Alright, COVID… this race cancellation stuff is really getting old. I was thrilled to be able to register for the 2021 Missoula Marathon and check Big Sky Country off my state marathon list. It just wasn’t in the cards, however, for the Missoula Marathon this June. But, I did get to keep my registration, run the race, and experience a piece of Montana while still in Tennessee.

The race is put on by the non-profit running group Run Wild Missoula and is regularly rated as one of the top marathons in the country. It was a real bummer not to be able to run this race as originally planned. With that said, the group really did a good job trying to make the best of the situation by sending out runner’s boxes with our medals.

The Missoula Marathon medal was really nice and high quality. It’s one of the largest marathon medals I've received so far. The box also included a race shirt, and several local treats such as huckleberry taffy and instant coffee packets.

Since actually running Missoula was off the table, I decided to run a local greenway loop to cover my 26.2 miles. For something a little different, my dad came out to pace me on his bike, which really made for a much more enjoyable virtual race experience.

Hopefully, these forced virtual races are starting to become a thing of the past and the real-life events will be back on the calendars where they belong. If you need to check Montana off your state list and do a destination race next year, be sure to check out the folks at Run Wild Missoula. The 2022 Missoula Marathon is already scheduled for June 26th. More info is available at: https://www.missoulamarathon.org/

Governor’s Cup is located in Helena, Montana. It’s a gorgeous part of Big Sky Country for a destination race, especially for those wanting to check off MT off their state marathon list. This was partially my draw to the race. It was a great excuse to travel and see some new sights.

While I ran the marathon, runners could also choose between a half marathon or 5k race option. Each race took place on Saturday morning and finished in downtown Helena, a quaint and historical capital city.

Both the full and half are point-to-point courses, meaning you must take a bus to the starting line. With a 6 am start for the full, that makes for a 4:15am bus-loading in town to be taken out to the start. It was a neat experience heading toward the start in the early morning sunrise.

The weather was perfect for racing, about 45 degrees at the start and only in the mid 50s at the finish. I checked in to get my packet on Friday afternoon. Because of the early start and transportation logistics, that’s the only option for bib pickup. The process was quick and easy. I received a welcome bag with my shirt and some other goodies (a sticker, chapstick, a couple gel samples, etc.). There really was not an "expo" as you'd expect from most races, just a table for packet pickup.

The race itself started with a slightly downhill portion. However, that didn’t last too long. The hills on this course were no joke! I was able to hang on to my pace through the halfway mark (actually PR’ing my half time) and up to around mile 18. At that point I found myself chatting with a local runner. He confirmed my fears and said “it’s all up hill from here.” I knew from my research about the infamous “Cardiac Hill” at miles 22-23, but was honestly not prepared for the many other large hills leading up to it.

As the old saying goes, “you gotta know when to fold ‘em.” I had just ran my fastest half on a tough course and was surrounded by beautiful Montanan scenery. What more did I need? I decided to slow the pace and walk a lot of the remaining hills, and just focus on enjoying the race. I came into town and finished with a 3:40 marathon and couldn’t have been happier. It wasn’t the PR I had set out for, but it was a great experience.

The course was well marked and stocked with aid stations (water and electrolyte drinks) every few miles. This was a road race with the right lane blocked for runners. Even though we were on highways, we were in isolated country with little traffic so it felt like we had the whole course to ourselves.

My only wish would have been that the race had official photography. I didn’t see a single photographer out there, and it would have been nice to capture the moment of running such a pretty race. The medal was great though and a memorable addition to the collection. Governor’s Cup 2021 was by 7th full marathon and my 6th marathon state.

Thanksgiving Turkey Trot races are an annual tradition for many runners across the nation. With the COVID-19 pandemic still wreaking havoc on many IRL (in real life) race opportunities, the good folks at Ram Racing provided a solution to keep the tradition alive.

America’s Turkey Trot Virtual Run was able to bring the feeling of Thanksgiving racing to everyone through the virtual race format. A really cool feature of the event was the ability for racers to choose their local or regional Turkey Trot during registration, adding an additional feeling of community to the virtual process.

In keeping with the season of thanks and giving, the race also featured Feeding America as their official race charity partner. Feeding America is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization and has food banks, pantries, and meal programs all across the U.S. It’s always nice to see race organizers partnering with worthy causes.

Once you register for the race online, your race kit is mailed directly to you. It’s a great Thanksgiving-themed package that includes your personalized race bib, finisher’s medal, full-length zipper jacket with detachable hood, and a beanie. All of the included swag was of high quality and a really nice touch for this race. They also provide extra products that you can upgrade your order with for an additional fee.

While I opted for the half marathon option, there were many options to fit everyone’s running tastes. From 1 mile to 5k, 10k, and half marathon there was something for everyone to get out and moving.

I ended up traveling south to Florida for the holiday and was able to run my race down there on Thanksgiving morning. I made use of the Pensacola Beach Run half marathon course and treated it like a long training run. The temps were high (lower 80s) for late November. Even though the heat zapped me by the end, it was a great virtual race experience. I had my finisher’s medal waiting back at the car for me when I completed my 13.1 and crossed that virtual finish line.

Once completed you can easily report your race time and see where you place in the standings. The race also provides downloadable finisher’s certificates. While virtual races may not be everyone’s choice of preference, this one was a great opportunity to keep the Turkey Trot tradition alive. Plus, who doesn’t love great race swag?

This was my first race at the Pensacola Half Marathon. I believe 2020 was the second running of the event. Of course with 2020 and COVID-19 things looked a little different.

I registered a couple weeks before the race and had an easy process. Packet pickup was held the day before at a local running store. On race day, parking was extremely easy since the start line is at a baseball stadium. The runners were corralled and allowed to start in small controlled groups. Chip timing was used so everyone got their actual time upon finishing.

The course itself is pretty flat. There is one large bridge that you have to go over twice near the half way turnaround point. Overall it's a great running tour of Pensacola and very scenic. The swag was okay. All runners got a cotton t-shirt with the race name on it. "Medals" were slightly disappointing because they were actually just spray-painted pieces of wood that were cut with a saw. Each piece differed in size, etc., and were not that exciting. However, Pensacola did just survive a hurricane recently before the race, so they have to get a pass on that one. Overall, it was a fun race experience and worth checking out in the future.

The 2020 Fall Royale was the first annual event of a new race expansion of the Run The Bluegrass series. I was originally scheduled to race the Run The Bluegrass Half Marathon scheduled to be held in March. However, like most races in 2020, this race was canceled and I was given the option to transfer to the Fall Royale in October.

I jumped at the chance for a real-life race and signed up. The Fall Royale had a 5k and 7 mile option in addition to the half distance. The race was held on a different course than the Run The Bluegrass. The Royale started and finished at the Kentucky Castle, which was a great backdrop for the race. My only complaint was that racers could not enter the walls of the castle. This is understandable though, as it is a functioning hotel.

Two of the reasons I signed up for the race in the first place were the great swag and the promise of "America's Prettiest Half Marathon." First the swag: you get several choices upon registration between a singlet, long, or short-sleeve technical shirt from Headsweats. The medals were also great quality and design.

The race was well organized and the course was well marked. Aid stations were somewhat sparse, but the race was held during a pandemic. I thought the logistics were handled really well considering. The course itself is hilly (small, but countless rolling hills). However, it is a beautiful course. The entire race is held on two-lane country roads that run through gorgeous horse country. You can't beat it and I have to say the tagline lives up to the hype. I highly recommend this race!