I live about 3 hours from Lincoln but had never been to the city (or to Nebraska). I've always heard good things about the Lincoln Marathon, so I decided that in 2017, it would be my Spring "A" race. I had heard plenty about this race from co-workers and other members of my running group, so I had a decent idea of what to expect out in Lincoln. As with any Spring race in the Midwest, the weather can be really hit or miss. This year, it was a miss, but more on that later.

I had heard that the expo wasn't very well organized, but I didn't think that was true at all. It was in a hotel in downtown in Lincoln. You picked up your bib and shirt downstairs, and the main expo was upstairs. If you've run Twin Cities, it's basically an identical set-up. The expo had a lot of good vendors, especially if you needed some new running gear for cheap. I also really liked the race shirt! It wasn't a surprise to me that it was red. But a very simple logo and minimal advertising makes it look really sharp!

Come race morning it was a little warm and windy (as advertised). "Officially" the starting temp was 53, but at mile three I spotted a bank showing 60 degrees, so it was probably 60 in the sun at that point. It went up from there. The start of the races goes in waves, which was extremely well organized. The only real complaint I had about the first few miles was that if you got stuck behind a pace group, it took a while to get around them as they took up the entire road. Otherwise, for the first 5 miles or so you've got a couple rolling hills and you run almost straight south (into the wind for us). But nothing that would or should scare you (in terms of hills).

Around mile 6 you turn onto a bike path going through some local parks. This is a nice stretch of the race for a few miles. I heard it can get congested in here since the path is narrow, but I didn't experience that. For me, this is where I first took notice of how the temperature was really starting to creep up. After turning off the bike path, you'll get a couple hills in your way until you're almost to mile 11. From here, it's back through downtown Lincoln.

At about 12.75 you have an option. Continue on in the marathon, or cash it in and just run 13. If you soldier on, you'll lose a majority of people you're running with, a lot of crowd support, and any/all shade.

Yes, the last 13 is rough, especially on a hot day. Zero shade back here on this out and back, and we went into the wind on the out (with it on the way back obviously). I guess there's not much to say about this part. It's a standard out and back, and not a whole lot of crowd support out here. You will encounter the largest hill of the race here as well. On the elevation chart it looks like a gradual hill. It really isn't. Your reward? Getting to mile 19. It's not a huge hill by any stretch, but anything seems more daunting at that point of the race.

Head back the way you came, and then you too get to make the turn into Memorial Stadium. I really liked that the marathon is split from the Half when finishing, so it isn't a huge cluster. Finishing on the field is a nice touch, but I feel like it would be a lot more fun/memorable if you were a Nebraska football fan.

The only thing I hated about this race is the finishers chute. Literally the worst one I've ever experienced. All runners are shuffled into the tunnel where there is food, water, and soda. This is very narrow, slow, and a bit claustrophobic. You won't make it through here quick, so if you're really hurting after the race, give yourself some time before going through that little loop. Oh, and you get to walk up a steep ramp to get your bag check. Not nice.

But overall, this is a very well run race!

After a hiatus in 2016, I returned to La Jolla Shores for my second running of the La Jolla Half Marathon. In 2015 I didn't really know what to expect, but this time I did, and that experience was extremely valuable. But let's get into the categories.

T-Shirts/SWAG - Let me say first that the race shirt from 2015 is one of my all-time favorite race shirts that I've received. Seriously, it's probably top two (along with the Halloween Hustle in IL). So this year's version had a lot to live up to. The shirt feels about the same, although I think it's a little heavier. Still, it's a good shirt that you could wear around, or while running. I LOVE the back, but am not as big of a fan of the front. It's an identical image to what the medal is, which isn't a bad thing, but I'm not a fan of the boxy design. As other BibRavers noted, the race had Trucker hats for sale as well, and it was an excellent item. Excellent.

Oh, and the bag all runners receive is nice too.

Expo Quality - The expo changed venues this year to the Hilton Del Mar, right across the street from the start. I thought this was so much better than the past location in Road Runner Sports. Parking was easier, and surprisingly there was more room to maneuver. I did find it funny that you picked up your bib at one corner of the expo, and had to walk across the entire expo to get to your shirt pick-up. Good planning, expo peeps. But really, the expo was very good and well stocked! I picked up some nice USA running gear over here as well. Like I said, definitely busy, but so much better than before.

Parking/Access - Last time I had a friend drop me off at the start, so I didn't have to deal with the parking. This year, I didn't have that luxury, so I was on my own. Since I had to be in Anaheim by 1, I decided it would be prudent to park at the finish and ride the shuttle to the start in Del Mar. The race email stated that runners needed to be in line for the buses by 5:30. Naturally, to me, that meant be in line by 5. So I rolled into La Jolla plenty early. There's lots of street parking in the city, and most of it is a downhill walk, only a coupe blocks, to where the buses were. Super easy!

