My Profile

@TBurgess

Boise, ID Raving since 2017 50 States hopeful/finisher Active 3 months, 4 weeks ago

About Me

  • Running club(s):

    Fifty States Half Marathon Club, Boise Area Runners (BAR)

  • Rave race:

    Key West Half Marathon

  • Race that's calling my name:

    Boston Race to Remember

  • I run because:

    Fun, stress relief, & to help keep weight down (sometimes).

My Races

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

50 States Map
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Half Marathon

Marathon

Ultramarathon

(Marathon or Ultra) + Half

Marathon + Ultra

Other

Future Races

Personal Bests (1)

Race Distance Location Date Result
Half Marathon Tempe, AZ Jan 19, 2014 2:01:25

Future Races (1)

Race Distance Location Date Paid
Half Marathon Philadelphia, PA TBD

Past Races (30)

Race Distance Location Date Result My Raves My Performance
Half Marathon Kitty Hawk, NC Nov 9, 2019
Half Marathon Milwaukee, WI Sep 28, 2019
Half Marathon Cleveland, OH Aug 18, 2019
Half Marathon South Pomfret, VT Jun 2, 2019
Half Marathon Charleston, SC Jan 12, 2019
Half Marathon Ocean City, NJ Sep 30, 2018
Half Marathon Colebrook, CT Sep 29, 2018
Half Marathon Jackson Hole, WY Sep 1, 2018
Half Marathon Spearfish, SD Jul 14, 2018 2:38:25
Half Marathon Cumming, GA Jul 4, 2018 3:04:27
Half Marathon Portland, ME Jun 23, 2018 2:33:38
Half Marathon Boise, ID May 19, 2018 2:55:06
Half Marathon Lahaina, HI Jan 14, 2018 2:48:30
Half Marathon Mankato, MN Oct 22, 2017 2:29:37
Half Marathon Frenchtown, MT Jul 9, 2017 3:12:30
Half Marathon Brooklyn, NY Jun 18, 2017 2:54:34
Half Marathon Fargo, ND May 20, 2017 2:27:09
Half Marathon Key West, FL Jan 15, 2017 2:41:42
Half Marathon Moab, UT Oct 23, 2016 2:35:52
Half Marathon Boise, ID Sep 24, 2016 3:02:24
Half Marathon Juneau, AK Jul 24, 2016 2:14:00
Half Marathon Irving, TX Jan 24, 2016 2:18:57
Half Marathon Anaheim, CA Sep 4, 2015 2:22:53
Half Marathon Chicago, IL Jul 19, 2015 2:34:58
Half Marathon Denver, CO Oct 19, 2014 2:15:45
Half Marathon Boise, ID Sep 20, 2014 2:08:53
Half Marathon Seattle, WA Jun 21, 2014 2:06:23
Half Marathon Portland, OR May 18, 2014 2:06:28
Half Marathon Tempe, AZ Jan 19, 2014 2:01:25
Half Marathon Las Vegas, NV Nov 17, 2013 2:25:22

My Raves

South Dakota had three half marathons that I struggled to choose between. This one won out due to the convenience of being able to combine with a family road trip … MORE

South Dakota had three half marathons that I struggled to choose between. This one won out due to the convenience of being able to combine with a family road trip through Yellowstone, on our way to Mt Rushmore & Crazy Horse.

The course is beautiful; down Spearfish Canyon Road. It was a little bit chilly at the beginning, which was appreciated. Unfortunately it did not stay that way for us and it got very hot, very quickly. The temperatures were about 10 degrees higher than the forecast a few days prior. The following day the temperatures were about 15 degrees cooler, which would’ve been perfect. The course is virtually all down hill. My first event with so much decline in elevation. I was amazed at how challenging that made it; especially around the bends. To add to the beauty, the course goes by a waterfall right about the middle, which is very cool.

The shirt was okay. The medal was very nice. It’s a small event that has a few elite runners, but mostly seemed like casual runners like myself. The organizers aren’t the best, but they did okay.

