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@skywalker_natureboy

Lewis Center, OH Raving since 2017 Boston Marathon finisher Active 5 months ago

About Me

  • Running club(s):

    Rogue Racers

  • Rave race:
  • Race that's calling my name:
  • I run because:

    I love to compete and test myself.

My Races

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

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Half Marathon

Marathon

Ultramarathon

(Marathon or Ultra) + Half

Marathon + Ultra

Other

Future Races

Personal Bests (3)

Race Distance Location Date Result
197 Mile Relay Timberline Lodge, OR Aug 26, 2022 1:49:08
Marathon Carmel, IN Apr 9, 2022 2:49:42
Half Marathon Carmichael, CA Apr 29, 2023 1:20:13

Future Races (0)

Race Distance Location Date Paid

Past Races (13)

Race Distance Location Date Result My Raves My Performance
Marathon Eugene, OR Apr 28, 2024 2:51:39
Half Marathon Carmichael, CA Apr 29, 2023 1:20:13
Marathon Houston, TX Jan 15, 2023 2:51:45
Marathon Chicago, IL Oct 9, 2022 2:53:14
197 Mile Relay Timberline Lodge, OR Aug 26, 2022 1:49:08
Marathon Carmel, IN Apr 9, 2022 2:49:42
Half Marathon Dublin, OH Feb 6, 2022 1:22:13
Marathon Hopkinton, MA Oct 11, 2021 2:56:01
Half Marathon Ft. Lauderdale, FL Jan 26, 2020 1:20:39
Marathon Staten Island, NY Nov 3, 2019 3:00:01
Marathon Erie, PA Sep 8, 2019 2:55:47
Marathon Columbus, OH Oct 15, 2017 3:00:36
Marathon Dresden, Germany Oct 23, 2016 2:59:39

My Raves

I came to this race for two reasons, it was reasonably flat and you get to finish on Hayward Field! What more could you ask for. I ended up with … MORE

I came to this race for two reasons, it was reasonably flat and you get to finish on Hayward Field! What more could you ask for. I ended up with my third fastest marathon ever and a 33 minute BQ (helps being 50!). This was my 27th marathon overall and my 10th sub 3 hour marathon!

The expo was small but lively. I probably was there for 45 minutes. I got my bib and a shirt from a local running company at the expo. Not a lot of free things there but not a big deal. The race shirt was very nice and all of my fellow running group liked it a lot as well.

Race morning they run buses from three different locations to the start line. They start at 5:30am which we thought was late for a 7am start. We got there right at 5:30am and got right on the first bus no problem. The start line had a decent amount of port-a-johns before the race and bag drop off was easy.

The start line was nice and simple. We did think the corrals were not divided up enough as corral A was runners under 3:09 full and 1:39 half. This probably should have been broken down a little more to something around sub 3:00/1:30.

The course itself is advertised as flat and it was for the most part. Any of the hillier sections are on the first half of the course. There was a small roller at mile 2, a larger uphill section around mile 4.5, and then a surprise roller around mile 9. Thankfully, all of those were countered with a downhill of the same size. The back half is completely flat and mostly run on trails.

There is a tiny incline around the finish but you don’t care because you know you are approaching Hayward Field. Coming in to the stadium is amazing. When I came in, the announcer called my name out and it was so cool. The lower section by the finish was very full when I came in which was such a rush.

The post race on the track could have been better. The people were ushering you out of there quickly. I was surprised at the lack of photographers after the finish. On your way out of the stadium, they gave us a bag with a stale bagel, a cool Eugene Marathon water bottle, and some other snacks. We didn’t stick around for the post race food too much but that part was just ok. Maybe a band or something outside the stadium would have helped that area a bit.

The finishers medal was also a huge plus to this race. Half of the medal is made from the old wooden seats from Hayward Field so its like I have a piece of it forever.

The course ended up with over 5-600 feet of elevation in all but I thought it was a fair course and reasonably flat. There are not a lot of spectators on the course as a whole. If your family wants to cheer you on, they could reasonably see you at 3-4 spots during the race. As a whole, a great fun race that I highly recommend.

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The good- the course is on a trail by a river so it’s mostly flat. I came for a PR and just missed it. The post race food and atmosphere … MORE

The good- the course is on a trail by a river so it’s mostly flat. I came for a PR and just missed it. The post race food and atmosphere were great for a small race and the shirt wasn’t bad. The medal was also of high quality too. The bad- there was two miles randomly on a rocky side trail when we could have returned on the same flat trail we ran out on. The ugly- the start line was a mess. They had a great charity at the start line, kids in wheelchairs being pushed by runners but they had them at the front and didn’t have them start a minute early. Because of that, people ran right in to that group at the start and a 7 year old almost got trampled next to me because of the pileup. The finish was also crazy as it was the skinniest section of the course and tons of kids were all over the trail so you couldn’t finish fast. If they can fix the start finish area, this race could have been a great little half marathon.

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I came to this race because I hear the course was flat and the weather was usually ideal for a PR. The year I ran it the humidity decided to … MORE

I came to this race because I hear the course was flat and the weather was usually ideal for a PR. The year I ran it the humidity decided to show up but the course was very flat.

