Tyler Finn's Staging Area

Ran this race as state #33

Pre-Race: expo was decent for a race this size. A few vendors and easy pickup of your gear. Hoka was there offering a chance to try their newly released racing shoes on a treadmill.

Race Day: Buses were efficient and plentiful. A long ride but that’s ok. – our driver was sooo nice. The best part was that they allowed people to stay on the buses until 30 minutes before race start. Huge points there. The starting area had heat lamps but otherwise was chaos. Port a potties were lined up almost to the starting corral area. Bag drop was one truck and they just took the bags and chucked them in – not a good strategy but more on that later. Bag check ended 15 minutes before race start and people must not have known. As the truck was pulling away, people ran up and opened the bag and were chucking bags in!

Race started late without much fanfare. The course itself was nice for the early portion but fairly non-descript after mile 10ish. Volunteers were kind and enthusiastic but the aid stations were a bit of a mess. Water cups were too small for a race where temps will climb and people are likely coming in from cold areas. People ended up taking two or three cups which isn’t great for a number of reasons. Crowds were ok.

Post-race: Finishing area was a bit chaotic, but fun. Decent snacks and a lot of vendors. I grabbed a burrito from a food truck and it was worth every penny I paid. The gear check was…a disaster. The bags weren’t organized and people were waiting forever to get their gear. The volunteers finally gave up and just allowed people to go in and look for themselves.

Overall, it was fine. I didn’t think the course was blazing fast but I wasn’t trained like I should. Logistics need some work, which surprised me for a race with a good reputation.

Ran this as state #31. I’ve been looking forward to this one and it lived up to my expectations.

Pre-race: Flew into Denver and drove the 3 hours to Gering. Stayed at a local hotel. Expo was small, but nice. Volunteers were super friendly! Was having a calf issue and was able to get taped at the expo – a lifesaver! They were also giving out ice cream samples – YUM.

Race-Day: Easy logistics to get a bus to the start. Was able to stay inside while we waited for the race to start. Beautiful views. The course itself is great, but tough. Nice downhill start and then it levels out as you run into Gering. Rice climbs at the midpoint for what felt like a couple of miles. After a downhill section, the race transitions onto a dirt road that goes around the back of the monument. This section was tough as the road is uneven and rocky and you are completely exposed to the sun. The last couple of miles transition back to the road as you make your way to the finish. The last mile has some climbing and I was thrilled to be done.

Post-Race/Swag: Pizza and chocolate milk for the win! Nice cotton t-shirt and the medal was really nicely designed. Age group awards were a print from a local artist – very unique!

This bright sunshine, elevation, and climbs made this a tough race but the views and the friendly volunteers made it more than worth it. To top it off, all proceeds from the race support scholarships go the local community college. I’d recommend this race for Nebraska!

State #29 – Really enjoyed this race. I had high hopes and the race delivered.

Expo – pretty simple expo which is held in a hotel. Easy pickup of shirt and bib and there were vendors selling merch. The race merch looked nice with interesting designs.

Race – Logistics were good. Shuttle buses offered from a few locations, one was close to my hotel. I would just warn to get there early as the ride to the start took a while because of traffic. Gear check was easy and there were plenty of pre-race port a potties.

Course – Beautiful course showcasing a lot of different parts of the city. I personally enjoyed the back half. I love the number of green spaces in the city! The course is billed as a fast course, and while I think that is generally true, there is one sizable hill in the first half and enough rollers in the second to make it a challenge. I had 550 ft of elevation over the full marathon. The aid stations were plentiful and consistent with Gatorade first then water. Volunteers were really good as well. Crowd support was fairly sparse. The highlight of the race is finishing on the track in Heyward field. A really fun moment.

Swag – Shirt was ok. Medal is amazing. Finishers received a finisher bag and reusable water bottle. Post race pancakes were the best.

All in all, a really nice day. Would recommend.

2025 Myrtle Beach marathon…a nice race, although maybe a bit underwhelming.

Pre-Race: I’d describe it as a packet pick up, although with a nice vibe. It’s held at a local venue outside and the atmosphere was good.

