Frankie Conway's Staging Area

Pre race communication was sufficient
Packet pick up was easy at the local shoe store which usually has a tent sale on running shoes
Plenty of hotels to choose from and free parking at start/finish lines
Shotgun start was exciting, with several pacers from 1:45 to 2:45
Not very scenic, mostly on city streets with a 2 mile trail a mile in and 2 mile run through Spring Lake park around mile 8.
Course has a small rolling hills with about 300 feet gain
Aid stations were plentiful and well staffed
Finish line was at Hopkins Ice House where you could order food and drinks
Post race celebration was excellent, with hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, fruit, water, Gatorade, body armor, sodas, and beer.
Swag was super cool spinner medal with Texas on one side and Arkansas on the other side and shirt was dri-fit long sleeve shirt.
I definitely recommend this race and will be running it again since it is my hometown race.

Mid South Races for Hope was a smaller race in Wynne, Arkansas celebrating their 25th anniversary. The race supports an awesome cause by helping foster children. They had several distances to choose from including marathon, half marathon, 5K, and kids fun run. They went all out with pre race breakfast items available including donuts, muffins, bananas, clementines, coffee, water, and Gatorade. Race day packet pick up was super easy. Race starts at local church and after a few blocks in the city, you are out on country roads. Course is an out and back, with plenty of aid stations. Course was fast, I ran a PR. Crowd support was non existent. Post race had a live band, petting zoo, food trucks, bounce house for kids, several local vendors setup selling merchandise, and world class BBQ lunch with homemade desserts. I recommend this race.

Pre race communication was great, constant updates were emailed leading up to the race
Expo was at the convention center, super easy and had several booths with anything you might need.
We stayed downtown a couples of blocks from start/finish line, walked everywhere.
We loved the inter harbor area, from the old ships to the delicious crab cakes.
Race day the half marathon started at 9:45 am, with no corrals so beginning of race was very congested with runners and walkers.
Course was on city streets, with plenty of well staffed aid stations.
Crowd support was great.
It was a hilly course but it was not as bad as I thought it would be.
Swag was a long sleeve dri-fit shirt and a super cool crab medal.
Post race food was bananas, granola bars, apples, oranges, water.
I definitely recommend this race if you need Maryland.

Pre race communication was great 👍
Packet pick up and expo was on the small side at a civic center, but was super easy.
Be prepared to pay for parking, we parked at our hotel $40 per day, and walked everywhere.
Cool race start, when race director blew into a conch shell 🐚
Several pacers for the half marathon
It was 57 degrees at the start but very humid. Being from the south and running in humidity, I did not expect it to hit me the way it did.
Course was scenic with views of the Back Cove, Casco Bay, and Portland Harbor.
Course was paved roads, paved running trail, and packed dirt running trail.
Hills are early and often, big hill during the 1st mile, with smaller rolling hills until about mile 9 where another big hill that never seems to end. Felt like you were climbing at least 2 miles. My phone tracked 496 feet elevation gain.
Aid stations were plentiful and well staffed
Course support was great
Around mile 7 we were joined with the 5K runners and this caused some congestion for about a mile until 5K runners split off.
I recommend eating at Flatbread Company, Wood fire pizza was delicious.
Swag was a very nice finisher medal and super cool dri-fit long sleeve 1/4 zip.
Post race party was 🔥! Pizza, ice cream, beer, Nutrigrain bars, bananas, Gatorade, cornhole, and a live band.
I definitely recommend this race, just be prepared for the hills!

Smaller race with about 500 runners between the full, half and 5K
Packet pick up was small, not a expo really
They bus you out to the starting line
Mostly flat course with the exception of the Mississippi River bridge during your first mile.
Fast course, I missed a PR by just a few seconds
Scenery was non existent , other than a nice sunrise over the river on the bus ride out to starting line.
Shirt was a nice dri-fit long sleeve shirt, medal cool with the Mississippi River bridge on it.
Overall and age group winners received very nice trophies
Post race snacks were plentiful, including tamales, pizza, sausage biscuits, donuts, fruit, sodas, chocolate milk, and beer.
The water in this town was brown, be sure to bring bottled water
Overall a great race that I highly recommend!

