What a great concept, get out and run to start your Thanksgiving!!

This is the first time I have run the Thanksgiving Day 5k in Minneapolis, but not the first time I have run a Lifetime event (I've also run the Torchlight 5k), so I knew I could expect a well prepared event, and this didn't disappoint!

Parking: I arrived downtown Minneapolis about an hour prior to the start of the race. I entered downtown from the western suburb and was able to drive right into parking ramp A. I was even able to park right outside of the skyway entrance (this is the skyway entrance that leads right into the expo). There was free outdoor parking at the meters due to the holiday, but I wanted the ease of getting right into the skyway that ramp A gave me.

Expo: I had the option to get my bib and long sleeve technical shirt at one of the local running stores up to a week prior to race day. I have done this in the past for the Torchlight 5k and knew it was an easy in and out of the store, but didn't end up doing that for this race. Therefore I had to pick up my bib and shirt prior to the race starting on Thanksgiving morning. I would say the only downfall to this pre-race pickup is that then you have your long sleeve shirt in had prior to the race beginning. Luckily I planned for this and made sure I had enough time to walk back to my car and drop it off prior to making my way to the starting line. The closer it got to the race start time, the more people there were in the Target Center hallway (the location of the bib and shirt pickup). I found it very easy to get in and get my gear, and then loved that I could stay warm in the building until needing to make my way to the starting line.

Course Scenery: This race takes you through downtown Minneapolis. You start by heading from the Target Center towards the Vikings Stadium. I really liked that you were able to see these locations while out on the run. The second half of the race loops you back around where you finish at the same spot as you started. I really like an out and back because you don't have to worry about getting back to your car afterwards!

Aid Station: There was one aid station around mile 2. With the cooler temps I didn't need any water at this station. I feel even having one aid station on a 5k race is great!

Post Race: There was an after race tailgate area set up in the outdoor parking lot right next to the finish line. I loved that this was all blocked off and you didn't have to walk far to get to it. They had plenty of water and gatorade, along with snacks and a few vendors handing out free samples (the kind you would usually get at an expo). I hung out for a little while and made sure to get my free cider (they also had cocoa and coffee) and my free Turkey Day Cider Mule. The cider mule was nice to try, and I liked the though of it, but really 8:30 AM on Thanksgiving morning was a bit early for me to want to have it all.

Overall this is a great race, that is well organized and a great way to burn some calories prior to the overeating that happens on Thanksgiving!

Overall this is a great race. The race itself takes place on a Wednesday night (yes that is correct, its a night time race) starting at 7:30 PM. The Management puts on a great race and really worked to get the participants excited to start the race by having a DJ at the starting line and flames shoot off when the race began. I would also say the crowd support was amazing. I know this race runs right before the Aquatennial Parade, but it sure felt like all the spectators waiting for the parade were just as excited to cheer on the runners as they were for the parade later that night. The post race party had such a cool atmosphere to it. The sun was starting to go down after the race ended, the live music got everyone in a good mode, the free samples from vendors helped fill everyone's goody bags, and the free beer helped 'rehydrate' us post race :)

This race did not have an expo, but had many locations in the week leading up to the race where you could pick up your bib and t-shirt. In my opinion this worked out better than having an expo because I could get my bib when it fit best into my schedule, at a location that was convenient to my house. A perk of having an expo is seeing additional vendors as you walk around to get your bib, but the Torchlight 5k still had vendors, they were just at the post-race party!!

I parked near the finish line and walked from there to the starting line since this was a point to point race. I had no issues finding a parking spot that was only a block away from the post-race celebration. I didn't mind the walk to the starting line as it let me take in a bit of the downtown area and get mentally prepared for the race.

The race itself takes you through downtown which makes for great scenery. There were two aid stations on the course which seemed like the correct amount for a 5k race. There was no finisher medal when you crossed the finish line which is a bit out of the norm for almost all races I have run, but being that its a 5k, I wasn't overly disappointed in that. On the flip side, there were photographers on the course taking pictures which were free thanks to Athlinks!! This perk alone makes me want to run the race again next year (on top of the spectators, volunteers, and post-race party)!

I would highly recommend this race to anyone looking for a fun, energetic night time 5k race. Did I mention that they were voted one of the best 5k races in the U.S by the BibRave 100!!

This race was held on Saturday April 14, 2018. There was supposed to be the option of running either the 5k or 15k, but due to the snow storm that decided to hit Minneapolis the night before the race, it was decided that all participants would run the 5k due to safety concerns. I had been signed up to run the 15k, but decided I would still participate in the race even though the distance had been changed (can't pass up chocolate at the finish)!

Expo:
The expo is held the Thursday and Friday prior to the race weekend (with the race being on Saturday morning). If you are an out of town traveler coming in for the race weekend, you should make sure to check the anticipated hours of the expo. They appeared to be more in line with business hours which would make it hard for someone traveling on the Friday before hand to get there before they close. If this is the case for you, you can opt in to having your bib and swag mailed to you prior to the race weekend (what a great option to have)!

