This was my last marathon of 2015, and I registered kind of late. It was a Saturday race, which is sometimes a little harder to get to, and Little Rock was a little expensive to fly into, but it was worth it. There wasn't really an expo, just packet pick up at a running store (which happened to be next to a grocery store...score!! Race morning breakfast purchases made!). I prefer no expo, so again, this was a good thing in my opinion.

I stayed at a hotel just a mile or two away from one of the two designated parking spots. This was pretty convenient - no need to worry about getting to the start and parking. Instead, I parked in a large church parking lot and took the bus to the starting area.

The start was great. It's the only marathon I've run where there was a heated tent for runners to hang out in, which in December, was very nice. They had coffee, water, and snacks pre-race and we only had to walk around the corner to the start. There were plenty of portajohns nearby as well. Definitely one of the best pre race starting areas I've experienced. The sunrise was lovely too!

The start was smooth. The whole course was really nice; I was astounded by the quantity and quality of footpaths by the river. They were asphalt and in great condition, with nice views pretty much the whole time. The last 10k was more in a park with small, rolling hills, but also pleasant. You cross three bridges (hence the name) which meant some incline, and there are a few minor hills during the course as well, but nothing bad in my opinion. The bridges were like milestones, I started looking forward to them because they had nice views and meant we were making progress.

Aid stations and volunteers were great. It's not the type of race you run for thousands of cheering people along the course, but it was very pretty and quite enjoyable and I met some cool runners along the route, one of which I ran with for about 16 miles. I tend to prefer scenic over crowd anyway.

You run back by the finish around mile 20 and cross a bridge that leads into that park area by the river. On the one hand you're thinking "crap that's the finish but I'm not done..." but on the other hand it's a party atmosphere and the announcer calls your name and where you're from on the PA, so that's cool. He also says it again as you re-cross the bridge to finish right at about mile 26.1. It didn't bother me to pass the finish but some people might find it a bit of a bummer.

The post-race atmosphere was fun and there was a good selection of food and drink. The shuttles back to the parking lots were also great, as they ran pretty frequently right by the finish area, and dropped you off at your lot. From there I only had a mile or two to drive to my hotel.

The t-shirt was a nice long sleeve tech shirt. The medal was so-so but not bad. The real prize, pun intended' were the age group awards. I placed in my division and collected a SWEET plaque to hang on my wall. Great swag in my opinion, with minimum hassle and a beautiful, extremely well-organized race.

Bottom line, if you need Arkansas for your 50 states quest, I HIGHLY recommend this race. It's one of my favorites, and not just because we had beautiful, sunny, cool weather. It really felt like a marathon for runners, by runners, and it showed with every detail. I don't anticipate running repeat races if I can help it, but this is one I would consider running again just because I enjoyed it so much.

I was looking for a GA race for my 50 states quest and Soldier Marathon fit the bill. Leading up to race day, the weather was looming: storms and rain combined with warm temps...gross! But, it held out. It was still warm and very muggy, but no rain, no storms, so no delay or cancellation.

I stayed at the hotel right next to the start/finish, which was awesome (Hampton Inn). Literally park for the night, walk to start/finish/expo. Everything takes place at the Infantry Museum, which is cool. I didn't linger but got my bib and swag before returning to the hotel.

Race morning was smooth since I was so close to the start. They have the museum open, which was a very nice touch. There are portajohns outside plus bathrooms inside (tip: there are bathrooms upstairs too!). If you have the time, I highly recommend you walk upstairs to view the display on fallen soldiers. There are family and friends' notes and memorials along with photos of the fallen heroes. Very emotional start to remember the men and women who lost their lives. One of the other unique things about this race is that you can run in honor of a fallen soldier. I picked up a bib with the soldier's name and photo on it and pinned it on my back. You're never alone when you run for someone else.

The course itself is okay. The beginning and end is cool, as you run down the avenue lined with flags. They also start you off with a cannon. The first six or so miles is on Ft Benning, which honestly is not that nice (I'm former military, I know how bases can be). But, there are some spectators and once you leave the base, it's a good route. You run on a path, some of it goes by the river, there are some nice vistas, neat bridges, some cool parts of Columbus, and a few residential and commercial areas. On the bigger hills you have Army DI's motivating you to get to the top, which is also fun and unique. It's a varied enough course to not be boring or too hard on your legs (not too flat, not too hilly). You finish back where you started.

The medal in previous years, I believe, was a dog tag or set of dog tags. If you've ever been in the military, that's not particularly exciting. But 2015's medal was awesome - it still incorporated dog tags but was a solid, round medal with the flag on it and the soldier logo.

