Half marathons to run in 2019

I don’t know about you guys, but it always takes me a little while to plan my races out for the year. There’s cost, other travel plans, work commitments, etc. to factor in. And then when there are a few great races taking place the same weekend, there’s trying to decide which one to go with. It can be tough!

Well, after a few weeks of strategizing, I think I have my 2019 race schedule (mostly) set.

drumroll…

1. I say “mostly” because I have two options for state/half marathon #26: Revel Rockies Half Marathon in Denver and Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in Duluth. The decision will be dependent on my travel plans for June, which I hope to figure out soonish.

OPTION 1
Denver, Colorado — Revel Rockies Half Marathon
June 2, 2019
Have you heard of the Revel Race Series? Their motto is “fast and beautiful,” which I believe are two great qualities for a race. I’ve never been to Denver (or any city in Colorado), and frankly, I’m a little afraid of running in that kind of altitude. I figured a fast, down-sloping course would make the situation easier to deal with. I guess we’ll see! I do plan to arrive a few days before the race to try and acclimate a bit.

OPTION 2
Duluth, Minnesota — Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon
June 23, 2019
The Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon is part of the better-known race, Grandma’s Marathon, in Duluth, Minnesota. The half marathon course is the second half of the full marathon course. This race has been on my must-do list for quite some time, so if I don’t end up running it this year, then I’ll add it onto my 2020 race schedule.

2. Madison, Wisconsin  — Rockin Brews Half Marathon
August 31, 2019
Half marathon #27 will be Rockin Brews in Madison, Wisconsin. The race, which was formerly called the Rockin Chocolate Marathon, combines running with music and craft beer. This change works out in my favor because I definitely prefer beer over chocolate! According to the race website, participants can sample as many beers as they would like at the post-race festival. Cheers!

3. Cedar Rapids, Iowa — NewBo Run Half Marathon
September 1, 2019
Half marathon #28 will be the following day (after half #22). After completing the Rockin Brews, I’ll drive from Madison to Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the NewBo Run Half Marathon. Unfortunately, this will severely limit the number of beer samples I have at the Rockin Brews’ post-race festival. Lol. The decision to do these races back-to-back was an economical one. I figured since I’m already out there, I might as well try to squeeze in another state to save on travel costs.

4. Detroit, Michigan — Detroit Free Press Half Marathon
October 20, 2019
Half marathon #29 will be the Detroit Free Press International Half Marathon in Detroit, Michigan. I’ll be running this one with a couple of running buddies, Jen and Emily. This race is one that has been on our wish list for a while. What’s cool about it is the course runs through downtown Detroit and Windsor, Ontario (yes, Canada!) — we’ll be running across the boarder at both the Ambassador Bridge and Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. I’ll need to figure out a way to hold my passport during the race — it’s required to be on me at all times while running!

5. Savannah, Georgia — Rock ’n’ Roll Savannah Half Marathon
November 3, 2019
And to cap off my racing season, I’ll be heading to Savannah, Georgia for half marathon #30. I’ll be doing the Rock ’n’ Roll Savannah Half. This is yet another race that has been on my list for a while. The timing has just never worked out — until this year. I’ve heard a lot of great things about this southern city, and I’m excited to check it out!

It will be my first time in all of these cities and states, so if you have any recommendations for activities, attractions, food, etc., please send my way!

Have you done any of these races?
Which races are you running this year?