The Lost Dutchman Half Marathon 2026

I don't even know where to start with this race. Although I only registered in late December, I've spent years thinking about what my 40th birthday race would be. The decision to run the Lost Dutchman came down to a few factors, and in the end, since it was possible, it was important to me that I run on my actual birthday. A Sunday birthday the year I turned 40? Probably another sign.

As I weighed my options, the concept of a desert sunrise race spoke to me more and more. It just felt like it would be something special...and it was.

Two weeks to go

Somehow, race day is less than two weeks away. Now's about the time I should be tapering and reflecting on my training cycle, but I'm sort of in denial that we're already here. I've run so many birthday races—it's a tradition I've truly grown to love, and my birthday just doesn't feel complete without it—but this is the first time I've chosen a destination race. 

The nature of a destination race means I've been thinking about it for a long time, because I've had to be picky about choosing it and proactive about planning travel. In fact, I first thought of running a destination race for my 40th when I turned 38, so I've been dwelling on this race (and this birthday) for years.

So it makes sense that I'm struggling to wrap my mind around the fact that in ten short days, I'll be in Arizona running in the desert and welcoming my 40s.

My Next Birthday Race

I've been going back on forth on options for my big 40th birthday destination race. Do I run something big and flashy, like the Las Vegas Rock 'n Roll half, or do I go the introspective route and run a quieter, more self-focused race?

The decision has been a hard one. It came up in the car ride to Portland last weekend, so when we sat down to do tarot readings after a long day of travel and shopping, it made sense for the topic to come up again. After all, we were in the mood to look for signs and get some life direction. So, I shuffled the cards, stacked them, put my hands on the deck, and held this thought in mind: what will my 40s bring, and what intention and energy will I bring to my next decade of life?

Then, I turned the card.