Latest reviews by Brad

(2014)
"10K Was Short"
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I signed up for this race because there was a Groupon deal for it. I typically don't sign up for gimmicky races like these, but the price was right, so I signed up with a few friends.

The price was the same (at least on the Groupon deal) for the 5K and the 10K, and you could switch your distance at any time. That was a nice touch. There was clearly more people signed up for the 5K, and I knew that there wasn't going to be many (if any) elite runners in the 10K.

The expo was hosted at Union Depot, and was pretty much flawless. Union Depot is a really cool, large and open area, and perfect for a race expo. This was a small expo, with just a handful of vendors, but getting in and out was easy - which is what I needed because I was in a hurry.

The swag was actually kind of nice. The "hooded sweatshirt" that we got was more like a long sleeve t-shirt with a hood, but it was fitted very nicely and it somewhat unique. It's hard to describe, and judging by other racers opinions you either loved it or you hated it. I personally liked it. The draw-string bag that we got was also pretty nice. The race bib was pretty cool and chocolate themed (not a standard Road ID bib) and even the timing chip was customized. The only gripe I have about packet pickup is that it cost $5 to park and I was there for all of 15 minutes. Perhaps they could have given out discounted or free parking for race participants.

Race morning turned out to be a little more stressful. I didn't realize how many people had signed up for the race, but it turned out to be almost 900 for the 10K alone, which was 1 hour after the 5K. This is a point-to-point race, with no parking at the finish (and no official parking areas period), so a few thousand cars had to find their own parking in downtown St. Paul. Because the 10K started later than the 5K, I decided to sleep in - which turned out to be a mistake. I got to downtown St. Paul around the time that all the 5K runners were walking to the start corral, which means streets were closed, ramps were full, and traffic was abundant. I finally found a parking ramp for $6 about 7 blocks from the start, and got to the starting corral about 45 minutes before race start (I planned on getting there over an hour before race start to see my friends in the 5K). Crisis averted.

It was cold race morning, so the fact that the race started next to Union Depot was perfect. It provided an excellent warming house for me and hundreds of other runners. About 10 minutes before race start I made my way to the front of the starting corral (I knew there wasn't many super fast runners there). One cool concept that this race offers was pre-race Zumba, which was being directed by a Zumba instructor on a megaphone from the roof of the parking ramp across the street. Everyone was dancing and shaking it out in the street, that was kind of cool.

I settled in behind the fastest pace group, and we were off. I'm not a fast runner by any stretch of the imagination, but I found myself in the lead pack right off the back. This typically isn't the case, even in smaller races, but it's unheard of for a race of this size (almost 900 participants).

The course is challenging, with rolling hills throughout the course, and one intense, steep and long uphill climb to the Wabasha Bridge. After that, it's all downhill, then flat, to the finish.

I'm not sure if my GPS was going wonky, but when I came up on the finish line, I was expecting there to be about another 0.3 miles left. My watch hadn't even hit 6 miles. I was a little confused - how could the distance be so off? I shattered my pre-race time goal by nearly 2 minutes, which was another signal to me that the course was short. It's possible my GPS went wonky going up the tunnel (the steep uphill climb) to the Wabasha Bridge, but I doubt it would be off by that much.

After the race, there was bananas and cookies along with dipping chocolate inside a warm pavilion along with water and chocolate milk.

I heard there was supposed to be chocolate handed out on the course, but apparently they ran out during the 5K because participants were taking handfuls and not abiding by Halloween etiquette and taking one piece. The race officials apologized about this on their Facebook page post-race, but a lot of participants were very upset by this.

The fact that it was short was enough for me to probably skip this race the next time around. I'm a semi-serious runner, and when a race says it's 10K, I expect it to be 6.2 miles, not 5.9.

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(2014)
"Fun costume race for runners of all abilities"
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I ran the Monster Dash Half Marathon this past October, and it was a lot of fun.

It's funny how the Monster Dash and other Team Ortho races get a bad rap from experienced runners. I'm not quite sure what it is, but it's somewhat of an inside joke. Perhaps experienced runners can't be bothered with a race of this size because it caters to so many runners and the level of competition isn't elite. I'm not sure.

Regardless, this is a fun race.

The expo (as are other Team Ortho expos) was well organized and accessible. I actually went to the Women Rock expo in August to pick up my packet and gear for this race - it was really nice to have the early pickup option available! The performance zip-up is surprisingly nice. Yes, it's plastered with big Monster Dash logos on the front and back, and Team Ortho on the arm, but it's a nice fit, and it suitable for fall runs in Minnesota. I've even worn it for some light winter runs in temperatures below 20 degrees (a few days this week 11/12 and 11/13), and it kept me plenty warm. It's not windproof, so it likely won't work as the temperatures get colder, but for now I'm enjoying wearing it. The finisher medal is the same style as other Team Ortho races, like the Get Lucky.

Parking for the event is very well done. I pre-purchased parking at St. Paul College and had a really easy time getting there on race morning. From St. Paul College, it's just a short walk to the start line. Bonus tip - make a bathroom stop in the warmth of St. Paul College as opposed to waiting in line for 15 minutes closer to the start, only to use a port-a-potty that 200 other runners have already used this morning.