Spearfish is a nice town. We stayed 2 days, then relocated to Rapid City to be closer to the tourist sites, which cuts a good hour off of travel time to these sites. It was great to be able to see Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. Visiting the town of Deadwood was an unexpected highlight to the trip.

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My Media

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

I say this is a tough one to rate, because I can tell the coordinators have good intentions and tried well. Part of my lower ratings, I guess, is because … MORE

I say this is a tough one to rate, because I can tell the coordinators have good intentions and tried well. Part of my lower ratings, I guess, is because the heat & humidity was terrible for me, coming from a low humidity state. It was rough. It would probably be a 4-Shoe rating for others.

The course isn’t too tough. You start in a nice park, on a race track, go down a slightly steep hill. What goes down, must go up though, when you return to the finish. The rest of the course is very flat, mostly on boardwalk style, through quite a few tree-lined area. The portions of the course that do not have trees, you really feel the heat of the sun.

The pre-race & post-race atmosphere is lacking any sort of excitement. There is not a lot of swag, basically the t-shirt and medal. The packet pick up seemed to be a ways away from the race location at the Totally Running store. Cute little store though; we bought a few items.

Two (okay, really three) recommendations for the race coordinators:
1. Have bags of ice on the course water stops: this will help those of us that are not use to the humidity to cool down a bit. They did this in Chicago and it was such a relief.
2. Start earlier: This will also help avoid the pounding sun. A Georgia July race really should be earlier than 7:30 am, in my opinion. I suggest 6:30 am, but even 7:00 am would help a lot.
3. Order the medals earlier or pay for expedited delivery. It really sucks to finish an event like this and not get the payoff at the end. Disappointing, but I did not lower any of my ratings because of this. They did mail them pretty quickly; received it about 8 days later. No hard feelings. Besides, it was a very cool medal.

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My Media

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

Portland, Maine is a nice place to visit. It has a great personality to it. The event was very fun. They changed the course this year to put hill portion … MORE

Portland, Maine is a nice place to visit. It has a great personality to it. The event was very fun. They changed the course this year to put hill portion immediately at the beginning which wasn’t too bad. Plus, we had a light sprinkle of rain during the first portion that helped keep the body from heating up too much at the beginning. There is one more hill between Mile 11 & 12, I believe, but it was bearable. The course, overall, was beautiful. About 100-200 feet of cobblestone just before the finish was a little treacherous, but added a nice quaint feeling.

The event was well organized. We arrived late the evening before and did the packet pick up the morning of. It was a quick in & out. The finish line DJ/announcer was very cool; added a good personality to the finish. The after party was awesome – two free beers, free slice of pizza, free ice cream. Great post-race atmosphere.

The medal was very cool. Looks much better in person, than in the pictures.

I recommend getting a room at the Hyatt Place, because you literally walk out the door and you’re at the start line & only a small block or two from the finish line. The hotel also provided some fruit, snacks, & water as you head out. There are probably some other good hotels within the area as well, but this was super convenient.

If you fly into Portland, you don’t need to rent a car. Uber/cab is less than $20 and everything you need is within a half mile radius.

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1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

The course is the highlight. Starts out at Sandy Point Beach. It was pretty darn cold with a breeze; everyone was huddling around buildings to stay warm. Once the race … MORE

The course is the highlight. Starts out at Sandy Point Beach. It was pretty darn cold with a breeze; everyone was huddling around buildings to stay warm. Once the race started, the coldness went away quickly and by an hour into the event, it got hot quick. The course continues through canyon-like atmosphere, then through a nice community area, back to the a trail along the Boise River, through two different city parks, for a nice finish.

Post race, you get a baked potato and you can choose your own toppings, which is awesome. Lots of other goodies and drinks too.

The packet pick up is very disappointing. Basically pull up to a crowded parking lot, walk over to a small tent/booth, and they hand you your stuff. No frills at all. This would be a good event to have some booths Idaho related like: Taters, Idaho Made, Mixed Greens, Idaho Candy Company, Wear Boise, Banana Ink, Proof Eyewear, etc. Many people travel from out of state to this event.

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2 members marked this review helpful. Agree?

