I am so incredibly happy that I chose to go with the Twin Cities Marathon as my Minnesota Marathon. I was debating between this one and the Grandma's Marathon for a while. Grandma's Marathon is often voted as the best race in Minnesota because of the scenery; but I think Twin Cities Marathon may have had them beat. The course was challenging, but the scenery of downtown Minneapolis, to lakes, to the Mississippi River, to downtown St. Paul never left me without something to look at. The fans were evenly spaced, and there was never a period longer than half a mile without someone cheering us on. To make matter's even better, there was plenty of fuel stations along the course with both water and Nuun so if you are a runner who doesn't bring a hydration pack, you could make it the whole time without one. The race was also packed with people! After the race, I learned that Twin Cities Marathon was one of the few races that were back to Pre-Pandemic participation numbers. This race is also beginner friendly.

See full review at duffrunstough

This Memorial Day weekend, I had the opportunity to run the Bayshore Half Marathon in Traverse City. As a Michigander runner, I had heard rave reviews about this race and its downhill course, which makes it popular for Boston Qualifiers. The race took place along Old Mission Peninsula, offering stunning views of the bay. The overall experience was great, although there were some challenges with the shuttle bus service on race day.

On the first day, my friend and I attended the Expo, which was held at the local Grand Traverse County Civic Center/YMCA. Although we arrived late in the evening, we were still able to pick up our race packets and explore the merchandise. The Expo was well-organized, with bibs located at the back and merchandise in the front. The only minor confusion was regarding the Bag Check, as bags were handed out separately, but overall, the experience was positive. After the Expo, we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Artisan, where we savored delightful dishes and prepared ourselves mentally for the upcoming race.

On race day, I woke up early and prepared for the run. The weather forecast indicated a cool start in the low 40s and a warm finish in the high 70s. Unfortunately, the shuttle bus service experienced delays, causing some panic and stress. Despite the hiccups, the race was delayed and I managed to catch the shuttle and made it to the half start line. Unfortunately, the half started right as I got to the start line and I still needed to check my bag check. I started with the walking group, which required some weaving through the crowd initially. However, once I settled into my pace, I felt confident and determined to run the entire race without walk breaks. The course provided beautiful views, especially at the top of the uphill climb, and I maintained a steady pace throughout most of the race. The final sprint to the finish line was exhilarating, and I was thrilled to achieve a time of 02:06:03, making it one of my third fastest half marathons and my fastest since catching COVID.

Despite the minor hiccups with transportation and the bag check process, the Bayshore Half Marathon was an incredible experience. The race organization was commendable, and the stunning scenery made the run even more memorable. I can understand why this race is beloved by Michiganders, and I would gladly participate in it again in the future. The Bayshore Half Marathon has undoubtedly earned its reputation as a must-do race in the running community.

This has been a marathon 3 years in the making. I tried getting into the lottery for Big Sur 2019 and was unsuccessful, so for Big Sur 2020, I didn't even bother with the lottery and paid the extra cost to be VIP to ensure I would get in. I was super excited to run this race, and then the world shut down.

First the Big Sur Marathon was postponed to November 2020. Then it was officially canceled and participants were able to defer to either 2021 or 2022. I originally selected 2021, but this race was canceled as well, so I was pushed back to April of 2022. To be honest, a part of my just assumed the 2022 marathon would be cancelled as well so I didn't really train. So when April rolled around, it was like "Oh Crap we are actually doing this..."

Going into this race I had only one thought on my mind and it was "Do NOT get picked up by the bus" I have been dreaming of this race ever since I started running, and I was going to finish in the 6 hour time window. So, the night before the race, I wrote in Sharpie on my arm the times of each checkpoint I would need to beat to not get picked up.

For this race, the VIP option was worth it. Not only did we get an amazing Boco Backpack and a Rabbit Running Quarter Zip, but the pre-start VIP area was very clutch. We got our own charter bus to the start line, and breakfast and port-o-potties while we waited in a heated tent.

The only downside of this race, other than the hills, is the lack of spectator cheering throughout. However, the comradery built on the course because of it, if phenomenal. All of us "Middle-of-the-Pack" Runners who were undertrained supported each other all the way to the finish line. We cheering each other on, and helped pace each other to ensure no one would get picked up by the Bus. It was with my fellow runner's support that I finished in 5:33:16. I could barely walk the next 2 days; but it was well worth it.

I would not recommend this to someone who isn't well trained for a Marathon. But I would recommend this to someone ready for a challenge.

A gorgeous first race back post-Covid. I was in London visiting my Brother and wanted to see if there was a race I could do. I had the Big Sur Marathon coming up the next month, and was suppose to run 18miles. I thought a half-marathon would give me the motivation I needed on Vacation to ensure I would actually complete this run. The Hampton Court Palace Half Marathon was the perfect choice.

The start line was an easy train ride from London Waterloo Station, and began on the grounds of Hampton Court Palace. There was plenty of space for warmups and I felt like I was in an episode of Bridgerton (Season 2 did highlight the Hampton Court Palace in one of the episodes). The course was along the beautiful River Thames. Things did get difficult we we circled back onto the Grounds of the Palace as the recent rain made it quite muddy and difficult to run on the grass.

Something I loved about this race was instead of having a Bib #, the Bid said your name. This meant that spectators would cheer your actual name on. I also enjoyed the few participants also dressed up in Tudor clothes.