I attended the expo and got my bib and my 1/4 zip long sleeve participant shirt (not a finisher shirt because I was given it prior to even participating in the race). Usually I like to get the shirt at the finish line so I know I earned it, but in this case I was happy to have it ahead of time as I needed to exchange it for a larger size and they had an exchange booth at the expo. The shirt quality and fit is great! I can definitely see myself getting wear out of it! I also sampled the hot chocolate and fondue while I was there!!

Pre Race:
Usually I try to get a warm up run in and get down to the starting line early enough to take it all in prior to the race starting. Due to the snow, wind, and all around tough conditions that morning, I opted for sitting in my warm car as long as possible and then jogging down to the starting line just in time for the national anthem to be sung and the race to begin.

Race:
Being that this was no longer a 15k and now was a 5k for me (and taking into account the snow covered roads, wind, and my watch being covered up by multiple layers and glove) I decided to run this race purely off of feel and didn't look at my watch one. The course itself is nice for a 5k although for the second half of the race I found my visibility limited due to snow build up on my sunglasses. There was one aid station on the 5k course which served Nuun for hydration (I am a huge fan of Nuun, so even though I didn't need hydration at this aid station, I made sure to grab a cup of nuun. They also were giving out marshmallows at this aid station, so I decided why not and took one of those as well!

Post Race:
I crossed the finish line and get my awesome medal in the shape of a chocolate bar, along with some samples of Nuun to bring home. From there I made the long walk to get to the fondue (I say long walk because it was cold out and there is a decent space between where the finish line is and where the post race food is located). Once there I was meeting by very energetic volunteers who handed me my fondue bowl and hot chocolate (by the way, hot chocolate after a cold race is amazing)!! Due to the cold conditions I did not opt to hang out long and headed back to my car to warm up and drive home.

Overall I am really happy I showed up and ran the 5k and tested my willpower to get out and run in not so ideal conditions. The volunteers are course and post race were so great for showing up and cheering everyone on!!

Grandmas Marathon (41st Annual) was on Saturday June 17th in Duluth, MN. The race start time was 7:45 AM starting in Two Harbors, MN and ending in Canal Park in Duluth, MN. This is a road race that takes you down the scenic highway along the shores of Lake Superior. There is a tiered registration system in place for this race (the closer to the race day you register, the more you will pay for this race). This year if you signed up before the new year you also got a long sleeve quarter zip training shirt as well with the cost of entry into the race.

Expo:
The Expo is held at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) with plenty of vendors present to spend a good hour walking around and checking out all the running related products. At the expo is where you pick up your bib as well. This race has the bib process perfected. There was no wait to get my bib and the lines to make sure the time chip worked appropriately moved very smoothly. This year I also went and listened to Kara Goucher speak (she was running the half marathon this year) which was very inspiring to hear her running story.

Pre-Race:
My hotel was right next to the finish line so I was able to walk from there to the DECC to catch one of the buses that brought me from Duluth to Two Harbors where the starting line was located. Prior to leaving my hotel I had my usual english muffin with peanut butter, a banana, and a cup of coffee. Once on the bus it was smooth sailing to the starting area (although the bus sure was hot)! At the starting area I had no problem finding a port-a-potty right away with no line. I then did some stretching and a warm up run to loosen my legs up prior to the race. Bag drop was very easy to get to and very easy to find my bib number range for dropping my bag off. I planned on starting around the 8:45 pace group so had to make my way towards the middle of the coral pack. This process was very easy as they had fenced off lanes along the outside of the coral with pathways into the coral at different entry points so you could get to the starting area you needed. I listened to the national anthem being sung, and then waiting for the race to begin!

Race:
I must say, this race is just so well organized. There are so many volunteers working at each and every one of the aid stations, and an abundance of fans cheering you on (more so as you get closer to the downtown Duluth area, but you would find fans staggered all over the course). There are families who set up sprinklers at the end of their driveways to spray the runners, and cheer stations of all ages set up along the course. The views of Lake Superior cant be beat as well! The first half of the race had aid stations (with water and Powerade) every other mile with the second half of the race having aid stations I think every mile. There were a lot of aid stations that had cold sponges to grab as well. From what I could see, there were plenty of port-a-potties along the course.

