For the seventh year in a row, I’ve run in the City of Oaks half marathon. So adding this race to my fall bucket list was special. Why? Because it was my 20th half marathon—and to run that in Raleigh and cross the finish line at the NC State Belltower was awesome. For anyone new to Raleigh, running in a road race is a great was to enjoy the sites.
The weather was perfect for race day. Runners gathered at the start line, near the NC State Belltower, and headed downtown via Western Blvd. The course took us into Downtown Raleigh with a great view of Red Hat Tower, then through Boylan Heights for one of the best views of the Raleigh skyline. Runners then went through the heart of downtown, up Fayetteville Street, over City Plaza, towards the State Capital. Continue reading