The Running Thread - 2018

[KSellers88]

The Flying Pig in Cincinnati, OH is my favorite race so that would be it. It is close to home but still a trip, the course is challenging but not ridiculous, the crowd support is the best I've ever seen, while you can have extremes in weather in Cincy in May it averages out to being nice running weather, and they have a whole host of different distances and challenges so if you decide one year you just want to do a 10K and a dog run you can do that.

A close second would be Gasparilla in Tampa, FL. It is in February or March so would be a good escape from winter every year, the course is in my favorite part of Tampa, I love the Pirate theme, and they also have a host of races and challenges. The weather can also be quite humid and can be cold but it also averages out to pretty decent running weather.

ATTQOTD: This one makes me sad but I'd love to go to CA and run a Disneyland race once a year. With points I can fly cheap and the hotels are so close that I could stay cheap and there's just something very special about walking to the parks and the expo and the races. I know it can get very HOT which would be the only big drawback, but the Tink weekend weather was perfect.
Sigh.....
If picking my home state is too boring, then I'd go Florida (WDW, duh) or Ohio (Flying Pig weekend is so fun!! If you still need to add OH to your list you should do that one)

I want to do Flying Pig really bad. My running group is doing it this coming year but it’s right before finals and I feel that’s a bad time to travel.

I've heard SO many great things about Flying Pig. I am trying to talk my mom into a road trip next year and do the Indy Mini in Indianapolis on Saturday and the Flying Pig on Sunday. LOL. Two states, one weekend!

Edited to add: I say mom instead of husband, because I already know there is no way in heck my husband would agree to it. LOL. I've already gotten him roped in to adding SC, LA, and MS between now and March.

 

[roxymama]

I've heard SO many great things about Flying Pig. I am trying to talk my mom into a road trip next year and do the Indy Mini in Indianapolis on Saturday and the Flying Pig on Sunday. LOL. Two states, one weekend!

Edited to add: I say mom instead of husband, because I already know there is no way in heck my husband would agree to it. LOL. I've already gotten him roped in to adding SC, LA, and MS between now and March.

The probability of me running the pig in some format (maybe the half) is high for next year. Though it is one week after our disney cruise so your already superior speed + my pounds of free mickey bars will mean you would easily win in the disboards division.

 

[TheHamm]

QOTD: I am on a quest to run a half marathon or full in every state and am selfishly using my question to get some ideas for the future. If you could only pick one state and race to run for the rest of your life, which state and race would you pick and why?

My list of races I have run is rather short, so from those I would go back to the Thor 10K. If I could pick a race I have not run and not worry about paying for flights I would pick all the 10Ks in the state of Hawaii. The weather has been amazing every time I have visited so in my mind it is perfect (despite my penchant for visiting the week after natural disasters). I think the 10K distance is great because it does not suck the life out of me- it does not take the whole day, and I am not unable to enjoy myself afterward (for example, I did 12 park hours after my 2 disney 10Ks) maybe if I run more a half would also be enjoyable? Or is that just not how it works?

 

[GreatLakes]

I've heard SO many great things about Flying Pig. I am trying to talk my mom into a road trip next year and do the Indy Mini in Indianapolis on Saturday and the Flying Pig on Sunday. LOL. Two states, one weekend!

Edited to add: I say mom instead of husband, because I already know there is no way in heck my husband would agree to it. LOL. I've already gotten him roped in to adding SC, LA, and MS between now and March.

The probability of me running the pig in some format (maybe the half) is high for next year. Though it is one week after our disney cruise so your already superior speed + my pounds of free mickey bars will mean you would easily win in the disboards division.

I've done the Indy Mini as well. It is interesting.

It is about 95% likely next year will be my 5th Flying Pig. I already have friends going and a place to stay. It is just a question of if I am going solo or with the wife and kid. Our son's first diaper dash was the kids race last year.

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: FL, WDW Marathon Weekend. It's close to home and Disney, so yeah.

