I ran the Red Ribbon Half Marathon in Lakeland Florida on Veteran's Day, November 11, 2017. The race is a fundraiser for the drug abuse prevention group Inneract Alliance.

The pretty suburban course runs through Lakeland in central Florida, on roads and multi-use trails, through neighborhoods, and along several lakes.

Training & Goals
My training had been focused on getting miles on my feet for the four back-to-back Dopey races in January. Since our long trip over the summer I had felt like I was struggling with running in training and races, though the Wine & Dine half went fairly well the week before this race. Prior to race day I didn't have any particular goals except to remain injury-free. I felt really good race morning and decided to give it my best shot and actually race, hopeful for a sub-2:40 finish.

Race Day: November 11, 2017
Arthur and I left crazy early to get down to Lakeland in time for packet pickup before the 6:30AM start. We found a parking spot and walked over to the start. I had time to use the restroom before heading out to the start, with Arthur there to cheer. We noticed a crazy amount of runners in Sparkle Skirts as I got ready to run, which is unsurprising when you realize that Sparkle Skirts HQ is in nearby Plant City.

It was a pleasant 59°F at the start with clear skies. My weather app tells me it was 100% humidity at the start but I don't remember it feeling so humid.

Mile 1, 2, 3: 10:32, 10:11, 10:49
For some reason I decided to hold off starting intervals, and ran the first two and a half miles straight. I felt good. There was a nice long downhill run at the start that I knew would be no fun on the way back.

Right from the start the on-course volunteers were awesome. There were plenty of course marshals and pointers and the water stops were well-staffed.

Mile 4, 5, 6: 10:39, 10:34, 10:37
I started to split my run with my regular walking interval, running 4 minutes and walking 1. I was still feeling pretty good.

The on course support continued to be impressive. Water stations with sport drinks were clearly marked with signs ahead of time to indicate where we would find water vs. drink -- so handy.

Mile 7, 8, 9: 10:51, 10:57, 11:11
Feeling good but slowing down, I realized I was on good pace to run a sub 2:30.

At the 5th water stop I had a total cup fail and dropped water, hopefully not splashing too much on the volunteer. I felt really bad about it. The volunteers were super nice though and I managed to get a cup from another volunteer.

Mile 10, 11, 12: 11:25, 11:37, 12:07
We ran around Lake Hollingsworth, which was full of ducks, geese, and pelicans. The nice scenery here was a great distraction when my hamstrings started aching. I tried hard to keep up my pace. I ran by a Purple Gallinule and started laughing -- normally I would stop to take a photo of a PUGA.

There was a 70 foot elevation gain in mile 12, which isn't a lot but for a flatland runner like me it was a mountain! I power-walked up as best I could, trying not to lose too much time. Course marshals and spectators here encouraged us back-of-the-packers to keep moving.

Mile 13+: 12:01, 2:49
For this last mile we circled around Lake Morton before another uphill climb to the finish. Arthur saw me on the course somewhere here and cheered me on. I knew a PR was just out of reach but sub 2:30 was still possible if I could make it up the last little hill without a total crash and burn.

We ran past downtown and towards the finish line. I did my best to run in and finish strong, beaming that I was coming in under 2:30. I finished at 2:26:19, my second fastest half marathon, 2:12 off of my PR. When I checked my results later I was amused to see that my overall pace was 11:11. On 11/11!

After Party
The runner village after this race had a lot going on. Title sponsor Publix was giving away chocolate milk, lunch boxes, tote bags, and treats. Runners got bananas and water too, of course. It was a nice atmosphere and we only saw a little bit of everything because there was more going on by the 5K and kids run finish lines.

Recommendation
This was one of the most well-organized races I've run. The volunteers on course were amazing, cheering us from start to finish. It was a great scenic course with pretty good swag. Highly recommended.

Chip time: 2:26:19
Placement details: 14th of 29 in age, 215th overall out of 330 finishers
Race Amenities: Really nice soft t-shirt and spinner medal. Various freebies at the runner village after the run.
Cost: $54.38

Report written December 11, 2017

Professional race photos (c) BB Action Photo

Disney's Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend concluded with the half marathon on Sunday. Because I ran the 10K as well, I had the extra challenge medal to look forward to.

