tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80946773628305992952024-03-14T03:10:10.438-04:00100 Half Marathons Club BlogThis is the official club blog of the 100 Half Marathons Club. We are a racing club that celebrates those who have achieved the accomplishment of completing 100 lifetime half marathons, and encourages those who are on the way to reaching this goal. 100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-73150340976598989712020-03-20T09:58:00.001-04:002020-03-20T09:58:26.611-04:00Coronavirus UpdateOur thoughts go out to all of our partner race directors and event organizers during this unprecedented time. We know of thousands of road races and endurance events that have been cancelled around the world. We know that for many race directors, their races are their business and income, or their way to raise funds for charities they care about.<br />
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We ask all athletes to be patient and understanding with race directors during this difficult time. They are trying to make the best of this situation while keeping the health, safety and wellness of all athletes, volunteers, and the general public in mind. With an already crowded fall race schedule, not every race would be able to be rescheduled. <br />
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Everyone please stay safe. We are thinking of all of you- all race directors and all athletes.100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-28577677968525001282018-11-12T21:20:00.001-05:002018-11-12T21:22:38.036-05:002018 12 Days of Fitness Club Member Giveaway<span style="font-size: large;">Every year, the 100 Half Marathons Club offers its club members a giveaway called the 12 Days of Fitness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our club partners with amazing fitness, wellness, health and endurance sports product vendors to raffle off to our club members. We do this as a way to thank our members for their support and to celebrate the holiday season (and the end of the racing year). This year, we've changed the 12 days to 13.1 days. We have 13 raffle prize days in the month of December, and then a special .1 finishing raffle on New Year's Day sponsored by the club!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are our 2018 partners! Thank you to <a href="https://www.bibs2bags.com/" target="_blank">Bibs2Bags</a>, <a href="http://www.happypuppiesrun.com/" target="_blank">Happy Puppies Athleticwear</a>, <a href="https://www.kttape.com/" target="_blank">KT Tape</a>, <a href="https://raceraves.com/" target="_blank">Race Raves</a>, <a href="https://www.navitasorganics.com/home" target="_blank">Navitas Organics</a>, <a href="https://www.goddessgarden.com/" target="_blank">Goddess Garden Organics</a>, <a href="http://drinkzyn.com/" target="_blank">Drinkzyn</a>, <a href="https://one1brands.com/" target="_blank">One Brands</a>, <a href="https://takecareof.com/" target="_blank">Care/of</a>, <a href="https://www.simplehydration.com/" target="_blank">Simple Hydration</a>, <a href="https://www.drink-detach.com/" target="_blank">Detach Brands</a>, <a href="https://thenewprimal.com/" target="_blank">The New Primal</a>, <a href="https://www.windetergent.com/" target="_blank">Win Sports Detergent</a>, and <a href="https://www.celsius.com/" target="_blank">Celsius Drinks</a> for providing us with wonderful raffle prizes for our club members! Please support these businesses! Thank you!</span><br />
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<br />100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-607604561934723652017-12-03T20:15:00.003-05:002017-12-03T20:19:10.670-05:002017 "12 Days of Fitness" Annual Club Member Giveaway<span style="font-size: large;">Every year, our club celebrates the "12 Days of Fitness." We partner with great fitness, wellness, health and endurance product vendors to raffle off 12 different prizes to our club members during the holiday season. This is one of the ways we thank our club members for being a part of our community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We thank our amazing and generous 2017 partner vendors for providing products or gift certificates for our 2017 giveaway:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://raceraves.com/" target="_blank">RaceRaves</a>, <a href="https://www.drink-detach.com/" target="_blank">Detach Brands</a>, <a href="https://happy-puppies.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">Happy Puppies Athleticwear</a>, <a href="https://www.bibs2bags.com/" target="_blank">Bibs2Bags</a>, <a href="http://www.windetergent.com/" target="_blank">Win Detergent</a>, <a href="https://takecareof.com/" target="_blank">Care/of</a>, <a href="https://www.celsius.com/" target="_blank">Celsius</a>, <a href="https://traceminerals.com/" target="_blank">Trace Minerals Research</a>, <a href="http://www.jjsnack.com/" target="_blank">J&J Snack Foods</a> / <a href="http://corazonas.com/" target="_blank">Corazonas Snacks</a>, <a href="https://sosrehydrate.com/" target="_blank">SOS Rehydrate</a>, and <a href="https://bugprotector.com/" target="_blank">Bug Protector</a>!</span><br />
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100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-55351024949833392752017-02-26T19:57:00.000-05:002017-02-26T20:34:15.057-05:00Race Directors: How to Implement an Early StartRace directors- is your half marathon time limit three hours or less? Are you looking for an easy way to add more race participants? Or, do you want to encourage athletes of all abilities and paces to participate, but want to make sure you don't have a handful of people still out on the course when your volunteers need to leave? Consider adding an early start.<br />
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Many half marathon races now offer a half hour or an hour early start for walkers or slower runners to give them a head start on the course before the official start time. There are many benefits to doing this:<br />