The headline tells you all you really need to know. Maui in January was just too great to pass up. The views during the half marathon were great. Even saw … MORE

The headline tells you all you really need to know. Maui in January was just too great to pass up. The views during the half marathon were great. Even saw some whales off in the distance while running.

Other great things to know:
+ Fantastic communication via email to keep you informed & slightly entertained (“MOM Nags”).
+ You can meet the artist that designed the shirt immediately after pick up and he’ll autograph your shirt for no charge.
+ Water with ICE and good healthy snacks at the end.
+ Free massages after the race (“free” but you should tip the massage therapist students).
+ MOM really makes it special for 50 Staters that made Maui their final destination for their achievement.

My personal advice:
+ Get to know the area before the race. The free parking lot will be difficult to find, if you try it in the morning in the dark.
+ On that note, you don’t have to stay in Lahaina if you rent a car. Traffic is light in the morning & race location is easy to get to. Plus, free parking lot is just 1 block from finish, so no need to check a bag. We stayed at Royal Kahana which was only 20 minute drive away, during the morning.
+ Drink lots of water; even more than you usually do. When the sun comes up, it will be humid.
+ Enjoy the beauty; the views of the ocean, the sound of the waves, the oceanfront breeze, the canopy of what I call “bonsai” trees but not sure if that is what they are really called, watch for whales, etc. This is one event that you definitely should not be focused on PR, IMO.

Now some nit-picky comments that I hope doesn’t deter anyone, but in hopes it helps for others to know. The list may look like a lot, but none of these are deal breakers. Maybe the race director will take the advice and resolve in the future, if he/she feels they are issues that need addressed.
– The morning start for the half marathon is very dark and uneventful.
– The portapotties are nearly impossible to see. They really need to put some kind of lights. Plus, portapotties have no hooks to hang your stuff so you’re stuck holding everything (or putting it on the floor…yuck) and they have not hand sanitizer or a wash basin outside (again…yuck).
– There is no music to get you pumped up, so bring your own adrenaline jams. No chocolate milk after, which I’ve grown to expect.
– There was a little debris in a couple (literally like two or three places), which I would normally expect to be cleaned up by race coordinators the evening before or morning of, to avoid injuries.
– Very few garbage bins/cans in the finish area.
– Personally, I think they should have a couple of volunteers guiding people where/how to park. It is so dark, it’s hard to really get around to see where open spots are. Plus, there were people that basically parked in two spots. It was pretty much a cluster in the free lot. I’m sure, with 3 or 4 volunteers guiding people with some flashlights, it would go much smoother and fit more people in the lot.

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My Media

2 members marked this review helpful. Agree?

I would imagine that this race experience all depends on the weather. Signing up in June (over 4 months in advance, with Fargo Marathon discount code), we knew that we … MORE

I would imagine that this race experience all depends on the weather. Signing up in June (over 4 months in advance, with Fargo Marathon discount code), we knew that we could be running in snow or, at the very least, very cold weather. However, for 2017, the weather was perfect. Start temp was 44 degrees, but finish temp was probably around 50 degrees.

The course is beautiful during the fall. Basic straight-away course for the first 2-3 miles, but after that, you get onto a running path (asphalt) that is surrounded by trees showing off their various autumn leaf colors. A few rolling uphills scattered through out the course, there is one big long downhill right about Mile 6, which is a great relief.

Overall, it is worth the travel. Fly to Minneapolis, stay a night or two, enjoy the drive down to Mankato remembering to stop at Minneapolis’ largest candy shop, and enjoy a great half or full marathon.

Side note: Maybe it is a personal problem, but I don’t like when events just call themselves “Marathon”, like Mankato Marathon, and not “Half Marathon”. I don’t like having a medal that says Mankato Marathon when I only ran the half. Yes, I know the ribbon says “Half”, but that is not good enough IMO.

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2 members marked this review helpful. Agree?