I kept my kit simple with my 10K wine and dine themed shirt from last year and a denim-look Sparkle Skirt.

The course for this race was different than the 2016 Wine & Dine Half Marathon. We started at the TTC (Transportation & Ticket Center) and ran through Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. Last year we started at Wide World of Sports and missed running through Hollywood Studios.

Training & Goals
Both the 10K and this half marathon fit nicely into my continuing training plan for Dopey, which called for back-to-back runs on this weekend. As usual for Disney races my goals were to have fun and finish healthy. Arthur was with me, waiting for me to finish, so I did plan to race and skip most photo stops.

Race Day: November 5, 2017
Arthur and I drove in the wee hours to make it in time for the start. Runner Drop Off was at the TTC and I was happy to have access to real facilities before walking to the corrals.

More of the same weather for this race: 66°F with 94% humidity. It was overcast for most of the morning, keeping it cool. I started at the front of the second wave of corral D and had a nice view of the stage while waiting for the gun.

Mile 1, 2, 3: 10:41, 10:51, 10:59
These were speedy highway miles heading towards Animal Kingdom. I tried to snap pictures of the photo ops on the run but they came out very blurry. The Mickey Mouse golf cart was out in the first mile. In the second mile we had Tinker Bell out with friends, and then some Adventurers Club style characters out, which I kind of immediately regretted not stopping for. Maybe next year. After this I stopped seriously trying to take photos of the characters as I ran by so I'm not sure what else there was going forward.

Mile 4, 5, 6: 11:03, 11:53, 12:01
We ran on to Animal Kingdom, passing through Pandora, and then back out via the parking lot. There were drummers playing in Pandora, which was neat. I know I passed by King Louie and Rafiki through Animal Kingdom and Pluto outside of the park.

Mile 7, 8, 9: 12:06, 11:57, 12:22
More highway miles on Osecola Parkway and World Drive on our way to Hollywood Studios. Here I ran by the Country Bears and the penguins from Mary Poppins.

Mile 10, 11, 12: 12:51, 13:22, 12:01
These miles took us through Hollywood Studios and the Boardwalk area on our way to Epcot. And here, just into mile 10, I made my first full stop, to see Oswald again. The line was a lot shorter and it was light out so I thought it was worth stopping once more for this relatively rare character.

Then Arthur was there spectating at the Boardwalk, and I stopped for a quick selfie. And then Remy and Emile were out in France when we ran through Epcot, and I can't resist these rats so I stopped again.

Mile 13+: 13:05, 6:30*
The fun run continued around World Showcase before leaving Epcot for the parking lot finish. We were treated to a marching band backstage before the finish line.

I got my medals and then I met up with Arthur. We waited to have a finisher photo with Donald before heading off to clean up and visit the Magic Kingdom for the rest of the day.

Recommendation
A+

Chip time: 2:41:34
Placement details: 260th of 890 in Age Group, 5069th overall out of 13178 finishers
Race Amenities: Long sleeve tech shirts and sweet travel themed medals for the race and challenge.
Cost: $319.30 for the 10K & half marathon challenge.

*I often forget to turn off my Garmin after a race, so the final time is skewed.

Report written December 9, 2017

I had wanted to run all of the Wine & Dine races, but I kept putting off registration. As the dates for the race weekend approached, some charities and travel agents began to offer their bibs at a discount. I ended up getting a challenge bib from Sparrow's Nest without a fundraising obligation. I saved about $30 off of regular registration and Sparrow's Nest wasn't stuck with an unsold bib.

Figment is always a mascot for the Food & Wine festival and he's a popular costume choice for these races. For the 10K I decided to run as Chef Figment. I made a pair of orange Figment horns out of felt and attached them, along with a cheap kid's chef hat, to a purple cap. I got a chef jacket and wore that over light purple running clothes for my Figment-inspired outfit.

I went to the expo on Thursday afternoon to pick up my bib, look at the official merchandise, buy a race challenge magnet, and meet Chef Mickey.

The course this year was different than last year's inaugural Wine & Dine 10K run. This time we started in the Magic Kingdom parking lot and made our way down to run through Hollywood Studios and the Boardwalk area before a standard Epcot finish.