There is a lot to like about this race. I stayed at the Embassy Suites in downtown Houston which was two blocks from packet pickup and where the race starts and finishes, so very convenient. I love that you didn’t get your race shirt until AFTER you finished instead of before so you actually had to earn it. I also liked the mug you got after finished, that was a nice touch. The post race food wasn’t great but at least they had a decent amount of it. The pre-race bag drop was a bit confusing and signs could have been a bit better there.

The bad parts-the area where the marathon starts and finishes isn’t great. It is like a really dead part of downtown where no one went. The course didn’t have a ton of people cheering on runners even though we were in the 4th biggest city in the US. There were some potholes on the course that if you ran in a crowded section could cause trouble.

Overall it was a very easy marathon as far as logistics and one I might do again sometime for that reason alone. The expo was a decent size and had lots of great clothes. I was sad that the race shirt didn’t have a space shuttle on it but I did find a shirt with the Houston Marathon logo on it online that I purchased later. The official race shirt said race finisher on it which I hate when races do that. If I have the shirt on, I finished the race, otherwise I wouldn’t wear it (I know others who do that though). All in all, a great PR course.

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I came to Chicago to PR because I have heard its a great course. The weather at this race is usually a coin flip but I lucked out and it … MORE

I came to Chicago to PR because I have heard its a great course. The weather at this race is usually a coin flip but I lucked out and it was great. My luck wasn’t so good in that I had Covid two weeks prior and it really kept be from hammering the pace I wanted to run.

The good of this race- the course was super flat. The set up of the start and finish in Millenium Park was nice. Bag drop off and pick up was easy. The hotel I stayed at was very close to the expo and my wife was able to walk out of our hotel and see me at mile 23 and walk another block to see me at mile 24 so that was convenient. The course went through various neighborhoods so it was a nice tour of Chicago.

The bad- the start was a little congested. I had trouble getting up to speed the first mile or two and there were several bridges with some strange carpets that made the footing a little bit wonky. The race shirt may be the worst race shirt I have ever seen for a large marathon. It was like someone sewed two shirts together and left a giant seam in the middle. Very odd and disappointing.

Of the Abbott Marathon Majors in the US, this definitely comes in third. Not as prestigious as Boston, not as fun as NYC, but if you want a fast time, this is the place to run.

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I have run the Boston and NYC Marathons. I have run a ton of other races in my life. Nothing was as much fun as this race. It is hard … MORE

I have run the Boston and NYC Marathons. I have run a ton of other races in my life. Nothing was as much fun as this race. It is hard to explain unless you do the race, but somehow staying in a van with your friends for almost an entire day and doing three separate runs is an amazing experience.

I was lucky enough to be in van #1 for my team which meant that I got to be at the start at Mount Hood. I would recommend that even if you don’t have any of the first six legs, everyone on the team should meet at the start. The views were amazing. The trees and mountain views were so pretty. I was the infamous leg #5 for my team. This is rated as the hardest of the legs. The thing I loved about the race was the variety of crazy things that happened in the van with my teammates and getting to see so many amazing sights and sounds of the race. We met up with so many other cool race teams as well.

The good-so many things. The race shirts were great and I wear it all the time. Our team also got cool water bottles with our names on them since we were considered one of the elite teams. The views throughout the race were fantastic. The start and finish line experience at Mt. Hood and the beach was beautiful. And the post race party at the beach was fun. Live bands and food were there too and the town where you finish is a nice beach town. The support from the communities you ran through was fun too.

The bad- sometimes the signs for where you needed to drive were lacking. You don’t get any signal on your phone so you hope you are driving the right direction. That part definitely needs to be improved and was the only bad experience I had on the race.

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I ran this in 2022 to try and get a PR and to qualify for the World Marathon Championships since this was an Abbott World Majors qualifying race. There are … MORE

I ran this in 2022 to try and get a PR and to qualify for the World Marathon Championships since this was an Abbott World Majors qualifying race. There are some nice things about this race. The community where the race takes place is really nice. Carmel is a cool area and very trendy. The host hotels have transportation to the start line. And the post race pancakes are great. The tough parts about the race are that there wasn’t a ton of crowd support. Many sections of the course are completely empty, especially when you need it the most from mile 20-26. The weather can be hit or miss since its early April in Indiana (the year I did it, we actually had flurries before the start and it looked like a snow globe). Also, the race runs through a TON of roundabouts. It didn’t affect my time but its an awkward obstacle to run constantly. The expo is very small which was fine. The race shirt was just ok. Overall, a nice small town marathon and I was able to get my marathon PR here.

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If you are looking for a race to get a PR in the winter, this could be the race for you. If you are looking for a course where your … MORE

If you are looking for a race to get a PR in the winter, this could be the race for you. If you are looking for a course where your family and friends could see you 13 to 26 times (depending on half or full distance), this could be the race for you. But if you are looking for an exciting race with great swag and lots of people cheering, look elsewhere. This race is the same loop over and over. The good part, it is flat. The bad part, you will have a couple of sharp turns in the race and early on, you will have trouble passing people who are hugging the turns. Sometimes the course is very slender and people will run 4 people across making it difficult to pass. All that being said, I have PR’ed my half marathon here three times because you can get in a pretty good rhythm. The course isn’t glamorous or exciting, but it might be the place you need to get your PR. The other good thing is the cost is pretty low for a half or full marathon.

