Katie Starling's Staging Area

First 6 miles were an amazing downhill. The part that looked like it would be hard was. But also parts that appeared they wouldn’t be too bad were also hard. The second half of the marathon was pretty, but a letdown from the mountain descent and the sun was out (temp was good, but the sun felt really hot) and this was a rough race. Add to it (for me only) stomach issues from dinner the night before and it was a rough race. But I’m pleased with how I finished. I’m pleased I finished.

We drove over 1600 miles (one way) to run on the Maine Coast and it was a great experience! The scenery was beautiful, not as much ocean views as I expected! The course was challenging but not a killer. The communication was good and the volunteers were friendly. Were there hiccups? Yes. But as this was my 6th marathon I’ve at least had a little experience to guide my impressions.

The shuttle buses were right where they were supposed to be and seemed ready to take runners even AFTER the published last depart of 6:30. Not sure HOW but two half marathon runners accidentally ended up on a bus to the full start- might need more volunteers checking the runners getting on the bus?? Anyway when we got over to the school there was a big backup of traffic so our driver let us out to walk over. Thank goodness because the lines at the portable toilets were HORRENDOUS!!! We waited and I stressed, and some runner or volunteer (not sure which) started suggesting/reminding that there are portapotties available at mile one, which to me is NOT a solution. I managed to finally get in one and of COURSE it had an issue. One roll was empty 👎🏻 but the other was full 👍🏻 the full one was a disaster 👎🏻 because someone before loading it had taken the loose end and wrapped it 3+ times through the center cardboard so I had to hold back the sliding plastic door, claw at the “tied” paper trying to tear through the layers to find a loose end. When I got one and pulled against the plastic case to tear it, the whole plastic casing popped open and fell towards me. It had been zip tied closed?? I couldn’t get it back up. All this happening while I KNOW the race is going to start without me.Eventually I got out and I was ALONE. I ran to the start. I did NOT miss it. I heard the anthem. I heard the conch shell. So it worked out. But it was a stressor that didn’t need to exist.

Like many other people I went out faster than I intended, but I corrected that by stopping and taking pictures! This race was just “to finish” for me. To check the Maine box in a list of 50 states. I wish there was more running by the ocean, but I appreciated the villages also. The crowds were not overwhelming but they were friendly and supportive. I enjoyed the trombone player around mile 16. I hope someone tells him! The RaceJoy app was a great touch, it was for the most part pretty accurate (it announced to me every mile where I was, my mile split, my average pace, and my projected finish time!! And getting cheers from my family and friends back home through the app was brilliant!!

I walked a bit around mile 20-21.5 with a younger guy who was struggling, but when I realized he wasn’t going to regroup I knew I wasn’t ready to walk the last 5 miles!! I struggled with some calf cramping and a revisit of a weird quad cramp that I’ve gotten in other races. I carried gels and I carried water (NO gels were offered on the course-they had other food instead). I ate the peanut butter pretzels offered. I would have had watermelon chunks but it was long gone when I got there?? By mile 25 I was running low on steam. I drank the Gatorade but was swaying a bit and medical started to approach me. I appreciate that they were watching closely, but I was not ready to give up. I appreciate even more that she honored my hand- holding her off as I restarted and pushed through the last mile and some.

At the finish it was hard to tell where to go! It looked like two chutes which made sense to me (half/full) but no one told me where to go until i asked. When I entered the chute and got across the line I was given a water bottle (as promised) but the water was NOT cold as they promised. I was given a medal that was not specific to my accomplishment (half and full medals were the same). I then had to find my way to food (not terribly difficult but I mentioned I was flagging by that point) luckily a friend found me at the finish and pushed pretzels into my hands. I think the finish area could use some work. Gatorade bananas pretzels should be immediate. Other stuff like beer and ice cream can be Festival food stuffs. But immediate needs should be addressed immediately.

I got my cookies. I ate pretzels. I had a half bagel with peanut butter. But I did NOT get my beers. They ran out. I read somewhere that it was a big mixup and more came out later after I left. I did get ice cream and they were EXTREMELY kind to tell Runners their ticket would be honored at their SHOPS as they had run out of all but one flavor. I ate my Cuban coffee and LOVED IT! I took pictures. I relaxed. I enjoyed the sun whenever the wind was not freezing my sweat! My brother hasn’t run Maine yet (he had Lincoln, NE the weekend before and Fargo, ND next weekend). I will recommend this one to him and maybe come back when he does. But otherwise this one will not be a repeat for me because of location. But I think it is a good value and a decent experience for other runners.