Training & Goals
Both races fit nicely into my continuing training plan for Dopey. As usual for Disney races my goals were to have fun and finish healthy.

Race Day: November 4, 2017
The race started at 5:30 which called for the usual ridiculous pre-Disney race wake-up call and commute on dark and deserted I4. I arrived in time to use the portapotty and get a good spot to wait at the front of the corral (C for the 10K this year).

The weather was exactly the same as for the 10K last year! It was 66°F with clear skies and 94% humidity.

Mile 1: 11:45
This mile took us from the parking lot out to World Drive. Right as we got onto World Drive there was an awesome school marching band playing music as we ran by.

Mile 2: 11:50
This was another highway mile along World Drive. I don't think there were any character stops in this mile.

Mile 3: 21:07
Another highway mile on World Drive before looped around the exit onto Buena Vista Drive. I stopped to meet the 3 Little Piggies. There was also a DJ along this highway stretch.

Mile 4: 19:51
This mile took us through part of Hollywood Studios. As we took the uphill onto the overpass a green toy soldier motivated us along. And then right inside the park was an awesome character stop with a huge line: Oswald! I got in line first and asked questions later. I saw a ton of runners turn around to get in line after they saw it was Oswald.

Mile 5: 29:28
We ran from Hollywood Studios to the Boardwalk. There was a full moon and huge traffic jam of runners trying to photograph the moon over the Tower for part of this stretch. I tried too but my phone couldn't handle it.

Mile 6+: 16:58, 14:01*
The last mile took us from the Boardwalk area to Epcot for the finish in the parking lot. There were a few photo ops here: grape stompers; vacation Genie in front of ESPN; Brother Bear in Canada.

There were several photographers in front of Spaceship Earth too.

Before running into Epcot we went through a big backstage construction area where they are building a Skyliner station. I took out my phone and took a bunch of photos but a cast member admonished me "NO PHOTOS BACKSTAGE"! Eek!

Then we were running past the choir, out of Epcot, and racing towards the parking lot for the finish. Like last year I stopped a lot and though I started among the first half of runners (corral C out of F) I ended up coming in among the last 100 or so runners.

After the race I stood in some epic lines for character photos with everyone dressed up as chefs.

I went to Epcot for a little bit to get some more photos before heading home.

Recommendation
A+

Chip time: 2:04:56 (about 15 minutes longer than last year!)
Placement details: 788th of 795 in Age Group, 11010th overall out of 11118 finishers
Race Amenities: Long sleeve tech shirt and sweet travel themed medal.
Cost: $319.30 for the 10K & half marathon challenge.

*I often forget to turn off my Garmin after a race, so the final time is skewed.

Report written December 9, 2017

Lighthouse Loop is my club's race. WVR puts on this awesome local race that benefits the athletic departments of 10 Volusia County schools. Student athletes and coaches from the schools staff the 10 water stops on the half marathon course. The Lighthouse Loop 5K was my very first race ever in 2015. This year runners were given the option of running the new Aunt Catfish Challenge, which offered extra swag for those that completed the half marathon and the 5K race, which was moved to later in the morning. I signed up for the challenge.

Training & Goals
All of my running focus for the last months of the year are going towards training for Dopey in January 2018. I had long runs of 16 and 17 miles in the month prior to this race, along with regular maintenance runs. Since I had been somewhat struggling with speed, especially during those long runs, my main goal was to finish the half within 3 hours so I could be at the 5K start line and complete the challenge.

Race Day: October 29, 2017
I drove over to Port Orange for the races early in the morning. I found a good parking spot and headed over the bridge to packet pickup and bag drop and the start line. I met up with some club members and we got a group photo.

At the start, the weather was clear. It was 68°F with 94% humidity.

Mile 1, 2, 3: 11:25, 10:52, 11:27
Feeling pretty good! Ran my usual intervals from the start and tried to slow myself down. The kids at the water stops were all pretty great and it was always a nice boost to hear the cheering students.

Mile 4, 5, 6: 11:53, 11:28, 11:48
Still feeling good and slowed to a nice pace. The course took us through Lighthouse Point Park. Everyone was taking selfies with the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. Good times.