The course is awesome. You start on Summit Avenue, just past the Cathedral, in front of the James J. Hill House. You continue on down Summit Avenue in the opposite direction of the TC Marathon (which is a few weeks prior). Once you hit the river, you follow that all the way back to Upper Landing Park, which is about a mile down the hill from the Cathedral. The course does have a net elevation drop of somewhere between 250-400 feet, but honestly it didn't feel like it. Summit Avenue has some rolling hills and there are a few significant uphills along the river. The worst hill comes between mile 10 and 11, and it a long, mentally draining battle. It's easy to forget about the net elevation drop when one of the last things you experience is a huge uphill.

The race it a blast. There are TONS of runners dressed in costume, and I would strongly suggest anyone running this race in the future to wear some sort of costume. The large number of spectators love it, and you'll get tons of shout-outs and encouraging words from onlookers. Popular costumes included Superman, Ironman, and Waldo.

Read my full race recap here: http://runningmn.com/race-recap-monster-dash-half-marathon/

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(2014)
"Fall Trail Race Favorite!"
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The Run the for the Apples 5 Mile is a beautiful trail race at the height of autumn colors. The race winds through the Pine Tree Apple Orchard, which provides a perfect venue for this spectacular race.

This race is put on by FrontRunner. They host a bunch of races around the Twin Cities each year. This is my personal favorite. The "expo" equates to showing up to a rundown garage near an unmarked building, grabbing your t-shirt and bib and leaving. Seriously. This is what all pre-race packet pickup is like for FrontRunner. Nothing against it - at least they provide early pickup. For this race, however - it might be easier to show up early and do race-day pickup.

Parking can be an issue. There is limited parking in the orchard, and if you don't get there early you could be walking up to a mile to the starting area. Get there as early as possible to get the best and closest parking.

The course is amazing. It's a challenging route that winds through the orchards trails, up and down hills, with a short potion on a paved road. The most challenging hill comes right after the 1 mile mark, and seems to go on forever. The race finishes running down this very same hill - so remember that when you're struggling to get to the top.

After the race, enjoy some cider and fresh cookies, then check out the rest that the orchard has to offer (I recommend the apple turnovers!).

The "expo" and parking concerns for this race aren't enough to diminish the entire experience, the trail is that good. I love this race, and will definitely be back next year!

Check out the full race recap here: http://runningmn.com/run-apples-5-mile/

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(2014)
"Shortcut to the Capitol"
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The TC 10 is such a popular race, you have to enter a lottery just to get a spot. When combined with the TC Marathon, it's the single largest gathering of runners and spectators in Minnesota. Twin Cities in Motion does an awesome job planning and putting these events on.

This year, due to a mudslide along the river road, the 10 Mile course was changed slightly. Runners went on the University of Minnesota side of the river. A lot of runners didn't realize there is a painful hill on that side of the river. It's between the mile 2 and 3 mark of the race, so it's early enough to power through - but I'd bet that a lot of runners hoping for a PR weren't able to make up for time lost battling this hill.

A big gaff came up early on when the pace vehicle for the elites took an incorrect turn. The first mile was about .14 miles short (nearly everyone's GPS device confirmed this), but it wasn't confirmed until after the race when TCM came out and apologized. I have to give them credit for owning up to the mistake and apologizing, but it still is a little disappointing that a race of this size could have a problem like that.

The course is beautiful. Following the river, then turning down Summit Avenue for a straightaway, cruising past the Cathedral, down John Ireland and finishing on the steps of the Capitol. The course is challenging, but it's fun. It's a lot of awesome scenery packed into just 10 miles. The TC Marathon has even more sites to see, such as the chain of lakes, and Minnehaha Parkway.

The race swag isn't anything to write home about. This year was a short sleeve neon yellow Brooks technical t-shirt. The medal is always cool.

Parking for the TC Marathon and TC 10 can be a bit of a struggle. I paid $15 to park in the Sears parking lot near the finish line, and took a shuttle to the start. The TC 10 starts at 7 AM, which means I was at Sears near the Capitol at about 5:45. It was a very early morning, but it was necessary to get a parking spot. You're not only competing for parking with other TC 10 runners, but all the TC Marathon runners, as well as the spectators for both races. It's a lot of people to compete with.

Overall, the TC is an awesome race, and one I'd strongly recommend for any runner. It's the perfect distance - one that elites and novice runners alike can make a challenge of. It the TC Marathon isn't your style, the TC 10 should absolutely be on your to-do list.

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(2014)
"Family Friendly TC 5K"
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See my review for the TC 10 to get info on the race management, swag, parking, expo, and more.

I decided to run the TC 5K the day before the TC 10 Mile as a fun warm-up. I didn't decide to try for a 5K PR until the morning of the race. I'd never run the TC 5K, or any other TC Marathon weekend race for that matter, so I wasn't quite sure what was in store for me.

The 5K starts on John Ireland near the Capitol, and heads up past the Cathedral and down Summit, turns around and comes back.

The hill leading up past the Capitol doesn't look like much, but for a race as short as a 5K, it's difficult to make up for time lost going up a hill of that size. It's a challenging hill. After you've conquered the hill, it's a series of small rolling hills up until the turnaround point. A short dash back to the Cathedral sets you up for a downhill sprint to the Capitol.

If you are looking for a fun 5K race to run with friends or family, this is absolutely that race. If you're looking to compete with hundreds of elite and competitive 5K runners, this isn't what you're looking for. Sure, there are a handful of elites (there are at nearly every race), but the vast majority of the race participants are average runners just having a good time, along with a good amount of walkers.

TCM puts on great events, and the TC 5K is no different.

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