This was my least favorite marathon to date, and not just because of my injury. This would have been a good half marathon, and the half was the biggest group of runners. First of all, they are sticklers for making the runner pick up the packet in person. Not unheard of, but certainly annoying. The Expo was at the National Guard armory, and the security to get in made for long LINES outside in the cold and falling snow (not all day long I’ve heard, but certainly when we got there close to closing). I thought the personal pickup was for security purposes, but my lawyer friend pointed out that it’s really about sponsors- they guarantee that every runner will be at the Expo to pick up their bib and so will be there to pass by the vendor booths. Ugh. So it’s about money. So we wait in a LONG line that wasn’t managed well (apparently a shorter line was available for people with no bags to be checked, but no one knew this and it wasn’t said until after a good long while in the cold.) My husband had a pocket knife on him and decided to stand outside in the cold rather than surrender it, (personal choice) and my 14 year old son FORGOT that he also had a pocket knife, and walked right in through security after getting wanded with a metal detector that didn’t go below his waist. So tell me, what’s the point? The shirts they had for sale that I liked were sold out in all but large and larger, so I bought nothing. There weren’t very many other races there represented (advertising upcoming marathons, etc) and just not a very good expo in my opinion. I DID like that they offered actual PACE GROUP COLOR CODED bibs which you could have and wear in addition to your official bib. I did NOT pick one up, and since I didn’t do well, I’m glad that I wasn’t wearing one that said 3:40 as I finished at 5:25.

The three distances offered all started at different times, and from 2 different locations. I ran the full which started first at 7am. Beyond their control was the fact that the DC Metro which is hemorrhaging money had shortened their hours and didn’t even OPEN until 7am. So anyone doing the full had to find another way. They offered shuttles from the finish point (RFK Stadium) but the last shuttle left at 5:45 am!! That’s a LONG TIME to stand outside in the cold at the start! The chute was typical and the corrals were open, people seemed to honor their assigned corral (any one who wanted to, could change their corral at the Expo anyway). The timing mat for some unknown reason was NOT directly below the large inflatable arch we ran under to start. It was 6 feet BEFORE the arch, so I didn’t get my watch started right on time, but that wasn’t a huge deal just WHY?? The first half of the marathon was not too bad. There were SOME nice DC sights, we ran down Constitution Ave, so you could look to your right and see the White House, and we ran up near the Lincoln Memorial twice. It could’ve been better though. At mile 6 was a HUGE ENORMOUS STEEP hill that I knew was coming from the elev map I had found, but still took my breath away. I was able to run it and not even lose too much time. We ran through Rock Creek Park which was pretty, but the roads weren’t great. Many runners mentioned the potholes in the street. And there were multiple homeless camps under the bridges we ran under. One with furniture even. Several runners tossed their gloves here. Once we got up north of all the sights though, there was NOTHING ELSE good about the course. At. All. It was not beautiful, it was not flat, it was not fast or with tons of spectators. The HALF MARATHON runners who started 90 minutes AFTER us, had a different experience! LOTS OF STREET PARTIES, free beers, fun spectators, etc… At the halfway point is where the course split! The half marathon runners (who of course weren’t with us) would be done but we got to soldier on to the second half of the course which was the WORST half. NOTHING pretty, NOT NICE neighborhoods. A huge hill that you had to climb twice once going and once coming back. switchbacks galore where you get to the end and have to make a 180 degree turn around a cone- at LEAST 3 times we had to do that, LESS aid stations second half, LESS music. Not NONE, but LESS. The 5K had it worst. Their 5K was on the second half of the marathon course. They ran out on a highway across a bridge and turned and came back. NO SIGHTS OF DC WHATSOEVER. The 5K also had ONLY water at their aid station. No gatorade at all. The medals weren’t all that inspiring, and the shirt is just “ok” in my opinion. I finished finally, and we just left. Oh! not many photographers on course either. And at LEAST ONE of them I recognized from like mile 4 or 5 and right near the finish. So they must not have had many bodies to station and shoot pictures. Anyway, that’s what I have to say. I haven’t remembered it all… I don’t really want to remember this one- except to never run it again, unless they redesign the course.

Pouring rain (they couldn’t help it) fun atmosphere. Course distance was off. No finisher medals. Shirts at the end (I guess that is common for Atlanta, but not where I am from- we get shirts at packet pickup) which ran really pretty big. Only age group medals, and there were prizes for teams (fastest, largest, and most fundraising). SUPER cool art along the course. I would run it again, but only because it was inexpensive and I was with friends.

