Fall Race Calendar

It's the most wonderful time of the year....


I love fall. Absolutely adore it. I love the colorful foliage, the crisp air, the pumpkin-flavored everything, the cozy sweaters, the impending holidays...everything. While I loved spending last year in Switzerland, I'll be honest-- one of the things I missed the most was the beautiful, east-coast fall.

blue ridge parkway.
(I didn't take this photo)

Another nice aspect to fall? It's the start of my race season! As much as I love running, I'm definitely a fair-weather racer. I don't like excessive heat (> 85F), I don't like excessive cold (< 40 F), and I don't really like precipitation. In Switzerland, this works out perfectly. Aside from a rather snowy December and January, the majority of my Swiss afternoons were cool, crisp, and perfect for a run.

Unfortunately, Durham's weather isn't quite so cooperative. Summer is hot. Very, very hot. Although I still kept my miles up, even a short run could leave me dizzy, dehydrated, and positively exhausted. Races were definitely out of the question.

However! Dear Durham has finally cooled off, my favorite season is in full swing, and I've decided it's high time to bring back one of my favorite aspects of running: Races!


Here's what's on the calendar thus far:

1. Ramblin' Rose Half Marathon (10/6/11)

What I'm looking forward to:

• All women's race! Although it's always fun to pass guys, I've always thought a girls-only race would be fun. Bring on the pink!
• My amazing friend Maggie! We ran our first Marathon together (2008 Firenze) and I'm so excited to be running a race with her again.
• Home court advantage. Although the course is decently hilly, it winds through Duke's campus and downtown Durham-- where I run nearly every evening!
• The race benefits Duke Hospital Cancer Fund. I've really come to admire the research at Duke, and I'm excited to contribute to it.
  

2. City of Oaks Half Marathon (11/6/11)

I'm actually not completely sold on this race.

The course skirts around Raleigh, and the fall foliage and weather should be gorgeous, however, it's also a) a bit pricey, b) awfully close to Kiawah and c) a race I might end up doing alone. I had originally been planning on running this with my dad, but he tore his hamstring a while back, and might not be up for it. If I do end up running this, I have a feeling it will be a last-minute registration.



3. Kiawah Marathon (12/10/11)

First of all: I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS!

I haven't done a full marathon since fall 2008, and after a bit of a distance-running break, I'm ready to tackle another.

I'll probably do a longer post later on exactly why I chose this race and what sort of goals I have in mind, but for now: this is easily the most exciting race on my calendar. Woohoo Kiawah!