I was originally planning to attempt to do the half marathon … MORE

This is a trail race that takes place in the Waterville Valley Village in the White Mountains of NH. I was originally planning to attempt to do the half marathon and do my first triple half marathon weekend and use that as motivation to improve my fitness. But I had a very rough summer with lung issues from the smoke from the fires in Canada so my fitness has gotten worse not better so I decided to drop down to the shorter race. I also had some plans in the afternoon and the half marathon at my current fitness level would take probably close to 5 hours and I was hoping to be done sooner. There is a 5 hour time limit so this is a race you can hike if you aren’t a trail runner. There was not an option to transfer down my registration so I contacted the race and they were very helpful and even refunded the difference which I didn’t expect. Initially the short course was a 5K but we got an email a few months before the race that it was instead going to be an approximately 4 miler. I was personally very happy with this change as I wanted a distance a bit more challenging than a 5K but much easier than a half marathon. The races are staggered and have rather late start times. The half marathon is a 9am, the short course at 10am and the kids race at 11am. I do think the later start times worked for this race even though it can be hot in early September as this is in northern NH where it is generally cooler and allows runners from the more populated southern NH not have to wake up super early. I appreciated the 10am start as it is a 1.5 hour drive for me and I could wake up at a normal time and still get there. There was good pre-race communication including an athlete guide. Packet pick-up is the day of the race. The race doesn’t include any swag except the medal but you can purchase a shirt or trucker hat. It is a relatively cheap registration without any swag and a normal price registration if you add swag. I gave 3 stars for the swag because even though the shirt and hat weren’t included they were very nice. I didn’t purchase them but I might if I do the race again as they were very nice. After packet pickup you line up at the start/finish line. The race is chip timed and it is the same timing mat for the start and finish. The short course was the last section of the half marathon. The course was marked very well with frequent flags and direction signs. There was just one intersection I though could have been a bit clearer but it was overall marked well. It was mostly a loop. It was through very pretty woods. Although I can’t say the scenery was every so amazing I had to stop and take a picture. There was one aid station but it was mostly for the half and kind of an awkward placement for the short course as it was at mile 0.5. Like most trail races you probably want to bring water. The half appeared to have aid stations every 3 to 4 miles. The course was technical and difficult but not crazy. There was 600 feet of elevation gain for the 4 miler and I believe around 1600 feet for the half. The terrains was technical with rocks and roots but nothing crazy. Overall this was about average for a trail race. It is easier than the races at Mendon Pond Park by Rochester. I’d recommend trails shoes and they are a must if you are running it competitively but if you are doing a more leisurely pace or hiking regular sneakers are fine. One tricky thing this weekend was there was a lot of mud. My biggest complaint about the race is how the races were staggered. Since the half started an hour earlier, the fast half marathoners all caught up to me while I did the final 4 miles of their race. I felt like the entire race I was letting faster runners pass me which made it hard to get into a groove. The runners were all very nice and polite and encouraging but it just wasn’t a great set up. To make it worse as I finished over 1 hour the kids race started so there were also kids on the course flying by from that race (I am not complaining about the kids race as kids races are a great way for families to participate I am just complaining about having it take place the same time/course as the regular races as it was quite chaotic). It was fun though finishing with other runners as there were finishers from all the races finishing with me which may be why they staggered the race the way they did. The bibs were different colors by distance and there were distance specific medals. The medal is wooden and so cute with a black bear bum design. I love the medal which is also why I marked swag 3 stars even though it is just a medal. My finishing time was slow but remember this was a 4 miler not a 5K and was actually closer to 4.5 miles. Post race food is a bit disappointing with just the basics like granola bars, fruit and fruit snacks. It was fine for the 4 miler but I’d want something more substantial if I were doing the half. But don’t worry there are plenty of restaurants in the Waterville Valley village right next to the start/finish line along with cute shops. This is a very fun place for a vacation and there is also great hiking so if you like trails this would be a good option for a NH half. Overall I very much liked this race. I would definitely do the short course again and would like to do the half marathon sometime if I can get in better shape and get back into doing more trail training.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3

