You can read my full review of this race and others on my blog: http://runrevelry.com

This race takes place at the Lake Lawn Resort at Delavan Lake, Wisconsin. There’s a golf course, multiple restaurants, a lakeside bar, docks, and both indoor and outdoor pools. Every guestroom features a deck with rocking chairs and a view of the lake. Basically, it’s a great place to spend a girls’ running weekend. I spent the weekend there with my friend Mandy and we drove out to the lake on Friday afternoon. On Saturday the race started at 7 a.m., for which I was thankful, because the temperature was already creeping above +20 Celsius. I woke up at 6 a.m., microwaved a mug of instant oatmeal in our room, then rolled out of there and walked about three minutes to the start line. The benefit of a race event where you can run, sleep, and relax in one location!

Honestly, I wasn’t excited to run this half marathon. I just wanted it to be over and to get on with my vacation. My feet started aching almost immediately and the air was thick with humidity. There were four or five aid stations along the course serving water and NUUN electrolyte drink, which I carried in my Camelbak hydration pack. The port-a-potty numbers were lacking, with only one at each aid station, and the first one didn’t come along for at least 5k. I debated hopping into the roadside woods to pee – I’m no stranger to that situation!

Most of the race course took place on the road shoulder. The roads weren’t too busy – it’s a small lakeside town – but the shoulder was uneven and gravelly. Not my preferred running terrain. It was hillier than I expected, and I walked up most of the hills and through the aid stations. No finish time goals for me! The scenery was pretty, with fields of corn and soybeans, cute old stone houses, blue sky and bright sun. I just wasn’t in the right headspace for this race. Perhaps I tend to think that I can run a half marathon whenever I want, and I forget that it’s still hard work.

We wound our way back into the resort and around the lake to the picturesque finish line. All racers receive free finish line photos, but I was overheated and pretty grumpy, so I made a half-assed attempt to raise my arms in the air. In retrospect, I should’ve tried to look happier – it’s a free race photo, which runners don’t receive very often!

Mandy greeted me with a hug and a cute orange clip-on daisy from Fellow Flowers, which I immediately attached to my matching orange hat. I wasn't feeling too hungry, but I hit the food line and grabbed half a toasted bagel, half a banana, and a cookie. (Side note, I think the resort provided the post-race food and they weren’t replenishing it quickly enough). After hanging out for a bit, Mandy and I went back to our room and I immediately put on my bathing suit and jumped into the cold outdoor pool. I was thinking about that moment for the whole race! The water was deliciously cold, the sun was hot on my face, and I had a beautiful view of Lake Delavan.

Overall, it was an awesome getaway weekend. The race may not have been my personal highlight, but I was there for the location, the weather, and most of all, the great company!

You can read my full review of this race and others on my blog: http://runrevelry.com

I turned 30 at the end of 2017, and I decided that I would run my first marathon before entering this new decade of my life. For years, I had heard great things about the Twin Cities Marathon in Minnesota. My friend Jenn and I decided we would sign up. Our friend Debbi would join us as well and run the Twin Cities 10 Mile race. I spent four months training over the summer and overall it went great. I felt as ready as I could be to run my first marathon. I flew to Minnesota three days before the race and stayed at an Airbnb apartment in downtown St. Paul.

Race day dawned chilly with the threat of rain. Jenn and I hopped on the bus to the race start, where the rain alternated between drizzle and sheets. Armed with a thrift store hoodie and dollar store poncho, we huddled in a building overhang with the other runners until it was it was time to head to the start line.

I had hoped for a well-rounded finish time of 4 hours, 30 minutes. Realistically, I was probably trained to finish in 4:45 to 4:50. A kilometre or two into the race, my stomach felt bloated and uncomfortable – a bad sign of what was to come. I quickly realized that I couldn't hit my goal pace, so I adjusted and tried to keep it steady. I had continuous gastrointestinal (GI) issues and had to stop six times at the port-a-potties. It was awful. At one point I had to stop at a public restroom in a park. I wanted to sit down on the curb and cry, or ask one of the many spectators if I could use the bathroom in their house. I pushed on and made it to the next aid station.

The rain sprinkled on and off, then it really picked up with the wind during the last 10 km. My Garmin watch, which had been unreliable on long runs over 28 km, died around the 33 km mark. I was wearing Debbi’s watch as a backup, but the pace was in miles so I didn't know how fast or slow I was going. For the final five km, all I could do was look at the road four feet ahead of me, turn off my brain, turn up my music, and keep running.