This is a great event. Very well organized. Fantastic communication, just download the app, watch your email, and check their FB page often. The temperatures for 2017 were forecasted to … MORE

This is a great event. Very well organized. Fantastic communication, just download the app, watch your email, and check their FB page often. The temperatures for 2017 were forecasted to be HOT, so the event organizers made sure they communicated frequently their plans to keep everyone safe.

The packet pick up was easy and the accompanied expo was nice. The morning of the event, you have to get to University of Montana Adams Center to jump on a bus. Their process was the most organized. So many volunteers on hand to let you know where you need to go. You arrive to the start line with welcoming cheers & wishes of good luck.

The course is great. Community support was awesome. Violinists in the forest, a tuxedo-dressed piano player in the middle of a farm yard, two gentleman playing fiddles/banjos, a young girl with a goat on a leash, all the yards with sprinklers spraying toward the road to cool off hot runners, and so much more. Never a dull moment.

The shirt is very cool. Not a fan of white, but still cool shirt. The medal for 2017 is very, very cool. I like it a lot. It’s going to be one of my favorite.

Unfortunately, I had knee and/or IT band issues, so I was hobbling from Mile 3 to the end, which resulted in my slowest half ever. Oh well, can’t win them all 🙂

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This was the worse, must unorganized, half marathon event I have ever participated. Such a shame too, because the course is a great location. I was so excited to run … MORE

This was the worse, must unorganized, half marathon event I have ever participated. Such a shame too, because the course is a great location. I was so excited to run in Brooklyn, New York. I hope they fix these issues for future participants.

This is where it gets long & wordy, but I wanted to provide full details.

Let’s see. Where to start? First, the webpage is horrible. It provides little information. It stated pre-race packet pick-up “to be announced”, but then 2 or 3 days before the event, it finally changed to “n/a”.

Second, the start time was set at 9 am. I’m not a morning person, but I prefer at least an 8 am start time; especially in June to avoid the heat. Note: looks like they have the 2018 start time at 8 am, per their updated webpage.

Third, absolutely no communication from the organizers until 14 1/2 hours before the event (the night before). In the message, they didn’t check transit updates, because they provided false information since the closest subway station was closed for the weekend. They had to send out a follow up message 30 minutes later, informing people of the issue. This meant that people using transit system had to go to the next stop, which required about a mile long walk to the start line. I suggest taxi/uber/lyft to avoid any issues & save your legs for the half marathon.

Fourth issue, buried in that late email, at the very bottom, they had this nice little announcement: “We are also sorry to announce that our medals did not arrive due to the weather. We will mail with in the United States to all finishers.” I understand not everyone runs half marathons for the medals, but many of us do. And the most enjoyable part of finishing is receiving that medal to have something to show for our accomplishment. And “due to weather”??? What weather? It’s June! What kind of weather issues could delay delivery? A sorry excuse to cover for someone that failed to order in time for them to arrive. [When we finally get our medals, I’ll update this post to let you know how long it took to receive them – ARRIVED 17 days after the event] – Note: 2018 event states that medals will be mailed, not given at the end of the event.

Last, and most importantly, they ran out of water way too early. They were expecting thunderstorms and rain, but the clouds parted and it was sunny and hot. 80 degrees with 80% humidity. It was HOT. I do carry water with me. Since it was so hot, I rationed my own water, but used it all up heading to the 2nd turn-around point, thinking they’ll have water there that will get me through the last 2.45 miles. Nope! They were empty. All they could say was “sorry”. So I had to run the last 2.45 miles, dry-mouthed, feeling the heat, all the way back. Then get to the finish line and no water there either. Again, they just said “sorry”. Not, “we have someone going to get water” or advice on where we can buy some water or find a water fountain. This is dangerous. I saw 2 people, while on the course, being treated by medical personnel for heat conditions. I would not be surprised if there was more. No matter what you expect the forecast to be, organizers of June events should buy twice the amount of water they think they’ll need. No excuse for running out.

I won’t even go into details of the unorganized morning packet pick-up or the unorganized snafu at bag check. Again, I truly hope they get these worked out for future events, because the location in Brooklyn, New York has such great potential.

