So many races, so little time and money. If I could, I’d race all.the.time. Oh wait, I kind of do… I’m also really really tired – ran New Hampshire today and then drove all over Vermont with visits to Harpoon Brewing, Rock Art Brewing, and Ben and Jerry’s.
Today’s topic for Tuesdays on the Run is whether you only do a race once or if you go back to the same ones over and over again. Personally, I have kind of a split personality. I have a small number of races that I like to race each year: ZOOMA, Frederick Half Marathon, 17.75K, and Marine Corps Marathon. There are also a few that I tend to run somewhat regularly if they align with my schedule: RNR DC, Army 10 Miler, Historic Half.
Other than those few though, I try to run all new races, unless you consider the Mainly Marathons races repeats. I’ve done 5-7 of those a year for the last 4 years. I’m actually not sure when I’ll do my next series with them, so I’m feeling a bit bittersweet. But, after this series, I have 3 new races to do and then I’ll have 16 states left! Guess where all of my money will be going LOL…
So, what about you? Are you always searching for something new or do you like the tried and true?
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Only 16 states left- wow! You are knocking those out left (foot) and right (foot). 😉
There are so many great races out there that I would love to run. So it is hard to repeat ones we have done already. Unless the logistics works.
I am a serial racer. My schedule changes too much each year for me to do the same races over and over. And I have the love/hate thing with racing….
I think its nice to have a few races that you do over and over, they become familiar and there is less thinking involved! But its definitely fun to try new races, especially when they involve traveling.
I love to repeat races. If I like the course and it’s nearby, I’ll try to make most races a tradition. I think it helps me run them faster when I know the route really well! haha
It’s going to take me much, much longer to finish off my 50. Like, a lifetime. But it’s a little less tiring that way (just a little!).
Ben and Jerry’s! Do they still give out free samples of ice cream on the tour?
I have to admit, I’m kind of tired of the same ole races around here. That said travel is not always easy. I say pack in those fun series races while you can!
I really like to find somewhere new to run. I’m hoping to try some of the smaller races this summer before everything gets crazy in the fall! I really want to run a few RNR races but the cost is making it tough…
I also like trying out new races. I think I only have done one or two multiple times. It’s not because I don’t like them, there’s just so many races out there, I like to try out new ones and different courses. I get bored easily lol.
I like running all new races too. I have a few local repeats but I like the racecation idea of new scenery , new routes and always new food ;).
You hit some great Vermont stops yesterday! I drove by B&J whenever I traveled home from grad school and would often stop to have ice cream for lunch/dinner. I haven’t been running that long, but there are some I’ve done that I know I will likely do again, like the Baltimore Half and Charles Street 12 Miler.
Ben and Jerry Factory tour?!?! Sign me up. 😉 though I haven’t liked their new non-gmo varieties as much. 16 states left is super! I’m like you some races I do again and others not so much.
I’m like you: there are some races I end up doing every year for various reasons but then I like to change things up every now and then too. Split personality, indeed!!
I like different races especially as far as half marathons. I definitely want to do one in DC. Which one would you recommend if I had to pick one?
I do repeat the local races that I like.
I’ve heard awesome things about the Navy Air Force half marathon in September, but I haven’t run it yet. RNR DC is good if you like big races and don’t mind a point to point. I love the course and the actual race, but there are often logistics issues.
Now that I’m moving back to the DC area, I need to ask you about all the good local races! MCM is on my race bucket list.
I’m definitely a repeat racer. As I said in my post, for us OCR people we don’t have as many choices as road runners. But I don’t mind because there is some seriously sweet swag (say that 5 times fast haha) for us repeat runners AND they are always changing the courses and obstacles and venues, so it’s not really like we are running the same races. 😉
I thought about you when I chatted with a couple of 50 staters on my Papillion course this weekend. They talked about strategies to knock out several states in a single trip by finding things close to the state line. They were getting Kansas and Nebraska this trip and seemed to be having so much fun!
That is amazing that you’ve conquered 34 states!
I definitely have a few that I race every year. But for the big races — half marathons and marathons — I like to try new ones every now and again!