Race: Purdue Boilermaker 1/2 Marathon
Runner: Valerie Blaylock
Race Date: 10/16/2021
Location: West Lafayette, IN
Results: 2:06.43
3 Bests – What aspects of the Purdue Half Marathon did you like the most?
The weather was perfect. They had a ton of great volunteers with water or Gatorade every 1.5 miles. The course was well laid out, running all through campus and the outlying parts were great.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
It was hillier than expected and I was rather happy I didn’t die on mile 11 like I had during a previous 1/2.
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
My coach had me fuel specifically every 5k and it worked fabulously. I think it was why I could tackle the end well and drop time.
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
It was really nice and the leaves had started changing making it even better!
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?
No, just a couple of rough hills throughout but nothing crazy.
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
Very organized and well done. They made it easy to show up and run.
Competition – Is there a strong field?
There were about 1000 people and quite a few had some super fast times.
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
Very spectator friendly. People had the funniest signs.
How’s the Swag?
It was eh. A shirt and a medal. Nothing spectacular.
The Overall Score of the Purdue Half Marathon – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
I highly recommend this race. It was my second 1/2 marathon and I think it was a 5/5.
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