Mile 7, 8, 9: 13:07, 12:54, 13:15
Since starting training for Dopey I've been a little bit terrified of injury. So when I got an ache in my hamstrings around the halfway point I decided to slow down even more. I took a selfie with the school mascot at one of the water stops.

Mile 10, 11, 12: 14:28, 15:44, 15:48
The weather took a turn. It looked stormy and a light misty rain started to fall. The wind really picked up and the long slog across the bridge was tough. More aches and more worry about injury = more slow trugging along.

Mile 13+: 15:44, 1:44
Well, I did not conquer the bridge.

I came in at 2:51:35 and chugged a water. The breakfast buffet would have to wait -- I had made it back in time for the 5K so it was time to find the start line and get ready to move again.

5K
I started out jogging a bit but mostly walked after the first mile or so. I came in at 46:47, 204th out of 262 finishers.

After Party
The famous Lighthouse Loop after party! There was a breakfast buffet from Aunt Catfish and beer for finishers of age. There was music and dancing. The PR bell was rung numerous times. Good times.

Recommendation
Lighthouse Loop is a great race with a nice course, awesome volunteers, and a great cause. I'm totally biased but seriously, this is highly recommended.

Half Marathon chip time: 2:51:35
Placement details: 34th of 46 in Age Group, 382nd overall out of 487 finishers
Race Amenities: Aunt Catfish Challengers got both race shirts, medal for the half, and a nice custom tumbler for completing both races.
Cost: $88.40 for the Challenge

Report written November 28, 2017

Pro running photos (c) Almost There Photography

The Happy Halloween Run, apparently previously known as the Halloween Hustle, is a novelty untimed fun run put on in several cities nationwide by Superfly Running. Naturally, participants are encouraged to dress up.

Training & Goals
I was looking for a fun Halloween race for this season and this fit the bill. I'm not a fan of untimed runs but there was a nice Groupon deal for this race so I took advantage of the savings and had a nice run at Bill Frederick Park with some bling to show for it. 

Race Day: October 21, 2017
I drove out to Bill Frederick Park early Saturday morning. Packet pickup (bib and cape!) was a breeze. I waited for a while in my car and took advantage of the cute photo op background with props before the run began. It was fun to see all of the runners in their costumes.

The race began at 9AM and it was a pleasant 75°F with about 78% humidity.

Mile 1: 10:46
So... this race took place at the same location as the Hatchling Dash earlier this year. The race where I and several other runners (at least) apparently got lost on the course and ran a short race. I was wary going in to this one, but the starting location was different for the Hustle than it was for the Dash. That gave me high hopes I'd get my 5K in.

For this mile we ran along the lake and a pasture with a friendly donkey. A trail I completely missed during the Hatchling Dash.

Mile 2: 10:58
This part of the trail was familiar; for the last two miles of the course we doubled over a narrow loop. The park was open and we passed by several parties playing disc golf.

Mile 3+: 10:26, 0:56
This race was very walker-friendly; during the final 3/4 mile I was passed a lot of walkers on their first loop. I had to hop off the path onto the grass a few times to get by and that was a little bit annoying.

Right before the finish line participants on the first loop had to make a left turn, while those almost done with the course made a slight right to reach the end. The course pointers here were not very clear at all. There was some confusion and a traffic jam when I got there, very annoyed that I had to come to a stop behind walkers who didn't know which way to go. I'm also pretty sure that a lot of participants inadvertently cut the course here because of the unfortunately unclear directions.

On a personal note, I was very happy to see my GPS read 3.1 miles as I crossed the finish line.

Recommendation
I think I will try to avoid running at Bill Frederick Park in the future -- it's a nice park but this is the second race where I've seen course problems. Otherwise the race organization and amenities were slick. Solid MEH rating.

GPS time: 33:06
Race Amenities: Untimed fun run with cute little themed finisher medal, nice custom race bib, and choice of Halloween cape
Cost: $12.50

Report written October 26, 2017

The Daytona Beach Krispy Kreme Doughnut Dash took place at Tuscawilla Park on Sunday, October 1st. Competitors could run in teams of two, consuming a dozen doughnuts between them at the halfway point of the race. Individuals could also participate in the competitive class, eating a dozen doughtnuts halfway, or in the casual class, stopping halfway to have a doughnut or five or none before completing the distance. I won my entry to the race in a club raffle and elected for the casual class.

