Looking Back from 15 Years of Half Marathon Race Photos

I’m at that point of half marathon training where I’m pretty much at my peak as far as distance and speed. Now I just have to hold onto what I’ve worked so hard for until the race next month. For whatever reason my mind recently started thinking back to some of my half marathons through the years.

Although I didn’t always have the goal of running a half marathon in all 50 states, I think the idea started to form in my mind sometime around when I ran the Philadelphia Distance Run in 2004. Pennsylvania was my third state and fifth half marathon. In 2005 I only ran one half marathon, two in 2006, three each in 2007 and 2008, four in 2009, and since then I’ve run three half marathons each year through 2018. What all that means is it’s been a LONG journey for me.

I saw the other day where someone I follow on Instagram just completed a half marathon in all 50 states in only 3 years. Yeah, that’s not me. I started this journey with my first half marathon in 2000 and I hope to finish my journey with my 50th state in 2020. I would’t have it any other way either.

Of course it’s been an incredible journey. Unfortunately I don’t have photos for some of the races, especially the earlier ones. Those were pre-digital camera and pre-cell phone camera days. I may have some photos from a couple of those early races saved on a CD somewhere but I’m not even sure I have that. In a society where our whole worlds are caught on our camera phones now, it may seem odd to not have a single photo from a race, but I’m almost 100% sure I don’t have a single photo from my first three half marathons. However, I do have photos from Philadelphia and later, so I’m going to take you down a little photo memory lane with some of my favorite race photos. In case you’re wondering, it’s not all 15 years’ worth, just some that were more noteworthy than others.

Where’s Donna? Can you find me waving from this massive crowd at the start of the Philadelphia Distance Run?

I’ve seen a lot of crazy things at races but this woman chasing a loose basketball at the finish line of the Newburyport All Women and One Lucky Guy Half Marathon was a first!

It’s hard to beat this giant King Neptune and a finish at the beach like at Virginia Beach, Virginia

This lap around the track at the Arbuckles to Ardmore Half Marathon finish was the longest of my life (at the time I was anemic) but it showed me I have grit because I finished.

 

The struggle is real at the finish line of the Frederick Running Festival Half Marathon (check out the woman in red wearing headphones)!

My one and only age-group first place finish at the Roller Coaster Half Marathon in Missouri

This race, the White River Half Marathon in Arkansas was the race that gave me hope that all of my speed isn’t gone (yet)!

Running through this canyon at the Famous Potato Half Marathon in Idaho was such a perfect backdrop for the race

I’ve seen some crazy things at races ranging from things spectators did to volunteer aid stations and the runners themselves. Sometimes I wish I was the type of runner who took photos during my races, but that hasn’t been the case so far and honestly I’m probably not going to start now. Pretty much all I have are the photos my husband took at the beginning and end of most of the races.

Do you ever look back at race photos from races you ran years ago? Do you take photos while running races?

Happy running!

Donna