My race was good from the perspective of completing another 26.2 miles, but not exactly as planned in regards to goal time. The first half of the race went good (hitting the half way mark at 1:51:43). Up to this point the weather was still decent (mid to high 60's) with cloud coverage. After the half way point I feel like the clouds parted, the small breeze that I felt in the first half completely disappeared, and so did most hopes of findings shade along the course. From about mile 17 on I felt like I was getting dehydrated. I needed to start taking 2 glasses of water and 1 glass of Powerade at every aid station, along with a cold sponge whenever it was offered. Even with getting this, I still felt like I was always needing more. Slowing down to get more water at the aid stations, along with my legs feeling extremely sore, really slowed down my overall pace. I still managed to finish in a 3:57:25 time, but was a ways off of the time I thought I was capable of getting. In the end I am just grateful to have run another marathon, had wonderful family and friends cheering me on, and getting to spend another wonderful weekend in Duluth, MN where I went to college!

Post Race:
I crossed the finish line, and what did I want...my medal!! And boy does Grandmas deliver in this department. I think starting last year, and continuing this year, they have really done a good job of giving you a high quality, heavy duty (AND I DO MEAN HEAVY) medal that showcases something iconic about Duluth. This year it was the waves of Lake Superior! After getting my medal I did feel like I had to walk a little ways before I was able to find any water (the distance itself probably wasn't that far, but when you are finally done running, I feel you want water to be right there for the taking). Next I grabbed my finisher technical shirt (you have to earn these shirts by finishing the race, not by getting them along with your bib at the expo) and headed into the racers finish area that is only accessible for people who participated in the race. This had the bag drop area in it, along with plenty of food to get those calories back after finishing the race. Beyond this area was a massage tent where I attempted to wait in line for a free massage, but after waiting about 20 minutes and the line barely moving, I gave up. There is also a large tented area for fans and racers alike to take in live music being played and refreshments being served!!

Overall:
It had been 9 years since I had last run the Grandma's Full Marathon, and once again it did not disappoint. As with any race of this distance, there are many challenges to overcome, but at least I know that how the race is being put on is not one of them. With 41 years of experience under their belt, the Grandma's Marathon race, and weekend, experience is something that cant be beat!

The Maple Grove Half Marathon was on Saturday May 13th in Maple Grove, MN. The race start time was 7:30 AM and starts and ends at the Maple Grove Senior High Stadium. In addition to the Half Marathon, there is also a 5k, and a 2 person half marathon relay. The course for this race is a combination of roads and paved trails. Registration for this race was tiered from $40-$50 depending on when you sign up.

Expo:
There is no expo for this race. Bib and shirt pick up are on the Friday prior to the Saturday race at a local bike shop. It was really easy to get in and get my bib and technical t-shirt at this location. While I was there I managed to buy some bike related gear for my kids (so I guess I still got the expo feeling of spending money)!!

Pre-Race:
I ran from my house to the starting line (since I live in the area). This was a great way for me to loosen my legs and not have to worry about parking (although I don’t think parking was an issue for others). There were a few vendors present at the start of the race (and in turn the end of the race since it starts and ends at the same location). Communication over a loud speaker was very good leading up to the race start and directing racers down to the starting line. The race started promptly at 7:30.

Race:
The race starts and ends with a lap around the track. I really enjoyed this part of the race as you had people cheering you on right away at the start, and you also could see the finish and make your final push around the track at the end. The course in general has its fair share of ups and downs (hills), and I would have to say it was more ups then downs. There were water stations, port-a-potties, and Gatorade being served on the course. This year was a really nice day for the race, and I actually could have used a few more water stations then were present. I constantly was hoping the next turn would be the one that had water. There were a few family made water stations on the course as well which I loved to see. I really enjoy seeing the community come out and cheer on the runners! The course takes you through neighborhoods and along tree covered portions of paved trails. My family made it out to cheer me on at two different locations on the course, and you cant beat having that motivation while racing! Also, the volunteers directing traffic and runners throughout the course were cheering the runners on at every turn (I felt like I said 'Thank You' more than I have at any other race).

My race in general didn't go exactly to plan as I didn't reach my goal time of a 1:41 and ended up finishing with a time of 1:49:28. The course measured long based on my watch which said I ran 13.3 miles, but the main issues for me were the hills, heat, and stomach pain. As I approached the second half of the race I knew I didn't have my goal time in me, but still gave it my all and am happy with how I finished.

Post Race:
I was handed a finisher medal as I crossed the finish line. I then made my way to the vendor booths where they gave out water, chips, nut rolls, oranges and granola bars. A local coffee shop was even there giving away free coffee, hot chocolate, and mini muffins which totally hit the spot! There was also a booth set up where you could enter your bib number and get your official finisher time.

Overall:
Being that this race is so close to my house and that my family was able to walk down and watch me at two different locations (my daughter even handed me water at a family run water station one of the neighbors set up) I have to say it was great! I would have preferred a little less of the hills and a few more water stations throughout the course, but in general I feel the ones they had would have been sufficient in other years (the prior year it was very cold for this race). I will most likely do this race again (the only reason I wouldn't would be because it falls on opening walleye fishing weekend here in MN, so might be out of town fishing)!!