Chris VandeZande's Staging Area

So glad I choose this for my Tennessee, I became a hero and raised money. The organization was top notch!! Expo was nice and everyone is friendly! The entire city embraces this race. So many even who were not volunteers would thank us for running.
My only complaint, is they ran out of things at the post race party (how can you run out of chocolate milk, and there were still many runners coming in) and offered only beer.
The course is not all that pretty. The riverfront is not very clean and many areas looked run down.😞 Beale Street was suppose to be a cool place to go, but we were very uncomfortable when we went on a Friday, approached by homeless, and beggars following us for an entire block. It was sad but have us a bad taste of Memphis.

We were lucky with the weather, early start helped. Volunteers at all water stations were awesome! Nice medal! Tech shirt is a little heavy. Post party was awesome. I was not thrilled with the expo however. Not that there was not enough there, but it was too small of a venue! No parking! People were angry with each other trying to get to the event. I was going to do the beer run, but it was so congested, I about had it. Caras park was fine for the post race, but I think an inside with large parking lot would’ve been better for the expo.

Well run course! The multitude of community spectator beer stop..WOW! I don’t drink beer but there were a few Fireball stops.❤️ 2018 was very cold, I thought traveling 1100 miles south it would be warm, but no! The extra bling for the shortest ultra was fun and with Jell-O shots! I did not like the post race. They made very regimented, could not return to the finish line, shuttled you out like cattle and then I couldn’t find the special tents or certain food they said would be there. Everything was so far apart.

This would’ve been a great race for me. I’m a slow runner & would’ve appreciated the flat course. But that wind got me. I was exhausted & very frustrated with the wind. It almost blew me over twice. I didn’t look around at scenery because I had to keep my head down. I did not have my usual pains (back, hip or feet), but my upper back was so tired from pushing myself. Ha Ha.
The organization was great, expo small but good things happening. Swag was nice. The after party was very good with plenty of food even for us slow marathoners. Best: Finally options at an Expo & post race other than beer for us non beer drinkers. Yum!

It wasn’t an exciting course, but for some reason I enjoyed it. Not much to do in Fargo, but I was able to concentrate on the race. The organization was superb!!! The swag bag was awesome!