Let me tell you coming from Massachusetts I was blown away by the scenery in VA. This course is absolutely stunning especially the starting time at 7:30 you get to see the Sun Rise on the course.

There is plenty of free parking on streets near the race and a free parking garage right next to Elmwood park.

The race was so well done to do social distancing right of at the starting line they set out flour six feet apart too distance racers and sent people off in corrals in 50 based off of time.

There is a reason this race is deemed the most hardest marathon in the U.S. the amount of elevation you put your body through going up multiple mountains and downhills takes a beating on your body. Right of the start of the race two miles in you start encountering uphills and start going towards the Roanoke Star then it starts to get really hilly. People think mile 5 and 9 is the hardest part of the course In my opinion it is all mental the entire course is inclines and near the end near mile 19-24 it starts to become very hilly and rolling hills. You could possibly wing this marathon but I don't recommend it and train for it.

You could run this marathon for a timed goal but I recommend doing it to finish and maybe next year tackle it for a time. I got lost in the scenery at some points zoning out and slowing down to look at the amazing views and greenery near me on the course.

The aid stations were so supportive of all race distances and amped up all the runners going by whether it was giving out snacks or hydration to runners they gave 110% to the runners.

P.S. some stations have champagne and mimosas if you are feeling extra vicious.

In all honesty I will most likely do this race again and recommend to everyone to at least do it once and see how you will feel. It is suppose to be hard but you will feel so rewarded after you beat this course no matter the distance it is an amazing feeling.

This was my first obstacle race and let me tell you the name does not lie. "Tough Mudder" get used to getting dirty and getting wet to make it more challenging to do certain obstacles and throughout the heat get ready to feel a little gross.

The course volunteers and people around you are very supportive. You want to help every individual you come across. It is all about teamwork, you have teammates but every person I came across was my teammate in my opinion.

Plenty of aid stations between water, Gatorade, Fit aid, protein bars. There is a 5k option and a 10 mile option highly suggest the 10 mile option as it is a good workout and accomplishing at the end.

This race is usually in the middle of year in the small outskirts of Massachusetts.

I was keen at doing this at first but from friends egging me on and seeing former teammates tackle this challenge I knew I had to get in on the action. The 24 hour challenge is every 4 hour hours you run 5 miles making up an ULTRA distance challenge. At first your body will not feel much but through all the legs of the miles you will start to feel it halfway through. It will mess up your sleep schedule a little bit, but it is so rewarding and the swag is awesome a medal and tech tee!

You can run it, walk it or on a treadmill. Personally I ran it outside because I wanted the full experience. I ran in a rainstorm and boy did that make for an epic picture.

Next year everyone should try this at least once in there life.

Feast like a king!

I ran the vitrual 10k as many races are still not be able to be put on. The race director and social media has been keeping runners informed to keeping safe and also uploading results when they feel comfortable.

Vitrual races may seem like a challenge since they are no runners around but it helped with multiple post a day and seeing other runners tackle their goals.

The giveaways are awesome too!

This race is no joke it is in Derry, NH and you would not expect there to be that many hills compared to others states and other parts of the New England area. YEAH RIGHT! The race is held in the beginning of Jan so be prepared to layer up. Right off at the beginning of the race there is a 5 Miler and then a 16 Miler. So it can throw off some runners it threw me off however it is one of the most inspiring and overwhelming courses I have run. The Elevation after I looked at my Garmin was 2,500 Feet in over 16 Miles. The race management has been so well and there is always a huge buffet after. (Pancakes, Apples, Bananas, Eggs Ect. They also handed out multiple GU'S throughout the course.

The Crowd support is from multiple different schools districts, individuals and people that have been involved with the race since the beginning.

I would highly recommend this course as a tempo for Boston or a challenging race as it WILL kick your butt but you will feel so good and rewarded after.