Pre race communication was excellent
Expo was huge and had everything you might need or want
Staff and volunteers were first class
Course was very scenic, with a hill across the Ambassador’s Bridge and tunnel back into USA
Aid stations were plentiful
Swag was okay with a nice medal and a long sleeve T-shirt
Recovery area was great with plenty of post race snacks
I would definitely recommend this race

I highly recommend this race. Vacation Races always deliver top notch events!
We spent 3 days in the National Park, absolutely beautiful! The mountains, lakes, waterfalls, and wildlife were all amazing to see.
Expo was great and s’mores station was a nice touch
Pre races communication was sufficient
I raced the Elk Double which was a 5K on Friday night and a half marathon on Saturday, you get an extra medal and swag item for doing both races
Swag was awesome dri-fit shirt and very nice heavy medals.
Scenery on course was so beautiful
Race production was smooth with top notch staff and volunteers
Group of Elk passed by the area pre race which was pretty cool
Post race snacks are always great
Vacation races are awesome and highly recommend this race

Pre race communication was awesome, weekly emails start 6 weeks out
Expo and packet pickup was top notch, convention center was packed with vendors
Pre race Spaghetti supper was super with spaghetti and meatballs, bread, salad, cookies, ice cream, coffee, and chocolate milk
Morning of race parking was a challenge and hectic, we parked in a lot that took a while to get out with all the roads closing. Take the bus if possible
They bus you out to the start, bathrooms at start had very long lines, which is understandable with 7500 runners
Course was along Lake Superior and was easy, mostly flat. Course support was phenomenal!
Aid stations was plentiful and well staffed and well placed.
Staff and volunteers were great
Swag was a nice dri-fit tshirt and cool finishers medal
I definitely recommend this race

Pre race communication was sufficient
Expo was top notch and super easy packet pick up. I spent 15 minutes on compression boots to help my legs recover from running Indy Mini earlier that day
Staff and volunteers were great
Swag was very nice, heavy medal and T-shirt was nothing fancy
Race day we were greeted with thunderstorms and heavy rain, some people felt the race should not been delayed, but I was glad that they let us run.
They did issue a shelter in place, so I stopped for a few minutes, but a lot of runners continued to race.
It felt so good running in the rain!
Course did have some incline, but it did not seem as bad as I thought it would be
Aid stations were plentiful and well staffed
Since this is a bigger race there was some congestion for a couple of miles.
Crowd support was phenomenal even with the storms
Post race party was good in spite of the weather
Overall a very good race and I would definitely recommend it

Smaller race with parts around a college campus
Expo was smaller, but did have a few vendors
Course was great well marked with plenty of aid stations
You finish the race with a loop around the Blue Oval on their track
Recovery area had massage tables, cookies, milk, bananas, beef jerky
Great crowd support around the campus with students cheering you on
Swag was okay, medal was a little small, but you got a nice half zip shirt
A lot of stuff going on all week with different races
I would recommend this race if you need Iowa

Great pre race communication
Expo was good and super easy
Staff and volunteers were very helpful
Great course, did have some hills
Very nice medal and long sleeve dri-fit shirt
Post race snacks included a wrap with chips and cookies and gumbo
1st time running the marathon, I had ran the half marathon a couple of years ago. I definitely would recommend this race.

This was my 6th vacation race and it was my least favorite of all.
Staff and volunteers were phenomenal as usual!
I ran the Gator Double-5K on Friday and Half Marathon on Saturday, and I did not care for either course.
Scenery was lacking on both courses, half marathon course had some very muddy sections that I know that race director has no control over. Very average.
Expo and post race were overall great.
Swag is awesome! I got an extra medal for doing the Gator Double.
I will not run this race again.

