Queen Bee Marathon: Billings, Montana, May 21, 2023 – Marathon #17
Billings, Montana did not disappoint—it was absolutely stunning. The mountains were breathtaking, though there was a haze in the air due to wildfires in Canada sending their smoke all the way to Montana. But honestly, the beauty of the place made up for the hazy skies.
I typically arrive on Fridays for races, but this time I got to Billings on Saturday. After checking in at the race and picking up my bib, I headed to the hotel. While in the lobby, I noticed a couple who had classic “runner” gear—Brooks shoes and Apple Watches. I asked if they were there for the marathon, and they told me they were actually in town to see Kane Brown, who was performing later that evening.
That sounded like something I could get into, so I immediately hopped on StubHub and grabbed a pit pass to the concert. I wasn’t about to miss out on the chance to see LoCash, Dustin Lynch, and Kane Brown up close! The concert was a blast—I danced on my feet for 4.5 hours, soaking in every moment. But, of course, I remembered I needed to get up the next morning for the marathon. I left the concert early to make sure I wasn’t too exhausted to run the next day. After all, my overall goal was to keep pushing forward with this journey.
Race morning came, and it was beautiful. I woke up early, got ready, and was the first runner to the bus. Yes, I said bus—this was the second marathon I’ve done where I was bussed to the start line and then ran back. On the bus, I chatted with fellow runners about race stats, shoe preferences, and strategies to stay cool since the forecast called for a warm day.
The race itself was amazing. I decided to try running with a pacer, hoping it would help me maintain a steady pace. It was a bit challenging at first, but once I settled in, I stuck with the 4:20 pacer until around mile 10. I was surprised to hang on that long, especially with the compromised air quality due to the smoke. At that point, I began to slow down a bit, but the downhill run ahead was a welcome sight, especially after climbing the final hill. The scenery was breathtaking as I reached the peak and saw the vast mountain range and downhill slope—it was just what I needed to keep moving.
I had been aiming for a PR, but I found myself stopping to take pictures and videos of the gorgeous landscape—part of my journey is soaking in the beauty of each state I visit. I finished with a time of 4:53:37, which was a solid time for me, and earned me a second-place finish in my age group. I was thrilled!
The Queen Bee Marathon was truly amazing, and I’m so glad I chose this one. Between the breathtaking scenery, great race atmosphere, and the bonus concert experience, it was a weekend to remember.