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This is a half marathon on the Maine Coast that is located at and raises money for a camp. I think I am in the minority here but I was … MORE

This is a half marathon on the Maine Coast that is located at and raises money for a camp. I think I am in the minority here but I was not really a big fan of this race. It was a nice course and everyone involved was really nice but the production was super cheap and it was an expensive race at $90. I know it raises money for charity but this was the cheapest production of any race I have seen including a race called “the cheap marathon” and personally I’d rather pay the correct price for a race and pay additional money for charity. The race is located a little over an hour north of Portland and about 3 hours from where I live so I needed a hotel. You can rent a cabin on the campground for $20 but they are barebones with no electricity so I opted for the Hampton Inn about 20 minutes away. There is a pre-race dinner but I had to run an errand in NH after the 10 miler and was arriving too late and I also wasn’t sure if there were vegetarian options as it was a fish chowder dinner so I skipped it. Pre-race communication was pretty minimal. I arrived at the camp race morning. There is really no packet. The bib is a reusable cloth bib that just has the numbers written in sharpie. The worst part was some people kept their bibs from last year since there is no other swag and they didn’t have my number so they had to make one on the spot holding up the line. You’d think they’d at least check the bibs before to make sure they were all made to speed up the check in process. There were 4 porta potties and some bathrooms at camp. It was enough for the small race field. The start line was just chalk which we lined up behind. No pacers or signs where to line up. It is manually timed so you will lose some seconds if not up front. The course was relatively scenic. The first 6 to 7 miles mostly along wooded streets then you run a short out and back to the lighthouse in Forrest Gump which is the best part and then run back to camp. The course is described as “gently rolling hills” but it is quite hilly with close to 1000 feet of elevation gain. The roads were all open to traffic with no cones or anything. Most of it was fine but one road had a very narrow shoulder to run on. There were mile markers made from buoys. There were aid stations about every 2 miles with just water. There were no other course markings just volunteers at intersections. The volunteers were helpful and I never got lost but it’d be nice to have a few cones or direction signs or even chalk on the ground instead of just relying on volunteers and at one point I did pull out google maps to be 100% sure I was going the right direction. A runner could easily get lost if if a volunteer need a bathroom breaks or something. Speaking of bathroom breaks there were very limited porta potties on course and the RD actually suggested we use the woods which I ended up doing. The finish was surprise a homemade finish line and they collect the bibs so they are reused. My finish time was slow due to the hills and I have a hard time motivating myself in smaller races but there was no issues being in the back. The medal is also homemade. It is a nice homemade medal but for a $90 race I’d like some other swag if the medal is homemade. There is a nice brunch at the end but it’s not a $90 brunch. Overall this race was just too bare bones and cut too many corners to save money for me. I don’t necessarily mind bare bone races as I do think it is great to have affordable races that people of all means can participate in but this as I said had an expensive price tag of $90. Even if it goes to charity you cannot overcharge a race that much. The race had to just cost the price of a town permit and supplies for the homemade stuff. If they charged $30 to $40 I would have though this was cute and charming but not for $90. Again I do know this goes to charity but I regularly give money to charity and would rather pay the correct price for the race and give additional money to charity. I know a lot of people love this race and if you like quirky, small races maybe you would but I would not pay $90 for this race again. If you are looking for a half marathon in Maine personally I thought the Maine Half Marathon in Portland in October was much, much, much better. I also looked and right now registration is $70 so it’s cheaper than this race and you got nice swag, closed roads, actual bibs, lots of on-course entertainment and great production.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
2
SCENERY
4
SWAG
2

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I did the full 10 miler a few years ago and the relay with my dad last year so those reviews have more detail. This year I planned to do … MORE