 

[huskies90]

QOTD: I am on a quest to run a half marathon or full in every state and am selfishly using my question to get some ideas for the future. If you could only pick one state and race to run for the rest of your life, which state and race would you pick and why?

ATTQOTD: I have only run races in CT and FL. In CT, I would say the Hartford Half or Full Marathon would be my pick. They both start at the state capitol and both finish through the Soldiers Arch. After the start, the half peels off and runs through West Hartford and the full peels off and runs along the CT River and into East Hartford before returning to the city. I have only done the half. I might do the full the next year assuming I survive my first marathon in January and want to do another one.

 

[KSellers88]

The probability of me running the pig in some format (maybe the half) is high for next year. Though it is one week after our disney cruise so your already superior speed + my pounds of free mickey bars will mean you would easily win in the disboards division.

YAYYY! LOL, well my husband and I are discussing starting a family soon so that may impede my victory in the disboards division. The fact you might be there is even more incentive to do it!

I've done the Indy Mini as well. It is interesting.

It is about 95% likely next year will be my 5th Flying Pig. I already have friends going and a place to stay. It is just a question of if I am going solo or with the wife and kid. Our son's first diaper dash was the kids race last year.

Interesting in a good or bad way? LOL

I am sure that was absolutely adorable!

 

[cburnett11]

ATTQOTD: FL, WDW Marathon Weekend. It's close to home and Disney, so yeah.

 

[run.minnie.miles]

YAYYY! LOL, well my husband and I are discussing starting a family soon so that may impede my victory in the disboards division. The fact you might be there is even more incentive to do it!

We are also having the same discussion... maybe we'll have running baby buddies

 

[kbenson13]

I haven't run enough races to be able to give a strong recommendation, but if you have to check Texas off your list, I would suggest looking into the 3M Half Marathon in Austin. It's a fun point-to-point course that is almost entirely on a slightly downhill grade (though the last 300m is steeply uphill, just to mess with people). And you end in Austin, which is an incredibly fun town worth visiting and spending some time in.

If I could run anywhere for the rest of my life, though, it probably wouldn't be Texas (though I do love it here!). I would probably head back to San Francisco. Can't beat the weather for running there, and their half marathon (and marathon) cross the Golden Gate Bridge among other awesome vistas. The downside is lots of hills, but the hill training would probably make me a better runner! (The other downside is that it's too darn expensive to live there, but dare to dream!)

 

[GreatLakes]

Interesting in a good or bad way? LOL

I am sure that was absolutely adorable!

Not necessarily either, just interesting. The idea of running around the Indy track is cool but I found it a bit odd. It felt like you weren't moving. You are running through a place designed for 200mph cars. It was just the perspective of the movement.

It wasn't one of my top races but I didn't dislike it or anything.

 

[MissLiss279]

ATTQOTD:
This is tough! I like some of my scenic races, but not sure I would want to do them every year, because crowd support is usually low. I keep signing up for the Route 66 Marathon (every year since the first year I ran a marathon 2015), so I would probably go with it. It’s in Tulsa, OK. It’s in my home state and easy for me to get to, and the weekend before Thanksgiving. The crowd support is great. The first half (up until about mile 12.5) is ran with the half marathoners, so still lots of people on the course. When the marathoners do split off, it gets a bit quieter, but not lonely like some marathons, and there are still people cheering you on. The past three years have had really great weather - pretty cold to start (because you start downtown between taller building and they act as a wind tunnel). But once you get out in the sun and start running, it’s been good! Sunny and cool in the 40s. There are more hills than some, but I still love it!

 

[Keels]

QOTD: I am on a quest to run a half marathon or full in every state and am selfishly using my question to get some ideas for the future. If you could only pick one state and race to run for the rest of your life, which state and race would you pick and why?

Probably Rock n Roll NOLA. It’s flat and fast, super scenic. Usually in late February or early March which means you don’t have to train in the summer for it.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

ATTQOTD: I'm going to give 2 answers:

Sentimental answer: Peachtree Road Race 10K, Atlanta GA. My brother and I have a 32 year streak going.

