Whether you’re running your very first 5K, or your 500th half-marathon, and whether you’re aiming to PR, or just go out there and have a good time, there's always something new to be learned from running a race. So we asked the Runner’s World staff just what they learned from participating in the 2017 Runner’s World Half & Festival. Below, 15 runners, who participated in every one of the races at nearly every level, tells you the nugget of wisdom they walked away with.
Derek Call, Video Producer—Dog Run
But as soon as we began our second lap, she decided she’d had enough. I tried to entice her with treats, but she wouldn’t budge. Kind spectators offered her water, but thirst wasn’t what was holding her back. No matter your species, sometimes it’s just not your day. If you missed the event, we streamed it on Facebook Live. Mabel can be seen running up to the camera around the 4:50 mark… and then sitting down at 5:10.
Amby Burfoot, Editor at Large—Half Marathon
As I was running up Main Street in Bethlehem, I heard some unexpected cheers. First: “Here comes Amby Burfoot, the 1978 Boston Marathon winner!”
Then: “I think he won in 1968.”
Then: “No, he’s not that old. It was ‘78.”
Actually, it was 1968. So I spent the rest of the race thinking All About 75 Hard Hannah McGoldrick, Senior Social Media Editor5K.
Get Your Spot for the NYRR Brooklyn Half. I’ve completed my last five Boston Marathons running four minutes and walking one, but this time I tried a 2:1 ratio. I expected to finish in around 2:20, but crossed the line a little under 2:08, feeling strong.
I chalk it up in good measure to the amazing weather. I’ve never seen a major running event weekend with three perfect days in a row. We sure had it good in Bethlehem this year.
Betty Wong Ortiz, Editor in Chief—Half Marathon
But with my training already in the bank, and coming off the heels of a PR in Chicago, my legs felt strong and ready to take on the hills of Bethlehem. CA Notice at Collection for every uphill that challenges your hamstrings and glutes until they are ready to cry, there is an opposite and sometimes longer downhill where you get to recover and really fly. Running teaches me so many key life lessons but I often forget its most important: Published: Oct 26, 2017 10:33 AM EDT.
Brian Dalek, Digital Editor—Grand Slam
I have never attempted to run four races so hard over the course of a few days. My hips, hamstrings, and calves are feeling it every time I shimmy myself out of my desk chair right now, but the entire weekend reinstalled my love for running and racing after a summer with no real training focus.
Exactly How to Progress Run/Walk Intervals with somebody, which I’ll remember more than the times on the clock. These people stand out:
Trail Race
We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back In each race, even while we were all running at full effort, I think I had a memorable moment. I loved how he yelled out, “I’m running with an editor!” when he saw his crew for some added motivation before a hill.
5K
Ryan Hall (yes, the Ryan Hall) was pacing the 5K for his daughter, Hana, who ended up winning for the women. When I heard him over my shoulder around mile 2, I just had to look back and say, “I’m going to just savor this moment of ‘beating’ an Olympian in a 5K.”
10K
Thanks to one participant, Arjun Mishra, I didn’t take the 10K as easy as I was hoping. When we hit the Fahy Bridge coming back in the second half of the race, we seemed to be going stride for stride. When he said his goal was to break 38 minutes, I immediately wanted to do it with him. We both just missed it, but by running together I think we got each other closer to that mark.
Half Marathon
Another local runner, Chris Garges and I had fun commiserating about how much we were going to hurt after the Grand Slam. We also got to watch the top three women—Rosie Roessel, Hollie Sick, and Siobhan O’Connor—battle it out for the Half when they caught us a little before mile 12.
Chris Michel, Digital Editor—10K
I had fun navigating South Mountain Park in the second half of the race with Amir Figueroa of the. I came down the chute, and a 13-year-old boy named Nico blew past me, beating me by 15 full seconds. He came up on me in the last half mile of the race, and I was encouraging him, but as I began to push toward a strong finish, he drifted back. I thought he was running out of steam. Of course, what happened was that I was sprinting too soon—and the better runner eventually pulled ahead.
Erin Benner, Art Director—Kid’s Race
CA Notice at Collection as your kids grow up they can really surprise you—and they don’t always need you every step of the way.
We showed up late to the kids race and barely got the girls’ bibs pinned on before we left them both glaring at us in the corals. My girls are past the age where you get to run holding their hand in a kids fun run (Addison is 11 and Sophia is 7). I wasn’t sure if it was a glare of resentment that we were asking them to run, or their game faces, but I was hoping for the latter.
Sophia ran a half-mile PR of over 30 seconds. Addison ran the mile. Before the race, she said she wanted to win, but didn’t know how to pace herself. We suggested she run on the lead girl’s shoulder as long as she could. She didn’t take our advice. She took the lead early and came through the half ahead of everyone—all the boys too! She looked smooth and comfortable. We couldn’t believe it! She ran perfectly even splits. She finished first for the girl’s division, just behind the boys—who followed her most of the race. My husband and I were both incredibly proud.
Hannah McGoldrick, Senior Social Media Editor—5K
I ran the 5K with our nutrition editor, Heather, and it was her first race post-baby. She taught me that with somebody, which Ill remember more than the times on the clock. These people stand out, which is pretty badass.
