I was skeptical about this race. One of the directors from Half Fanatics warmed me that this race director is notorious for cancelling races. The USRA Running Half Marathon Series fortunately didn't cancel this race...but often made me believe that they were. Up until 5 days before the race, there was no location for packet pickup. The original location was cancelled. The website had information posted from last years race; no updates. I heard that this company offers no refunds; just transfers to other races nearby. I began emailing the director and he reassured me that Council Bluffs was going on! (always with exclamation points) What really got me worried was that the race was deleted from the Halfmarathons.net website.
I also went to their Facebook page. How come a running group SO BIG has only 1,379 likes? Well, updates began pouring in (four days before race day). They found a location for packet pickup. The website was updated with a race start/finish address. Things were finally coming together. I picked up my race "packet" and headed right back home. It was that fast. No lines. I was able to choose my shirt size; that I liked.
Race day was here. I was ready to complete my 4th state and 7th half marathon. I came early; too early. I could not find anyone or anything. And I honestly thought, oh my word, it's cancelled. But I kept driving around that stupid lake and finally found people outside setting up arrows for the race. Shelter 6 they say; hidden way back by the lake. As I wait in my car (it's freezing outside), I try to stay warm. I still have no idea if I'm wearing long sleeves or short. A minute before the "go", I switched to short. So glad I did.
I didn't take any pictures on this run. It was an out and back; x 3. x 3? We ran around Lake Manawa for about 5 miles, turned around and ran back. Then switched to another out and back. The turn around was at 11.5 miles. The one thing I didn't like about that out and back was the tunnel. I almost felt claustrophobic. My eyes couldn't adjust. Then I had to run back into the tunnel. I took a peak at my watch around the 12 mile mark and realized I could actually PR. I wanted to run easy because of Kansas City next weekend...but I couldn't let this opportunity be passed up! So I took it.
I finished at 2:25:38 a new PR. The route was nicely labeled. Water stations were manned by Creighton University students. They did a great job! The weather was beautiful and the paths were clean. Post race food? What can I say, hard chocolate chip cookies, fig newton bars and Gatorade. I wanted food and chocolate milk. None available.
I would like to know where my $65 dollars went. I got a COTTON short sleeve shirt with a cheesy medal. I can literally bend the medal in half. This guy is making a lot of money. From last years website, Half Marathoners were promised a Dri-Fit shirt. When they redid the site, that was removed. I'll never run under this group again.
Google: Reinke Sports Group for questions you might have.
Check out my cheesy medal.
PROS: Labeled course, water stations
CONS: Medals, Reinke Sports Group, USRA Half Marathon Series, post race food.
State # 4
Half Marathon # 7
See ya this Saturday in Kansas City, MO!
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