I ran the Platte Valley Monument Marathon as a part of my quest for 52 races in 52 weeks for my 52nd birthday. This was a well-run event and the views during the race were awesome.

This half-marathon is run in conjunction with a marathon and a 5K. The half-marathon route takes runners around the Scottsbluff Monument, which is a very scenic area. The race was low-key but fun. The volunteers were encouraging and the weather was perfect.

There is an expo the day before. This race is an hour from my house so I did go to the expo. Volunteers there were cheerful and helpful and made me feel at home. The directions to parking for race morning were not clear, but we got there and parked and had plenty of time to get to the start.

This was a well-run race with awesome views. Next time I run it, I will probably do the marathon. I have a friend who has run the marathon for many years in a row, now, and he keeps coming back. It s that good.