This one was easier AND harder than the last one. Easier: course was familiar and relatively flat compared to KC. Harder: I wasn’t properly fueled. A sugar detox is not something to do before a race. Mentally I was more tired. There were fewer people. There were a lot of times I was alone and that’s never as much fun. It was definitely a mind game to have to see the 18 and 25 mile signs on the first lap. Knowing those are not for me right now. Also the marathon relay teams made it tricky. All the fresh runners around me made me feel even more tired. Especially at the end. I beat the rain!!! Very light sprinkle-y rain, but it would have made mile 26 just that much more miserable. The 3:45 pacer was dressed as a giraffe. Seriously. Leggings, arm sleeves, a headband with little giraffe antennae?! what are giraffe antennae called?!?! First I wanted to BQ. Then as that slipped away, I wanted to beat the giraffe. At mile 20 I couldn’t even see her behind me. But by mile 21.5 she had caught up and by mile 23 she had slipped away from me. But!! The lady who was running with her eventually dropped back at mile 24 or 25… and I didn’t think I could catch her… but I told myself “she might be in my age group! That might be 3rd place!!” And I managed to push past her in the last 0.1 mile and finish before her. No idea if she actually was in my age group or not. But I guess that wasn’t even the point. The point was, I told myself I needed to beat her. And I did. This race qualifies me for marathon maniacs!!

This was my 3rd time running this 25K (back after a 3 year hiatus). I dropped 58 minutes from my previous best time (2013). Difficulty is a 4 because of the very large hill you have to climb twice. This is the only trail race I’ve done so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I don’t think it’s exceedingly difficult with the exception of that hill. That said, the course is hilly. The 4 for swag is because they switched to a hat this year instead of a shirt. I’m not a fan of the trucker style hat but other people were very enthusiastic. So you decide for yourself. I wish they had place awards for more than just the top finisher in each age group. I was 2nd in mine (no medal) but third overall female to finish. Aside from top in each age group, only the top male and female finishers were recognized. 2nd female to finish was also my age group. (1st was older- she got the plaque for top overall female instead of age group). I guess it’s not out of the ordinary, but here’s my forum to say I don’t like that way of doing things.

Not a hard course. Manhattan KS starting and ending in the parking lot at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. In conjunction with the half marathon. Which I have not run yet…

The advertised giant medal IS GIANT, but it is NOT cool looking. It is NOT my favorite and would NOT encourage me to run again. I like the little wine glass we got. The shirt was so-so. I liked the small field of 801 women, BUT, I assumed that this was a women’s ONLY event and yet I was beat by 3 men?? It was just confusing. It was a great day with great weather. I can’t speak to the Expo because my daughter picked up my packet. The organizers were very helpful.

They switched up the course for 2017 and ran it backwards, but I was not a fan. Hills were worse. The old course was a PR for me. I did this as part 2 of the I-35 challenge.

I ran this race for the first time in 2014 as part of the Heartland 39.3 series. This was my first time back. This is a Wizard of Oz themed race and they have AWESOME MEDALS. That was why I decided to run this one (as opposed to other spring 2017 choices). The medal was a tornado that actually spins inside of a yellow brick road, and there is a tiny house that spins independently of that as well. Other medals were toto in a basket and the wizard of Oz himself. The course had been changed since 2014, and I was not a fan. VERY VERY hilly. I was hoping to improve my time from back then because in 2014 I was running with a knee brace on, and struggled. This time, I had trained and was uninjured, but I was unprepared for the hillier new course and was slower than 3 years before when I was running while injured.

This half marathon benefits a local catholic school and the post race food is like a gigantic church picnic!!! Food for days, even for the slower finishers! I signed up for this as part 3 of the heartland 39.3 series. Both my knees hurt during this race! I don’t remember the course being especially difficult. Swag: shirt was cute!! You get a cowbell when you finish (with your medal). By the time I limped in (bad knees) they had run out of medals and bells?! But they gave me a prior year medal and promised to mail me the correct medal and the bell. Which they did do.

Several of my family members participated including my mom- it was her first half marathon. Shirt was ok. Medal was beautiful. Course was hard but I was running on a bum knee. I signed up as part of the Heartland 39.3 series.

This was the very first year for Konquer the Konza and I was fresh off my first half marathon when I signed up! I trained pretty well- I knew what hills were out there having hiked it multiple times. I felt good about my finish this year. There was no 10K option this year. That was not introduced until 2015.