Course was flat and fast, out and back
Expo and packet pick up was easy with plenty of options. No signage to let know where to go or if you were in the right place.
Staff and volunteers were helpful.
Aid stations had water and Gatorade, and there was an ample amount of them. I did not see any gels or nutrition.
Nice medal and shirt for swag
Post races was seriously lacking for a race event with around 2,000 runners, with apples, bananas, and wheat bread.
Overall a okay race, but would not not run again.

This is a great trail run, but I am a road runner, it was very challenging for me.
Great production from the great people of Why Racing. Staff and volunteers were top notch.
Smaller race with several options to choose from over 2 days.
You get to run a trail around Henry Hagg lake with parts on the road.
Communication pre race was often and precise.
Parking was $7 and you can purchase when register for the race.
They also had camping at the lake rear the starting line.
Packet pick up was easy with several vendors.
Pre race they had fried oatmeal and coffee.
On the course there were limited aid stations maybe 3 total, which had water, Gatorade, gels, and fruit.
Bathrooms were only in a couple of spots on the course.
You get a post race meal hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, fruit, cookies, water and Gatorade
Race swag was a nice shirt with an awesome medal. Age group winners receive medal also.
Overall a great race that I would recommend.

Phenomenal job by the great staff and volunteers for Vacation Races!
I highly recommend Mount Rainier half marathon and 5K.
Mixed course of trail and road with a few technical spots.
Expo and packet pick up were super easy.
Aid stations along the course were well staffed with water, gnarly, fruit and gels.
If you complete both races Sasquatch Double, you get extra swag. Medal and shirt.
Post race snack boxes with bananas and chocolate milk.
Awesome finisher’s 🏅 along with a dri-fit shirt.
Another great race that should be on everyone’s list!

I would recommend this race if you are looking for a challenge.
Hills and altitude the second half were very tough for me even though I trained for hills
Race expo was on the smaller side
Medal was a little smaller for the half marathon, wife ran the 10K got the same medal
Shirt was nice
I placed 2nd in my age group and received a bag with a pair of socks, honey stinger waffles and some sports salve, bummed I did not get a medal
Awesome views along the Elk River

St. Jude half marathon is a great charity to support.
I was blown away by the young lady who sung the National Anthem
Packet pick up was more technical than most but they let you know in advance
Staff and volunteers were amazing
Course was good with some hills with awesome support at aid stations
Communication leading up to the race was awesome
Post race was great
Medal and shirt were high quality
I definitely would recommend this race

I expected this half to be my worst time ever since it is Summit to Summit but my time was where I had been running lately. First mountain was tougher than the last one and the last couple of miles are downhill.
Gorgeous views with fall colors
About mile 9 I was by myself and this deer walked out in front of me and just stood there looking at me, it was pretty awesome
Staff and volunteers were great
Packet pickup was super easy at expo
Swag was awesome medal had 3 spinners & lights up and I got a half zip pullover
Post race party had pizza, soup, chili, and donuts
I highly recommend this race and plan to run again in the future

Great course
Great volunteers and support
Amazing ocean view
Packet pickup was easy
Medal was a little small for the price
I wish I had did the 5K as well, to receive another medal

Well ran event, staff and volunteers were great. Quick to respond to question and emails about the race. Very nice medal. Views were amazing! Highly recommended!

Very fast down hill course with great views. Vacation races always puts on a outstanding event with great staff and volunteers. It should have been a PR for me but I was car sick the day before and still dealing with the after effects. Swag is great as always at VR.

A very well organized event with great staff and volunteers. It was a great course even though I struggled with humidity. But anytime your are at the beach it is good!

Watch the sunrise on the highway in the town.
Lots if down hill the first half in the highway then leads into town through some neighborhoods and would normally finish on K-State football field but COVID changed it this year. I think it has since returned to that finish.
Plenty of aid stations
COVID effected post race activities
Decent swag dr-fit shirt and medal
I would recommend this race

Very nice swag. Great staff and volunteers. Course was not bad, I did like the bricks at stock yards, blister on my feet from them. Great post race recovery snacks