Hi everyone! As you’re probably aware by now, I’ve got a goal of running in all 50 states. I’ve already crossed off 8 states and loved every single one of them! I have a feeling it’s going to take forever for me to complete it, but I’m okay with that! It just means I get to be a runner for the rest of my life 🙂 During the long, dark winter here I would sometimes lose motivation to run. So whenever I felt that way I’d sit down with my laptop open to Running In The USA and search for races I’d like to run in each state. Yes, this took FOREVER but doing it slowly throughout the winter kept me excited for racecations and focused on my goals! There are some places in the US I never really thought about visiting before until I found sweet races there – mostly the midwest (no offense, but you can tell I’m a mountain-loving girl!) or places that just aren’t as easy to travel to from the east coast or Alaska. So for today’s Friday Five with Courtney, Cynthia, and Mar, I decided to take the prompt “Five Trips ____” and turn it into “Five Trips I’d Make For Running!”. I’ve never run these races but hope to do so soon! 
I’ve still got so many states to turn yellow!
1. Nevada: So I was just here a few weeks ago flying in/out for my Utah trip, and while I enjoyed the Trader Joe’s, Chipotle, and outlet shopping there, I can say I’m not a fan of Las Vegas (I’m not a big drinker and I don’t gamble). But since I didn’t run a race while I was there, I’m probably going to go back someday to run the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon. While this race doesn’t fit my usual scenic choice of a race course, it does have one big thing going for it: it happens at night! I’m a night runner who hates running in hot weather so I think this will make for perfect race conditions. Plus I can hit up Chipotle afterwards. I’m sure there’s one that’s open late, right? #priorities
2. Oklahoma: I heard that it’s flat here, which is exciting because the Route 66 Marathon runs through Tulsa! The race swag looks incredible, and they have an “ultra marathon” detour on their marathon course – you can take a slight detour to “The Center of the Universe” to make your race total 26.5 instead of 26.2 miles. I may have to do this one day so I can say I ran an ultra!
3. West Virginia: In full disclosure I’ve been to WV before and enjoyed the pretty scenery, but as a former Pitt Panther I have nothing good to say about the state 🙂 That is, until I discovered the Hatfield-McCoy Marathon (and half!). I’m a giant history nerd and can’t imagine how much fun it would be to run through history like this! Taking a look at the race date made me cringe just thinking about the heat and humidity, but I think I’ll take the risk!
4. Arkansas: I literally don’t know anything about Arkansas, except that the Duggars live there. But I do know that the Little Rock Marathon has the biggest race medals ever! I will travel for something that epic!
5. Montana and Wyoming: I’ve always wanted to visit Montana (helloooo big mountains and open starry skies) but why are these two states grouped together? Because next year I fully plan on visiting both places in one week so that I can run 2 epic races put on by the company that brought me the Zion Half Marathon – Vacation Races! The Grand Teton Half Marathon in Wyoming happens on a Saturday and then the Yellowstone Half Marathon (or if I wimp out, the Yellowstone 5K) is held in Montana a week later. Like the Zion Half, these races have amazing swag and medals, hiking clubs you can join after the race (let’s hope I don’t have to deal with anything as crazy as I did when I joined The Angels Club), and tons of gorgeous views! Plus I can cross off 2 states AND 2 national parks in one week. Win!
I honestly don’t know which state I’ll be crossing off next – either Wisconsin if I can visit my sister in Milwaukee this summer, or somewhere near my parents on the east coast in the fall. And if I can’t make it to the east coast, I’m totally looking into a fall race in nearby Cali, Hawaii, or Oregon instead! There are so many amazing races all over the US and not enough free miles on our Alaska Airlines card for all of them. But life is short so I’ll be knocking a few more states off my list before 2016 🙂
Do you have any race suggestions that are worth traveling for? Where should I run next?
Mom in the Mtns 
Running and travelling! Those are my two favourite things! Which states have you ran in so far?
Same here! If you check out the left side of my blog you’ll see a link to all the races I’ve run in each state and DC. I’m hoping to fill in more states ASAP!
Hatfield McCoy is on my list for WV as well! Oh which map site did you use to produce yours? I’ve been looking for one and they are not very pretty.
Thanks! I made it on here: https://www.defocus.net/visitedstates/generate.html
I would be interested in the Hatfield McCoy race too. Sounds like fun
I was all about that Hatfield and McCoy mini series on the History Channel so I would probably get so into it!
