Welcome to Race Linkup, a monthly linkup opening on the last Monday of every month and staying open for four weeks. Link your race schedule so everyone can see who else will be at the next race and we can arrange meet-ups with other bloggers and our readers. You can link up your race schedule every month or only when you register for an additional race – you choose how often you want to get your schedule out there for other runners to see. I’d love to have you link up, and if you do, please remember to follow my six simple rules.

 

Last month I mentioned that I’d love to run the Grand Teton Half Marathon next summer as well as some of the other races from the National Parks Half Marathon series. This coming weekend I will be running the first race on that bucket list, the Shenandoah Half Marathon.

Since last month’s post, I’ve learned that the races aren’t actually run within the park boundaries, but outside of the park. I’m a bit disappointed and will have to see how I feel after running my first National Park Half on Saturday. Stay tuned…

The Shenandoah Half will also be significant for another reason as it will be the first of two girls’ race trips I have scheduled for this year. Saturday’s race will be a quick overnighter with three MRTT friends. We’re all planning to run the race as a training run, so be prepared for lots of pictures in that recap!

The other girls’ race trip for this season will be for the OBX Half Marathon, my fall target race where I’m hoping to PR on the half distance just in time for my 60th birthday! Bill and I have invited some of our running friends to spend a few nights at our beach house, run the race, and have an all-around relaxing weekend.

Over the years there have been other races I’ve run with friends where the race was the reason for the trip, or mini racecations, if you will. Those races included…

  • 1999 Steamtown Marathon – I was honored to be the token female for this guys weekend road trip to run this Runner’s World touted top ten fastest US marathons and what was to become my marathon PR.
  • 2001 Big Sur International Marathon – A bucket list race for sure, Bill and I joined our friend Miles, his family, and coworkers for this amazing racecation.
  • 2002 Rock ‘N’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon – The runners I coached plus some of my husband’s coworkers descended upon Virginia Beach for my one and only Rock ‘N’ Roll race.
  • 2008 Georgia Marathon – I’m not sure why my friend Terri chose this race, but I was game to tag along and see my nephew and his wife along the course as an added bonus!
  • 2010 Boston Marathon – I waited several years for other Cruiser friends to qualify for Boston so we could enjoy the most epic race road trip of them all!
  • 2010 Steamtown Marathon – Terri and I road tripped once again to meet other Cruiser friends for my fifth running of this favorite race, but this would prove to be my slowest marathon.
  • 2011 Richmond Marathon – Little did I realize that this would be my final marathon when the Cruisers and I met in Richmond for the world’s friendliest marathon.
  • 2015 ZOOMA Half Marathon – I joined five MRTT friends for this hilly, hot, and humid race which proved to be a fun race despite difficult circumstances.
  • 2016 Chicago Spring Half Marathon – My “sister-in-law” Janet and I used this race as an excuse to visit our children in Chicago, a race that was fun and flat, despite the locals’ reaction. 😉

 

As for the rest of my 2017 racing season, here’s what I’m planning, assuming that I stay healthy and injury free…

September 2 – Shenandoah Half Marathon – Lurray, VA
October 8 – Army Ten-Miler – Pentagon, Arlington, VA
November 12 – OBX Half Marathon – Kitty Hawk, Outer Banks, NC
November 23 – Thanksgiving Day 5K – Crossroads UMC, Ashburn, VA
December 3 – Run With Santa – Reston Town Center, Reston, VA
December 10 – NOVA Jingle Bell 5K – Clyde’s at Willow Creek, Broadlands, VA

 

  • Questions:
  • Have you run one of the National Parks Half Marathons?
  • Have you done an overnight or weekend race trip with friends? 
  • How many races total do you plan to run in 2017? 

 



Hope to see you at a race!