When I first heard about these race series a few years ago, I was intrigued... and then I got the bug to actually run one! This was my first experience with a race series like this. I've done weekend series that consisted of a half marathon and then maybe a 5k... but never multiple days of half marathons... and a lot of driving in between!

Day 1 for the Mainly Marathons New England Series 2018 was in Sanford Maine at the local YMCA. Since I didn't know what to expect as far as aid station offerings or how the races really worked, I went in blind!

The night before the 1st race is the only evening there is any sort of organized packet pick up. Since we had been on the road for 3 days already, we were ready to get out of the car and just relax for a bit, so we just made a quick stop that night.

MM HQ was set up in the side parking lot of the YMCA with a few tents set up - one for registration/packet pick up and then 1 for food. It only took a few minutest o get checked in and get everything I needed for the start of the series in the morning. Each runner receives 1 shirt for the series (so you don't have to worry about going home with a shirt from EACH race!) and 1 bib that is used for the entire series (so make sure you don't lose it in your car between races!) We opted no to stay for dinner since we wanted to head to the coast and find some seafood for dinner (This was the 1st time either of us had been in Maine!) but the do have a pasta dinner the night before the 1st race starts for all runners to enjoy and hang out with each other.

1st race day arrived and we got to the YMCA early. All races started at 6am, unless you wanted to take the early start option and start at 5am. After 2 days of driving to get there, and a 25 minute drive from the hotel, 6am was early enough for me!

Each race starts out with a short meeting/debriefing to give everyone details about the course for that day. this course was 6 loops out and back on a paved trail, as well as along a quiet residential road. This was the day I learned that I will never look at a rubber band in the same way again! After each loop completed, you stop by the race table and pick up a single rubber band and put it on your wrist. This is how you keep track of how many loops you have completed! NO need to worry about trying to keep track! After you finish loop 5, you can turn in 4 plain rubber bands for a Yellow one. 1 yellow band = 5 regular ones!

I had enough race fuel in my car to get me through all 8 days (and then some!) but I quickly realized that I was not going to need most of it! The main aid station was beyond epic! There was something for everyone! The only reason why you would need to bring your own food/fuel to one of these races is if you had certain allergies or sensitivities that you needed to work with.

I actually LOVED the fact that these races are loops! I met so any people on this 1st day of the series that I never felt like I was alone out there! I spent part of the day with people who were running their 1st half or full marathon, to individuals who had run several hundred (or thousand) ! It really made me look forward to the rest of this series!

Next stop: New Hampshire!