February 20, 2021

Dahlgren Half Marathon

Year End Recap

Even though the majority of this year's races were cancelled, the end of 2020 sure was a busy time for the Arsenal Events' team.  Closing out the year with the Fredericksburg Blue and Gray Half Marathon, and the Frosty 3 Miler on back-to-back weekends was a great way to end our racing season.  We need to give a huge thank you to our awesome staff, all of our race sponsors, the many volunteers who helped out, and of course all the race participants.  Across the board everyone displayed a positive attitude and flexibility as we adjusted some of the race day procedures to accommodate state and local guidelines.

Fredericksburg Blue and Gray Half Marathon

We were blessed with absolutely perfect weather which was nice considering the day before started with a monsoon and then turned incredibly windy.  There were 201 finishers for the in-person race and across the board the times were incredibly fast.  Ann Mazur broke the women's course record with a time of 1:22:43!  This was the first race where we had to start the race in waves of 25 people and it seemed to go fairly smoothly.  There are tons of pictures from this race on the Arsenal Events Facebook Page

Frosty 3 Miler and Reindeer Run

60 degrees in the middle of December!  Yes, Santa finally brought us great weather for this race.  Tons of runners in costumes, Buddy the Elf as the race starter and announcer, and perfect weather made this a really fun conclusion to our year.  The 1 mile Reindeer Run had 51 finishers, and the Frosty 3 Miler had 177.  Find all the great pictures from the race here.

Please check the Arsenal Events Facebook page for race updates, photos, giveaways, and recaps.  Head on over to www.arsenal-events.com for upcoming races and previous race results.

Name: Jillian Murray

# of Years Running: 12

Favorite Race Distance: Marathon

Last race: Marine Corps Half Marathon in Fredericksburg, 2019

Current Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline

Trails, Roads, or Track: Roads (or treadmill!)

Group runs or solo: 100 percent SOLO!! Sorry to my husband, but that is the truth! Need headphones on at full blast.

Longest run: 24 hour relay in Prince William Forest Park, ran with Jack and Karen Hyland, and did 7 loops at 6 miles each = 42 miles.

Why I run: To stay healthy, to zone out, to push my body to uncomfortable limits, to feel like I have accomplished something.

Favorite thing about running? Spending hours listening to music and getting into a vibe when everything is clicking.

Best race experience: Moab, Utah - half marathon in 2010(?) with my friend Keli. Beautiful landscape and scenery, plus perfect weather made the two hours go by quickly. Great post-race beer and company afterwards as well.

Advice for new runners: Don’t compare yourself to anyone. Don’t get caught up in gimmicks. Just find a good shoe, a comfortable outfit and run when, where and with whoever you want! Solo, with a group, trail, treadmill, in the morning, evening….whatever. We are all out there to stay healthy and to encourage one another.

Fun Fact: I used to work at a shellfish company as a lab tech in my hometown in Maine. I have shucked literally thousands of oysters and clams, preparing them to get tested and ensure their safety for restaurants. I am a pro shucker!