Training & Goals
I ate a dozen doughnuts mid-run for about a month prior to the race.

You know me... no particular goals. I just wanted to get a little run in and pick up a shirt and medal for my trouble. The doughnuts were a sweet, sweet bonus.

Race Day: October 1, 2017
Smooth sailing race morning. I arrived in time for one of the better parking spots and picked up my shirt & bib. It was about 79°F and overcast at the start with 84% humidity.

Mile 1: 11:49
The first loop in and around the park was on a mix of roadway, sidewalk, and dirt path.

Mile 2: 14:56
At about the halfway point, back near the starting line of the double-loop course, everyone stopped at the doughnut station for some serious nomming. I had two Krispy Kremes before heading back out with another one to go, along with a cup of water.

Mile ~3: 11:15*
The doughnuts settled nicely. I could have had a few more. Maybe the competitive team run could be a possibility. I don't know if I could do the full dozen; I don't like Krispy Kremes that much. Dunkin, on the other hand...

Recommendation
This silly race offered a nice course, fun t-shirt and cute finisher medal. Plus it was timed. And we got doughnuts. I'm not a big fan of eating contests but this was kind of fun. I'm glad I won the raffle.

Chip time: 37:52
Placement details: Casual Runner category: 11th female runner out of 48; 18th overall out of 72 casual finishers
Race Amenities: Up to a dozen doughnuts, nice cotton t-shirt, cute doughnut medal
Cost: $0 (I won a raffle!)

*I forgot to turn off my Garmin right afterwards; GPS gave me a short course

Report written October 25, 2017

I ran the Global Energy 10K in 2016, the first time it was held in Orlando. Then as now I used it as part of back-to-back training runs, preparing for a runDisney race challenge.

Following the Mermaid fiasco the previous day, the slick and professional managment of this race stood out more than I might normally notice.

In 2017 this global race took place in 38 cites across 21 countries.

Training & Goals
I treated this like a training run as part of my ongoing Dopey training plan, which calls for some back-to-back runs. My only goal was to finish healthy and hopefully score some free bagels like I did last year.

Race Day: September 24, 2017
I drove to Festival Park in Orlando for the race. Parking and packet pickup were both a breeze (just like last year) and I was ready to run with plenty of time to spare.

The staging area had a DJ and a couple of MCs kept the crowd informed and entertained as we waited to start.

It was 77° with 89% humidity at the start of the race (2 degrees cooler with the same humidity as last year!).

I didn't take any photos during the race or before or after, so here's a nifty video of the route from Relive.

Mile 1: 10:41
The course for the 10K was the same route as last year.

Mile 2: 10:55
I decided to take it nice and easy, running my 4:1 intervals the entire race.

Mile 3: 11:23

Mile 4: 12:03

Mile 5: 13:14
I felt okay but slowed my pace when I started feeling overheated. I've been struggling with my runs a bit since we returned from our summer holiday. I've also been super paranoid about overdoing it and unnecessarily stressing my body during training. So... slow down and don't push it.

Mile 6+: 13:48, 8:50*
Even though I'm trying not to stress out about stuff, I was still kind of disappointed with my slow time. At least I was feeling fine when it was over.

After Party
There were plenty of treats for runners after the event. Water, bananas, and oranges were given out in the finish line chute. We also got a drawstring backpack, small sport towel, and arm band. Around the "runner village" there were stands giving out treats, including sleeves of bagels (score!). All bibs had a food voucher attached that we runners could exchange for a grilled cheese sandwich (I passed on this).

Recommendation
It's a well-organized event with a nice 10K route, above-par swag, and an extremely affordable price. Highly recommended. I'll run this again as long as I don't have any conflicts.

Chip time: 1:15:55
Placement details: 167th finisher of 304 women. No other placement details given.
Race Amenities: Swag included nice gender specific tech shirt, drawstring backpack, sport towel, arm band, finisher medal, nice refreshement / fuel spread.
Cost: $10 (past participant discount applied)

*I often forget to turn off my Garmin after a race, so the final time is skewed.

