Race Series can be a lot of fun

Race series can take you to new places and running new races, all of which helps keep things fresh and exciting.

Many race series allow you to sign up once for all of the races. Some races in a series may sell out fast, so registering for the complete race series can give you peace of mind.

Here in New England we have several storied series, including the “Will Run for Beer Series“. This series is sponsored by Smuttynose Brewing and LOCO Sports.

It consists of nine 5k,10k and half marathon races that begin on January 1st and concludes in late June.

If you register for the series and complete at least 5 races, you get a “Will run for Beer” series running jacket. I have two of them.

Many race series offer a full series registration bonus such as a jacket, fleece or series medal.

We also have “The New England Half Marathon Tour”. This is a series of eight half marathons in six states. If you finish at least one race in each New England state you will receive a special New England Half Marathon Tour Jacket. It might not be the same as a Stones Tour jacket, but this tour is probably better for your health! My friend Bill ran this series in 2013 and said the races were tough. Ready to man up?

The Boston Athletic Association has the “Distance Medley” which consists of the BAA 5K on Marathon Weekend, the BAA 10K and the BAA Half Marathon. You can sign up for this race series on one application. These races have all sold out early one year or another, so full series registration is a good idea if you really want to run them all.

A few other great things about these BAA races; no qualifying times! and great bling! They also put your name on each bib and you get the same bib number for the series. After you finish the last race, the BAA Half, you get a medal for the half marathon and a huge golden Race Medley medal. Walking around with those two medals clinking together is pretty cool.

Here is a display frame with my 2012 Distance Medley medals and my BAA Boston Marathon medal.

The King of Bling is Walt Disney

Each year Disney has the “Coast to Coast Race Challenge“. Disney has seven races at the Walt Disney World® Resort and three at the Disneyland® Resort.

If you complete a half marathon at both resorts in 2014 you will receive their special Coast to Coast Race Challenge medal.

Between the two resorts, Disney produces seven race weekends where you can run more than one race. If you love to run and are looking for a good excuse to visit both Disney resorts in 2014, click on the link above and check out the details.

A friend of mine ran The Challenge in 2013. As part of her running fun she ran the Dumbo Double Dare at the Disneyland® Resort. This consisted of the Disneyland® 10K and Disneyland® Half Marathon during the Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend. She also ran the Goofy’s Race and A Half Challenge at the Walt Disney World® Resort, which consisted of the Walt Disney World® Half Marathon and the Walt Disney World® Marathon. All together, she received seven medals! Check out the frame below that I made to display her medals.

As I created this display frame I was able to look at these medals up close. Anyone who has been to a Disney resort knows that Disney does it right. For these medals, all of the ribbons are showers and have that Disney Magic. But the 20th Anniversary Marathon medal and the Coast to Coast medal are works of art. HERE is a link to more information on the Disney races.

50 States Challenge

Feeling ambitious? Taking a long-term view of your running career and aspirations? How about running a half or a whole marathon in all 50 states (DC optional)!

Check out the Fifty States Half Marathon Club. You can take up the challenge and run the 50 States Half Marathon Challenge™, if you’re really ambitions, take on the 50 States Endurance Challenge™ and finish a half marathon, full marathon, 70.3 HALF Iron distance triathlon, or full Ironman triathlon, or combination of any of these mentioned distances, in all 50 states (plus DC optional) in the USA!

You can join the club for $79.00, and run all halfs, all Ironmans or any combo. As far as I can tell there is no time limit to complete 50 races. There is a $21.00 annual fee but they provide discounts to over 200 races across the country. I can feel my pulse increasing!

If you have medals from a race series and would like to have them framed check out Omni Running’s Frame Shop.

Run well my friends!

Andy