Running with Little T: Fargo Half Marathon June 1, 2024

Didn't get to run in and out of the dome this year!

Apparently I hit a nerve when I mentioned to this fellow finisher that we were leaving early the next day because there wasn't a lot to do in Fargo. He snaps back with, "Well there isn't anything to do in Dallas either". Ouch! and touche. He then continues to tell us how he and his wife are heading out to some national park, which is over 300 miles away...and in Minnesota. Why are we talking to this old fart, I'm thinking, why are we in this Buffalo Wild Wings parking lot, standing in the small strip of shade provided by the temporary Samuel Adams tent? This has got to be the worst finish line party EVER. As he drones on I am imagining his wife back at the hotel darning his socks. The one free beer we stood in line for is starting to hit me and I realize it's been awhile since I've eaten, thanks to the lack of food back at the finish line. I try not to go there, 2016, the last time I was here, where our post race finish included a pub crawl passport booklet, which, if completed, rewarded us with another medal. Now that was a party!

(Here is the link to my write up from that year...https://tntlinder.blogspot.com/2016/05/race-recap-fargo-marathon-may-21-2016.html )

That year we started and finished INSIDE the Fargodome with real food, like PIZZA. But this year...

Finish line "festival"

...And a sign saying "FREE BEER" with an arrow pointing to the Buffalo Wild Wings off campus about a mile or so away...

Obviously I'm still processing my disappointment with the finish, especially since they promised it to be extra special, given it was their 20th annual, but really, this was my only disappointment with the race. Read on:

Toby and I flew in with just enough time to hit the expo and join Anil for a beer, then dinner. We tried to get served at an Italian restaurant, but as the case with most small towns they were overwhelmed with marathoners, so we went with our Thai food backup. It works every time!

Half for me!

Running the full

Race day morning: I'm still scratching my head as to why they changed so much of their race dates and times for each of their races weeks before the marathon. Inexplicably they decided to have the half marathon start 15 minutes before the full. What that means is the half marathoners got the singing of the US and Canadian national anthems, plus a tribute to their race director who was killed last year, but the full marathoners got zilch. Anil and Toby didn't complain about this like I would have...

I forgot how festive and heavily populated the streets of Fargo were last time I was here. I have to say it was a lot of fun. As I'm approaching spectators and see the little kids with their hands out to high five I start to reach out as usual and then it hits me....THIS IS HOW I GOT WHOOPING COUGH AND STREP THROAT when I ran Baton Rouge in January!!! I was so confused about how I got sick because we didn't fly to Baton Rouge and pretty much stuck to ourselves. But I did touch about 100 tiny hands that day...I'll have to carry hand sanitizer or something next time, because I really missed getting to do this.

I wish I had more to say about the race, but it was over so fast, even ay my current pace. Yeah I had to stop and loosen my shoe and I had to take walk breaks near the end as it heated up, but there's no drama. I'm not sure why I miss the drama of the full. If I need a good cry I can watch "Marley and Me" again. I'm still missing the distance, but my body isn't, so this is where I am. And I LIKE running half marathons-don't get me wrong, but they're an entirely different experience for me. The funny thing is I never did run many half marathons until now, so mentally they seem to end before the "good, bad, ugly stuff" happens.

Once I finished and changed into dry clothes I tried to find the FREE BEER associated with the ticket hanging off of my race bib. I started following the signs until I realized I was getting too far away to make it back to the finish line in time to see Toby finish.

a 3:14 finish

And then Anil

Toby and Anil had very positive things to say about the full marathon, as I did about the half, so I was confused when I read several negative race reviews. Yes, there are a lot of turns, but it's flat, and mostly shaded too. They had some hiccups to be sure, so going forward I'm not sure if I would recommend this race, but if you're looking for a race in North Dakota, hmmmm. As for the town of Fargo itself; it is fun for a short while, especially if you like to drink. We managed just fine!