Report written October 17, 2017

There was a lot wrong with this race. Here's a Runner's World article about the Weeki Wachee Mermaid Race, under their "watchdog" series.

I had signed up for the Big Splash Challenge, which meant I would participate in the Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaid Race Half Marathon, 5K, and One Mile Dash. This would give me an additional challenge medal. Signing up was easy. Most of the rest was a straight up disaster, from packet pickup to race day to the aftermath.

Early Signs of Mismanagement
Pre-race information emails changed details, like the availability of race day packet pickup (not available to available) and the start times for all of the races.

Packet pickup at Disney Springs two days prior to the race took way too long. When I was there the line was almost out the door and moved very slowly. There were two people helping runners and my own pickup was quick and easy so I have no idea what the problem was for everyone else.

I heard from others running the race (members of my running club) that packet pickup on site the day prior to the race was a complete mess, taking 2 hours or more for some runners, with only one person to serve everyone.

Training & Goals
Dopey training had begun and my plan called for a long run this weekend. Back-to-back runs are also in the mix, and with the Global Energy 10K the following day, the Big Splash mileage would make for some good training. The idea was to just go out and have fun and not worry about my finish times.

Race Day: September 23, 2017 | Screw-Ups & Dangers
Pre-race emailed information told runners we could start as early as 6AM, with waves of runners being set off at 15 minute intervals. This was great news, especially for Big Splash runners, as we were initially told the Half Marathon would start at 7AM.

I had to leave home around 3:30AM to arrive in time. I was there just before 6AM and figured after a stop at the restroom I could start in the second wave. But no one was running yet. The crowd of runners increased... and increased... and increased. Time passed. More time passed. Pretty much everyone started grumbling, and there was no information coming from race staff or volunteers. The sun came up. At around 7AM we were told we would be starting in about 15 minutes. More grumbling. We didn't start until 7:30AM. By then it was 73°F with 94% humidity.

The course was on sidewalks along a major highway. The grass around the sidewalk had been recently mowed, leaving major debris (some still from Hurricane Irma) and piles of grass, leaves, and weeds all along the way. Some runners took to run along the side of the highway. I did this for a while but it seemed more unsafe than dodging the debris on the sidewalk so I went back. I saw a lot of runners with burrs on their socks and shoes. I got a couple of really painful ones that were difficult to remove.

There were no cups, no staff or volunteers at the first water stop. There was a cooler of water, but runners like me who were not carrying their own bottles could only try to drink from the cooler or skip the stop. I ran on...

No cups, no staff or volunteers at the second water stop. I should have turned around here. But I pressed on.

No cups, apologetic volunteers at the third water stop. I tried to drink from the cooler and just spilled water all over myself. From this point I really should have turned around, but instead trugged on, abandoning any hope for a decent finishing time. I pretty much walked the rest.

At the turn-around (mile 6... hmm) volunteers were giving out bottles of water (see featured photo). There were either bottles or coolers at the following water stops. I kept my plastic bottle so I could refill it.

Mile markers were sporadic during the race, but at least the mileage was consistent with my watch up until mile 9. My GPS gave me about 7.5 at that time and from there the markers were off. I finished at about 12.5 miles according to my Garmin (a half marathon is 13.1 miles).

There were several major highway crossings, which were known. However, these were unmanned and unstaffed. Usually a race will have police officers or other officials to help runners safely cross roads (any road! let alone major highways).

I am probably forgetting stuff... but all that was just about the Half Marathon.

Big Splash runners had to exchange bibs for each of the subsequent races. It was a little annoying to have to stand in line, but whatever, okay. Bad news though, our results for the 5K and One Mile Dash never posted, even after I emailed asking what was going on. No acknowledgement whatsoever.

There were no water stops, no mile or distance markers, no directions, no volunteers or course... NOTHING! for the 5K and One Mile Dash. At the first major road crossing by the starting area, a volunteer pointed out where we should go for each of the shorter races, but it seemed like it was just up to us to figure out where to turn around. I did hear afterwards that the 5K course was short and the One Mile Dash course was long, so I guess some runners were able to find course direction.

Aftermath
In a sadly unceremonious fashion, runners picked up their medals after completing the race(s) from a dedicated tent manned by a couple of uninterested staffers, rather than receiving them immediately after each race. The medals were all still bagged.