The back to back races in Wyoming and Montana sounds like a lot of fun and a great racecation trip! Who doesn’t love amazing swag and bling? Plus I’m sure the breathtaking scenery is just an added bonus.
Yeah those sound awesome. Luckily my husband is all about visiting national parks and I can convince him to let me run Vacation Races races!
I love that ultra option in the Route 66 marathon. I hadn’t heard they do that – how fun! 🙂
It’s so funny! I think it would be a good into to ultras 🙂
Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas is also on my bucket list. Running down the strip at night sounds like such an incredible experience!
It does! It’s so cool they’re able to close down the roads for that.
WV…really? It’s so HILLY! Haha!
Haha yes it is! But I have to run all the states so at least I was able to find a fun race there. Although that might be the last state I run… 🙂
I ran Vegas last yr and it was a blast! I was curious to see what race you were talking about in Pennsylvania since I’m from there, and I never heard of that one. Will have to look it up!
That’s so cool! I definitely want to run that race. I’ve got a list of all the PA races I’ve run on my 50 states page and I’ve probably recapped most of them on here as well if you need more info.
I love the idea of doing those two races back to back to get in two states! It sounds beautiful. And rock and roll vegas is high on my list as well.
I feel like Vegas is on everyone’s list! We should definitely all run it together.
I’m dying to do Grand Tetons and Yellowstone too. I just have to convience my hubby that it’s a good idea! Shouldn’t be too hard.
Haha good luck! My husband loves to travel and luckily he’s never been there, so we are hopefully doing that one ASAP!
The Little Rock Marathon is on my list too! Beyond the huge medals, I’ve heard that it’s a really awesome race.
I heard that too! I also heard that they make the medals bigger each year so I might wait a few years to see how crazy it gets 🙂
such an awesome goal.!! Why didn’t you stop by Oregon while you were in Washington. “Track Town USa” come on, gotta run here soon. 🙂
Haha I want to! I’ve actually never been there. My father in law lives in Seattle, so we visited him so that I could run the Beat The Blerch half. I highly recommend it! Do you have any Oregon race recommendations?
I’ve never ran it, but for my first ever Marathon I want to do the Portland Marathon. or Eugene Marathon. Both have amazing reviews.! oh and I’ve never even been to Seattle.! I defenitly want to though
What a great list! I also want to run the double at Teton and Yellowstone. Maybe next year. 🙂
I will hopefully be there next year! Maybe we’ll both get to run it!
You will love the Tetons and Yellowstone! Such beautiful parks and right beside each other too. I’ve heard not so great things about the Vegas RnR but hopefully they’ve fixed it in the last year or two. I would love to run in DC – maybe MCM or just down the Mall.
Oh that’s not good about Vegas 😦 There are so few races in Nevada so I don’t have many other options! Also, DC is super fun to run. The race I ran there went right past the capitol building and the Mall!
I’ve run the Route 66 half twice. The Center of the Universe is not part of the half route (just full), but I have been to it. I don’t consider it flat, but it is one of the best races you’ll run. The crowd support is unbelievable!
No way! So glad to hear someone I know has run it before! I honestly might put this race off until after I’ve gotten through a full marathon just so that I can do the Center of the Universe detour. I’m sad to hear it’s not flat but excited that it’s so great!
Will run to travel!! I thought to try to do 50 states by the time I am 50 but that might be pushing it….so we will see how long it takes.
That RnR in Las Vegas does sound cool-i might need to do that one.
Haha I say go for it! It’s such a fun goal!
the way my knees are set up….haha!
Chipotle is my hubby’s favorite. He lived in Vegas a few years ago and says there weren’t any all night locations, that he was aware of.
NOOOOOOO 😦 I just want to eat it all the time!
I’ve actually been looking at that race in WV!
We should both do it! I think it’s the only cool sounding race in WV haha
I would lover to run in all 50 states! So far I have two down lol…definitely have a lot more to do!
Go for it! I did 8 in 2 years so it’s totally possible to get a bunch done quickly.
I had the Yellowstone Half on my list of races I want to run too! 🙂 The races that Vacation Races puts on look so incredible. Great picks!
The Zion Half was amazing and I’m so doing all of there races as soon as possible!