I did the full 10 miler a few years ago and the relay with my dad last year so those reviews have more detail. This year I planned to do the relay with my dad initially but he was unable to run it so I ended up doing the relay with a friend from a running club. My friend is a walker which was fine as I was planning on taking this race easy and allowed me to see how the race is from the back of the pack. This year I decided to arrive really early to get good parking. I arrived around 6:45 and parked right by the start. There is plenty of parking but if you arrive late you may have to park close to 1 mile from the start. This year the race shirt was a polyblend shirt not a tech shirt but I liked the color and design more than last year. The relay is incredibly well-organized and timed. I went second again. The buses leave right after the runners start so you can cheer on your relay partner and arrive at the halfway mark a few minutes before the first runner passes. Since my partner walked she was one of the last participants to pass the halfway mark so I was near the back. However this race is very back of the pack friendly and it was no big deal at all. All the aid stations completely well stocked with water and gatorade and one had maple syrup. Course is hilly but doable. Finish line and post race area was all still up near the back and it was an exciting and encouraging finish. The medal is great for a race shorter than a half marathon. Overall this is a great event I’d recommend to everyone no matter your pace.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4

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This race is produced by Run Stillwater who produce several races around Stillwater, MN which is a town in Eastern MN about 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis. This race is … MORE

This race is produced by Run Stillwater who produce several races around Stillwater, MN which is a town in Eastern MN about 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis. This race is really cool in that it is point to point and starts in Minnesota and ends in Wisconsin so it can count for either state. I chose to do this race more out of convenience. I don’t have the time and money to make every state a long, expensive “race-cation” and since Minnesota is a relatively easy state to fly to I wanted to try to do a race I didn’t need vacation days for or to spend too much money on. This race fit well in my schedule as this weekend was blank and I found a direct flight from Boston to Minneapolis Friday evening. The race also offers race day packet pick-up which is great since it’s a Saturday race. There is good communication from the race director who is very friendly and responsive to emails so I would ignore the 1 sneaker rating of this race as I can’t imagine the RD not reaching out or responding to emails. This year packet pick-up and shuttles were by a by government center in Hudson, WI and there was parking there and at a park across the street. There seemed to be plenty of parking. I stayed in the Holiday Inn in Hudson, it was about 1 mile from the packet pick-up area so you could walk. I did rent a car and drive as I didn’t feel like carrying my shirt around and wanted to bring it to the car. Packet included a black polyblend shirt. While the theme is Gopher to Badger which is fun the swag doesn’t have the team logos or anything which I assume is a licensing issues which I get as it does not seem worth the extra cost to have the team logos. The shuttles were well marked with what race distance, The shuttle takes you to the start in Stillwater. Start area is well-organized. There were a reasonable amount of porta potties for runners, there were also cups of water out and there were pacers but the slowest was 2:45 which I was not gonna be close to until my lungs get better but it did help runners line up by pace. This is a decent sized race with about 800 runners. The course is a bit boring but a pleasant run. It is mostly through neighborhoods and quiet areas. Some of it was on open roads but they all had cones and only 1 area was a little busy. It was much less of an issue than last weekend. Course was well marked with cones, direction arrows and volunteers. Some of it is shaded and some of it is not. It was beautiful weather today but got a bit hot by the end. Still cooler than most of the country so this is a good place for a summer run but it will still likely be too hot for a super fast time. The course is pretty easy as it is net downhill with some small hills and inclines. The end is mostly downhill. There are aid stations about every 2 miles with water, gatorade and porta potties. There were also mile markers. There were not a lot of spectators. Sometime between mile 11 and 12 you go over this big bridge into Wisconsin. One side of the bridge is beautiful views of the St. Croix River. The other side is highway. You are on a pedestrian path so no issues with traffic but I find loud, zooming car noises aren’t the most pleasant to run next to. Then it is down a public path by the river to the finish near downtown. Its pretty back of the pack friendly with a 4 hour time limit and they were keeping track of how many runners were left to make sure everyone had a finishing time and medal. But there weren’t a ton of back of the packers so you may be alone for part of the race. I finished pretty slow as my lungs are still a mess but was a few minutes under 3:30. No issues with the finish line being in the back of the pack except there are just less runners and a lot had left the finishing area already. However there were some spectators and all of the race staff to cheer us on and give us our medals. The medal is nice with the bridge on it and good sized. There are basic snacks like bananas, chips and granola bars. Overall I thought this was a solid race. It’s more of a local race than a destination race and well everything was well done it wasn’t a particularly special race except for the 2 state aspect. It is nice that it can count for either Minnesota or Wisconsin. I need both states but I am planning to count it towards Minnesota as I am doing the Milwaukee Lakefront Half Marathon this Fall. However if something goes wrong with that race it’s nice to have the flexible to do either a Minnesota or Wisconsin race as a back-up. This was also quite convenient and was a relatively cheap and easy trip. I would definitely recommend this race to local runners. There are probably more exciting races for 50 staters although this is not a bad option especially if you want an easy trip or the flexibility of it being able to count for both Minnesota and Wisconsin.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