<ul>
<li>Most of your back-of-the-pack participants will wind up finishing with the mid-packers, so your athletes will be off the roads earlier</li>
<li>With the time difference between the early start and the regular start, the early starters will be spread out enough so that all other runners can typically pass by safely</li>
<li>Your registration numbers can increase as athletes that may not have made the time limit before can participate now with the early start</li>
<li>Timing adjustments are easy- most timers take a list of the bib numbers for the people at the early start and then just add the additional time to their results later</li>
<li>Your water stops, course marshals and volunteers won't have to wait on the last finishers to come in far beyond the main pack </li>
<li>Having an early start supports athletes with disabilities that may need the additional time, giving more people the opportunity to participate in events</li>
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Race directors should publish specific rules regarding the early start. We recommend you state clearly on your website that the early start is designed only for athletes that will finish in over a certain time (such as over a 2:45 or over a 3:00 finish), or their pace must be more than a specific minute per mile (such as a 15 minute mile). We suggest you specifically state that this early start is not meant for athletes that just want to get home faster, and that athletes who take the early start and finish faster than a certain time will be disqualified. Early start participants typically are not eligible for awards (this is completely understandable- those in the main start would have no idea they have a possible age group competitor that started earlier, and that would not be fair). <br />
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Also, it is your call about support for the early starters. Many race directors recommend their early starters take a course map in case there is any confusion. Some races will not have their first water stop set up in time for the early starters, and they tell the early starters they should carry their own water for the first hour.<br />
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In the past few years, we have seen early starts grow from a handful of people to thirty or more participants. They are thankful that they have the time to comfortably participate in an event, and that they are welcome and accepted as half marathoners. 100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-25073326092452682102016-08-11T00:06:00.000-04:002016-08-11T00:07:51.815-04:00Safety Tips and Reminders For All Runners and WalkersOur club is saddened and shocked by the recent news of three incidents <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/police-investigating-three-recent-deaths-of-female-runners?cid=soc_Runner%27s%20World%20-%20RunnersWorld_FBPAGE_Runner%E2%80%99s%20World__" target="_blank">where female runners were murdered while out on runs</a>.<br />
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These are not the only cases where runners training by themselves were attacked or killed, but the sudden occurrence of these three deaths in one week have led many to question and re-examine their own safety while out on training runs. Some have made the decision to only do long-distance runs in races because they feel safer that way.<br />
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We encourage all runners and walkers to evaluate their personal safety while out on training runs (regardless of gender).<br />
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<b>Here are some tips from our club members about training safely:</b><br />
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Avoid training alone if you can. Get a training buddy. Or, schedule a group run and walk with friends or local members of racing clubs. Have a sign up sheet where people sign themselves in when they start and out when they finish so everyone is accounted for. If people of different paces are training together, stagger starts or total mileage distance. Train in out-and-back or loop routes where people will regularly see each other.<br />
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Set up your training routes on well-lit, populated areas, preferably with businesses or residential areas nearby. <br />
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If you find your schedule means you have to train alone- make sure you are always aware of your surroundings. Ideally, don't use earphones. If you absolutely need music, wear one earbud or have a music player that doesn't need earphones. <br />
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Wear bright, visible clothing year round and during both day and evening/night runs.<br />
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Change your route daily and weekly. Change the roads you take, the distance you run, and the days you run. Do not create a "pattern."<br />
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Always carry some form of ID, either a photo ID or an ID band like Road ID. Wearing something with an emergency contact and phone number on it is ideal.<br />
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Consider using smartphone programs like the <span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody"><a href="https://www.roadid.com/Apps/EcrumbsFAQ.aspx" target="_blank">Road ID app</a> that will let someone follow you on your route and will alert someone if you stop moving for more than five minutes.</span></span><br />
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Carry a phone.<br />
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Make sure someone knows where you are, how long you plan to be out, and what time you should be back.<br />