There were good things about my marathon. I knew I was well trained. My body felt strong (except for my intestines) and I knew that I could finish. Despite the frequent port-a-potty breaks, I followed my fueling plan exactly as planned. I ran pretty much the whole way, albeit a shuffle at times, and I was able to pick it up at the end and finish strong. The last mile of the Twin Cities Marathon crests a hill, then it’s a straight shot to the finish line with a picturesque view of the Capitol building.

I picked up my pace, fully aware that I was shredding my quads (which I felt while walking around the airport two days later), closed my eyes and screamed as I crossed the finish line. My dad immediately texted to congratulate me. I received my long-awaited medal and race shirt, with designs that are kept under wraps until race day. I picked up some hot soup and a few snacks, while the wind and rain chilled my tired body. I retrieved my gear bag and the cold walls of the changing tent flapped against me in the wind, as I tried to keep my dry clothes off the soaked grass. I staggered around for a bit before catching the five-minute bus ride back to Jenn and Debbi’s hotel and my Airbnb.

While my personal race didn’t go as planned, the Twin Cities Marathon is an amazing event. It’s very well organized, from pre-race communication, to the large race expo, to race day transportation. There are hundreds of spectators and volunteers, even with the poor weather last year. People gather on their yards in droves, with families, dogs, costumes, couches, drinks, and barbecues. I loved hearing random strangers cheer my name – “Great form Kristin! You got this Kristin! Go marathoners! Go runners!” Volunteers happily retrieved water pitchers to refill my Camelbak. It’s not a flat course, but it is beautiful, and the people make it so worthwhile.

You can read my full review of this race and others on my blog: http://www.runrevelry.com

Soon after I started running half marathons, reading running blogs and listening to podcasts, I learned about the medals at the Little Rock Marathon. They are legendary. The marathon medals are as big as dinner plates, and the medals for the half marathon aren’t shabby either – still bigger than my hand.

In 2017 I met up with a group of running friends in Little Rock for this race. The theme was “Runalicious” which meant candy-themed medals, race shirts, and merchandise. I found the race shirt, which is unisex sizing, to be big and boxy. I ended up donating mine later. However, the expo has a great selection of Little Rock Marathon branded clothing in a range of sizes, so I bought a hoodie that fit me properly.

The city of Little Rock and this race are the perfect size. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Little Rock Downtown, which was walking distance from the race expo, the start and finish line. We had a great time exploring the expo, touring around town, and trying different restaurants. My friend who lives in Arkansas says the weather can be unpredictable at that time of year, so be prepared. A dollar store poncho can be your best friend. It was rainy but humid on race day, and I was comfortable in shorts and a tank top.

The half marathon course is mostly in a large loop, with minimal out and back portions. It was hillier than I expected, with two bridge crossings over the Arkansas River. Despite on-and-off rain for the entire race, I felt strong and finished with a big smile on my face. The best part came after the race, when we gathered to cheer on our friend Jenn in her first marathon finish!

You can read my full review of this race and others on my blog: http://runrevelry.com

In 2016 runDisney changed this to a morning race, much to the frustration of many fans, but to me it sounded great. I signed up in the spring and followed a heart rate training plan, as I was looking for something different. My boyfriend and I flew to Orlando a few days before the race and hit the race expo early on Friday morning. We ended up standing in line before the expo even opened, and I was wary of the time spent on my legs. After touring the expo for awhile, we headed back to the hotel and he convinced me to tour around Magic Kingdom for a few hours. This was a mistake on my part – I should have sent him on his own. We ended up walking 12 kilometres that day, and I totally blew out my legs. I tried to balance it out by spending Saturday lounging by the pool, but my swollen feet and sore legs told me that the damage was already done. We had a good time at Magic Kingdom, but I was so mad at myself for allowing that to happen. I know better than to walk around for hours only two days before a race. Be forewarned - if you're running a Disney race, there will be temptation to walk around the parks. Save the touring for after your race!

On race morning I set multiple alarms, including a wake-up call from the hotel. My jagged sleep was woken by the sweet voice of Baymax from Big Hero 6, which started my race day on a high note. I ate a peanut butter sandwich and a banana in our room, and I could feel the humidity as soon as I stepped outside. There was a long line-up for the race bus at our hotel, but eventually I boarded and made the quick ride to the start line. I wandered around for a bit and tried to loosen up my legs before heading to the starting corrals.