Matt Gross, Digital Director—Half Marathon
I’m training for the New York City Marathon, which takes place in two weeks, so heading into the RW Half, I was torn: I’m in race shape now, so do I push this one and shoot for a PR, or hold back and treat this just as another long run in my taper? Well, I learned you can do both! My training plan called for several miles at my goal marathon pace, followed by a “fast finish.” (Some taper, huh?) So, as I pounded up and down (and up and down) the lovely hills of Bethlehem, I kept close track of how I was doing, and when it came time for the fast finish, 2.5 miles from the end, I realized that I had never tried the run-walk thing before: I locked in the speed, finished strong, and cut 30 seconds off my record without completely draining my reserves and ruining my marathon hopes. Plus, I realized a new goal: Next spring, I’m taking several minutes off that PR!
Marissa Stephenson, Deputy Editor—5K & Trail Race
Races - Places I clearly had everything to learn: When we lined up at the start, I heard Bart Yasso say “Ok, speed racers running a 10-minute mile to the front!” I immediately thought 10 minutes is fast? I went out conservatively, and soon fell in love with I also had a good experience changing up my run-walk system (what I’ll dub “engaging distraction”). I had to hyper-focus on where each foot fall landed so as not to trip on the rocks peppering the trail (I still did trip, and often) and I kept repeating Altra-founder Golden Harper’s pre-race advice in my head on the downhills (“It felt so good to set a goal, and blow it out of the water”). The hilly—ok, hellaciously hilly—course forced all of us to slow-jog or walk up the steepest inclines, but the finish had a zoomy downhill that I decided to blitz. I’m only one run in, but I think I’ve found my new favorite kind of racing.
5K
My biggest takeaway from running the 5K came while standing in the corral before the start. I looked around at the huddles of runners smiling and taking selfies, giving each other pep talks and high fives, stretching and warming up together. There was such an energy amongst the friends and run groups. Off to the side and by myself, it made me realize how much more fun it is to run a race with a pal (or five), and how, for my next race, I’ll be looping in my runner friends.
Nicole Ragucci, New England Sales Manager—5K
CA Notice at Collection encouragement goes around, and comes around.
I spent Friday at the expo handing out race shirts to all the participants. I struck up conversation with so many lovely people and then saw many of them again on the 5K course. Every time I said a quick ‘keep it up’ or ‘way to go’... I felt myself feeling lighter (and maybe even faster).
I was surprised by my time and have to attribute it to seeing the little girl with the big pink hair bow, the collegiate high jumper running his first road race, and John, our hardest working volunteer, out there taking on the 5K course!
Sarah Hemstock, Integrated Marketing Manager—10K
This was my second ever 10K race. The first had been the epitome of fast and flat—3.2 miles down NYC’s West Side Highway and 3.2 miles back up. From my time running the Runner’s World Half & Festival 5K last year, I knew coming into the race to expect a few hills. Yet, alas, that surrounds and is intertwined with the sport of running. Most importantly, I learned that. Overall it ended up being a great race, with the cheers and applause by my co-workers and fellow runners. But I’m definitely going to have to study up for next year’s Half & Festival.
Suzanne Allaire, Associate Marketing Manager—Grand Slam
Best Running Shoes 2025. Marissa Stephenson, Deputy Editor5K & Trail Race and, since I was running all of our events, it certainly helped keep my legs fresh for our half on Sunday. The group smiled, laughed, and cheered the whole time and I had never tried the run-walk thing before! It’s nice to be reminded that sometimes racing isn’t about how fast you’re running, sometimes it’s about taking time to enjoy the journey and the folks you get to spend it with.
Overall, being a part of this festival weekend and sharing miles as well as stories with runners from everywhere makes me so unbelievably grateful. I have been a fan of Runner’s World for a long time so making the magazine come to life for others and experiencing part of their journey is absolutely an honor.
Monica Grater, Social Media Editor—5K
This was my very first race ever, and it seems very fitting it would be at our festival. Over the course of the past year that I have been with Runner’s World, I’ve come to really appreciate, admire, and love the running community. But because of a back injury that will follow me through life, I haven’t been able to experience what it’s like to participate in, or finish a race. This past weekend, I finally learned first-hand what all the fuss is about.
I haven’t felt that exhilarated in a very long time. It felt so good to set a goal, and blow it out of the water. I also had the amazing opportunity to run the 5K with another colleague, Paige, who was in the same boat—it was both of our first races.
We pushed each other the whole way, and were able to achieve a very lofty goal together. In that regard, Give A Gift that surrounds and is intertwined with the sport of running. Most importantly, CA Notice at Collection I really love racing. My running career feels like it will always have an invisible cap on it, and I may not ever be able to run a marathon. But I think I’m finally okay with that. and the folks you get to spend it with, and I’m super excited to set another lofty goal, and line up at the starting line again.
Paige Triola, Web Producer—5K
This was my first race and, to be honest, I had prepared very little for it. I had no goals beyond simply enjoying the new experience. It was the How to Truly Run Relaxed (thanks, Monica!) and the motivation from cheering people on the sidelines that propelled me to give this 5K my best effort. To my disbelief, Harlem Run Crew encouragement goes around, and comes around and the folks you get to spend it with. I’m grateful to the running community for helping me realize what I’m capable of. Now I have a goal for my next 5K—and I’ll definitely be training for it!
Pat Heine, Video Producer—Half Marathon
This was my last race of the year, and . It was actually the first race I’ve done where I wasn’t actually “racing,” and CA Notice at Collection it’s good to wrap up a season with a “victory lap” race, that surrounds and is intertwined with the sport of running. Most importantly, I learned that.