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Consider running/walking with a dog. Members who don't have a pet have run with a neighbor's dog or animal shelter dogs through a volunteer program.<br />
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If something doesn't feel right, trust your gut.<br />
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Don't over-share your personal information on social media or on GPS route tracking websites. <br />
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Remember that both men and women should be considered about their safety while running, walking, or cycling alone.100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-3022593183853650302016-07-30T19:57:00.002-04:002016-07-30T20:00:02.090-04:00Club Member Spotlight: SoleSisters Rhonda Luevano and Sue JacksonClub members Rhonda Luevano and Sue Jackson have teamed up as <b>SoleSistersRun4ALS</b>. They are in a quest to run 60 half marathons in a year to bring awareness to ALS and fundraise for the ALS Therapy Development Institute (TDI).<br />
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Their goal is to raise $20,000 toward ALS research on behalf of retired Tennessee Titan Tim Shaw, who was #20 when he played football for Penn State.<br />
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They are running several of the races together and others apart due to the fact that Sue lives half the year in Upper Michigan and the other half in Southern Georgia, while Rhonda lives in South Carolina.<br />
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They kicked off their adventure with a double at Grasslands in Decatur, TX and A2A in Ardmore, OK in March. They have also met up at Peach Jam in Cummings, GA and for a double weekend with the Indy Mini and Kalamazoo Half Marathons. Their annual race tradition is the Cellcom Green Bay Half Marathon in Wisconsin.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NUMmIGrG4HA/V50-tmn55tI/AAAAAAAAAL4/x-gJLoj71pMoHEE3h28EHzu-5Pf_UieLwCLcB/s1600/sue2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NUMmIGrG4HA/V50-tmn55tI/AAAAAAAAAL4/x-gJLoj71pMoHEE3h28EHzu-5Pf_UieLwCLcB/s400/sue2.png" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the start of the 2016 Cellcom Green Bay Half Marathon</td></tr>
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In addition to the races Rhonda has run with Sue, she been running all over the country, completing events this year in SC, IL, TX, NC, MT, ID, WY, VA, ME, and VT.<br />
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Sue has also been on the go – she has run five races in CO and MT while camping with her husband. They will be meeting up again at the Air Force Half Marathon in September.<br />
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If you’d like to read more about their goal or follow their blog, please check out:<br />
<b>20for20:</b> <a href="https://www.classy.org/events/20-for-20/e70363">https://www.classy.org/events/20-for-20/e70363</a><br />
<b>SoleSisters: </b><a href="https://solesistersrun4als.wordpress.com/">https://solesistersrun4als.wordpress.com/</a> 100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-25126260934913759762016-07-30T19:46:00.001-04:002016-07-30T19:50:51.481-04:00Tia Pettygrue: 100 Half Marathon Finisher!Club member Tia Pettygrue completed her 100th lifetime half marathon on June 12, 2016 at the Hotlanta Half Marathon in Atlanta, GA. She timed her 100th half to also be on her birthday!<br />
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From Tia: “It was such a blast but what made it more special is that fellow members, Ali Levering and Zenda Brantley, made me feel extra special. Ali made me one of her bibs, and Zenda spent hours the day before and the morning of the race putting out banners and posters celebrating my event. Zenda and I ran together and it was so cool as she would point out each sign! I traveled more for races than I ever have this year, but I will say that in this journey I was able to see so much of Florida that I had never seen in the 25 years I've been here- so many beautiful areas. I ran my first 50 Half Marathons over 5 years and ran the last 50 over 18 months, so I definitely caught the bug! I enjoyed this journey!”<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yZwUr6q3AGc/V507_JXUEpI/AAAAAAAAALo/Vzm82WNGwLw8xcCL6w3GO0arO_SZXqvaACLcB/s1600/tia2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yZwUr6q3AGc/V507_JXUEpI/AAAAAAAAALo/Vzm82WNGwLw8xcCL6w3GO0arO_SZXqvaACLcB/s400/tia2.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ali Levering’s special bib for Tia and one of Zenda Brantley’s on-course signs for Tia</td></tr>
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Tia's next big goal is to qualify for the 2018 Boston Marathon. <a href="https://tiapettygrue.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Check out her blog here.</a>100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-36472761998163345162016-07-03T16:39:00.000-04:002016-07-03T16:46:27.597-04:00The Little Things RDs Do to Make Great Race ExperiencesWe know many race directors that go above and beyond to make
their races special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are some of
our favorite things that race directors do to add to their participants’ race
experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may seem like small
items, but they’re often the things racers remember and appreciate the most!<br />
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TriMom Productions in Rhode Island offers the Ocean’s Run
Half Marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This March race starts
cooler weather, so athletes often wear throwaway layers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The RDs put a “throwaway bin” at each water
stop in the first five miles so athletes can discard extra clothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bins are labeled by mile marker, and are
