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 Races completed by #1887
Richard Stoebner
Race Date City St /
Ctry		 Finish
Time		 Distance Bib Overall
Place		 Sex
Place		 Age
Place		 Remarks
Coastal Trail Series, Pembrokeshire 03/27/10 Little Haven GBR 3:19:29 14.3 mi 493 258/265 178/183 7/8 My only race outside the United States. Much of the race course was along a very muddy, slippery trail, with other portions going through pastures, through gates, and over fences. I was quite unprepared for the difficulty of running under those conditions, and had a difficult time maintaining a steady pace, especially during the later part of the race. On the bright side, participants were treated to fantastic ocean views while on the trail atop the bluffs, and the finisher award was rather unique: a dogtag.
Pikes Peak Ascent 08/20/11 Manitou Springs CO 5:54:52 Half Marathon 2203 1573/1704 1095/1175 73/79 Trail run/hike from the base (6,300 ft) to the summit (14,100 ft) of Pikes Peak. The course follows the Barr Trail, which has an average incline of 11%. For most mortals,such as me, this event is primarily fast hiking with just a little bit of jogging on some of the less steep parts of the trail. Definitely the most difficult half marathon that I have ever done. Very nice finisher medal with detailed race information on both the front and back of the medal.
Kansas City 09/24/05 Kansas City MO 2:34:17 Half Marathon 2260 1407/1563 698/737 72/78 My first half marathon. Well organized event. Course is entirely on city streets, passing through some business areas, some residentail areas, and past several of Kansas City's better-known landmarks. Several significant hills on this course. Cramping in my calf muscles beginning about mile 8 forced me to walk a significant part of the last 5 miles.
Kansas City 10/07/06 Kansas City MO 2:18:22 Half Marathon 2546 1538/2170 815/982 55/75 2nd time for Kansas City. Same course as in 2005. Managed to make it to mile 10 before experiencing leg cramps. The 2006 finisher medal was much nicer than the one from 2005.
Kansas City 10/20/07 Kansas City MO 2:51:36 Half Marathon 2041 2408/2633 1080/1122 83/87 3rd time for Kansas City. Recovering from an injured calf muscle, so walked much of the race.
Kansas City 10/15/11 Kansas City MO 2:12:20 Half Marathon 6322 2739/4794 1444/1977 67/100 4th time for Kansas City, and my best finish time on this course. I felt good through most of the race, with only some minor leg cramping during the final mile. Although technically not a PR, it is my best "age-graded" time for a half marathon.
Las Vegas 12/07/08 Las Vegas NV 2:16:50 Half Marathon 9568 3285/7733 1831/3198 160/285 Very flat course. First half of race along the Strip was pretty exciting, but second half was along a boring frontage road behind the casinos.
Las Vegas 12/06/09 Las Vegas NV 2:16:08 Half Marathon 12337 7122/17919 3670/6530 276/573 2nd time for Las Vegas. This year's race was an up and back along the Strip, and was therefore an improvement over the previous year's course. Nice finisher medal.
Six Tunnels to Hoover Dam 03/13/10 Lake Mead NRA NV 2:13:21 Half Marathon 410 345/661 186/284 15/24 Course follows an abandoned railroad bed along the shore of Lake Mead and passes through six short tunnels. The first half of the race is on a paved portion of the trail, while the second half is on gravel/dirt. Scenic views of the lake. Some steep but short hills between miles 8 and 11.
Las Vegas 12/05/10 Las Vegas NV 2:13:34 Half Marathon 14635 7138/19208 3784/7266 344/679 3rd time for Las Vegas. Essentially the same course as in 2009, i.e. up and back along the Strip. Nice finisher medal made to look like a playing card.
Six Tunnels to Hoover Dam 03/12/11 Lake Mead NRA NV 2:23:32 Half Marathon 104 365/609 180/261 15/25 2nd time for Six Tunnels race. Very nice finisher medal depicting one of the tunnels.
Valley of Fire 11/20/11 Valley of Fire State Park NV 2:40:25 Half Marathon 123 35/49 14/21 1/2 Very small event, but fairly well organized. Very hilly and challenging out-and-back course through beautiful Valley of Fire State Park. It was a humid morning, and the aid stations were pretty far apart and using small cups; so I failed to drink enough and I got dehydrated. Just beyond the final aid station, I began to feel fatigued and slightly nauseous, so had to walk most of the final 3 miles.
