FOR THE BLING:
The Biggest Loser series gives out some serious hardware. They host races all over the US and have now added Off Road Races. You get to meet some of the contestants from the show too. Back to the bling... If you do more than one of their events within the year, you get an extra medal. Plus, if you repeat a race from one year to the next, you get yet another medal. If you like the bling, this is your race. I recently had a horrible humidity poop-fest at the Panama City Beach half. But let me just admit it now -- the 3 medals I earned surely did help my feelings. I clanked around loud and proud!
FOR THE FUN:
I ran the Talladega 21000 for the first time last year. It is held in September and would typically be incredibly warm and humid. We lucked out to get 65 degrees at the start, even though it didn't stay that way. You run on, around, above, below, beside, under, over and outside the Talladega Super Speedway. (It's like the old preposition rule: "A runner goes _____ the track.") There were cute homages to the movie Talladega Nights and a great after party with BBQ and a live band. If you are a NASCAR fan (and I'm not), you should do this race.
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| Note to self: Open eyes at finish. |
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| The stands always look full. |
FOR THE FRIENDS:
A favorite local 5k is the Pancake Run. It's in a beautiful neighborhood and fairly flat. Held in May, it's usually the first warm and muggy race of the season. {Blech}. However, the friends and the delicious pancake breakfast afterwards makes it all worthwhile. They give out very nice trophies for awards too.
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| Beth pinned her number on upside down! |
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| Nice trophy |
FOR A NEW EXPERIENCE:
On my April calendar is a Girls on the Go race in Arizona. It is in the Lake Mead area just outside of Las Vegas. You get to experience beautiful views of Lake Mead and the surrounding mountains. The course is on a historic railroad trail which passes through 5 train tunnels. Being an out and back, that would be 10 tunnels! That just sounds super cool to me. This would give me a new state and I love to travel and run!
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| From Girls on the Go website |
FOR THE BEAUTY:
I ran the inaugural REVEL Rockies half marathon last year (read my recap here) and it ended up being my favorite half out of 17 in 2014. I'd really like to run the full marathon this year. REVEL hosts races in other cities so this one didn't feel inaugural. It was very well executed. They had the best rock band at the after party. The medal is humongous. The course descends about 1800 feet through the Colorado canyons. No spectators, but absolutely breathtaking.
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| We ran down through those mountains! |
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| As big as my face! |
Please, recommend a race for me! I'm always looking!
Wow! The Biggest Loser races sound pretty cool; I had no idea they did all of that. The Lake Mead/Arizona race looks like it would be a great one, as well. I'm sure the scenery is going to be absolutely breathtaking, so you're going to have to take lots of pictures for us! I hope you have a great weekend; enjoy the sunshine for me, since it's going to be raining buckets here all day - ugh.
ReplyDeleteI'll be running a half Sunday. They can't decide on the forecast. It's been bouncing around. I guess I'll go prepared for anything.
Deletewow - what a great race. i've heard awesome things about the talledega speedway race! well, i'm biased but DC puts on some great races. if you like trails the ncr trail marathon is 2 days after thanksgiving and beautiful and quiet. i loved it!
ReplyDeleteYes, you really have some great DC races to choose from! I love races that are beautiful and peaceful. NCR sounds like my kind of race.
DeleteLooks like a great list! The tunnel one would be cool! The REVEL one looks like a great one too! Love the huge medal!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to run the one with the tunnels. I bet my Garmin loses signal. If you get the chance, do a REVEL race.
DeleteI really want to run a Revel race someday - they look beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI was very impressed with REVEL and I love a downhill course!
DeleteWow, all of these races sound awesome! I'm not into race car driving but I'd be stoked to run on the speedway! And a pancake run?? Yes please!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a NASCAR fan, but it was cool! Who can pass up pancakes, right?
DeleteWow, the Revel looks AWESOME! Wish I had known about that when I lived in Colorado!
ReplyDeleteI believe REVEL hosts races in CO, UT and CA. They are all downhill courses.
DeleteThe Revel Races look great! If you like wine ... I enjoyed the Healdsburg Half in Healdsburg California (same people who run Napa to Sonoma).
ReplyDeleteI looked at that race because we were traveling to CA this year. Our plans changed but I thought that race looked interesting. I'd love any wine country half.
DeleteThe Talledega race looks like the half I did in Indy! So much fun to be on the race track! I've run in AZ but not raced. Maybe I need to fix that. Come to Chicago! But our weather sucks.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking about entering the Chicago Marathon lottery and let fate take its course. So, we'll see!
DeleteThose look like some great races. I'm drooling!
ReplyDeleteSo many races, and only one me!!
DeleteAll sound great! The Biggest Loser does host some near me. I might have to look into doing one for the bling!
ReplyDeleteI've done them in 2 different cities. I'll do another in April. I think you'd like it. They have the contestants speak at the expo (although the expo doesn't have many vendors). It's pretty neat.