brought to the finish so participants can re-claim their items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to offering plenty of water stops
with great aide and great volunteers, this half marathon also has bike support
crews riding back and forth on the course to check on participants and offer
food, water or aide.</div>
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The Mad Half Marathon in Vermont does two things we
love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their bike support people that
stay with the leaders of each race (half, full and relay) have signs on their
bikes that tell you what person they are with, so you'll know if you are cheering on the marathon leader or the half
marathon leader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another unique perk this
race offers: in the post-race area, the race director sets up kiddie pools with
chairs so participants can soak their feet (or climb in and soak their whole
body) after the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The Fairfield Half Marathon in Connecticut sets up several
misting stations for their hot-weather race in June.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the post-race food area this year, they
also had blocks of ice athletes could sit on to cool down. This plus tons of post-race food and free pre-and post-race massages add to this event.</div>
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We appreciate race directors that offer special rewards and
incentives for people who do their full race series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finishers of all three half marathons (in the
same calendar year) offered by the Shoreline Sharks of Connecticut get a special
streaker gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3C Race Productions,
organizers of races in New England, gives a series jacket to participants who
complete a half marathon in six states, and a hat to those who complete a half
marathon in seven states.</div>
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How about races that celebrate their participants’
accomplishments? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We appreciate race
directors that set aside special bib numbers such as 50 and 100 for
participants that are celebrating special milestones at their event, like
finishing their 50<sup>th</sup> state or their 100<sup>th</sup> half marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some races offer a different color bib for
people doing their first half marathon at their event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And one of our favorites perks is the PR Bell, used
by events such as the Asheville Half Marathon in North Carolina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a bell at the finish line that participants
can ring if they set a new PR on their course!</div>
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Another unique offering we love to see from races-
childcare!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Races like the Bay of Fundy
Half Marathon in Maine partner with local childcare facilities such as daycares
or YMCAs to offer childcare during the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This helps participants who may not be able to get a sitter for an away
weekend.</div>
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We've all heard the expression "hitting the wall." The Lost Dutchman Half Marathon has an actual fake wall set up on their course for you to run through at mile 11. The fake "wall" is set up with a great scenic view of a nearby mountain and makes for a great photo op.<br />
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More and more races are using pace groups to help out their
participants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We love races that extend
their pace groups so that almost all paces have a leader. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means having pace groups that include
2:30, 2:45, 3:00, and if possible, 3:30 and/or an official sweeper- someone who’s
job is to come in dead last in the results!</div>
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All of these perks are noticed and make a difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We thank race directors who look out for
their participants in unique ways!</div>
100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-90497667195661858642016-05-30T18:34:00.000-04:002016-05-30T18:34:34.428-04:00What's So Different About Our Club?Sometimes people ask what makes our club so different. Are we in competition with other clubs? Are we trying to take members away from other groups?<br />
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The answer is easy- no, we're not in competition with any other group. <br />
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Some clubs are a great fit for runners or race walkers, and some are not. Some slower runners and race walkers often feel absolutely intimated and unwelcome in racing clubs that seem to be focused only on speed. Some people have been made to feel that they have no business being in a half marathon or a road race unless they finish in a certain time. Others feel "less than" if their favorite distance is not the longest. Or, others get an outcast feeling for doing too little (or too many) events in a year.<br />
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Our goals and values are simple:<br />
<b>Community, kindness, support, and club benefits that give you back much more than you paid for your dues. </b><br />
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We're not here to compete with any other organizations. We're here to have fun and celebrate our favorite race distance- the half marathon. <br />
