Monster Dash Half-Marathon

It's not every day that a grown woman has the opportunity to dress up like a leopard and run around in public.  A few days before Halloween, I joined a host of SuperGirls, 80s fitness instructors, cats, dogs, mice, Dr. Seuss characters, and at least one complete set of presidential hopefuls for a 13.1 mile trek through St. Paul.

This was my third year doing the Minneapolis Monster Dash, which hosts not only the half but a 10 miler and 5K, as well.  One of the bigger races I do in town, the Monster Dash also happens to be one of the best organized.  However, I do miss the course from a couple years ago, when we finished around Lake Harriet.  I just find that finish to be infinitely prettier than the Science Museum ending of the current course.  I imagine the newer route has a lot to do with the size of the race, hard to squeeze all those folks around Harriet.  And the 5Kers, at least, get to enjoy the lake.

I'll keep running the Team Ortho races, pricey though they may be, as they remain the best organized races of this length in town.  And I'm a sucker for groovy swag, this year's finisher jacket is going to be a fall favorite.

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