Hapalua Half Marathon Race Report

I have been planning to run this race as my 50th State for years. I didn't want to run the half of a full marathon -- I wanted the half to the be focus. The fact that Hapalua means "half" in Hawaiian makes me smile. 

Race expo was at the convention center -- a little ways away from our hotel -- but it was well signed and very well organized. We got our bibs and t-shirt, and then went to look at merch. 

The race design included the names of EVERYONE who pre-registered. The men's shirts had all the men's names (a little confusing at first...), the women's shirts had all the women's names... and the big towels and the photo banner had both. Really nice touch, and fun to find our names!

The next morning we rode down in the elevator with another couple and a random guy headed to the gym. I said, "I think we're headed to the same place!" and she laughed. Wil said, "She's running her 50th state!" and the woman said, "OMG, ME TOO!!!!" and we both SQUEALED and the random guy quickly exited the elevator. 

We hadaed to the start corrals, just down the street from our hotel. We admired Duke, his arms full of leis, in the moonlight. 

Finally, we started. There was a surprising amount of random city miles, out and back to Ala Moana and Honolulu Harbor. 

But eventually we looped back and around Kapiolani park and then an out and back along Diamond Head Road. As we passed the zoo I heard a "running guide" telling some tourists that Hawaii has a lot of "hobby joggers" and a bunch of us insulted him (and his slower-than-us tour group) right back. 

It was hot -- especially on Diamond Head Road. But on the way back we had a nice breeze and I was grinning because we were almost done.

We stopped a lot to take pictures, thanked all the volunteers, and did a lot of smiling. 

And then I was crying because I could see the finish line and I had almost finished the project!

As we entered the finish chute we held hands, had our names called out, and then someone gave me a medal and a bottle of Gatorade and I was just so very happy. And crying. 

The race had a huge runners zone in the park with food and drinks and, very cleverly, a big screen running on a 15-minute delay so people could watch themselves crossing the finish line. I'd never seen this before and I think it's a genius idea. 

It hadn't been fast -- of course. But we did it and had a lovely morning. Walking back to the hotel felt surreal... I had thought about this day for years and it was finally here! We had a dip in the pool, went up to the room, and eventually headed out for a very fine celebratory mai tai. 

Our server delivered possibly the best mai tai I'd ever had, and asked, "How do you feel?". I told her I felt great, very happy, and that I NEVER NEEDED TO RUN AGAIN." It was the first tiem I'd said it -- maybe even the first time I had THOUGHT it, but I think it might be true. 

Pumpkinman Half Marathon race report

 I had Pumpkinman on my list of "races to run" for a couple of years -- mostly because it always lines up with the Maple Leaf Half in Vermont. And I am SO GLAD I did. 

I was feeling a lot better than I had the day before -- apart from being sore and having somehow blistered the entire ball of my right foot (probably because I was wearing my new orthotics...). Wil and I rolled up to the event site about an hour before start time on a perfectly gorgeous autumn day. 

Pumpkinman is a weekend with multiple events -- from various triathlon distances on the Saturday, to a hill run and running distances on the Sunday. My favorite distance? The Jenni. How long is that? 8.675309 miles, of course...

The races start at a beautiful event center. Plenty of parking, gread views, and plenty of room to set things up. Being pumpkin / autumn / Halloween themed, there were lots of photo ops and even a self serve candy table. I picked up some gummy bears for later, remembering my fueling fiasco the previous day. 

With multiple events during the running festival, we got to see a couple of different groups head out. I was especially thrilled by the Battle on Spring Hill 6.6 Mile Run and Battle on Spring Hill 6.6 Mile Ruck. What's that you say? Well, the participants run down a very steep hill to the lake, then run up the very steep hill again... and repeat that several times. Just watching them run DOWN the hill made me happy not be doing that!

An excellent hype man, Michael Bernier, did an amazing job of keeping everyone's energy up... and then it was time for us to go. 

Again, I had no needs or expectations for the day. But the beautiful weather and the fact that Wil was joining me made me super happy, and we really just spent the next 13.1 miles smiling, talking, thanking the volunteers, and loving the gorgeous weather. 

Eventually we were back at the event center. We held hands and ran down the hill to the finish line, and the race director came over to give us high fives. Sure, I finished DEAD LAST in the race (though others in other distances came in after we did) -- but I did the important thing: 

STATE 49!!!

One of the highlights of the Pumpkinman Triathlon and Running Festival is the post-race brunch. It was SPECTACULAR. Great food, including lots of vegetarian options. We loaded up a plate, found a table, and sat there smiling at each other. 