Recommendation
Are you kidding?! Stay away from Landmark Races at all costs!

I should mention that one great perk for this race was free admission to Weeki Wachee State Park following the event. I took a dip in the spring and watched a mermaid show. I got some ice cream. The park is great and had very little to do with the disastrous race event besides the location.

Also the medals for the races are super cool. I have to give 'em that. Excellent medals.

Race Amenities: Mediocre race shirt, nice medals for each run plus challenge medal, admission to state park. No course support or much else positive to say.
Cost: $133.19 using ambassador discount code

Report written October 15, 2017

LOL the Landmark Races website still indicates "Race photos are coming soon!

The NM Chips & Salsa Half Marathon in Albuquerque was kind of on our big western road trip route at kind of the right time. Arthur kindly adjusted our itinerary a little bit so I could add New Mexico to my race list.

This race is put on anually by RunFit, a local race management company. A portion of proceeds from the event go towards the RunFit charity that benefits running programs for local school children. 2017 was the 14th annual running of this race, which also included 5K and 10K races on the same day.

Training & Goals
I didn't run at all the week between the Disneyland Half Marathon and this run. And the weeks prior had been kind of disastrous in my training as well. So my goal was to finish without injury within the 3.5 hour race cutoff.

Race Day: September 10, 2017
Arthur and I left our nearby Albuquerque hotel and after a small hiccup in following the sort of unclear directions provided by the race, we found the parking lot we were looking for. I picked up my t-shirt and bib and affixed my chip to my shoe.

There was a huge line at the portapotties and race staff were trying to get the half marathoners to the front of the line because our race started first at 7:30AM. I was glad I didn't have to go.

Next we had another small adventure trying to find the starting line for the half marathon, at first milling around the start arch for the 5K or 10K before finding the right spot.

It was 61°F at the start of the race with about 45% humidity. Very good conditions indeed.

There was no DJ, no live updates or information. A guy with a horn loudspeaker gave extremely brief instructions before telling us to GO! and we were off.

Mile 1, 2, 3: 10:50, 11:22, 11:36
This was a big lollipop-type course. We started out looping around the host venue, a college campus, before heading out onto Paseo Del Norte Blvd, crossing the Rio Grande on the nice multi-use path. There were a bunch of hot air balloons rising as we run and it was fun to watch them slowly bobbing around as they ascended. I was a bit concerned about being unaccustomed to running at the higher altitude (5300' versus under 100' for my local Florida running) but I felt okay during these miles.

Mile 4, 5, 6: 11:45, 12:47, 12:22
We were mostly on residential streets now until heading back on the out-and-back part of the lollipop course. First we headed out to the north. I slowed my pace but still felt okay so far.

Mile 7, 8, 9: 12:59, 14:54, 14:03
At around mile 6.5 we crossed Paseo Del Norte Blvd and continued the big loop south of this main drag, still mostly following residential streets. The lack of proper training started to hit me here and I began to walk a lot, feeling fatigued and disappointed. Maybe the altitude played a part as well?

Mile 10, 11, 12: 15:10, 16:59, 17:13
We turned north to finish up the big loop and then met up with Paseo Del Norte Blvd again to make our second crossing of the Rio Grande, heading back to the campus. More slow walking and getting passed by everyone. I tried to take in the sights. It was nice to be out and about in a new place, even if the run was a mess. We went by horse farms, I heard Canada Geese honking, and saw hummingbirds dueling by feeders.

Mile 13+: 16:18, 1:36*
More walking. I kept getting passed. I tried to pick it up at the very end and sadly lost a sprint to the end against another runner. Later she told me I had encouraged her in the final miles of the race as she was trying to keep up with me. That was nice to hear, I guess.

Afterwards
I picked up my little medal and went to look for the namesake post-race snacks. They ran out of salsa for us back-of-the-packers. I got some chips and chopped tomatoes with shredded cheese but didn't feel like eating that sadness so I got a couple of chocolate milks instead. We headed back to the hotel to shower, pack up, and hit the road again.

