First time ever in the city of Meridian, Mississippi. What do I do? Run through the streets in the downtown area and surrounding residential areas in the form of a half marathon at the Magnolia Marathon & half marathon event, although ideally that wasn't the plan, but still winning.
I had completed the 50 states marathon circuit back in October 2014. Loved it so much that I began to plot out another round of it. When it came to choosing a race in Mississippi, the Magnolia marathon and half marathon seemed like a perfect fit, especially with the generous 8 hour time limit on the course and the cooler temperatures in mid November. Getting here was easier than I thought, since I took the Amtrak from New Orleans. I found this race on the runningintheusa.com website, which is the largest race calendar online I know of. Race weekend started with packet pick up at a local hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn in Meridian. It was an easy 5 minutes, since the expo was not large. After looking around for a bit and chatting with the volunteers, I headed to lunch and eventually the hotel. Race morning happened at 5:00am with a wake up call and the weather was pretty perfect at around 45 degrees. Perfect morning for a long run in Meridian, Mississippi. At least that's what should have been for me.
The overall experience here at the 2019 Magnolia marathon & half marathon was good, although personally disappointing due to personally developing issues regards to the running and my attempt to physically transcend the course. When it became clear that I couldn't make the time limit of 8 hours around mile 12, I decided to drop to the half marathon instead of slugging it out and try to make it. The Magnolia marathon and half marathon starts itself in downtown Meridian and waves around the surrounding neighborhoods. The course is a double loop of 13.1 miles, so half marathoners do the course once, whereas the marathoners do the course twice. I enjoyed running through the residential areas around Meridian and thought I could probably relocate here, since it seems quite nice to live in a small town in Mississippi. The aid stations were about 2 miles apart and there were excellent folks who manned the aid stations, which was awesome. Thanks to the volunteers who make every race possible! Race fees are reasonable here, but everything is usually done online and paid through credit card. Just getting to the area can be a challenge!
For the most part though, the Magnolia marathon and half marathon was nice. Even though I managed to pick up a half marathon for the state of Mississippi instead of a marathon distance, I was happy, but a little disappointed. I was winning still, since I need either one. The course was well marked with arrows on the roads and there were directional signage along the way. It was nice for the local police force to help with the even too to protect us participants. The Magnolia marathon and half marathon felt more of an intimate race vibe. It was a small race that draws probably less than 500 people annually and is in its 5th year, I think. At the finish line area, there's food and drink for finishers. Best bet is to get here early to park your car. There is a parking garage nearby for just that. Recommend maybe 1 hour before to get settled and get your head in the game. I would recommend this race for first timers and those of you who are chasing the 50 states marathon or half marathon quest. It's a good one to do for Mississippi.
4.5 stars for the overall experience. The medals are hand made and made of wood. 5.0 stars for the race organization and the course. Wish it wasn't as hilly as it is, but it was beautiful. 5.0 stars for the race volunteers.
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