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Almost 5 "shoe" worthy, but I just can't give it a "cream of the crop" rating. Nothing terrible, but I've been to some that have that little extra edge needed … MORE

Almost 5 “shoe” worthy, but I just can’t give it a “cream of the crop” rating. Nothing terrible, but I’ve been to some that have that little extra edge needed for the highest ratings. If you’re going to do a half marathon in North Dakota, this is definitely the one to do. Here are just a few reasons:
1 – Very well organized.
2 – Parking was the easiest I’ve ever experienced.
3 – Starting line indoors was great.
4 – SWAG bag was very cool (the actual bag itself) and the shirts were awesome with this year’s guitar logo.
5 – Course support was very good.
6 – Big screens at the end are great to watch for friends & relatives that may be finishing a little later than you.

If you plan to stick around to do some tourist stuff, don’t plan too many days. You’ll run (no pun intended) out of things to do in a day. Go visit their F+M Visitor Center, check out the Ferris Wheel at Scheels, stop by their local running store (Fargo Running Company), and a few other things, then you’re done. Oh and note that Fargo is spread out, so you’ll definitely need to rent a car.

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1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

If you are looking for a fantastic, relaxing, beautiful getaway, then go to Key West, Florida in January and do this race. You don't need to take a long vacation … MORE

If you are looking for a fantastic, relaxing, beautiful getaway, then go to Key West, Florida in January and do this race. You don’t need to take a long vacation either; 4 days is enough time to see the whole island and enjoy everything. Rent a scooter to get around. Rent a Jeep and spend a day driving Highway 1.

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2 members marked this review helpful. Agree?

I would really like to give this outstanding ratings, but part of me wants to give it low ratings. Visiting Moab for the first time was awesome; such a beautiful … MORE

I would really like to give this outstanding ratings, but part of me wants to give it low ratings. Visiting Moab for the first time was awesome; such a beautiful place. However, the half marathon is not really IN Moab, it is about 45 minutes out of Moab.

The course; however, is also beautiful and surprisingly tough. The rolling hills are deceptive and wore me down. The after party was pretty fun too. The medal was okay, but you also get a beer glass. The shirt was okay too.

Back to the location that is 45 minutes out of town, my advice would be to stay at Sorrell River Ranch Resort, because that is the finish line. They provide a bus out to the start and it is nice to finish right near your room. However, Sorrell is a high priced disappointment. It should not be called a “resort” at all, so lower your expectation. Despite being the finish line location and many runners staying there, they do very little to acknowledge the event at all. The staff are not very friendly. The restaurant is way overpriced as well. Eat in Moab.

Another note: since you do have a bus ride out to the start line, it is very cold in the morning while you wait. They provide a few barrels with fire in it, but definitely not enough for everyone to gather round to get warm. Plan to bring throw away clothes, because you’ll want to dress to keep yourself warm for the 45-60 minute wait for the race start.

They call it a Packet Pickup “Expo”, but I think they’re using the word “expo” a little too loosely. It was 3 or 4 tables of sponsors with very limited items. Not a big deal, but don’t expect a true expo-like atmosphere.

I wished the event was closer to Moab itself, but then I would guess the views wouldn’t be as good.

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5
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This is my 2nd review (pardon my typo on the title of the last review, should be "bias" not "bia"), so I feel guilty that I'm swaying the ratings, but … MORE

This is my 2nd review (pardon my typo on the title of the last review, should be “bias” not “bia”), so I feel guilty that I’m swaying the ratings, but I really do like this event. This is the only half marathon in my home state that I have participated in and now I’ve done it twice. I did it a 2nd time because my wife & I decided to do it together, at her pace. It was just as fun the 2nd time. The medal was great and even better than the 2014 event.

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The Running Cruise was so, so, so much fun. From the very beginning to the very end, this was a dream come true. Super walker friendly. John and Jenny are … MORE

The Running Cruise was so, so, so much fun. From the very beginning to the very end, this was a dream come true. Super walker friendly. John and Jenny are awesome, funny, and so accommodating. The half marathon itself was a blast. I didn’t want it to end…well, actually that’s a lie, because 13.1 miles is plenty for me. I will be doing this again in the future.

