Drake Road Races: Half Marathon 2023 recap

Some would call me a glutton for punishment.

I'm referring to my yearly return to the hilly race course of the Drake Road Races Half Marathon. While the route has changed a few times in the eight years I've been running it, it has ALWAYS been very hilly.

Given the time of year (ahem, #SpringInIowa),the weather has always been a wild card as well. I'm not bemoaning unseasonably hot weather either. Instead, it's usually unseasonably cold and crazy windy. Thankfully, the past couple years have blessed us with clear sunny skies, but there have been numerous years where it was cloudy, damp, rainy and gloomy.

And yet, I keep going back, year after year...

Drake Road Races Half Marathon 2022 Recap

Shall we talk about 13.1 hilly miles of smiles?

I've said it many times...I much prefer a challenging race course over an "easy" one. Of course, it's all relative who deems what is "easy" or "challenging." If you're looking for a race course that will test your legs, your determination, your endurance and your grit, the Drake Road Races Half Marathon will fill those needs.

Couple the hilly race course with the usual erratic spring weather of Iowa, and you're in for a morning like none other on the streets of Des Moines. 

Drake Relays Road Races Half Marathon - 2021 recap

 It was one of those days where everything just fell into place.

The weather was near-perfect. The Covid protocol was on-point. The course was its usual hilly self. And my post-stress-fractured self was ready to truly test my grit, my fitness, and my rally-back efforts.

Enter the Drake Relays Road Races. And, while we're at it, let's run a half marathon!

Drake Road Races Half Marathon 2019

I can do hard things, and I'm quite grateful for the ability to do so.

Case in point - a tough, hilly 13.1-mile jaunt, that had most of my muscles aching (at least from the waist-down). Not only did my body ache, but my mouth was dry. And I was mucho tired at the end.

And I'd do it all over again.