This is race produced by YukanRun a race company that hold many half marathons and some shorter races in Northeast Massachusetts generally near the coast. This race takes place in … MORE

This is race produced by YukanRun a race company that hold many half marathons and some shorter races in Northeast Massachusetts generally near the coast. This race takes place in Rockport right on the tip that sticks out northeast of Boston. It is a pretty close race for me and a little over an hour drive so this was very convenient for me but my feelings on the race were mixed. I agree with the review below about most of the negatives but the race company did fix a few of them so they seem open to feedback which is great. In terms of communication, they sent emails that basically said refer to the website but the website was very updated and helpful so that is fine. They seemed to fix the parking situation by having runners park at a park and ride and providing a shuttle. The park and ride is about 1.5 miles from the race start so you could use it as a warm up but the shuttles were very convenient. The race starts at a school. There is also parking at the school but it was packed by the time I arrived and I would only use it if you are doing the earlier races and arriving very early. There is only race day packet pick-up at the school. One annoying thing about this is there is no bag check so if you do the park and ride, you have to either take your swag with you or you have to put your swag down somewhere and hope no one accidentally takes it. Swag included a tech shirt. It was a bit plain but nice material and I did like the color this year. It was a nice light blue. You also got a drawstring bag with a collapsible water bottle and an energy gel. The swag was adequate and pretty average but not so nice that I would be really upset if someone accidently swiped mine so I left it behind a rock and did not take it with me during the race(don’t worry it was there when I returned). There seemed to be enough porta potties this year. I didn’t have any long wait. Probably the biggest issue with this race is how late it starts for the summer. This is called “triple threat” because there is a three race challenge where you run the 1 miler, the 5K and the half marathon consecutively. While the challenge sounds fun I did not opt for this challenge mostly because of the chance of hot weather. I did not think I could finish the challenge if it were 85 degrees and it was so I’m glad I didn’t do it. As a result of the challenge the half marathon starts at 9:15 which is way too late for the summer (although I won’t lie after my 4am wake-up yesterday I didn’t mind the extra sleep). Race day was a beautiful, sunny day and if the race started at 7am most of it would be in lovely weather and only the end would be hot but at 9:15 it was already hot and by noon it was very, very, very hot. I believe the challenge is designed as a training run for people doing fall marathons but I really wish this race was swapped with another race to the fall so it could be in cooler weather or that there could be an early start option for those doing the half marathon not doing the challenge (perhaps make it not awards eligible to be fair to those starting at the usual later time). The start was okay but it was just the runners line up and go. I stood at what seemed to be the back but a bunch of runners lined up behind me last minute so I ended up being a little closer to the front than I meant to be since there were no signs indicating where to sign up. One thing I loved about this race was the scenery. This is one of the most scenic courses I have done in New England. The majority of it was right along the beach and through beautiful neighborhoods. This was the beach I was expecting in Maine. The course is mostly an out and back with two small loops at either end so kind of dumbbell shaped. The other big issue with this race besides the late start time is it is open to traffic. The first about 3 miles were fine on quiet beach streets. I occasionally used the sidewalk but didn’t really have to. There is one small dirt section here that is mentioned in the course description the rest is paved. However around miles 4 to 6 you are on a rather busy roads most of which did not have sidewalks. To make matters worse many middle of the packers were coming back as I was going out which made it very cramped. The runners coming back were going with traffic. