Race: Lord Hill Half Marathon
Runner: Frank Fisher
Race Date: 02/23/2019
Location: Lord Hill Regional Park, Snohomish, WA
Results: *5th overall
Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/2170567511
3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?
I liked the course, and I like the low key nature of the race. It was super friendly and fun environment to race in.
Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
The course marking was poor. Confidence markers were hard to see with the snow, and some of the turns were not well marked, signs fell down, etc…
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?
People going all kinds of ways on the course. Course marking and snow had a bunch runners kind of rambling around. We pointed a bunch of people to the right directions till we missed a turn and ran back into the lead pack going the opposite way. Hence the asterisks by my finish. Pretty sure I still would have finished 5th, but I definitely missed a part of the course. Weird/fun part, nobody really cared and generally laughed it off. Good times.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
Two loop course, 10 mile and a 5k loop. Plan was to go easy on 1st loop and finish strong on the 5k. I did that pretty well. Other than that, I had a lot of fun! Course was snowy/icy but manageable, lots of mud and water on the 5k loop, which I had a lot of fun with.
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
Don’t talk about falling out loud, cause you will fall 200m from the finish line and end up with a bloody/muddy leg.
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
Although I look over every course and try to know the turns and different trails, it was hard to see on Saturday. We thought we took the right trail, but clearly not. Lesson-know the course.
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
The 10 mile loop starts with a decent climb followed by a short but very steep climb that can kick your butt.
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
Nope.
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?
Not really, 1st climb aside, mud/snow/ice definitely made it tougher.
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
Yup, they were pretty on the ball and super friendly.
Competition – Is there a strong field?
Not really. It’s a pretty small race.
Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
Nope, super easy. I registered on the day of, and didn’t even have to stand in line.
Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?
I didn’t use them, but they looked to be well stocked for the 50k. Standard fare.
Weather and typical race conditions
Snow on the ground, muddy and lots of water on the course. Race day was actually quite nice, a little snow/rain right before the race started, but the sun did come out and temperature was quite nice.
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?
Definitely want a trail shoe or fast draining shoe. Some people wore micro-spikes for the snow and ice, but I didn’t think it was necessary and managed just fine without them.
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
Not really, they will see you when you come through the start/finish for your loops.
How’s the Swag?
No swag.
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
I’d give it a 3 out of 5 stars. Fun, low-key and friendly environment. I can see the course being fairly fast with better conditions, but it’s not really full of views or anything super cool. Just a good early season race to go test yourself at.
Frank Fisher is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about him or to work with Coach Frank, check out his coaching page.