I didn’t have much of a plan going into this race. I wore my heart rate monitor and I had target heart rates written on my arm, and I wanted to take some pictures along the way. I started slow to keep my heart rate low, which was difficult when my entire corral left me behind. As the sun came up we approached Animal Kingdom. I loved running through the leafy trees, the fluttering prayer flags and past the behemoth Tree of Life. It felt tranquil and special as we spent a decent amount of timing winding our way through the park.

Once the sun came up it didn’t back down, and it got progressively hotter for the last six kilometres. Much of this race takes place on freeways and the exit ramps were the worst parts – steadily steep and winding clovers of hell. There were plenty of water stations along the course and I wondered if they added a few extras due to the hot and humid temperature.

The Wine & Dine Half Marathon featured various photo opportunities with characters, including a few I’ve never seen – like Darkwing Duck and Launchpad. Although there was a line, I still wish I had stopped for a photo with them! DuckTales was one of my favourite cartoons as a kid. Once I arrived in Epcot, nearly the finish line, I stopped for a photo with Genie from Aladdin since there wasn’t a line. If I run another Disney race, I really need to stop for more character photos!

Since the race was moved to the morning, the post-race party took place that evening. I had time to relax in the pool, shower, and take a much-needed nap. I received an after-party ticket as part of my race registration, but my boyfriend had to buy one to attend with me. It’s not cheap – tickets cost $84 US this year. The post-race party is for runners and guests only, but when we arrived there was still a mosh pit of people. We tried a few food samples and tucked ourselves away to watch the fireworks and wait for non-partygoers to be herded out. After a few hours of sampling and walking I was fully bagged, and we hopped on the bus back to the hotel. Runners may miss the old format of Wine & Dine, but personally, I preferred it this way!

You can read my full review of this race and others on my blog: http://runrevelry.com

It’s hard to believe that it’s been four years since my sister and I ran the SeaWheeze Half Marathon in Vancouver, B.C. in 2014. As with many popular race, registration sells out ridiculously fast. When we tried to register in February 2014, the website crashed, and everyone had to try again a few weeks later. Luckily, both my sister and I got in, even though we registered separately in different cities.
Be aware that the race entry is expensive. The year I ran SeaWheeze, the cost was about $125 CDN, and this year it was a whopping $173 CDN (including taxes). As part of your race entry, you receive a pair of exclusive lululemon running shorts. The design changes every year and is kept under wraps until they mail out the shorts in late spring. It’s cool to see the sea of matching shorts in the race, or to spot them in a different race.

This year’s race shifted to late September, but previously the race took place in mid-August (and I think it will again in 2019). My sister lived in Vancouver, so I was lucky to stay with her and not pay for a hotel. The race package pick-up takes place at the Vancouver Convention Centre, which is typically a busy area with cruises docking for the day. Every year, lululemon hosts a pop-up store with special edition merchandise for the race. It can be insanely busy – people line up before dawn! SeaWheeze organizers have shifted the logistics of the pop-up store in recent years, to accommodate long line-ups. I would love to hear about others’ experiences!

Vancouver is hot and humid in mid-August, and race day was no different. The route starts downtown and winds through the iconic neighbourhoods of Gastown and Yaletown, before running over the Burrard Street Bridge – which has a hump of a hill in the middle! Runners do a quick loop through Kitsilano before heading back over the bridge. It warmed my heart to see runners high-fiving each other as they passed in opposite directions.

The second half of the course is beautiful. It’s a big loop along the seawall around Stanley Park, so you get a refreshing breeze off the ocean. The on-course entertainment is great – including much-loved drag queens, cheer squads, marching bands, and lululemon crews with their amusing signs. This was my third half marathon, and I suffered a bit in the heat, but I finished proud and happy in 2:03:48.
The SeaWheeze medals are not spectacular – ours were colourful plastic loops. Cute but cheap, and not the hefty bling I’ve received at other races. Considering the expensive registration fee, I think they could spring for a nicer medal. We received travel-sized roll-on bottles of Saje essential oils, and the post-race breakfast included delicious waffles (although I heard those aren’t around anymore!)

If you’re looking to run your first (or perhaps only) half marathon, I highly recommend this one. Fun vibes, a beautiful course, and all the lululemon you could want. While I chose not to take advantage of the extra events, it’s a great weekend. I’m not sure it’s worth the exorbitant race entry; however, it’s one of the few races that I would run again – if I’m lucky enough to score a race registration twice!