Honoring our Heroes half marathon-Rolla, MO-November 19, 2017

Another double race weekend, but this time I tried the Half marathon first. I actually liked running a half marathon and then a full.  This race was on the way to the Oklahoma race.  Russell, Amy and I all stayed at a hotel near the race.
The course was very hilly.  It seemed like when one hill ended the next one started.  The last mile had pictures of soldiers with their names, rank, where they served and death date.  It was a very humbling mile.  After the race we were still able to get breakfast at our hotel because they served it until 12 noon. Then we traveled the 4 hours to Oklahoma to get to the running expo for the Route 66 marathon the next day.  Results are here

Bib

On the bus on the way to the race.

We ran around this beautiful hidden lake.

Alpacas photobombing our pictures.

Beautiful finishing medal.

Amy after she finished the race, next to a giant cart.

Des Moines Half Marathon - Des Moines, Iowa - October 16, 2016

This was my first double race weekend. A full on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday. Crazy I know. In my defense, I was scheduled for the half first and was only going to do that one. But then I saw that awesome medal for the full marathon in Baltimore on the same weekend and thought, "I could do both races" So I did.    I took pictures at almost every mile and just had fun.  It actually was extremely enjoyable to not worry about time.

Bib

Before picture with Russell

Around mile 3

Gorgeous scene

Cow

Funny sign

The bacon station that totally disappointed me.  No bacon left.  But I was running slow.

Cool garage door.

Right here.

Met up with Russell just after mile 12

My photographer friend Clark

Clark's wife Barb.  She used to be one of my Pampered Chef consultants.

Russell and I finished together.

Quad Cities Half Marathon-Sunday, September 25, 2016-Moline, IL

I was supposed to do a full marathon today. However the weather was so dang hot that I knew by the 10K point that a full marathon wouldn't happen.  Usually I hit the 10K point of a full marathon around 1 hour 4 minutes to 1 hour 8 minutes.  It was 1 hour 15 minutes when I hit the 10K and I felt sick.  The humidity was horrible and I just felt so bad.  So when the race split and said half marathons go this way and full marathoners go another way I went with the half marathoners.  It was a super huge struggle to even finish the half distance.  I don't think I've ever felt this sick during a race, but I know heat and I don't get along.  I took a few pictures before the race.

This race has a ton of food at the end of the race and plenty of support during it.  I would do it again, but hope for a cooler day.

Amy and I prerace, all taped up and ready to run.

Race bib and finishing medal.

My friend Chris Sedrel at age 69 read to run a half marathon.

Amy, Julie and I before the race.  She was a pacer for the half.

Park to Park half marathon - Waterloo, IA- Saturday, September 10, 2016

There has been a lot of flooding up North so I was afraid this race would be cancelled.   We had just done a half marathon 6 days before this on my birthday so for this race I wasn't going to push the pace.    I decided to run with Amy the entire way and hopefully help her PR.  The weather was okay, but not as cold as I like to do long races in.  I forgot to take before and after pictures.  Crazy.  So I only have a couple pictures.

Part of the course was flooded so we had to run through all that, but at least the race wasn't cancelled, for I would have been really sad.  Full results are here!

Great things about this race:

• Most of the time you get a cute custom race bib, if you are late to packet pickup you may not get that, so show up early.  
• Instant results at the finish
• Nice race shirt if you sign up early and there are extras ordered so if you sign up late you still might get a shirt.
• Beautiful medal
• Plenty of food at the end and a HUGE variety of food.  If there isn't a food you like at the end then you are simply too picky.
• mostly flat course.  There are a couple small hills, but they are so small that you can't really call them hills, just bigger bumps in the road.
• Gorgeous scenery.  
• Plenty of water stations on the course so you really don't have to bring your own water.
• Coupons on the race bib for my favorite popcorn store that I did visit after the race.

Things that could be improved:

• Weather.  Ha Ha, really, that can't be controlled so get over it already and run in whatever you are delt with.  Sign up early and hope for the best.  This year it wasn't bad.
• Plenty of custom bibs for EVERYONE, so no matter when you show up to pick up your packet you still get a cute custom bib for your scrapbook, because to some of us, this matters.
• A bigger expo, but not all races even have expos, so it's nice that there was something.  I love to buy new race socks for all long races, so I would have loved to see Balega socks there to buy.

Bibs and results for Amy and I

Parts of the race course were starting to flood.  Good thing it was only 3-4 inches deep.  Could have been so much worse.

Newbo Half Marathon 2016 - Cedar Rapids, IA- Saturday, September 4 2016

I have always wanted to do a race on my birthday. This year this awesome race landed right on my birthday. The Newbo Half Marathon and it was close to home.  So I registered for it and hoped for a sweet PR.
The PR didn't happen, but the run went fairly well.  I felt pretty good and had energy throughout it.
The problem was it was a little too hot to run and I don't do well in heat.

 The sunrise was gorgeous, even though you can't tell that from the bad picture.  The course was mostly flat and the medals were handmade, so those were bonuses.  The bad thing was most of the food was gone by the time my friend finished so she didn't get everything others did.  I did like how Newbo Market was open after the event so we could change clothes and get some food from local vendors.  Full results are here.

Sunrise

Before the race began.  Me, James and Amy.

My friend James Anderson went to find Amy and run in with her.  I stayed behind so I could get pictures of her finishing.

My final time.

Finished and showing off the handmade medals.

The bibs and finishing results

Showing off the great race shirts!

Afterwards enjoying our favorite beverages.  Me with a smoothie and Amy with her beer.