Race - I'm going to roll elevation, the race, and scenery into this bad boy. The race starts you out at the Del Mar fairgrounds. After looping around the outside of the fairgrounds (about a mile) you get some running with views of the coast before diving into some of the neighborhoods. Here, you have a decent amount of up and down on city streets. The crowd support is probably the best here out of the whole race! You get a wicked uphill climb that takes you right up to mile 4, but that's the only big climb in the first part of the race. After that, you get my second favorite part of the race. A nice sloping downhill down to the coast, with a beautiful view of the bluffs of Torrey Pines park over looking the ocean. Great views, and the downhill feels great after the up and downs of the first 5 miles.

But as I said, you can see Torrey Pines. This is where the race sends you up one of the largest hills you will run in a road race. Make sure you hit the aid station before Torrey Pines, because there isn't one in the park. The climb is a brutal one, that's for sure. The best advice I have heard is to not worry about speed going up the hill, just attempt to keep the same turnover. You'll lose time on the hill no matter what, just don't burn yourself out. Knowing what was coming, I ran this hill like an ultra. Run most, power-walk the super steep part. I ran the hill slower than last time, but felt worlds better after.

I think the hill deserved it's own section. Part 3 of the race is when you're up on the hill. If you look at the elevation chart, you might think you get up the hill, and then it's easy. Wrong. You get some nice rolling hill action for the next 2-3 miles before descending. Remember what I said about not killing yourself on the hill? This is why. It's a mostly straight section of road, and while you do gradually go downhill, you'll be going up quite a bit too. If you're a big competitor, this is a prime spot to pass tons of others who gave a little too much to the hill.

And that brings us to part four. Just before you hit mile 10, you start the descent out of Torrey Pines. This is about 1.5 miles of downhill. It's a great way to get some speed back up, stretch your legs, and get going downhill. This propels you into mile marker 11 on the boardwalk along the beach. There's some foot traffic from pedestrians here, but it isn't bad. This is another good place to make some race moves if you need to. The beach really flies by since you have a lot of momentum coming down the hill. The last mile of the race gets you back into some neighborhoods, which also brings the return of some hills. You get the second largest climb of the race in the last half mile. Seriously. Be ready for this. Your reward? A speedy downhill finish into La Jolla Cove where the water, beer, and guac awaits.

Overall - Love this race! A challenging course with amazing scenery and phenomenal management. I'm lucky that work sends me out to Cali every year around the time La Jolla is run, so I can do it. I'm normally not a fan of a "destination race" unless it's 26.2 or further. But I would run La Jolla as a destination Half.

The Leprechaun Chase is a 10k that's run both in Des Moines, IA, and in Omaha, NE. I've only done the race in Des Moines, so that's the one I'll be reviewing here.

I ran this race in 2015 (it's second year of existence) and again in 2017, and I'll kind of loop in both reviews here. You'll see why.

First of all, this race is ridiculously cheap. Only about $30 for a 10k?! Yes, please. As an added perk this year, if you signed up on the first day of registration, you got bumped up from a t-shirt to a hoodie. Also a neat feature is that in the months leading up to the race, the organizers have a vote on Facebook to determine the logo that will be put on the shirt each year. I absolutely LOVE that idea.

I think there is a packet pick-up the day before the race, but I've always picked up my packet the morning of. Just know your Bib Number (you'll get it in an email) and you'll get your gear. The race also gives you a few extra coupons and advertising in your bag.

The coolest feature about this race is the way it is run. Like my title mentions (and the race really promotes) this is the Lads vs the Lasses. Yes, it's a competition. All of the women get to start 5 minutes before the men, and then the race is on. Whoever crosses the finish line first gets a beer for their entire gender. So if you want a free beer, you've gotta bank on a super fast person getting the job done. Or maybe you can be the fast person?

Anyway, the race starts and ends at Principle Park in Des Moines. After about a mile and a half you'll do the standard loop around Grey's Lake, which is present in every single race in Des Moines. It's a nice loop, which is why every race utilizes it. If you haven't run that, it's a flat somewhat scenic route along the lake before running along the river back up to the stadium. I don't remember there being any aid stations, but I'm sure there was.

The staggered start is really cool, and I think it's a great idea. The only issue, in my opinion, is for the men. As with any race, you have the back of the pack walkers, which the men catch after about a quarter mile. It wouldn't be bad if the walkers in the race didn't walk 3-5 wide, making it difficult to run past. Other than that, I have no issues with how the race is run!

That all being said, the 2017 race was slightly different. It happened to be the weekend of one of two ice storms we got in Iowa this winter. Roads were fine, but the paved trails around the lake were super slick. Because of this, the race made the call to shorten the race to a 5k, making it an out and back. Ultimately, this was probably a smart call given the conditions.

Plus, as a consolation everybody got a free green beer! So that was alright with me.

This race sells out almost every year in both Iowa and Nebraska, so sign up quick if you're planning to run. And don't forget to wear your green clothes.

