Aaron Shaw's Staging Area

Beautiful and challenging 20 mile loop. The second aid station is roughly 7 miles from the first aid station; be sure to fill you hydration system before leaving the first stop. Phoenix is a beautiful and warm winter running oasis!! 20 mile finishers received a pint glass.

I was able to get my second marathon, although it was a rough one, at the pace that was comfortable for me to finish. The Race Director is very accommodating to back-of-the pack runners!! Again the course is a certified multi-loop course.

One of several races across the nation in select major cities; with a Christmas theme. Enjoy a hot chocolate before or after your run. I’ve run two races in this series and both started/ended near a major sports complex/stadium.

NavajoYes is the company that produces the Four Corners Quad Keyah and they do a very fine good of it. For individuals that are members of HF, MM or either of the 50 states clubs; this is a great opportunity to complete 1-4 races and 1-4 different states from a single location. Each race starts and finishes in the same state, but different states each day of the series. The Navajo People provide some great race support and entertainment during the series!!

This race runs starts in NM and follows a loop that takes you through TX and back. I would recommend the race director to consider changing up the race start location; giving runners the chance to claim TX or NM on separate years.

Series utilizes different parks around Las Vegas. Runners can get these three races plus the Rock ‘n’ Roll evening race for a total of four races in 3 days. This year this series started the day after the Mainly Marathons Southwest Series.

Course following a ridge line; with a 1/4 mile technical section. Race was the before the start of the Mainly Marathons Southwest Series in Farmington, NM. For people flying into Albuquerque, NM; this race was on the way to Farmington.

Nice fall fun along the Bosque on trails in northwestern Albuquerque/Rio Rancho. Enjoy a family fun run, named for a traditional New Mexican folklore.

This run is apart of the Durango Double Mountain Bike races. The course takes runners on a single track to the top of a local peak; with a beautiful view of the surrounding area. The path up to the peak is a very steep granite slope. Participants are awarded a finishers coffee mug.

The course is flat and nice for first-time half marathons. This race production has a lot to improve upon. I race walked the course with a friend and we were the last two on the course. The timing mats were packed up and race director had already departed by the time we finished. This is not the way to encourage runners to participate; even if it is a small production for charity purposes.

This race is held on a historic plantation nearby Charleston and round its pond. Watch your footing on the bush hogged portions of the course. Race medal was antebellum autumn themed; very nice!!

Have you ever wanted to visit the Harley Davidson Museum? Here is a great chance to visit the museum and get a run in at the same time. Course provides a nice route through downtown Milwaukee.

Start in the small town of Norwalk and run on the Sparta Trail, a ‘rails-to-trail’ route with two 100+ year old train tunnels. The course has a zero net elevation gain/lose.

Finishers receive a medal as large as a dinner plate!! The races following along side one of the Great Lakes, right south of Chicago downtown. Be warned that Chicago can lack that infamous wind, but present an equally infamous humidity.

A race with more frills then advertised!! The north woods of Wisconsin offers a cooler late summer climate for a beautiful ‘rails-to-trails’ course. One of the many awesome half marathons in WI.

Beautiful run in the North Woods of Wisconsin. Course if on single track, so be prepared for a couple stumbles or falls. Instead of race medals, race director crafted handmade wood burned plaques.

Run the southern half of the Madison Marathon course; through the Arboretum. The race producers offer several running challenges in Madison. Race starts on the square, heads up the Observatory Hill, through UWI Arboretum and finishes back at the capitol square.

Beautiful early season run in Madison along the lake. Be prepared for the stint up the Observatory Hill…it’s no joke!! Other than that the course if fast and flat.

Chance to run with the Nation’s defenders and some of those wounded during the War on Terror. Great running tour of the National Mall; which starts and finishes at the Pentagon.

A great chance to run with 30k+ of your newest friends! Many of the runners are service members in all of the uniformed services. Instead of a traditional finishers medal; the Army awards a traditional challengers coin to each finisher. Be warned in advance that the beginning is fairly jammed packed for about the first two miles.