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We're here to encourage each other, to share information about races, to provide some of the best race and endurance vendor discounts available, and above all- to have fun and celebrate our racing journeys. <br />
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And, we do it in a drama-free environment. Members will have disagreements, but they so with respect. We have no tolerance for putting people down for the number of events they do, for their age, their pace, or their finish times. <br />
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We have activities that are different than other groups that make us unique, including offering reunions where our members get free goodie bags for attending; a free public guide to walker/slow runner friendly races; annual voting on what our favorite half marathons are; and more.<br />
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We also believe we're one of the most affordable clubs out there. Between the hundreds of race and vendor discounts we get, and our free finisher's shirt when your 100 lifetime half marathons are completed, we believe our members get back much more than what they pay in dues.<br />
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So, check us out! Chat with our members at a race. Let us know if you have any questions. <br />
<br />100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-60543621219883256192016-03-04T18:12:00.001-05:002016-03-04T18:23:16.079-05:00My Favorite Race: member Andrea Herrmann- Shamrock Anthem Half Marathon<b>We asked our members to submit their stories of their favorite half marathons for a club blog series called "My Favorite Race."</b><br />
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<b>This week's story is from our webmaster Andrea Herrmann, who will hit lifetime half marathon #250 this year.</b><br />
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Andrea's favorite half marathon is the <a href="http://www.shamrockmarathon.com/race-info/anthem-half-marathon/" target="_blank">Anthem Shamrock Half Marathon</a>, part of the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon weekend in Virginia Beach, VA.<br />
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Andrea writes:<br />
"This beautiful half marathon is offered every March on a flat and fast course in Virginia Beach. The race directors, J&A Racing, are excellent race organizers, known for offering high-quality events.<br />
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There are many reasons I love and recommend this half marathon. Their course time limit of four hours is very generous and supports race walkers. The race is beautiful and scenic, with generous course entertainment and plenty of aide stations, and the roads are almost all entirely closed. The corraled start helps keep down road congestion. <br />
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This race has been in existence since 1973 and is truly a community-welcomed and celebrated event. The spectators and local residents are very supportive, and the city really welcomes you. The race has a very large expo with great vendors, and easy parking. Also, with the race being held in March, hotel rooms in Virginia Beach
are reasonably priced, and it's easy to stay within a brief walking
distance to both the start and finish. <br />
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The shirts and medals are excellent. There is a Dolphin Challenge medal you can get if you do the 8K race on the day before the half marathon. Plus, the race offers a unique finisher's gift every year that you get after you cross the finish line! You truly get your money's worth with the race entry fee. <br />
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The 8K, half marathon, marathon, and kids' races have a wonderful finish line down the boardwalk next to the ocean. After the races, finishers go into a heated tent on the beach and enjoy beer and Irish stew.<br />
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This race is excellent every year, and the race directors do an amazing job managing multiple races all weekend. This is a great race for first-timers, for those going for a PR, and for those trying to race in all 50 states. <br />
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<br />100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-64809867774818130352016-02-07T14:39:00.004-05:002016-02-08T09:01:50.244-05:00Member Spotlight: Jim Diego<h3>
Member Spotlight: Jim Diego </h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Runner, club member, Half Fanatic, 50 Stater… and singer!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jim sings the National Anthem at several races across the country. In 2015, he performed at the Pinedale Half Marathon, Rock ’n’ Roll Brooklyn Half Marathon, the Key West Half Marathon, the NYRR Dash to the Finish 5k, and many more. Jim also sang the National Anthem at the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jim has passed the halfway point to 100 half marathons- he completed his 50th lifetime half marathon at the Pinedale Half Marathon in Pinedale, WY on September 26, 2015.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2015, Jim crisscrossed the country and picked up up half marathons in 36 different states!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Visit Jim's blog here: <a href="http://victoryheadstandrunner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Victory Headstand Runner</a></span><br />
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100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-22026774697158553162016-02-07T14:32:00.000-05:002016-02-07T14:34:22.436-05:00Member Spotlight: Ali Levering<h3>
Ali Levering: 100 Half Marathon Finisher! </h3>
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Ali completed her 100th lifetime half marathon at the Alien Area 13.1 Half in Roswell GA on 8/22/2015- a night alien-themed race!