Overall I'd recommend Solider Marathon to anyone looking for a good GA race or just a good marathon in general. It was well organized and I enjoyed it, especially since the weather held out for us. That same weekend they were holding R&R Savannah which got shut down due to heat/humidity, so I felt pretty fortunate!

Trying to run all 50 states means I've gotten to see some truly spectacular places and run some great marathons. But there are a few states that, to be quite honest, I'm just not as excited to run (no offense to anyone living in those states!). Oklahoma was one I wasn't that excited about but I'd heard good things about Route 66 so I signed up for the 10th anniversary run. Great decision!

First, Tulsa is a pretty cool city. I stayed downtown at Aloft which put me within easy walking distance of pretty much everything race-related and right next door to the expo location. It was a great choice and they went all out in support of the marathon too, posting the event information and maps, and wearing shirts and pins with the marathon name and logo. It's fun to see that kind of support from a hotel! That also set the stage for the whole weekend, as it's a pretty festive atmosphere all around, even though downtown Tulsa itself kind of closes down on Saturdays and Sundays. Not to worry though, as there are still good restaurants nearby!

Expo: I'm not an expo person and I usually try to get to the expo first thing to get it over with. I was a little surprised at how they ran packet pickup. There was a single file line to get to the long table where multiple volunteers were sitting, so it was more like going to the bank and going to the first available teller when you're at the front of the line. Usually it seems like packets are picked up based on last name or bib number. I've run the big races - Chicago, Disney, Boston, NYC, MCM - and I think those races had faster pickup than Route 66. That said, I did get there early and didn't have to wait that long thankfully. I walked around briefly to check out the vendors and get my Marathon Maniac wristband which gave me access to the MM/50 State area pre-race and post-race. I also got my zip up jacket which is a nice piece of swag.

Race morning was clear and cold (perfect!). I walked the short distance to the start downtown which was so nice - no driving, parking, or shuttle required. As a Maniac I accessed the roped off area which had its own portajohns as well as coffee and water. We also took a Maniac photo which was crazy, because this race draws a TON of Maniacs! It was a festive beginning on a beautiful day.

The race went off on time and we marathoners split off from the half runners fairly quickly (if I remember correctly). The course itself had some rolling hills but I didn't find it to be terribly challenging (but I live in a hilly area!). Most of it was somewhat scenic and it ran through some beautiful, wealthy neighborhoods! There was also a college campus in there somewhere. Crowds were pretty good and the aid stations were frequent. I'd also like to say that I have never seen so many people handing out alcohol on a marathon course!! I didn't partake but it was everywhere - Fireball, Jell-o shots, beer, and who knows what else. If you took one of each you'd be fairly smashed by the halfway point! Very enthusiastic people all around!

Route 66 also has the Center of the Universe Detour, also known as the World's Shortest Ultra. This is a short detour off the course (also marked and optional) that takes you to another beer stop and you receive a large coin upon completing it before rejoining the marathon course. It's right before the end and I think it takes the distance from 26.2 to 26.5. I did it and it was fun, though be prepared for a short, steep hill as you go back to the marathon.

The finish area was festive and the medal was awesome. As a 50 Stater or Marathon Maniac you could swap your standard marathon medal for a custom club medal. The line was very long for half runners who were switching their medals out, but the marathon was smaller and therefore no line! I thought this was a really nice touch and it's among my favorite medals!

There were shuttles running back into downtown from the finish but they were getting stuck in traffic. I chose to walk the mile or so back, which I'm usually glad to do as it helps shake the legs out. It was nice weather and a good stroll. I ended up going back to the restaurant I ate at the day before for my post-race meal: a burger wrapped and baked in pizza dough. Yum!

Overall assessment: great race, and a happy surprise for this doubter. Tulsa was fun and the race was very well organized, festive, and offered fantastic amenities, especially if you're a member of one or both clubs (MM or 50 States). I enjoyed running the course itself and definitely recommend it to other marathoners.

As far as big city races and World Marathon Majors, I've done Boston, NYC, MCM, and Chicago. Chicago has the award for most crowds, hands down. It didn't hurt that the weather was beautiful so people came out in droves to support!

I registered on a whim since I had guaranteed entry and could skip the lottery. I figured I should run it while I could, who knows what the next year would bring and it checked Illinois off my list. I'm glad I did, it was a great trip and my birthday marathon!

Getting to Chicago is easy and I had a direct flight from Virginia. I didn't want to mess with a car so I used my own two legs and Uber to get around. Getting to the expo was the hardest part, but I made it. Giant expos are my least favorite part of big marathons, so I make a point of running in, grabbing my stuff, and running out. It was huge but well organized and pretty efficient given the size of the crowd milling around. I got out of there and went to my hotel (Westin North River). This was a great location to stay, by the way. Walk to great restaurants, walk to start, walk back from finish. Perfect. I made a side trip to the Shedd Aquarium one day and a local friend showed me all around the awesome parks by the lake. Beautiful area!

