Des Moines was an awesome marathon! The weather was perfect, the crowds were amazing! The city is so clean. And it’s such an easy city to walk in that if you stay close enough to downtown it’s no issue getting in by Lyft or Uber. There was good spacing between aid stations, volunteers handed out twizlers and salty nuts, but I would suggest bringing your own little snack or two. Porta Potties are readily available, but what surprised me about the course is it was pretty hilly for being Iowa. You’re running hills (although not incredibly steep) a good half of the race at least. Really should run this race! What a fabulous weekend it was!

Kenosha was a lovely place and the people of Wisconsin are super super friendly. The run was by far one of the most beautiful runs I’ve ever done. And I mean period, not just marathon. The locals were super enthused with the runners. I would say the majority of the runners were half marathoners. The only downside to this run are the aid stations. They are pretty inconsistent with distance from each other and there is NO food. Which I was not anticipating and made it difficult to keep going at times. I recommend the race still, but plan to bring some snacks for sure!

This was my first marathon and always a goal of mine. When I decided to take up running I always said I wanted to do the original marathon. And boy was it worth it! 20,000 marathoners alone, 101 countries represented. It was massive! There is something about taking a bus and being dropped off and an hour and some change away from where you’ll finish. It’s historical and just so fun! The crowds are unbelievably supportive and the aid stations are plentiful with hydration and food and frequency. And then that finish...WOW. You finish in the historical stadium and it literally brought tears to my eyes. You gotta do it.

The course is consistently an upward hill. I’d say 75% was uphill...nothing too steep, but still, you definitely know you’re not on flat terrain. The scenery is mostly urban, so it’s not great. But the locals make ALL the difference. Loved you Greece! ❤️