Charles Delano's Staging Area

Signed up for this race late but was still able to get a shirt. Organizers are extremely nice and accommodating. Nice to have a race day packet pick-up if needed. Ample parking at the park but you should arrive early. There was a headwind going out so plan on drafting another runner to save some energy. A few small hills kept it challenging. Witness a sunrise over the ocean as you make your way toward Diamond Head. Coming back was mostly flat with a slight downhill for a speed pickup. Keep hydrated as the 80 degree temp will cause you to dehydrate quickly and possibly slow your time. Nice medal and well organized with about 700 runners.

Course was flat with a great start temp. Portions of the race were scenic running over the bridges and through the downtown area with some of the race in some not-so-scenic areas. Nice medal and super soft shirt.

Local weather on Race Raves was not accurate. The race started in the mid 20s and warmed to the mid 30’s. It was fine once you began running but be prepared for a cold snap. VIP parking is reasonable and was worth the five dollars. Race day packet pickup for out-of-towners was appreciated as most races no longer offer that option. The start was a single corral for everyone with most people guessing their times and standing in the proper spot. The one-loop course was well marked with orange cones directing runners throughout the course. Half of the course is run on a road with no traffic. There wasn’t a lot to look at as fall has ended. Two miles of the course were industrial, one mile in a residential neighborhood and thirty percent on a fairly busy road. I encountered one hill at just over four miles with most of the course flat or at a moderate incline. There were some rolling hills and a few short declines. The single color shirt is on the thinner side with not much standing out design-wise. Previous year medals looked great with the atomic symbol but this year’s medal was a bit lack-luster ceramic type that looked like plastic with some holes punched in the top. The actual feel of the medal is nice but I hope that they return to a snazzy metal design in the future. There were plenty of snacks at the finish and the lake provided a nice backdrop in which to cool down. Overall, it was an enjoyable race for locals or runners who are within one and a half hours of Knoxville.

There were some hills which made it challenging. Plenty of aid stations and great views. If you are arriving on the morning of the race, pay attention to the parking lots and street closures. Well organized but there are lots of runners so make sure to plan a regroup area for spectators. Since I have run the race and worn the shirt, I have me so many runners who want to run the Flying Pig. It seems to be a bucket list race with a well deserved reputation.