Christie Woodard's Staging Area

This was my first Vacation Race. We did the 5K Fri nite and the Half Marathon on Saturday. Running both is the Black Bear Double and you get an extra medal. We stayed at the Talley Ho, 75 steps from bib pickup/Expo and shuttle buses for Sat race morning. Easy logistics.

Race starts 13+ miles away and we finish back at Talley Ho. Buses were plentiful. Start line had free coffee and sunscreen and bug spray which was a nice touch. Pretty course but the sweeping vistas. You need to go into park for that.

Shirts at pickup had the wrong date which was a bummer. The day after the race though I got an email from VR apologizing for the shirts and offering to either send me a new shirt free of charge for a $20 VR race credit. Classy touch!

Great finish area. Awesome food Box!

Highly recommend and will definitely do VR again!!

Loved this one! Great swag, and medals who doest look flamingo 🦩! Course was lovely and well marked – half marathon anyway. We missed the turn on the 5k!

Only area for improvement – host hotel. As host hotel open up coffee and breakfast for runners early!

I was very nervous after reading last year’s reviews of the pretty terrible bus situation. I made sure I got to the college in plenty of time and it was an easy ride to the start line. The bus back did take a lot longer than I thought was Acceptable but it didn’t ruin my experience. We probably waited 35 minutes for a bus was very nice. Suggestions for next year would be more buses. Also more food at the finish line. I was looking for granola bars or chips or something like that. I didn’t want Pizza.

This is the first state in my journey that really is just checking it off! We had elected to stay at the host hotel, which was Bally’s. For a room that was $300 a night. I was surprised to see that the room was pretty sketchy, really rough around the edges just like the hotel. They would not offer late check out they said I could rent the room by the hour, gross! The hotel of course is where the race starts so it’s convenient but I would’ve made a different decision had I’d known how yucky the hotel was. Very smoke-filled.

The race itself started on the boardwalk. Ran you straight into town. Not scenic – relatively flat. They ran you back up to the boardwalk all the way down where you run past the finish line, which I never enjoy, probably about a mile and a half, and then you turn around and come back to finish.

When the race was finished, they had some bagels and beer. I ate half a bagel and we got in the car and left. I would not do this one again but if you need to cross off New Jersey for something that’s likely convenient to airports etc. you could give it a look although I guess there’s probably better choices in New Jersey.

Easy peezy bib pickup. Nice expo and swag for sale.

Course was nice but a bit dangerous. Most all races I run are open courses but cars were everywhere and you had to run around them. I saw a guy clipped by mirror of a car. Another friend saw that happen to someone else.

Medal was not great. If you like medals – this one was unimaginative and phoned it in. Out of the many races I’ve done – worst one

This was a nicely done race. I love that the race starts out in front of the host hotel. Made for an easy race to travel to and cross off Indiana since I didn’t also need a rental car (I thought). Small bib pickup – not many vendors but really all I need is my bib. Race morning was organized, and the course was pretty and well-marked. After the race they gave out a small bag, Balega socks, a rose an they had cake. They had bananas and water bottles but no other food. While the cake is nice I can’t eat it after racing and especially in hot weather. That would be my only constructive criticism. They need more post race food. Medal is really huge an nice.
I would consider doing the other location they have – Iowa I believe?

Race weekend turned into a bear due to 1600 canceled flights due to a fire in an air traffic control facility and weather. Ended up having to stay another day and then drive from IN to MD instead of flying. Not the race weekend’s fault but a bummer.

I would recommend this race.

I live in a very flat mid Atlantic area so the hills I was concerned! It turned out I should’ve been concerned about the weather! It wasn’t just rain. It was a monsoon. It wasn’t just a monsoon. It was lightning and thunder. I had flown into the city for this race so I was invested, however I do wonder if the race organizers just got lucky. Don’t get me wrong, I thought this race was fantastic. Even though the conditions were miserable, everyone was in a great mood, including volunteers, law enforcement, and other runners. Running across that metal bridge and seeing lightning in the sky. Made me rethink my decisions lol.

This is the most well supported race I’ve ever done. I would highly recommend it.

Military races are amazing and the 2nd in Person race of Coast Guard is no exception! Laid back vibe. Fabulous race announcer – Fitz Kohler is fabulous! Small expo – not many vendors – unfortunately no safety pins but picked up race morning at the start. Running on base was cool! The whole town felt like they supported this effort!!

Eastern NC was WINDY! Even with the wind I got a PR! Coasties put on a great race! Highly recommend!

Small race with a lot of heart! Wonderfully organized. Lovely run along the boardwalk and through the neighborhoods. Run the first part of the course with the marathoners until they veer off. Part of the course is on a gravel trail. Flags represented on the trail for all the states represented. Lots of really nice volunteers. Haven’t ever seen a better finish party! Full Buffet breakfast

Great fun for the race weekends. Costumes and characters. Don’t run these for time but for the experience. Ran this with friends. It was super hot race day – mid 80’s by 9 AM.

Wine and Dine is a fav disney race for the size. Compared to Star Wars or Princess, it’s quite small. I loved the smaller feel. Great medals, course and swag. Love this race.

This year started on Assateauge and ran to Ocean City Inlet. It got hot so the first half of the race I was headed for a PR until it got into mid 80’s quick. Early in year to be so hot and no warm weather training yet this year. Slowed down fast. It was a miserable run but I enjoyed it overall.

2nd time running Baltimore – no more. Too hilly for me. Ran this one for the debut of the crab medal only – LOL. Don’t enjoy running in Baltimore.

Inaugural Star Wars. Great medals, great shirts and overall a great weekend. I’ll most def run this again. Didn’t love the long run into Animal Kingdom and the highway running but overall good.

This was my first Baltimore. Pretty local to me but shocked on how hilly. One hell of a hill in beginning. Course is full of supporters which keeps it interesting. I even ran by 2 dead rats on course – eww! This year did NOT support the slow runner. Several friends ran the full and came in still within the time limits yet when they crossed the finish line they had to hunt someone down to give them their medals. Didn’t seem to support the slow runners.

My first half. Super flat course – out and back on two lane highway. Hot. I was super slow – turtle pace. Reviewing years after doing it 🙂