The race notes, almost right when you sign up, that this is a very challenging 50k. I figured of course it was, but it couldn't be harder than the Maryland HEAT 50k I had run the summer before. I mean, that race we had to scale a 20 foot wall. Twice. This couldn't be as bad, right?

I know it's a little thing for a race like is, but I loved the race shirt. Mainly because it's a tank, and how many races gives you a tank top shirt? Awesome. But overall, packet pickup was entirely smooth. I did it the morning of the race, since I wasn't all about finding the Fleet Feet after driving into town the day before. I was asked if I had any questions, I didn't. Then I was told that was my only chance to ask. If you haven't run a trail race before, this banter is fairly standard.

The PDF of the race info you get says that it will rain. And it did rain. Fortunately for us it was just a pre-race rain. But that, coupled with thunderstorms the day before, meant we were in for a muddy adventure.

We took the oath before the race, and then we were off! We were told that if anyone breaks 4 hours, they would get a $400 prize. The reaction was laughter. No one is breaking four out there.

As for the course itself. Brutal. Actually, only parts are brutal. The biggest hill of the whole race is just past mile 1. Not going to lie, it made me wonder what I was getting myself into since we had about 30 miles to go. For the first five miles to the first aid station, you'll be going up and down, and not always on trails. The tiny orange and pink flag are your guide when running through the middle of a forest in the mountains. That is not an exaggeration. You cross a river (the first of many) and you're at aid station 1.

The next section of the race takes you across a couple more streams and down probably the steepest hill you'll run all day. Don't worry, you get to run up it later. This is a lot of single track and some slow going through here because of the hills. Aid station 2 was the most lively, but I stayed waiting for you at the top of a hill.

The shortest segment is to aid station 3, and it's an easy run. Once you jump off of the single track, which has one more big climb, you hop onto jeep roads. This is a welcome break as you get steady ground, and a gradual downhill to the third aid station. If you need/want to get some time back this is where you do it.

After aid station 3, you are sent on a 7-8 mile loop, the longest you'll go without an aid station. Some of this is on easy gravel road. Most of it is through swamps. I'm not kidding when I say that there are about 20 stream crossings in this part alone. Back and forth through the river you go. There's also a long and huge climb at about 16 miles, right at the halfway point of the race. After this adventure you return to the aid station.

From here, you go back the way you came. When I mentioned that nice gradual downhill to aid station 3/4? Yup, you get to go up that now. It's still the shortest section between aid stations, but you're between miles 18-22 here and going uphill. It's rough, and where I started to fall off pace a little bit. Arriving at aid station 2 (now aid station 5) is a welcome respite.

Here you'll take a different path back to aid station 1/6. Mostly single track out here to get back. But frankly, I don't remember much of this part of the race. You do get to cross the river (again) to the last aid station. Now it's just 5 to the finish.

And those last five are brutal. Lots of climbing, not steep, just long hills. A lot of this is on a gravel section, which is a welcome sight. But again, you have some long climbs on this back stretch. The only saving grace is that you don't go back up the huge hill. The final stretch is back across the open field to the finish line. It feels epic, but also so very far!

Ultimately, I did manage a 50k PR out of this race, plus a fifth overall finish. But boy was it hard. I would definitely go back, though! This is a very well run race, billing itself as the hardest in Tennessee. If you're looking for a challenge and a great experience, look no further than the MCTU 50k!

So the 2017 (and second ever) running of the Frozen Feet was a little different than year one.

If you lived in the Midwest, you know that we had an absurdly mild winter. When you're running a trail race designed to be run on packed snow, this doesn't bode well at all. With temps soaring into the 60s the weeks going into the race, weather was not on Race Director Ben Welnak's side.

A couple days before the race, Ben made the executive decision to work with the park and go to Plan B, which was to take us off the single track. We never got to see it, but it's likely the single track would have been a combination of slush, ice, and mud. Not good for a race nor maintaining the trail.

Plan B took was to take us on an out, double loop, and back all on a paved bike trail. The race was definitely shorter than the allotted 13 miles as well, but with the quick change, I don't think that's an issue.

The problems with the 2017 race again came in the form of the weather. Saturday night before the race, some rain rolled in, further melting the snow. After the rain, the temperature plummeted over night, freezing all of the rain and snow melt.

Have you ever tried to run (or walk) on a coat of ice on a bike path? It's tough. Those who had the foresight to use IceBug shoes succeeded in the race. Those, like me, with Yak Trax were out of luck, as we kind of just slid on the ice since the Yak Trax don't bite into it.

The loop itself included an aid station that we ran past twice, and a couple killer climbs, one right into the wind. Without ice, this would have been a super fast course, but with ice that slowed down a lot of runners. I thought it was downright unpleasant, and a few runners bailed after loop #1.

Ultimately, the 2017 version of the race wasn't the best, but that was mostly due to circumstances that the race couldn't control. Ben and the rest of his team did a great job with the cards they were dealt for this race. I have no doubt that the weather will cooperate next year, and the race will return to the single track.