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to cross the street but it didn’t feel safe to run with traffic when most vehicles would be paying attention to the large herd of runners and may miss the lone slow poke. Another slower runner caught up with me and told me she switched sides as she almost got hit by a car running with traffic. Then there is a nice, beachy loop around mile 6 with less traffic then back to the traffic road, then finally back to the quiet street. The end is a loop through town. There is medium traffic but there were sidewalks here. The rest of the race production was fine but rather barebones. I’m guessing it was hard to get a ton of volunteers so some of the course is just marked with signs. I was always able to follow the signs and did get lost and there were volunteers at the most confusing sections but not everywhere so it’s a definitely a race someone could get lost on. I would recommend downloading the racejoy app if you are prone to getting lost as it will let you know if your off course. I also did see race officials patrolling the course keeping track of the runners so they did as much as they could to keep it safe in these conditions. Aid stations were good. They were located every 2 miles. I’d prefer more in the heat but usually that is plenty and the race instructions did recommend carrying water. Aid stations had water (in larger cups this year than described below), gatorade and gels. There is a 3 hour time limit. I did see finishing times of over 4 hours last year so I wasn’t overly concerned as I thought as long as it wasn’t really hot I’d at least be close but it was really hot and I was not very close to the time limit. Don’t worry they did let me finish and they did not take down any direction signs. The last aid station was packed away since I was over the time limit but it was very smart what they did. The volunteers left but the table was there with most of the supplies packed in boxes but a few water jugs and cups left out for slower runners still on course and the gels were boxed up but accessible. While I’d love for the aid stations to be 100% open I was over the time limit and I understand volunteer safety and time constraints so this seemed very fair. The finish line was like this as well. I ended up finishing well over 3 hours but just under 3:30 and the last finisher was about 3:50 so don’t worry too much about the time limit. I laughed because the race did almost exactly what I said the Yankee Homecoming race should do for slow runners in that review as a compromise although luckily this race did not run out of medals. The medal was fine but a bit generic. I think they use the same medal for most races but the ribbon is race specific. It has the shape of Massachusetts on it so it’s not the worst 50 state medal. At the finish line most of it was packed up and it wasn’t too exciting but a few people were there to cheer and congratulate me. The snacks were mostly packed up but they left some water bottles out and left the boxes on the table so you could open them and take some snacks. This was not the most back of the pack friendly race or the most exciting finish but as a compromise between runners needs and volunteer/staff needs this all seemed a fair compromise and I was slower than the stated time limited. But as a result I would not recommend this race to back of the packers if you are looking for a race with more fanfare such as your first half marathon, 50th state, 100th half marathon etc. As a back of the packer looking to check off another race to get closer to 100 I was fine with this. Overall I thought this race was fine. It was a beautiful course and a convenient location for me. I do wish it was earlier, had closed roads or at least was on less busy roads and had a longer time limit. I’ve heard similar feedback about other Yukan races. Since I am close by I’d do this race or another Yukan race again if there aren’t many other options within driving distance. But this wouldn’t be my first choice for 50 staters or a race I’d recommend traveling several hours for unless you are looking for a double with Beach to Beacon as that race is worth a trek.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3

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This is a very popular and famous New England race that takes place in Cape Elizabeth a small town outside Portland, ME. To enter the race you basically need to … MORE

