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What is your FAVORITE half marathon? (Read 1653 times)

    New Bedford Half Marathon.  Relatively cheap, tons and tons of good food afterward, pretty decent fan participation along the route. But, not an easy race by any means, windy along the water, hills near the beginning and at the last mile (of course it is my first 1/2 and my hometown too) 

     

    I"m also glad to see it is the fav of others!!

     

    MTA:  it is held on St. Patrick's Day and in this area the weather can be anything from 40-50's to snow to rain.  You just never know!

     

    For 2013 it falls on actual St. Patrick's Day itself, which should be interesting. I may have to take the next day off from work.

    Runners run

    xor


      Are we talking Monkey-like?  Or more?

       


      an amazing likeness

        Are we talking Monkey-like?  Or more?

         

        It's spam-ee like thread that got legs. The OP's one and only thread.  No qualifications on the answer.

         

        And..jrben_vt -- what about Green Mountain in your home town?  That's a nice course. And, if you like the ES20 course, there's the Seacoast Half in Portsmouth which uses the ocean section and adds some great sections along marshes, and New Castle island.

        Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

        xor


          I was referring to a state of drunkenness.  St Patrick's Day vs Monkey weekend.  Hee.

           

          Yeah, this was a weird spam thread.  I'm assuming the OP got nuked but the thread didn't, so her/his/its name has a strikethrough.  First time I've ever noticed that site behavior.  Cool.

           


          an amazing likeness

            I was referring to a state of drunkenness.  St Patrick's Day vs Monkey weekend.  Hee.

             

             

            Oh, I didn't catch that inflection...well, it is New Bedford MA after all...what you guys do before and after Monkey is called "Monday" in New Bedford.

            Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

              My favorite half marathon is probably New Bedford. It's a no-frills race in a blue-collar town with a fast course and a fast field. It's a mostly urban course and it's usually windy and cold as the race is run in March. There are no frills, no swag and the "after party" consist of eating fish chowder out of a styrofoam bowl in a school gymnasium.

               

              As SRL pointed out, this thread started out as spammage.  But when life hands you lemons...

               

              NBHM is running as it should be, I love this race.  I also love dropping a couple of bucks in the pub after, New Bedford is a town that can use the help.

              E.J.
              Greater Lowell Road Runners
              Cry havoc and let slip the dawgs of war!

              May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your SPF30, may the rains fall soft upon your sweat-wicking hat, and until you hit the finish line may The Flying Spaghetti Monster hold you in the hollow of His Noodly Appendage.

              xor


                Oh, I didn't catch that inflection...well, it is New Bedford MA after all...what you guys do before and after Monkey is called "Monday" in New Bedford.

                 

                I am amazed and impressed and, well, frozen like little Simba when the stampede was headed right at him.

                 

                Daaaaaamn.

                 

                (mind you, I accept a difference in scale.  The number of folks knocking back a couple hot cocoas...  I just mean the per person average.  My head hurts and I barely drank ANYTHING.)

                 

                  Oh no Monkey weekend was special. Normally I don't drink more than one or two the night before a race and normally I've been finished much more than a minute before someone hands me a silipint and then fills it with beer. It was a whole weekend unsupervised so the day/night before and day/night of monkey were probably my two heaviest drinking days/nights in two years.

                  Runners run

                  Trent


                  Good Bad & The Monkey

                    It was a whole weekend unsupervised so the day/night before and day/night of monkey were probably my two heaviest drinking days/nights in two years.

                     

                    My work here is done.


                    Maggie & Molly

                      For 2013 it falls on actual St. Patrick's Day itself, which should be interesting. I may have to take the next day off from work.

                       that goes without saying Wink

                       "It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop."
                      Wisdom of Confucius

                      HF 4363


                      Maggie & Molly

                        Are we talking Monkey-like?  Or more?

                         never been to the Monkey but New Bedford on St. Patty's day - woozer's

                         "It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop."
                        Wisdom of Confucius

                        HF 4363


                        Shakedown Street

                          I have only run 2 HMs, but a number of other road races locally here in Dallas.

                           

                          I really really really must take a hat off to the organizers of the Wine Country HM-in Healdsburg CA. It was my first HM, and honestly the set-up, # of port-os, aid stations that had their shit together at the places stated, good timing, nice rolling marked and completely closed to traffic course with police and highway patrol at every intersection, wide blacktop (soft) roads, rocking weather, smallish field (2K). 

                           

                          I plan on going back next year...

                           

                          My only complaint was the post race beer was only 5 kegs...but everyone was drinking wine...wtf? And they did not run out of beer....

                          Started-5/12, RWOL refugee,5k-24:23 (1/12/13),10K-55:37(9/15/12),HM-1:52:59(3/24/13)

                            Well, I've only run one HM and that was the ZOOM Half on Cape Cod.  I really liked it.  It was a small professionally organized women's race.  It was pricey but was well organized.  It was very hilly, which thankfully I didn't realize just how hilly it was until after the race.  I will definitely run it again as either the HM or the 10k as long as it doesn't interfere with the marathon I want to do next fall.  

                             

                            My goal HM for 2013 is going to be the New Bedford HM though so I'm happy to hear so many people like it.  It's local for me and seems fairly inexpensive so I'm hoping to keep it on my yearly racing calendar. 

                            Steph 

                             

                            “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” John Burroughs

                            Lynx


                              If you ever come to Europe, consider the Berlin HM. I run it 4 times until now and it has always been great fun. It's is a flat fast course it you are looking to make time, and it has great atmosphere if you are in it for the fun.

                              ohanapecosh


                                This may be a spam thread, but I think it's a great topic.

                                 

                                I've only run three - the Seattle Half Marathon at Thanksgiving, the Whidbey Island Half, and the North Olympic Discovery (Half) Marathon - and I liked all three, but I thought the Whidbey was the best.

                                 

                                http://www.whidbeyislandmarathon.com/

                                 

                                It's extremely scenic with significant portions on the coast of the island and the rest mostly on quiet country roads.  It was large enough that I had company the whole race but small enough that no weaving was required.  My husband was able to drop me right at the start line the year I did it.  The weather is usually perfect for running in April - cool but not freezing.

                                 

                                I do have a few minor complaints.  It's rather hilly.  They seem to change the course every year and no longer run the section I thought was most scenic in 2008.  Finally, it is on an island, and traffic by bridge or ferry to get onto said island the day before was an absolute nightmare.   I nearly missed packet pickup when I thought I'd have hours to spare.

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