The best thing about races in the Dallas/Irving area is that it is only a day’s drive from my place in Roswell. In an effort to save money, we planned for this race to help my husband achieve his quest to run a marathon every three weeks. This was a good time of year in Irving: usually pretty cool and clear.
I was very impressed by their vibe and their artwork/graphics. It reminded me of what the Rock and Roll Running Series events used to be. Their starting and finisher’s village were well stocked and had plenty of seats and real bathrooms. (Real bathrooms that are cleaned regularly are a huge perk at races!) With the race in Irving, we stayed at our favorite hotel down the street from the start line.
The half marathon course was very beautiful. It started in the downtown area and eventually wound around a local lake and then onto a running path down the canals. We even ran by a couple having their engagement photos taken. We eventually wound up through a business park and on the long out and back, the miles ticked off really slowly. There were plenty of police security at each intersection. At one point, someone cut the course in front of a police officer. They looked at their other colleagues and just shrugged. What could they do? They are only cheating themselves. Also, this happened pretty far in the back of the pack…the impact would be pretty minimal.
The finish line was a little sparse, but at least the finishers chute was still up. Shortly after I finished, Angela Tortorice (the race director for the Texas Double I’ve done twice now) finished her 1000th marathon. Isn’t that incredible? Here’s a writeup on her accomplishment. She is an inspiration, and such a kind person.
Amara in Training 