STATE 14: NEW JERSEY: Cape May Half Marathon 2023

 Date: 10/28/2023

Location: Cape May, NJ

Memories:

Thankfully I remember coming back from illness to run the Double Half ages ago, so I felt ok giving this a try 5 days after COVID!  I wasn't honestly even sure if I would be able to do it.  I figured: the hotel and race are both non-refundable so I might as well go out to Cape May since the weather was going to be SO gorgeous this late fall weekend.

I felt ok in the morning so I decided just to run and see how far I could go. I was super conservative, doing 15:30 intervals. Yeah, I was at the very back of the pack, literally dead last, for the first two miles. People were very kind!  I just kept doing my thing though, being very cautious, and the miles just kept ticking off. Around the halfway point I realized I could probably do this entire distance.  Somewhere around the turnaround near the WW2 tower, I realized I was probably going to get it done in the time limit provided.  Around the lighthouse, I realized I was going to be able to get done with time to shower!! Woo hoo!

I really treasure this medal and my inner strength/fortitude, getting over my pride, etc to get this state done!

STATE 13: KANSAS - Garmin Half Marathon 2022

 Date: 4/23/2022

Time: 2:53:52

Location: Olathe Kansas

Long break thanks to the pandemic!  This one was special because I knew my friend Tammy, who lived nearby and actually worked in Olathe along the course, had terminal cancer. She came out and cheered, cowbell and all! I treasure the memories of our time together, our BBQ dinner, seeing her world, etc.

The funniest thing was they mis-marked the course, so I had to run back down the course a bit and then turn around to get my entire 13.1 miles.  Gee, if only they had a Garmin or something...

Annoyance: losing my hair rubber band partway through the race and having wild hair in the wind for the end miles!

STATE 12: NORTH CAROLINA Southern Fried Half Marathon

 Race Date: 11/10/2019

Location: Nag's Head, NC (Outer Banks)

Time: 2:46:30

Velva and I went down there and I ran this. 

STATE 11: Maryland Baltimore Half Marathon 2016

 Race Date:

Time: 2:43:56

Part of Baltimoron-a-thon, where I ran a 5K and then the Half Marathon about an hour apart

Medals that opened were the rage this year

I stayed across the street from Camden Yards

STATE 10: NEW YORK Corning Half Marathon 2016

 Race Date: 10/2/2016

Location: Corning, New York

Time: 2:28:48

Memories:

Doing glass blowing/glass art at the corning factory the day before the race

Fellow Galloway runner asking me during dinner if I thought she should run the marathon the next day. I asked why she wouldn't.  Uh, she had just had an ablation the day before! Gaaaah!  She did it anyhow...

The course was very rural. Bus up to the start (Horsehead/Elmira?) and then we run back to Corning, past the hotel (cruel) and everything. I forget who I rode up with... someone who played Pokemon Go during the race to capture things for her kids.  My allergies really bugged me.

Glad to have another state out of the way. 

STATE 9: MONTANA - Missoula Half Marathon **Personal Best**

 Race Date: 7/10/2016

Location: Missoula Montana

Time: 2:21:21

Background:

This was heartbreaking. I ran this just a week after Somer's husband Brad died.  I can't believe she found the strength within to go out and do the full marathon.  It was a very special event to have my family all there.  I cried when Somer finished. 

The scenery was gorgeous and I really didn't seem to be too affected by the elevation.

Hugs from the kids at the end were pretty awesome.  

The medal was really cool.

Richmond Half Marathon 11/14/2015

 Race Date: 11/14/2015

Location: Richmond, VA

Who: Ran this with a bunch of ladies from church, including Lisa, her sister, and a whole lot more who I'm blanking on all these years later!

That downhill at the end is a killer!

I drove down with Floyd, I think, and then rode back with Nate and Lisa's cousin Hannah.  It was my first time trying Chipotle. (Spicy!)

Time: 2:33:02