Half Marathons by State

Progress: 15 states completed
⭐ = Personal Record (PR)

I’m working toward running a half marathon in every U.S. state and DC.

Before each race, I keep a simple tradition: carb-loading the night before — usually pasta. Whenever possible, I’ll also share memorable pre-race spots worth checking out.

This page is a running log of races so far — times, courses, travel notes, and a few thoughts along the way.

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1. Virginia

Reston Half Marathon (4/21/2024)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
1	Reston, VA	1:36:41 ⭐	7:23/mi	5	1

First in AG. I was expecting at least 3rd — a nice surprise.

In the words of a volunteer on the sidelines:

“Gravity is your friend!”

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Richmond Half Marathon (11/15/2025)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
11	Richmond, VA	1:23:37 ⭐	6:23/mi	124	30

Pre-Race: Casa Italiana

Family Owned Italian Restaurant Specializing in Home Made Pasta.

Read full review on Yelp

Fast downhill finish. Strong close over the final stretch.

Great course, great crowd — solid weekend.

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Sentara Shamrock Half Marathon (3/22/2026)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
15	Virginia Beach, VA	1:18:37 ⭐	6:00/mi	15	3

The Sentara Shamrock Half Marathon is flat and fast, making it the perfect place for a PR.

Flat and fast was accurate.

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2. Connecticut

62nd Annual John & Jessie Kelley Half Marathon (8/3/2024)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
2	New London, CT	1:31:53 ⭐	7:01/mi	31	4

Pre-Race: Consiglio's Restaurant

Classic Italian spot in New Haven — cozy atmosphere, solid pasta, and a great pre-race option.

Read full review on Yelp

Summer heat kept me from breaking 1:30.

Well-organized race despite tough conditions. Volunteers spraying water along the course made a huge difference — grabbing water and dumping it on my head was necessary in that heat.

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3. West Virginia

New River Gorge Wilds Trail Run (10/5/2024)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
3	Oak Hill, WV	1:50:03	8:24/mi	3	?

Top 3 at ACE Adventure Resort.

A true trail run — and I wore the wrong shoes.

Scenic course, and a ~5-hour drive from NoVA that was worth it.

First trail half marathon. Racing with a dead watch, no phone, no gear, and limited water was a good lesson in what to do better next time.

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4. North Carolina

Charlotte Half Marathon (11/16/2024)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
4	Charlotte, NC	1:24:35 ⭐	6:28/mi	38	6

First sub-1:25. Also the debut of the Nike Vaporfly 3.

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5. Arizona

Run Sedona (2/1/2025)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
5	Sedona, AZ	1:31:02	6:57/mi	16	3

Two hours of sleep, hills, and elevation — still happy with the result.

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6. Washington, DC

DC Rock ‘N Roll Half (3/15/2025)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
6	Washington, DC	1:23:54	6:24/mi	146	22

A good summary of this race:

Monster Hill 👹 @ mile 8
completely destroyed me,
had me thinking I’d just hold on for sub-1:30,
and somehow still managed a slight PR.

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7. New York

NYCRUNS Half — Brooklyn Ice Cream Social (8/23/2025)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
7	Brooklyn, NY	1:24:53	6:29/mi	9	4

Four laps around Prospect Park.

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8. Colorado

Boulderthon (9/28/2025)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
8	Boulder, CO	1:24:17	6:25/mi	62	10

Happy to break 1:25 at altitude.

Hard race. ~5,300 ft — much higher than what I’m used to in NoVA.

Did a 10.5-mile shakeout on Davidson Mesa beforehand to acclimate. Still — they said “no hills”… not true.

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9. New Hampshire

Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon (10/5/2025)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
9	Hampton Beach, NH	1:20:25 ⭐	6:09/mi	21	6

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10. Tennessee

Nashville Half Marathon (10/25/2025)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
10	Nashville, TN	1:23:47	6:23/mi	97	11

Started late (~7:20 AM) due to long bib pickup lines.

Hilly course — but the downhills helped. Strong energy downtown, and a unique finish inside a baseball stadium.

~10-hour trip from NoVA — worth it.

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11. Hawaii

Maui Oceanfront Marathon (1/18/2026)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
11	Wailuku, HI	1:23:24	6:22/mi	4	1

First time in Hawaii — traveled with family.

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12. California

Bay Breeze Half Marathon (2/14/2026)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
12	San Leandro, CA	1:21:15	6:12/mi	3	2

Flat, but brutal — gravel, sand, bridges, wind, and bugs.

Cool temps (~47–50°F), but didn’t feel like it.

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13. Arkansas

Little Rock Half Marathon (3/1/2026)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
13	Little Rock, AR	1:24:42	6:28/mi	17	2

Pre-Race: Ristorante Capeo

Arkansas' Premier Italian Restaurant

Read full review on Yelp

Hilly course, but a great race overall. Ran alongside another runner for much of it — strong finish and great crowd support.

14. Kentucky

Kentucky Derby Festival – Humana Mini-Marathon (4/25/2026)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
16	Louisville, KY	1:21:53	6:15/mi	42	10

Pre-Race: The Old Spaghetti Factory

Classic Italian spot in downtown Louisville with generous portions and solid pre-race pasta options.

Read full review on Yelp

A scenic and energetic first race in Louisville with strong crowd support throughout the course. Cool morning weather and a solid pre-race dinner helped set up a fast day and a new state completed on the half marathon journey.

15. Ohio

Flying Pig Half Marathon (5/3/2026)

Race	Location	Time	Pace	Overall	AG
17	Cincinnati, OH	1:29:33	6:51/mi	165	27

Pre-Race: Pepp & Dolores

Popular Cincinnati Italian restaurant with flavorful pasta and a relaxed atmosphere.

Read full review on Yelp

First time racing in Cincinnati at one of the most well-known half marathons in the Midwest. Cold conditions and heavy congestion early on made the race challenging, but the course atmosphere, riverfront views, and crowd energy still made it a memorable experience.