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There are other marathons in the world that have more participants. There are other marathons in the world that are more scenic. There are other marathons in the world that … MORE

There are other marathons in the world that have more participants. There are other marathons in the world that are more scenic. There are other marathons in the world that are harder to get in to. But NOTHING beats being in the worlds oldest marathon. The course, the crowds, everything about this race is amazing. I have run it five times now and run in all kinds of weather (heat of 2016/17, the freezing rain of 2018). The course is challenging, the crowds are amazingly supportive, the race feels like the culmination of your running career.

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I ran this while my wife was on a business trip. This was a great race and lots of fun. I lucked out in the fact that the race wasn't … MORE

I ran this while my wife was on a business trip. This was a great race and lots of fun. I lucked out in the fact that the race wasn’t hot or humid. This enabled me to PR my half marathon (I have since beaten it). This race is famous for great finisher medals and this year was no different. It was a very unique turtle and very large with a magnet on it that enabled it to fold up a bit.

The race started at 6am so that was a little different than normal. You run through a cute little downtown area and then towards the beach. The worst part of the course though was an almost completely pitch black mile in a state park. Once you emerge from that, you run towards the A1A (beach front avenue) and go back and forth until you finish on the beach. The course was scenic, we got to see a beautiful sunrise on the beach. We finished on the beach as well and there was a very nice after race party. The only complaint is the race shirt was hideous. I was really hoping for a south Floridian theme shirt and it was an ugly army green shirt that I gave away when I got home.

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Boston is the best marathon in the world. It has the history, it has the prestige, and it has more qualified runners. The feel of that race is that of … MORE

Boston is the best marathon in the world. It has the history, it has the prestige, and it has more qualified runners. The feel of that race is that of an elite event. NYC is a giant party. It is harder to qualify for this race ironically, but so many things are great about this race. It is a hard race to PR, so just try to enjoy as many things as you can. I still went hard, but know that there is so much more to this race.

First off, there is an opening ceremonies that happens on Friday before the marathon. I applied to participate with my father’s home country of Hungary and I was accepted. I even got to be the flag bearer which was an amazing honor. Sunday morning, I wanted to do all the things. I boarded a subway, I got on the boat to travel to the start line, I then got on another bus, I hung out with emotional support dogs, I ate donuts. This race is an experience.

During the race, I went as hard as I could though. The bridge is one of the strangest starts of a marathon but you can’t help but feel energized with the sheer amount of people around you and hearing New York, New York by Frank Sinatra gets you ready to enter the five boroughs. The crowds throughout the race were amazing. Brooklyn was especially great. People rave about First Avenue, but I either got there too fast or Brooklyn was just better. The race is challenging, especially the end hills in Central Park. But it was so much fun. The best experience race I have had at any marathon.

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I came to Erie in 2019 because I had heard all about the flat course and because you can sometimes use this race for two years worth of BQs. I … MORE

I came to Erie in 2019 because I had heard all about the flat course and because you can sometimes use this race for two years worth of BQs. I was not disappointed. Even though the race production is small, it was very well organized. When I picked up my race number, they take your picture with it so you can’t cheat which I liked. The course itself was surprisingly beautiful. It runs on a peninsula from Erie and even though it is near the water, it was very protected from any wind. The course was a double loop and is pancake flat. The only rise is a small footbridge near the end of the race. The water stops have a competition to see who does the best job so they are all about providing great service. The post race food box wasn’t bad. I did get a PR and a BQ here (my PR has dropped since this race) so I highly recommend the race if you are looking for a fast race!

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I have run the Columbus Marathon 9 times in my marathon career. The course has its challenges-lots of turns and not a ton of crowd support in the second half … MORE

I have run the Columbus Marathon 9 times in my marathon career. The course has its challenges-lots of turns and not a ton of crowd support in the second half of the race. But those things are made up for by a great organization, nice expo, and a cool post race experience. One of the cool things about the race is that each mile has a children’s champion. It is a child that has overcome some health issue in their life and it really puts things in perspective. The post race food is decent, and the area for the post race is nice.

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This course has a double loop that has some repeat sections on it. There are so many beautiful things to see that sometimes it was hard to focus on running. … MORE

This course has a double loop that has some repeat sections on it. There are so many beautiful things to see that sometimes it was hard to focus on running. There were castles, amazing churches, and so many other things on the course. I was there for a marathon exchange program from the US so I had never run overseas before. Comparitively speaking, there wasn’t a lot of swag (you have to buy your own race shirt) but I didn’t care about any of that because the people were amazing and the course more than made up for it. It was a very flat and fast course. I ended up shaving 5 minutes off my PR for my first sub 3 hour marathon. Even if I hadn’t run fast, it would have been worth it for the experience.

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