David Meade's Staging Area

BLUF: This was a very well organized race through a beautiful city with scenic views and plenty of locals and Marines cheering you on from start to finish.

Expo: The expo was very well organized, from the security at the entrance ensuring a safe experience for all who participated, to a convenient layout which avoided any bottlenecks. There was a variety of vendors, giveaways, and photo opportunities. We managed to visit all of the booths we were interested in, and strike up a couple of conversations, in roughly 30 minutes. If you need any running apparel or accessories, you’ll find them here.
Lodging:
I didn’t book my hotel until roughly a month out, so all the options close to the race start were already booked. Instead, I stayed at the Best Western, which was a little over 2 miles from the race start, but proved to be a nice morning warm-up prior to the race. The hotel was very clean, had all the amenities needed, and there was a nearby hiking path through the woods that connected with the course at mile 12, which proved to be an easy and scenic way to get to the course start.

Pre-race:
There were plenty of porta-pots and the lines moved at a relatively fast pace considering the volume of people. There was plenty of room for runners to line up and spectators to line the sides of the starting corral. The starting ceremony, including the singing of the National Anthem while standing among so many Marines was a rather inspiring and emotional moment.

Course:
Once we began running, the course was wide, providing plenty of room for runners of all levels to proceed at their desired pace. The majority of runners lined up in their proper pacing groups which also helped with the flow. The course was full of a variety of scenery and elevations. We ran through beautiful neighborhoods, up and down rolling hills, through downtown Fredericksburg, and we had some very nice views of the river. Some of the hills provided a nice challenge, especially toward the end as we navigated Hospital Hill, and the final hill as you approach mile marker 12. The final mile is relatively flat, which was nice.

Aid Stations and Spectators:
There were plenty of aid stations, each with a lot of volunteers handing out water and electrolyte drinks, all while cheering you on. There were at least a couple of stations which were handing out energy gels and were operated by Marines who were emphatically cheering us on, and one which handed out chilled, wet towels to help us cool off. Although I didn’t take a gel or a towel, their energy was contagious and provided me a nice boost when I really needed it. There were also quite a few spectators with tables set up along the course, handing out drinks that ranged from water and sports drinks to beer and even tequila. There were also people spraying their hoses to provide runners with the ability to cool off which I saw plenty of runners taking advantage of. There was a constant energy from the spectators, with clever signs, music playing including a live band, and all the cheers you could hope for.

Finish Line:
The finish line was very well organized, from the announcer stating each finishers name as they crossed, to the Marines handing out the medals and snack bags. The sections were well labeled, with plenty of room to roam, and the Stone beer garden was a great way to celebrate finishing the race. Everyone was in good spirits, socializing, admiring their accomplishments and enjoying the very nicely designed medal now hanging around their necks.

I loved this race and I am looking forward to running the Marine Corps Marathon, because if the Historic Half was any indication, it is going to be another exceptionally well organized and fun event.