Recommendation
This race had a nice course with good directions and it was well-supported with water stops and porta-potties. Finishers got a really small medal. The course limit of 3 hours and 30 minutes is generous, but it was pretty disappointing that there was no salsa left for the last finishers. I wouldn't recommend this race for out of town runners but for locals it's not bad, I guess.

Chip time: 2:59:59 JUST UNDER THREE HOURS! SERIOUSLY!
Placement details: 11th of 11 in my Age Group; 218th overall out of 228 finishers
Race Amenities: Cotton t-shirt, finisher medal
Cost: $60.00

Report written October 14, 2017
Amy running over Rio Grande photo (c) Run Fit

The final run during a Disneyland race weekend is always a half marathon. Continuing with the homage to Pixar films, the half marathon was themed to Toy Story.

I dressed as Jessie, matching my denim-look SparkleSkirt with a self-painted tech shirt and a pair of cow-print knee socks.

Since the Disneyland resort is so small, only the first and final miles take place on Disney property, and we only run in the parks at the very beginning. After starting the run in the parks, we headed out onto the streets of Anaheim before finishing up back in the start/finish parking lot area.

Training & Goals
I had very few training runs while we were on the road, with zero miles run for about 10 days prior to race weekend. I just hoped to finish healthy and ready for another full day of park exploration after the race.

Race Day: September 3, 2017
I walked over from our hotel to the start with enough time to scoot up towards the front of my corral, D for the half. Staying at a hotel within walking distance of the starting line is a huge plus for Disneyland races compared to the traffic snarls or long bus lines that must be endured at Disney World races.

Unfortunately race day came with a weather advisory for runners to expect warmer temperatures than usual. Being a Florida runner, I did not expect to experience my hottest half marathon ever in another state. It was 81°F at the start with a feels-like temperature of 83°F and humdity at 66%.

Mile 1, 2, 3: 13:21, 16:32, 16:03

These miles took us through much of California Adventure and part of Disneyland, with some backstage mixed in. In the second mile I was excited to see Roz was out again since I skipped her during the 10K. Mike & Sulley were out again too but I skipped them. I stopped for about half of the characters and photo ops out on the course.

It was fun to see horses out on the course! These are working animals who pull the streetcars on Main Street.

I stood in a pretty long line for Emile. There were no cast members to take photos so runners were just asking the next in line. When it was my turn my photo buddy had some kind of problem because I got a 1 second video of blackness instead of a photo. I hopped back and asked the next in line if I could budge in front to try again and they were kind enough to oblige. How nice. :)

Mile 4, 5, 6: 19:22, 12:26, 13:55

We ran through Fantasyland, including the castle, and around Tomorrowland and down Main Street before hitting the streets of Anaheim.

Mile 7, 8, 9: 15:58, 16:25, 13:47

These were miles on the streets of Anaheim. Entertainment wasn't exactly plentiful but for me there were all new sights to see as I'd never been to the city before. A huge stretch of Mile 8 was lined with classic cars and their enthusiastic owners.

Mile 10, 11, 12: 17:55, 15:01, 13:06

More streets of Anaheim. Here we got to run through Angel Stadium before heading back to Disney via Gene Autry Way. There were even PhotoPass photographers in the stadium! And an announcer cheering us runners on.

All along the route there were spectators. There were a bunch inside the stadium and the last few miles seemed to have more groups of spectators with signs, candy, and enthusiastic cheers for us runners.

Mile 13+: 16:28, 11:38

And then we were back on Disney property, backstage areas and streets before hitting the finish line in the parking lot. It was a long slow half marathon in the unseasonable heat. Later I heard that there was a large amount of runners swept from the course so I am very glad I was able to finish! My first Disneyland half marathon was in the books!

Post-Race
I picked up my half marathon medal, and then got my challenge medal and my Coast to Coast.

After showering at the hotel Arthur and I headed to Disneyland and California Adventure for our last day at the parks.

Recommendation
A+

Chip time: 3:27:08
Placement details: 311th out of 511 in Age Group, 6269 overall out of 8710 finishers
Race Amenities: Nice medals for race and completing Double Dare challenge, my first Coast to Coast medal, plus all the entertainment and support typical of Disney races.
Cost: $371.78 which included the 10K and Half Marathon challenge

Report written October 4, 2017