DeleteI hope to run some Biggest Loser races someday, but they are always NOT in Iowa. Very frustrating. I cannot afford to just travel all over the country to run races. sigh..
ReplyDeleteLove the photos and those other races sound fun too!! Have a great season!
I understand! I'm lucky enough to be close to two of their coastal locations. They started out small, but are definitely growing.
DeleteGreat list. Love the categories you picked. Always love awesome bling.
ReplyDeleteIt does help, especially after a bad run!
DeleteVery cool list! The one in Arizona would be so neat! I've never been anywhere near there so that would be a treat! I have considered looking into the one at Talladega I think that would be very neat!
ReplyDeleteI've never been to AZ so I'm excited about that one. You'd like Talladega. It's probably not too far from you? It's a smaller event but fun!
DeleteGreat races!! I think the one in Arizona with the train tunnels sounds awesome! If you've never tried it, Space Coast is a really nice race with good weather the last two years, flat course and spectacular bling!
ReplyDeleteI've looked at Space Coast and was very interested! There are just so many to pick from.
DeleteI bet the biggest loser races are a ton of fun. I don't know about that Rockies half. I did a 10k in Aspen last year and thought I might die from altitude.
ReplyDeleteIt was difficult to breathe at the top (7500 feet or so). But, it got better as we descended. That's one way to may you start out slow!
DeleteWow, the Girls on the Go looks and sounds beautiful! I also just found out, from this link-up, on Running With SD's post, about this Revel series. Then I see it here! It's calling me :) I am ready to sign up for the one in LA now! Have a happy race year!! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIf you like running downhill do REVEL! I loved it and the scenery was spectacular. I want to do the full this year.
DeleteThe Talladega race & Revel Rockies both sound really fun! I love running races with beautiful scenery or fun locations. :)
ReplyDeleteSo do I. It helps take your mind off the miles and just enjoy it.
DeleteThat Talladega race looks really neat! We normally have a half and 2miler in Daytona but it was cancelled this year because of construction.
ReplyDeleteLove some of these on your list. I would love the opportunity to try racing in new locations. This is the first year I will be running out of the state (Virginia Beach) and out of the country (Castaway Cay), so I'm pretty excited about that.
Talladega is just cool. Running in Castaway Cay sounds awesome! That's during a cruise, right?
DeleteI would love to run a biggest lose race. I used to watch that show back in the day. Had no idea they offer such awesome bling.-L
ReplyDeleteCheck their website. They host quite a few throughout the US. I am lucky enough to be close to 2 of their coastal locations.
DeleteI'd love the wine country race!! So many races and only one me! Talledega is in September and you'd really enjoy it. It's a smaller race and not very hilly. It's just cool being on the track.
ReplyDeleteNext year, come to Wisconsin and run the Door County half marathon in May. It's hilly, it's beautiful, and it's small. If you sign up, I'll do it too (again!)...
ReplyDeleteA definite possibility! I may really get into the 50 states thing once my kids are in college...which is not too far away! I'm still planning on the Chicago lottery.
DeleteI haven't ran any of these. But I am seriously contemplating a Revel race by my house this fall. The Cottonwood one in UT. I train up and down that canyon for marathon training anyway, it might be fun to try it for a race. It's going to be a quad killer though, almost too much downhill. But as long as I don't plan one to close after it, should be good:)
ReplyDeleteI have looked at Cottonwood too. It's later in the year, right? They moved CO back to July so I was thinking about bringing a kid or two. Let me know if you decide on this one. Yes, it trashed my quads for days but they felt great during the race.
DeleteThe Rockies race sounded fun until I read your recap! Sounds tough, but maybe if you want to do the marathon, it's doable after all!
ReplyDeleteYes, I could tell I was running at altitude in the first miles. That's one way to force you to take it slow! But, I still loved it. I know better what to expect this time around.
DeleteIf you like to go out of state for any of your races I would recommend the Nashville Rock n Roll Half Marathon. The course was pretty, the spectators were absolutely amazing and the city was out of control fun.
ReplyDeleteI did the Nashville Women's half last September. I believe it's pretty much the same course. I did not race well (cramps!) but we had a BLAST in Nashville afterwards. It is out-of-control fun! I also came home with cowboy boots and hat. Oh, my.
DeleteThe Arizona run looks awesome! There's a tunnel trail that I'm looking forward to taking my dog to when it warms up a little and I'm really excited! There's just something cool about walking through tunnels :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't know what it is about tunnels...can't wait for this one. I wish I had a cool place to walk my dogs!
DeleteThat Talladega race looks so fun. I'm not a fan of NASCAR but I think that's a race I would enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan either and was surprised how much I liked this race.
DeleteI like the bling for the Biggest Loser Half! It's all about the bling, right? ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt sure does help if you've had a not-so-good race!
DeleteAmazing races! The one in Arizona looks particularly spectacular!
ReplyDeleteI'm really excited about that one. A new state and an amazing trail!
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