Las Vegas 12/04/11 Las Vegas NV 2:26:26 Half Marathon 16082 15561/33253 7431/12132 293/580 4th time for Las Vegas. The nightime race on the Strip was an intriguing idea that was very poorly executed. Too many participants combined with no enforcement of the starting corrals, resulted in turmoil on the race course; walkers and runners were intermingled elbow-to-elbow, making it nearly impossible to maintain a steady pace. The aid stations were woefully under-staffed, and several of them ran out of Gatorade and water. Post-race food was pathetic: green bananas and relatively little else. Many runners got ill during and after the race, and there was insufficient medical aid available to assist them. This was by far my worst race experience ever. Only bright spot: nice finisher medal with glow-in-the-dark paint.
Running from an Angel 01/07/12 Lake Mead NRA NV 2:24:35 Half Marathon 1038 161/238 80/93 4/5 Small, but well organized race. The course is an out-and-back along Lake Shore Drive next to Lake Mead. The terrain is rolling hills, so somewhat challenging. However, excellent views of the lake made for a pleasant January run. I saw several runners wearing Half Fanatics t-shirts during this race, found out about the organization, and decided to join the asylum.
Red Rock Canyon 03/10/12 Red Rock Canyon State Park NV 2:36:53 Half Marathon 767 442/655 236/285 8/11 Small, but well organized race. Course follows the paved loop road through scenic Red Rock Canyon State Park. The course is difficult, with about 1,600 ft of elevation gain (most within the first 6 miles), and an average elevation of more than 4,000 ft. Course support was excellent with aid stations that were well spaced, well-staffed, and well-stocked. The finisher medal was very nice and contained some interesting desert symbolism. My 8th race in 12 months, qualifying me for promotion to Uranus level.
Six Tunnels to Hoover Dam 03/17/12 Lake Mead NRA NV 2:21:16 Half Marathon 1235 455/648 218/273 17/22 3rd time for Six Tunnels event. Brutal wind during the second half of the race. Very colorful and creative finisher medal showing the dam, the bridge, and a leprechaun.
Rockin Rabbit 04/07/12 Boulder City NV 2:16:18 Half Marathon 684 67/103 35/47 2/3 One of the smallest events that I have participated in. The first 10 miles of the race follows the paved River Mountains Trail, with the initial 4 miles being generally uphill, followed by 6 miles of downhill. The final 3 miles is an out-and-back along the gravel Railroad Tunnels Trail and is essentially flat. The weather was good: cool temps and little wind. The aid stations were pretty widely spaced, and were not exceptionally well staffed or stocked, so it was advisable to carry a sports drink bottle. The finisher medal was relatively bland. Nevertheless, it was a nice little intimate race.
Summerlin 04/14/12 Las Vegas NV 2:17:48 Half Marathon 300 277/483 128/187 7/10 Small, but very well organized race. The corral start was well planned and executed. The aid stations were well spaced, well stocked, and well staffed with enthusiastic volunteers. The race course is about two-thirds on city streets and one-third on paved hiking trails. There is a significant amount of uphill between miles 2 and 7, but then it is flat to slightly downhill from there. I felt good throughout the entire race, and even managed to pick up the pace for the final mile -- probably because the weather was unseasonably cool, i.e. perfect for running. The finisher medal was outstanding -- one of the most attractive ones in my collection. My 4th race in less than 36 days, qualifying me for a promotion to the Saturn level.
Extraterrestrial Full Moon Midnight 08/05/12 Rachel NV 2:26:28 Half Marathon 870 125/322 69/126 4/9 Very unique race along Extraterrestrial Highway (NV 375) near Area 51. The race started at midnight, under a full moon. The weather was a little dicey just before the race (overcast, drizzly, windy, and some lightning), but began clearing up near race time. First half of race was uphill and into a head wind. I was able to pick up my pace considerably after passing the high point, but fatigue and leg cramps ultimately hindered me during the last couple of miles. Calico Racing did their usual good job organizing the event, and the finisher medal was quite unique: depicting a green alien in running attire.