This is a very popular and famous New England race that takes place in Cape Elizabeth a small town outside Portland, ME. To enter the race you basically need to register as soon as registration opens at 7am. I logged in a few minutes before 7am and everything went smooth and I was registered within 15 minutes. I believe there is also lottery and charity options for entering if you don’t get in right away. The race takes place on a Saturday and is a little under a 2 hour drive for me. One thing to definitely take into consideration if you want to do this race is the cost of hotels. Initially it looked like there was only packet pick-up before the race. Luckily packet pick-up was open until 8pm Friday so I would have time to get there after work. I was initially planning to pick up my packet and stay in Maine as it would be too much to drive 2 hours for packet, drive 2 hours home and drive 2 hours on race day. However hotels were insane. It was about $500 to stay anywhere in Portland. I found a hotel that was $350 in Biddeford, ME which is still about a 30 min drive to the race but it was still more than I wanted to pay. Luckily about 1 month before the race there was an email saying they were offering limited race day packet pick-up which I opted to do and canceled my hotel. For the race there are multiple parking locations and you take a shuttle to the start. It is a bit of a confusing race being a point to point in a small town but there is very clear pre race instructions which made everything smooth. Race day packet pick-up was at Cape Elizabeth high school so I opted to park there. Race day packet pick-up is from 5:30 to 7:30. However I heard from others that parking and getting there in the morning can be a pain due to traffic and road closures so I woke up at around 4am and got there around 6am. While I didn’t love waking up so early everything was very easy and I heard it was very hard to park and get to the school for people who came later so arrive early. Packet pick-up was easy. They have the shirts at the finish line if you do race day pick-up which I think works best. The shuttle to the start was really smooth. There was water and lots of porta potties. The start was on a big street and had suggested paces to line up by. One minor complaint I am not sure the best way to fix is the porta potties were lined up along the 11:00+ min/mile pace. I tried standing where I was supposed to be but everyone kept asking me if I was in the porta potty line so I ended up just lining up in the 10:00-11:00 min/mile pace to avoid the porta potty crowd. Not the end of the world and most of the runners were my speed since most people go up a corral. Start was otherwise well organized and we went in waves and it took maybe 15 minutes to get everyone through. The rest of the race is a blast. Pretty much the entire course is lined with spectators and it is a party atmosphere with tons of cheer squads and music. Course is all on closed roads and very easy to follow. There were official aid stations every mile and many more unofficial aid stations including a bacon station if you eat meat. There were also tons of back of packers and lots of people at my pace. There is a 2 hour time limit so it is very walker friendly. The course is scenic and shaded but I will admit I was hoping for more beach. There was a lot of woods and you didn’t really see the beach until the last mile. But it was such a fun environment I didn’t really mind the lack of beach. The course is rolling hills. It’s not really a fast course or a slow course. However as this is a very famous race it does attract some elite athletes and it’s cool that some very famous runners were out today. The finish line was at a a lighthouse and it was a scenic ending with lots of outdoor space for the post race party. Everyone is cheered for and you get a medal. The medal is small but appropriate size for a 10K and has a nice lighthouse design. There are basic snacks like granola bars and trail mix and some delicious blueberries. I also got my shirt which was a nice tech shirt but white. There is another large area with lines for more treats like ice cream and dunkins but the lines were quite long so I didn’t wait. One negative about the race which I don’t think can be helped is the lines for the shuttles back to the parking area were quite long. To be fair I don’t really think a race that is a point to point in a small town with limited roads to use could have been more organized so I didn’t mind waiting 30 minutes for the shuttle but just a heads up for planning your day. Afterwards I went to downtown Portland and got lunch at a vegetarian restaurant the Green Elephant and went to CatVideoFest at the art museum downtown. Overall this was a fantastic race and my favorite race I have done that is shorter than a half marathon. I was especially impressed with how this race managed to cater to both elite athletes and back of the packers after my negative experience last Tuesday in Newburyport. This is a race I would 100% recommend. I wouldn’t usually recommend traveling from anywhere in the country for a race shorter than a half marathon but this one is worth it. Definitely try to do this race if you can. I will definitely try to do it again.