Chicago is obviously a big city marathon, which means "scenery" is equivalent to neighborhoods, tall buildings, and big crowds, not beautiful foliage and coast lines. You run it for that electric vibe, not peaceful scenery. This is not usually my preferred type of race, but it is fun to run "the big ones."

I was in corral C, first wave on race morning. I walked from my hotel, along with lots of other people. The race area was well organized and efficient. I didn't carry anything other than water and a banana with me so security was easy. LOTS of portajohns and easy to get where you need to be, just make sure to give yourself time.

The course is VERY flat, with some "bumps" rather than hills. I actually found it was one of my slower times, and I think that has to do with the flat course and the fact that I knew I had a hilly marathon the next weekend, so I soaked up the sights and sounds instead of hoofing it. You run through a ton of the city and the crowds are never ending. There was one point where a couple had a sign that said "Puppy Power Here" and one of them was holding an adorable puppy. Needless to say I ran over to get my puppy fix before continuing on. That was the best part of any marathon ever. :)

Lots of aid stations and bathrooms if you needed them, pretty much every mile I think. The only downside to this is I could smell the bathrooms before I saw them. Gross. I appreciated the availability of water and gatorade though. One other cool thing was the blue tangent line painted on the road. I think this was the first time the elites didn't have pacers so they painted the blue line to show the most efficient route. I tried to follow it pretty closely but still came in over 26.2. It was very cool to think that I was running in the footsteps of the elites and idols like Deena Kastor.

The finish was packed and it felt great to cross the line. Here's where my three star SWAG rating comes in: the t-shirt is actually pretty crummy and boring and the medal was lackluster. I don't run solely for the medal (ok maybe I do) and given how much this race cost and what a big deal it is, I was kind of let down by their choices. Still happy to have earned it but could have been much better. After I get my medal and space blanket, I picked up some water and walked the mile or so back to my hotel. Great shakeout for the legs!

Overall: Just like all of the big city marathons, I think they're worth doing once (more, if you like the crowds!). I still prefer small and simple with nice scenery, but Chicago is pretty special. It's masterfully organized and run, and seems to go off pretty flawlessly. I enjoyed spending time in the city itself and getting to see it on foot on a beautiful day. If you get the chance, I definitely recommend running it and seeing for yourself.

MDI is one of those races that I always think of immediately when someone asks "what's your favorite marathon?" It's just a standout for so many reasons, some of which are below:

It's in Maine. I'd never been before this race, but I hope to go back. Maine in October is beautiful. I took so many pictures of the changing leaves, it's a little ridiculous. There's also great food in Bar Harbor, and it's a nice drive from the airport in Bangor.

Lots to do. Bar Harbor closes down the week after the marathon, for the most part, and you get there just after the majority of tourists have left, which is nice. I stayed in a B&B right around the corner from the start, so walking distance to everything (and when I say walking distance, it was like 50 feet from the green in the center of town). Good restaurants and things to walk around and see, little touristy things, nice paths, and great views. I recommend you do a Maine foodie tour if you want to sample the local fare. Lobster rolls, blueberry-everything, crab cakes...yum.

The start was casual, because it's not a HUGE race. I was able to walk out of the B&B a few minutes beforehand which meant my own bathroom up until the gun went off!

The weather: lucked out last year. It was crisp, cold, and sunny with blue skies. This made for comfortable running and great views.

The course: Absolutely nothing like it. It is challenging, with pretty much hill after hill. By the end, my legs were pretty sore! But the views were rewarding. The leaves were changing, you run along gorgeous shoreline, and you pass the famous tree. I ran with my phone and snapped quick photos along the way just because it was so pretty. If you can train on hills, it will help. I ran Chicago the weekend prior (flat as a pancake) and my MDI time was 7 minutes faster, so don't be scared.

Did I mention the views?

The medal: it's a big golden lobster claw. What's not to love about that?! I gave the SWAG four stars only because the marathon shirt was bright pink, not my favorite. But the medal made up for it!

My husband was with me and met me at the finish, and there is a drive back to the start/Bar Harbor. There were probably shuttles but I didn't investigate since I had a ride. Easy drive back though.

Overall: I loved MDI. It's so well organized and executed. Some of the best scenery and great small town support. Everyone was friendly and enthusiastic, and very excited about the marathon. There was great food and drink, a local vibe that was really fun, and of course, beautiful fall weather and foliage. Highly recommend MDI!! Oh, and if they're auctioning/selling race banners, it's a nice keepsake. I got one and it's hanging on my wall.