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1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

First and foremost, it was advertised as free photos, but apparently photographer didn't show and they did not have a back up plan. The worst part, they didn't even acknowledge … MORE

First and foremost, it was advertised as free photos, but apparently photographer didn’t show and they did not have a back up plan. The worst part, they didn’t even acknowledge it. Waiting, waiting, and waiting for photos. Finally emailed them. Two weeks later they tell me there was no photographer. Hell, they could have at least had a few volunteers snap finisher photos on their phone.

The medal looks better in real life than in their Facebook pictures. I really like it. The sweatshirt they give is pretty cool; not a fan of green, but it is cool & unique. The post refreshments were a big let down; orange/banana & half bagel.

Now, in their defense, there was record rain leading up to this event. They had to change the course slightly. The day of the event was very windy. I think they were short volunteers.

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This is a great event, if you're a fan of all things Disney. It is not just a race at Disneyland. It is a Disney event from start to finish. … MORE

This is a great event, if you’re a fan of all things Disney. It is not just a race at Disneyland. It is a Disney event from start to finish. They do a fantastic job at keeping the excitement the entire time. Their expo is great. The SWAG is awesome. I loved the medal (the 2015 version was a spinner).

The course…wow…the course. Through Disneyland, out through part of Anaheim, through Angels ballpark, back to Disneyland. It was awesome x infinity. They even had youth groups (I believe boys & girls scouts) in the Angels ballpark to cheer you on as you ran around the field. The course itself was worth every penny.

One thing that must be mentioned, if you do not like crowds of walkers, then avoid this event. I personally don’t mind it at all. Part of the fact that it is a Disney production, the event does get a lot of first-timers and individuals that walk more than run.

On top of that, there are awesome picture opportunities throughout the course, including pics with Disney characters. This also causes some bunching in certain areas.

My advice – if you’re serious about running for a time target, do not do a Disney race. You’ll only frustrate yourself. Go into ready to enjoy the run and understand your final time may be under your average.

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This review may seem contradictory. I really liked the event. First of all, the location, Chicago, is awesome. There is so much to do here. Now to this specific event: … MORE

This review may seem contradictory. I really liked the event. First of all, the location, Chicago, is awesome. There is so much to do here.

Now to this specific event: I liked the location of the expo and the course. Despite Chicago being a big city, they did a good job at keeping everything fairly close. A simple cab/uber ride and you’re there.

The event itself was great. The heat & humidity; however, was terrible. It ate me alive. I struggled from Mile 3 on. I was seriously ready to give up at Mile 8. I fought through it and finished, but I felt so beaten down at the end. I have to give props to RnR though. They did a fantastic job with course support with water, ice, cold sponges, cold towels, misters, etc. I cannot fault them for the weather, except maybe not have an event in Chicago in July.

The year I participated, I did not like the shirt or the medal. Both were pretty plain, but since these change every year, don’t let that influence your decision. I’ve seen other years and both the shirt & medal were very cool.

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This is another RnR location that has since changed its course. When I did it in 2014, the course went over Interstate 25, around Mile High Stadium, and then back … MORE

This is another RnR location that has since changed its course. When I did it in 2014, the course went over Interstate 25, around Mile High Stadium, and then back around by Coors Field. Now they cut out the part over the toward Mile High & instead stretched it out to the Denver Zoo area. I think the new course looks more fun (and flatter).

Overall, it was not great and it was not terrible. It’s in middle of October, so for Denver, you risk having snow on the ground. In 2014, it was chilly in the morning, but an abnormally warm mid October.

The elevation does get you a bit, if you’re not ready for it, but don’t let that psych you out. It’s not like you won’t be able to breathe. You’ll just notice your pace is off by 15-20 seconds per mile.

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Full disclosure - I live in Idaho & do training runs on most of this course. Now that I've been upfront about that, honestly, this is a really fun & … MORE

Full disclosure – I live in Idaho & do training runs on most of this course.

Now that I’ve been upfront about that, honestly, this is a really fun & cool event. It morphed from a women’s only race to open to coed and add many additional aspects.

