Sorry ‘Bout That Half Marathon

Sorry ‘Bout That Half Marathon is run in Polson, Montana, on January 16, 2027, with a single distance, the half marathon (13.1 miles), starting late in the morning at 11 a.m. The course is one large clockwise loop that starts and finishes uphill, with a substantial downhill section through the middle. Two aid stations and portable toilets are placed along the way, every finisher receives a medal, and there is a team relay option. Costumes are encouraged and carry an advantage.

An uphill start and finish with a long descent in between calls for a specific kind of preparation. Downhill running is the part most people neglect, and it is what leaves the quads wrecked in the closing miles, so add controlled downhill repeats in the last six weeks. Start conservatively on the opening climb, since the profile gives back what it takes early on. An 11 a.m. start is unusually civil for a half and leaves time for a real breakfast rather than a hurried one.