A few of my favorite races
I've blogged about a lot of races I've done, but there are a few that stand out in a major way. Here are the top five races I've run:
5. Capital City River Run, Lansing, MI
I've run the CCRR three times - more than any other race I've done. I generally don't like to repeat races, but I like it so much. It's a great expo, a lovely, flat course, and it always has a shirt I love (as a bonus). I've done the half marathon twice and ran the 5k last year. It's a race I always intend to do - it shows off the best of my adopted hometown. I would recommend anyone in the Lansing area do it. Excellent race.
4. LL Bean 10k, Freeport, Maine
The LL Bean 10k was on my race bucket list. Something about this race intrigued me, and we built our entire 2012 summer vacation around it. Totally worth it. Not only did we fall in love with Maine, but I ran in the same race as Joan Benoit Samuelson! Granted she finished 20 minutes ahead of me and I didn't actually MEET her, but whatever. Awesome race. Great New Balance shirt. Challenging, hilly course in Freeport. Downtown Freeport is quaint and fun. It was 100% worth a trip to Maine for this race.
3. Detroit Free Press Marathon, Detroit, MI
My first 26.2. I swore it would be my last, and here I am training again. The race is fabulous. Extremely well organized, great course highlighting the very best of one of my favorite cities. It was unequivocally the most challenging race I've ever done. As I was running around Belle Isle park in the last ten miles of the race, I was really struggling. A race volunteer jogged beside me and gave me the best pep talk. It kept me going. This is a race that encompasses the entire community, and it's fantastic.
2. Covenant Knoxville Half Marathon, Knoxville, Tennessee
I registered for this race for two reasons: to tick Tennessee off my state list and because it finished on the 50 yard line at the University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadium. I didn't expect to fall in love with the City of Knoxville with it's pedestrian mall downtown, college town feel, delicious food, and riverfront beauty. The race itself was VERY hilly, and it was a fantastic challenge. It's a really fabulous race.
1. Nike Women's Half Marathon, San Francisco, CA
You never forget your first. My first half marathon in 2006 was painful. It was emotional. It was then that I was hooked, and here I am nine half marathons later, and training for my third marathon. This race was a challenge because of the terrain and my IT band injury. But the feeling of standing with tens of thousands of runners in Union Square at the start trying to shake off my nervousness is one I'll never forget. The "ran like a girl" Nike shirt is still my all-time favorite race shirt. Plus a Tiffany necklace as a medal? Priceless.
What are your favorite races? No favorite race survey could be complete without a least favorite race survey. Stay tuned for it...
5. Capital City River Run, Lansing, MI
I've run the CCRR three times - more than any other race I've done. I generally don't like to repeat races, but I like it so much. It's a great expo, a lovely, flat course, and it always has a shirt I love (as a bonus). I've done the half marathon twice and ran the 5k last year. It's a race I always intend to do - it shows off the best of my adopted hometown. I would recommend anyone in the Lansing area do it. Excellent race.
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| During the 2012 CCRR 5k |
The LL Bean 10k was on my race bucket list. Something about this race intrigued me, and we built our entire 2012 summer vacation around it. Totally worth it. Not only did we fall in love with Maine, but I ran in the same race as Joan Benoit Samuelson! Granted she finished 20 minutes ahead of me and I didn't actually MEET her, but whatever. Awesome race. Great New Balance shirt. Challenging, hilly course in Freeport. Downtown Freeport is quaint and fun. It was 100% worth a trip to Maine for this race.
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| Finishing the LL Bean 10k |
My first 26.2. I swore it would be my last, and here I am training again. The race is fabulous. Extremely well organized, great course highlighting the very best of one of my favorite cities. It was unequivocally the most challenging race I've ever done. As I was running around Belle Isle park in the last ten miles of the race, I was really struggling. A race volunteer jogged beside me and gave me the best pep talk. It kept me going. This is a race that encompasses the entire community, and it's fantastic.
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| At the start of the Freep Marathon 2010 |
I registered for this race for two reasons: to tick Tennessee off my state list and because it finished on the 50 yard line at the University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadium. I didn't expect to fall in love with the City of Knoxville with it's pedestrian mall downtown, college town feel, delicious food, and riverfront beauty. The race itself was VERY hilly, and it was a fantastic challenge. It's a really fabulous race.
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| In Neyland Stadium after the Knoxville Half in 2011 |
You never forget your first. My first half marathon in 2006 was painful. It was emotional. It was then that I was hooked, and here I am nine half marathons later, and training for my third marathon. This race was a challenge because of the terrain and my IT band injury. But the feeling of standing with tens of thousands of runners in Union Square at the start trying to shake off my nervousness is one I'll never forget. The "ran like a girl" Nike shirt is still my all-time favorite race shirt. Plus a Tiffany necklace as a medal? Priceless.
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| So, so nervous before my first half, October 2006 |
I heard about that nike's women's half a lot..all I needed t ohear was the tiffany's at the end. I would LOVE to run that one!
ReplyDeleteYou should - it's TOTALLY worth it!!
ReplyDelete