Non-sentimental answer: Rocket City Marathon, Huntsville, AL. You can stay in your hotel room until 10 minutes before the start, and in the lobby until 5 minutes before the start. Generally good racing weather, flat figure-8 spectator-friendly course, good size (1000 runners), plenty to do within walking distance of hotel/finish line, including pizza and beer, *ghost of Elvis is present. They added a half this year (as he googles hotel reservations).

*Elvis did 2 concerts in Huntsville in the 70s. The old host hotel (now gone) was where he stayed. It actually had "Elvis stayed here' pictures and plaques. You will usually see at least 1 or 2 Elvis-impersonators (or is it really him?) on the course.

 

[jennamfeo]

ATTQOTD: I don't feel like I have ran enough races to answer your exact question. I guess in a fictional world I would pick the Disneyland Half (I would really say the 10k, but for the sake of wanting to run longer half it is).
Well, if you ever wanna run up a mountain, you know who to ask! I haven't done the RnR Vegas yet but I know it's on both of our lists. And maybe we should just do RnR Arizona the same year so we can get extra medals. RnR AZ was mostly flat and in January so perfect AZ weather!

I’d also like to do Big Sur eventually.

Let me know when! I'll do it with you!

 

[rteetz]

Let me know when! I'll do it with you!

Not 2019 but maybe 2020.

 

[michigandergirl]

So - I mentioned it a couple of weeks ago, but my sweet friend Kari ran the Leadville 100 in Colorado a couple of weeks ago. She finished and with just a few minutes to spare! If you're friends with me on social, I posted the live video of her crossing the finish line in the last 15 minutes of the race before the cutoff - but here is a picture of her ... look at that face! Such joy after 102 miles of crazy elevation and conditions!!

View attachment 350599

@BikeFan asked about it over on my (obviously abandoned) training journal, so instead of responding there - I figured I'd post about it here. Initially, I was supposed to crew for her - but my heel and Achilles issues (and surgery and treatment) kept me from being able to go. But I feel like I was there with her through the whole thing.

She finally sat down and wrote out her experience, and I wanted to share it with y'all ... just in case you need inspiration, or are thinking about taking that leap to a bigger challenge ... or if you're actually crazy enough to think about the Leadville 100.



https://docs.google.com/document/d/...tuGFXHAW6jl1SzYbpUkOo1vnVu6pp63R05u3Tdfar/pub

I hope y'all read and enjoy. I'm so proud of her, like all of my friends - and all of you! - that inspire and motivate me every day with your accomplishments.

What an amazing accomplishment! I enjoyed reading about her experience - it gave me all the feels!

 

[michigandergirl]

ATTQOTD: I've only run in a handful of states, but if I had to pick just one, it would be right here in my home state - the Mitten. Picking just one race would be very hard though - there are some good ones - River Bank Run 25K, Detroit marathon, Bayshore...

 

[KSellers88]

ATTQOTD: I don't feel like I have ran enough races to answer your exact question. I guess in a fictional world I would pick the Disneyland Half (I would really say the 10k, but for the sake of wanting to run longer half it is).
Well, if you ever wanna run up a mountain, you know who to ask! I haven't done the RnR Vegas yet but I know it's on both of our lists. And maybe we should just do RnR Arizona the same year so we can get extra medals. RnR AZ was mostly flat and in January so perfect AZ weather!


Let me know when! I'll do it with you!

YESSS! Sounds like a plan to me! I know I can talk the hubby into Las Vegas, but I'm not sure about Arizona. I'll have to do some research...I've roped him into Kentucky by promising trips to breweries.

 

[jennamfeo]

I've roped him into Kentucky by promising trips to breweries.

HEY AZ HAS BREWERIES TOO! Your Brad can just hang out with my Brad and go brewery hopping while we run.