Race: Started at 6:35, which was welcomed given the forecast for temps to reach 70. It was easy getting into the corral and things went off without issue. The half and the full share the course for the first 11 miles, so it was definitely congested. The course itself was decent. Flat course that takes you through some residential areas before getting close to the ocean. I enjoyed the middle part of the course and enjoyed the boardwalk area. After mile 17…not great. Some very exposed portions and then you get on a bike path with many areas where the roots made bumps in the path. Dangerous at that point in the race. There are a few out and backs, with the last one coming around 24,5-25.5, oof! The finish was nice and post-race in the stadium was again, a nice vibe. Aid stations were ok, although they were short and understaffed. Many times I got stuck waiting for a water. They were also inconsistent in setup with some having water first and others Gatorade. Weird.

Swag. Finished medal was nice. Race shirt was pretty bad. You do get an extra finisher cotton shirt, and that was nice. Post race food was very underwhelming .

Overall: As a 50 stater, I am satisfied. Weather is a wildcard here. It was very warm and gusting wind at the finish while temps tomorrow will be 20 degrees cooler. Not in their control, but something to consider. I’m glad I did it, but wouldn’t race back.

Came from PA to run this as a 50 state hopeful – this is state #25, and a great way to hit the halfway point. The race starts in Wyoming and ends in South Dakota so 50 staters can choose the state they want to ‘count’ this as. I am using it for Wyoming.

This is a small race with a limit of 100 runners. I was late to register, but the race director does a nice job of managing the entries and I got a spot off the waitlist.

Packet pickup is just that – I got mine at the running store in Rapid City and I was able to pick up a few provisions as well. Swag is a nice cotton shirt, a race branded cloth drop bag. The medal was nice size and quality. Just enough for my taste.

The race itself is a scenic trip through the beauty of spearfish canyon. Starts at the top of a ridge (saw a beautiful sunrise) and runs almost half on a gravel road before running the last half on paved road. It’s a nice downhill, and my quads reminded me of that for a solid week after. The gravel road is rocky for the first couple of miles and I obsessed about what shoes to wear – I ultimately went with a road racing shoe and that was fine. I LOVED the course and the natural beauty. It’s isolated, so expect that. Aid station volunteers had great energy and were a welcome sight.

The finish is in a local park and post race food was grilled cheese and watermelon – another win (all races should have watermelon).

I had a great time. Was able to see Mount Rushmore the Friday before the race and enjoyed Rapid City the day before –
Presidential statues were fun! I’d highly recommend the race.

Very well run race – excellent logistics, especially if you stay at the host hotel. Volunteers are amazing and they do a great job on course making sure runners are protected from traffic. Pockets of supporters as you would expect. The organizers were amazing in adjusting the start up to 6 am to protect us from the heat.

The course was tough (I won’t forget you Hillcrest). Maybe it was the humidity and the hills combined – either way, I thought it was tough. Definitely not a PR course.

The medal is as advertised and the post race food was really good.

In all, a nice day experiencing Little Rock. I would definitely recommend,

Nice, small race that runs along a converted rail trail. Beautiful fall foliage. The course profile shows it as downhill, but it honestly felt flat. No expo – packet pickup was before the race. It was chilly at the start, and it was nice to wait in a building at the start. Overall, I’m glad to have picked this as my WV race.

Race starts and finishes in downtown Hartford. Course is reasonably flat with fall foliage in full display. I enjoyed the first half more than the second, as the second was an out and back on the same road.

Medal was large with a cool design and the post-race festivities in the park, were really nice. I’m happy to have run this as my Connecticut race.

I have such great memories of this race!

Pre-Race: Expo was decent. Had a chance to meet Deena Kastor at the shakeout run the day before the race. Lots of good dining within walking distance of the downtown hotels.

Race-Day: Probably the best logistics for a marathon ever. I stayed at a hotel downtown and was able to walk to the start. Course was fair, taking in the downtown area and then taking a big loop before finishing back where you started. Volunteers were great. Weather was good and I managed a substantial PR. Was able to get back to the hotel and shower before time to checkout. Medal was nice.

Overall, a really great experience and I’d recommend this race to anyone.