Expo: The expo is great & they have many non-running themed booths. Great give-aways and lots of energy. Lots of cool swag. They even have a booth that will add your favorite slogan to your race shirt, which I’ve never seen anyone do this before.

Course: It hits the most beautiful parts of Boise. Starts at the Capital Building early in the morning, as the sun begins to rise in the distance. The way they spread out the starting line ensures you’re not miles away from the announcing fun & excitement. You go near the foothills in a quiet part of town, then turn back toward downtown, running along part of the Greenbelt. The 1 “hill” or slight incline leads up toward the Boise Train Depot. The sight of the Train Depot keeps your mind off the incline & there are lots of cheering fans to help you get to the top. Once on top, beautiful views of Boise all around. The finish line in Ann Morrison park is perfect.

The medal gets better and better each year. Online pictures do not do it justice.

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The course has completely changed since 2014, so I'll avoid referring to specifics of the course. Understand that there is no flat places in Seattle, so prepare yourself for at … MORE

The course has completely changed since 2014, so I’ll avoid referring to specifics of the course. Understand that there is no flat places in Seattle, so prepare yourself for at least a hill or two. I sure hope they don’t get rid of the row of U.S. flags along the course that ran about a mile that was dedicated to fallen soldiers. That was so neat & inspirational.

I wasn’t a fan of the medal for this half, because it was a coffee cup and I don’t like coffee. I do acknowledge that is somewhat representative of the Seattle area, so I’m not completely disappointed, but the medals in the 2 years following were way more awesome.

I would recommend this half marathon to everyone (and have).

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
4

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I believe RnR ceased this event. It was a half-marathon-only event, so smaller than normal RnR's. The course was pretty cool; crossed 3, maybe 4, of their bridges. There was … MORE

I believe RnR ceased this event. It was a half-marathon-only event, so smaller than normal RnR’s. The course was pretty cool; crossed 3, maybe 4, of their bridges. There was a tough 1 mile stretch of constant uphill, but wasn’t bad. Of course, what goes up, must come down, and the down hill part was all in a big swoop about 1/2 mile from finish so it was a nice reenergizing burst for the end.

The day we ran it, it rained (surprise! rain in Portland) super hard for about 24 hours leading up to the race. It was still raining the morning of, but definitely not as hard as the night before. Then, amazingly, right before the start, seemed like maybe during the National Anthem, the rain just stopped. It didn’t rain again until both my wife & I were finished.

The only downside, and maybe I shouldn’t even bring this up, but Portland is known for embracing the homeless. Well, the start did this little out & back under an overpass where many homeless sleep & do other things. The smell was unbearable. As you approached it, you could see all the runners in front covering their faces, then it hits you.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4
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I gave it 3 stars, but don't read too much into that. I thought this event was okay. Nothing particular bad, nothing particular fantastic. Part of the race is in … MORE

I gave it 3 stars, but don’t read too much into that. I thought this event was okay. Nothing particular bad, nothing particular fantastic.

Part of the race is in an industrial area, but once it opens up to the beautiful desert around Mile 8, it’s great scenery. There is one big hill. It was fun though with military cheering and the loud drums.

A great January race. The morning is super cold until race time and the sun starts to come up. You may want to bring some throw-aways for the morning.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
2
SWAG
4
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that should be enough to entice most to want to do this event. It was my 1st half marathon and the one that got me hooked. IMO RnR's put on … MORE

that should be enough to entice most to want to do this event. It was my 1st half marathon and the one that got me hooked. IMO RnR’s put on great events. Yes, they are crowded, but I think that just adds to the fun. This particular one is a blast. If I had enough energy, I would do this multiple times. It starts at 4 or 4:30, but keep in mind that is when it gets dark in Vegas at this time of year. So it’s a night time event with all the lights of Las Vegas to take your mind off the 13.1 miles. The only downside to the Vegas RnR is that the headlining band plays at the beginning, instead of at the end. That makes it kinda hard to enjoy it; at least for me, because I am getting into race mode at the beginning.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5
My Media

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