Check out that awesome glow in the dark alien medal. She also had bib #100 for the event! Congratulations Ali!<br />
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Ali completed her first half marathon at the Atlanta Half Marathon in Georgia in November 2006.
Ali is also a 50 state finisher!<br />
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Check out <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/255385779/ali-glassesstate-bibs" target="_blank">Ali's Etsy Store:</a> She makes customized special glasses and state bibs for runners for celebrating unique challenges in the quest for various running goals.<br />
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100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-32676901420350204652016-02-07T14:28:00.000-05:002016-02-08T09:08:17.006-05:00Member Spotlight: Kim Roberts Kimball<h3>
Kim Roberts Kimball: 100 Half Marathon Finisher! </h3>
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Kim completed her 100th lifetime half marathon at the River Run in Cleveland, OH on 9/13/2015- five years after completing her first half marathon at the same race! Congratulations Kim!<br />
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100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-51052740758925566022016-02-07T14:23:00.002-05:002016-02-08T09:08:03.290-05:00Member Spotlight: Kevin Gonzalez<h3>
Kevin Gonzalez: 100 Half Marathon Finisher! <span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kevin
completed his 100<sup>th</sup> lifetime half marathon at the </span>Rock 'n'
Roll Merida Half Marathon in Mexico on October 31st, 2015!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kevin is a regular participant in the Rock
‘n’ Roll Race Series events and is a Heavy Medal recipient and RnR Hall of
Famer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>
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Kevin is one of our many race walkers!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kevin
set a new half marathon personal record with a finish time of <span class="5yl5">2:16:59
at Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Kevin
also completed one of his life-goal events in 2015- the Boston Marathon!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Congratulations Kevin!</div>
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<br />100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-55350535780236453442016-02-07T14:21:00.001-05:002016-02-07T14:21:29.491-05:00Member Spotlight: Ron and Susan Carino<h3>
<b>Ron and Susan Carino: 100 Half Marathon Finishers! </b></h3>
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Ron and Susan Carino completed their 100th lifetime half marathons together at the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Half Marathon on December 6th, 2015.<br />
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Their journey to 100 lifetime half marathons started in 2005.
This California-based couple travels to both national and international Rock ‘n’ Roll events, and they are also Heavy Medalists/ RnR Hall of Famers.
They are also members of the Half Fanatics, Team in Training and The Official Seven Continents Club.<br />
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Ron and Susan maintain a blog about their race adventures! Visit it at: <a href="http://www.marathoningforlife.com/">www.marathoningforlife.com</a><br />
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100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-19743116193872072102015-08-17T08:41:00.001-04:002015-08-17T08:41:45.702-04:00Member Spotlight: Victoria & Rob Slocum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Rob and Victoria Slocum’s favorite outdoor activity is running half marathons together. They recently joined the 100 Half Marathons Club. Rob started running half marathons in 2004, and he’s hoping to complete his 150th later this year. Victoria started in 2006, and she completed her 100th half marathon earlier this year. They live in Danville, Kentucky, and love to travel and run new races. Some of their favorite half marathons include the Tybee Run Half Marathon in Tybee Island, Georgia, the Summerfest Rock ’n Sole Half Marathon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Great Turtle Run on Mackinac Island, Michigan, and the Holualoa Half Marathon in Tucson, Arizona.100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-78102443369819970672015-04-19T13:41:00.003-04:002016-02-08T09:05:04.246-05:00"Our Walker, Slow Runner and Back of the Packer" Friendly Race DirectoryOur club maintains a list of the half marathons that support walkers, slower runners, and back of the packers. This resource list is kept online for free and is available for anyone to use. <br />
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This race is crowd-sourced by half marathoners reporting events to add to our directory, and by race directors letting us know about their events.<br />
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If you'd like to suggest a race, please use the following form. <b>Also, if you know of a race that is on this list that has changed their policies and no longer has the time limit listed, please let us know here. </b><br />
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Races we are looking for:<br />
