Author Archives: prestoto

Saturday March 13 2021 Nevada is a state I’d had planned two or three times before, but as I have come to expect from Democrat controlled areas of the US, cancelling tends to win out. I was thrilled to find a race not cancelled this leading weekend of Spring Break 2021. So I took aContinue reading “NV”

Saturday February 13 2021 America gets very cold in the winter, so I don’t think my racing exploration of this great country would be complete without tackling races in its most extreme of weathers. This trip to the Frozen Feat 10K in Grand Forks, North Dakota, provided just such an opportunity. After winning in Perry,Continue reading “ND”

Saturday February 6 2021 For a runner seeking to race, the winter months provide sparse pickings at the best of times. During the current government reaction to Corona Virus, and the people’s reaction to that – it is even worse. However, I was able to find a race, in perhaps a more unlikely US stateContinue reading “IA”

Sunday December 6 2020 I went out too fast, again. And had COVID slowing me down. But apart from that, this Tulsa Runners’ World Half Marathon race was good… We flew from Charlotte Friday after work, departing around 1800, arriving in OKC at 2000. We collected the rental (I had a strop) and drove toContinue reading “OK”

Saturday November 21 2020 We flew from Charlotte Friday afternoon, arriving in New Orleans (‘Norlins’) around 6pm. We picked up our compact and drove north to Ponchatula. The town was abuzz with a big local wedding, trucks aplenty, not a mask in sight. It was fantastic being around that now-ailing sense of collective humanity –Continue reading “LA”

Sunday November 8 2020 New Hampshire’s State Motto is “Live free or die”. Its most populous city, Manchester, is a dark manifestation of this excellent mantra. Reeling economically from restrictions imposed by Corona Virus response, its metropolis is now a veritable tent city for the jobless, the homeless, the desperate. A presumably defunded police forceContinue reading “NH”

Sunday October 25 2020 Vermont in Autumn is beautiful. And boring. But definitely really beautiful. The bright coloured leaves on the trees create an oil work patchwork canopy as far as you can see. The trees cover the rolling hills surrounding the bays, and the cold fresh water laps at the pebbles on the shore.Continue reading “VT”

Saturday July 4 2020 It was fourth time lucky for Wisconsin. Attempt one, Devil’s Lake Trail in July – Cancelled. Attempt two, Golden Kettle McMiler in August – reduced to a time trial. Attempt three, Two Rivers 10 miler Oct 17 – cancelled last minute. So… upon hearing of the latter, I was fortunate enoughContinue reading “WI”

Saturday September 26 2020 I had originally scheduled a 20K trail race for Arkansas, and had reserved a room at an historic plantation house for accommodation – but panic struck, and those plans were nixed. However, I spotted Jonesboro’s Heart and Sole Half Marathon was still taking place, so I signed up and off weContinue reading “AR”

Saturday September 19 2020 South Dakota always polls top in the tables I research online regarding ‘States with the fewest COVID restrictions’. Nevertheless, bizarrely, Vacation Races cancelled their Mount Rushmore half marathon event for 2021, very early, concerns over not making enough money probably weighing heavy on the organisers… Luckily, on the same weekend, IContinue reading “SD”