Twilight Red Rock 09/29/12 Red Rock Canyon State Park NV 2:28:44 Half Marathon 461 116/201 68/94 6/8 This night-time race follows the exact same course as the day-time Red Rock Canyon race held in March. With an 8 pm start time, runners can enjoy cooler temperatures, a full moon overhead, and views of the Las Vegas lights in the distance. Calico Racing did their usual excellent job in organizing and executing the race. Very attractive finisher medal and race t-shirt. Since this was my 4th Calico Racing half-marathon within a 12-month period, I also received a personalized plaque that was hand-made by the race director, Joyce.
Saints & Sinners 10/27/12 Boulder City NV 2:07:22 Half Marathon 376 129/259 77/115 1/4 This race was run on the paved River Mountains Trail and the gravel Railroad Tunnels Trail. The first half of the race is almost all downhill and the second half is relatively flat with a nice downhill finsih. The primarily downhill profile, combined with cool temperatures, made for a very fast race -- a new P.R. for me, beating my 5-year-old P.R. by more than 3 minutes. The finisher medal was very cool. For a first-time race, it was pretty well organized.
Really Big Free Marathon 11/03/12 Lake Mead NRA NV 2:24:18 Half Marathon 6352 548/1120 277/436 11/18 Out-and-back course with start and finish at Boulder Beach on the shore of Lake Mead. The course was almsot entirely on the paved River Mountains Trail. Fortunately, the wave start was effective in spreading out the field of runners so that the trail was not overly crowded. Some substantial hills along the trail, making for a challenging course with a total elevation gain of more than 1,000 feet. Finisher medal and cotton T-shirt were both rather bland, but then the race was supposedly "free" in that the registration fee was suppose to be refunded to anyone who showed up on race day. However, the race organizers went bankrupt, and refunds were never mailed out as promised.
Valley of Fire 11/17/12 Valley of Fire State Park NV 2:23:05 Half Marathon 312 51/73 28/42 3/4 Very small, but well-organized event. The course (which follows a paved road through Valley of Fire State Park) is quite strenuous, involving continuously rolling hills, with more than 1,400 feet of total elevation gain. However, the park's signature red-and-white rock formations provide gorgeous scenery along the way.
Hoover Dam 12/15/12 Lake Mead NRA NV 2:20:42 Half Marathon 841 197/319 114/149 9/12 This is the fourth different race that I have run that used all or part of the Railroad Tunnels Trail to Hoover Dam -- so the trail has become a popular venue for races in the Las Vegas area. It was a nice cool morning for running, although a little humid since it had rained the day and night before the race. Calico Racing did their usual good job of oganization. The finisher medal was a very neat depiction of Hoover Dam and the Colorado River Bridge.
Summerlin 04/13/13 Las Vegas NV 2:28:27 Half Marathon 382 301/429 138/160 18/22 Race was again well organized and executed, with ample water stations and another attractive finisher medal. Unfortunately, race-morning temperatures were about 20 degrees warmer than during the 2012 Summerlin race. It was too warm for my liking, resulting in a less-than-optimal performance and a finish time more than 10 minutes slower than last year.
Brookings 05/12/07 Brookings SD 2:10:34 Half Marathon 458 165/217 95/110 3/5 A small, but well-organzied race. The course is relatively flat along city streets, across the college campus, and on trails through several city parks. A typical midwestern small town atmosphere -- pleasant but not exceptionally scenic. For more than 5 years, this race stood as my half-marathon P.R.
Brookings 05/15/10 Brookings SD 2:13:02 Half Marathon 539 178/270 93/121 10/13 2nd time for Brookings. My 3rd race in less than 90 days, thereby satisfying the criteria for joining Half Fanatics, although I was not yet familiar with the organization at that time.
Brookings 05/14/11 Brookings SD 2:14:43 Half Marathon 569 180/261 83/98 8/9 3rd time for Brookings
Spearfish Canyon 07/14/12 Spearfish SD 2:10:55 Half Marathon   161/260 97/128 7/11 Race course was the highway that winds its way through Spearfish Canyon in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The creek, trees, and steep canyon walls made for beautiful scenery along the race course. Starting at elevation 5,000 and ending at elevation 3,700, the course was essentially all downhill. Unfortunately, the advantage of the downhill course was offset by the unseasonably warm and humid weather on race day, plus the fact that the aid stations were about 3 miles apart and had only water, i.e. no sports drink. Although I missed setting a new PR by 20 seconds, I did manage to eclipse my best "age-graded" time by more than 2 minutes.
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