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<li>have a 3:30 time limit or more, and/or offer an early start</li>
<li>are timed races that would support someone finishing a half marathon via walking and would give these finishers an official finish time</li>
<li>do not shut down aide stations or remove course marshals or volunteers before all participants finish</li>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="800" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1d_r1N4q9CGgURtLxehShwf68gC_Qw8svGnMIEQpgn-k/viewform?embedded=true" width="600"> </iframe><br />100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094677362830599295.post-48457840947401463742015-04-11T17:01:00.002-04:002015-04-11T17:10:10.229-04:00Member Spotlight: David Grudzien<span style="font-family: inherit;">We celebrate the amazing accomplishments of our club members! David M. Grudzien is one of our 100 half marathon finishers. In fact, he completed both his 100th lifetime half marathon and finished his 50th half marathon state on the same day! He achieved these two goals together at the Old Port Half Marathon in Portland, Maine in July 2014.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We asked David to share this running history and goals with us. This is his story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Meet David</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I began running in 2010 (at the age of 53), focusing on 5Ks for about a year. In January 2011, I decided to step it up a notch and train for the Peachtree Road Race 10K, which I completed in July, 2011. I continued with the 5Ks & 10Ks for a few months, at which time I decided I needed MORE! In November 2011 I began training for my first half marathon – The Publix Georgia Half Marathon which was scheduled for March 16, 2012.<br /><br />March 16, 2012 was the beginning of what has become my obsessive journey of running half marathons. <br /><br />During the week or so that followed, I joined the 50 States Half Marathon Club, signed up for a few more halfs and decided that it would be my long term goal to run an average of one half marathon per month. (This would allow me to complete my 50 State goal in approximately 5 years – or so I thought.) <br /><br />Following the Publix Half, I managed to maintain pace on that goal by running one per month through 9/2012 except for June. I decided I HAD to maintain, so October would be a catch up month. Long story short I ended up running four halfs in October and felt great. This is where the true obsession began. <br /><br />During the first months of my “half” running, I joined club after club. Today I belong to at least dozen clubs including Atlanta Track Club, New York Road Runners, three chapters of Front Runners and the 100 Half Marathons Club. By the end of 2012, I had run 16 half marathons in 12 different States.<br /><br />I continued my journey in 2013 with a focus on adding new states to my list and progressing up the ranks of the Half Fanatics running club. On 9/19/2013, I reached the pinnacle (The Sun) of the Half Fanatics by completing my 30th state within 365 days. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2013 also brought a new running experience, in the form of the Center of the Nation Running Series produced by Mainly Marathons. This is a series of races during which you run five half or full marathons over five days in five different states. Absolutely, this was the best experience a runner can have. By the end of 2013, I had accumulated 70 half marathons and had completed 39 different states.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eyyGULmqm2w/VSmLaGtvsTI/AAAAAAAAAD0/v85ExP3DHWY/s1600/david2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eyyGULmqm2w/VSmLaGtvsTI/AAAAAAAAAD0/v85ExP3DHWY/s1600/david2.jpg" height="320" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David at the Mainly Marathons Riverboat Series, April 2014</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />With the start of 2014, it became foreseeable that I could complete my 50 States + DC during the year. The challenge to coordinate the remaining 11 states & DC began. I will add that as you get closer to completing the 50 states, it becomes more and more difficult to schedule races/states, especially when you still need both Alaska & Hawaii. I was early during 2014 that I heard of and joined the 100 Half Marathons Club, which added another challenge for me to complete this year. With a great deal of focus and effort I managed to reach 98 total half marathons and 49 states plus DC. My 50th state was scheduled on July 13th at the Shipyard Old Port Half in Portland, ME. Now the issue was “Could I reach the point where my 50th State would also be my 100th total half marathon?” Conveniently, I found a race in Jamestown, RI on 7/12, which just happened to be on my way to Portland, sort of!<br /><br />I am now continuing on my journey to running as many halfs as possible with the target number of 500 in mind (by my 70th birthday). As of 2/1/2015, my total count stands at 117. ONLY 383 TO GO!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Congratulations David on this incredible journey!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>100 Half Marathons Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06092513418172692837noreply@blogger.com