After we finished our brunch, we went to the photo setup to take some selfies. Rachel, the amazing race director, came over to help, and Wil told her it was my 49th state. She was so excited, she ended up handing us loads of swag -- socks, a pint glass, a bag, a running belt. And she took some great photos!

My "performance" wasn't any better at this race -- in fact, I was a couple of minutes slower. But it had been such a nice day with such great people. I know that if we lived in the area it would be our annual race. 2026 is their 20th running of the event!

Pumpkinman Half Marathon

Bib 569

3:23:10

49/49 overall

6/6 women 50-64

Note: this report was written on 7/15/2026 but backdated to race day for simplicity.

2024 Maple Leaf Half Marathon race report

 The more states I crossed of the 50 States Half Marathon list, the more difficult it became to complete them. It's expensive and time consuming to fly across the entire continent, so I planned a trip where I could pick up state 48 (Vermont) and 49 (Maine) in one weekend. 

At this point, these half marathons are just about completion. Just getting through it and checking off the state. So there wasn't anything I wanted out of the Maple Leaf Half Marathon except for a finishing time. I barely got that. 

Now I should be clear: the race is a cute little community race. Combined with a 5K, they max out at 500 runners. It raises money for a local charity, starts and finishes at a big park, and everyone gets a little bottle of maple syrup. All good. 

The problem with this race was me. 

I got to the park early (of course!), picked up my bib, t-shirt, and bottle of maple syrup, and then waited in the car for a while. I wasn't feeling great, but I figured I'd run/walk the first half, and then save my legs for the race in Maine the next day. 

The race start felt a little crowded -- the 5K and half start together and quickly narrow to sidewalks through town. I just trotted along with the crowd and tried to get comfortable. At some point not long after the course split -- where the we lost the majority of runners -- a volunteer told us to go "up the hill and turn right". So all the half marathoners headed up the hill. I had noticed a small painted arrow next to the road, but it was at the bottom of the hill and I could see runners and people in high-viz vests at the top. 

Looking at this map, I think the turn we missed as after mile 2 -- we took the first right, then went straight and not the second immediate right.

Halfway up the hill I hear frantic honking and someone yelling and pointing. Apparently, we had ALL missed the turn. 

One of the guys who was right at the top of the hill passed me a bit later as we wan by a mile marker. He shouted across to me, "Well, that was an EXTREMELY long mile!"

I was already feeling tired and I think the wrong turn broke me. I had totally bonked by mile 5, and was stumbling by mile 9. Clearly I didn't fuel well and I just couldn't catch up. With such a small race there were no snacks on course, and I wasn't carrying anything. Guess I should have held on to the maple syrup!

I was super super tired, my feet ached, and I somehow shredded my quads on the rolling hills. Back at the hotel Wil checked to see where I was and couldn't figure out why I was still so far away. Honestly, if I wasn't all the way across the country trying to finish state 48 -- and had any idea of how to get back to my car -- I probably would have quit. 

But I finished it. I was not dead last, And I picked up state 48. 

After the race I went back to the hotel where Wil took one look at me and worried I hadn't finished. I walked into our hotel room and sat on the bed, feeling week and drained. Wil made me cheese sandwiches and made sure I ate them. It was 15 minutes before I felt like I could get up and into the shower. 

Maple Leaf Half Marathon
Bib 57
3:20:47
146/150 finishers
13/13 women 50-59

Note: this report was written on 7/15/2026 but backdated to race day for simplicity.

Independence Half Marathon Series day 4: Sussex, New Jersey

After a lovely day off in Gettysburg it was time to pick up state 47, New Jersey. This time I got the full Mainly Marathons experience -- heard the course talk, 

...celebrated some achievements... 

... and got the day's news. I'm sorry to report that the tater tot scramble was not vegetarian, because I would have snarfed a lot of that down. 

This was another mellow race for me -- just 6 laps on a nicely paved course through the woods. The day was glorious, and the shade meant it was never too hot. Bliss!

Got to chat with Wanda again; someone asked her if she was going to be at the NY race the next day, and she replied, "What else am I gonna be doing?" #retirementgoals

Here she is ringing the Loony bell: 

Back and forth, back and forth I went, stopping for a snack and a hello to the volunteers each time: 

And then, suddenly, I was done!

I got a little cleaned up (I had checked out of my room before the race) and went up to the monument at the High Point of New Jersey: 

There's a lovely view from up there of Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. 

And a lot of wind, too.

I left and drove and drove across Pennsylvania to a little town called Ohiopyle ... really a staging spot for my Frank Lloyd Wright house tours the next day. But that night I sat on my balcony and updated my jacket because I had just run state 47!

Independence Half Marathon Series, Day 4: Sussex, New Jersey

3:24:21

State 47!