Gabrielle Moore's Staging Area

Another solid race put together by Bishop Events. The course is pretty cool, you get to run on the race track. There are a few hills, the 5K was rolling hills but I believe the 10K and Half Marathon both had some more hills towards the end. The swag was pretty cool! I ended up getting the hoodie which was a good quality hoodie with a cute design with the Great Dane and race car. The medal was also very cute and Christmas themed. I overall really enjoyed the race and would come back again next year.

I ran this race as part of my goal to run a race in all 50 states. My short and sweet version is that the course isn’t too hard but there are a few hills, the production was pretty good and fit the vibes of the venue and amount of people and the race swag is pretty nice!

The course: The course is mostly flat with a few hills, especially on the bridges. You’ll mostly be running on pavement but there were a few sections over bridges, which if you don’t like heights there’s a portion in the middle with grates that’s a little freaky, and there’s about a mile of running on a board walk. I will say we had some not-so-great weather so some parts of the course were slippery. Running through downtown is really nice. Not a ton of crowd support but the views are nice especially with all of the holiday stuff out. Going over the bridges gives you some great views but traffic is still going while you are out running so be mindful of that. Running through the park is great. It’s really peaceful and has some nice views of the lake in the middle. There are a few aide stations on the course with water and Gatorade. Most of the stops also had a port-a-potty nearby. There’s also a handful of public restrooms around the start and in different sections on the course.

The Production: I think overall the production was pretty good. Initially I thought that this was a bigger race so I was picturing a bit more in terms of the finishing area but with the amount of people we had it ended up being fine. They had lots of food, beer options and a recovery tent. They also had some of the merch from the bib pickup/expo at the finish, but sizing was limited. I had no issues with anything from a technical standpoint and on the course, I feel like I was directed pretty well.

The medal/swag: I don’t mind this year’s medal, but I think it was a bit smaller than it has been in previous years. I think the design was pretty cool though and the challenge badge (though it took some convincing to get onto the strap) looks really cool with the medal! The race shirt was pretty cute this year and feels like it’s made out of good quality material and will be good to use on future runs.

Overall, I feel like I would do this race again and I think I would do the challenge again as I felt like I had a good amount of time between races even going at a slower pace.

This race was lots of fun and a great way to kick off turkey trot week. The course sends you out on the base with a relatively flat first couple of miles. The back half gets a little bit hilly but can definitely be a PR worthy course. The event is put together super well but there aren’t a ton of spectators once you get away from the start/finish area. People have a lot of fun with this race, dressing up and running with family. It had the feel of a small-town race with the production level of a large-scale race. Definitely one I want to come back to! It is on a base so you will need to get prior access if you do not have base access.

This is a great local race put on every year for a really good cause. Everyone goes full out for the event dressing up to support the fight against breast cancer and to raise awareness in the county. This year there were a little over 700 runners. The course itself is relatively flat with a few inclines in each mile but nothing drastic. I did notice that the course is a tiny bit short of being a full 5K (My watch measured 3.05 miles) but the shirts and medals were awesome, and the views of Solomons Island are always amazing. This is also a really good walker friendly race with a healthy mix of runners and walkers.

Literally one of my favorite races that I come back to as often as I can! The Annapolis Road Runners put on a great race with lots of Water/Gatorade on the course and a really great finisher’s jacket. The course is a more challenging one but mostly in the back 10K. The first few miles are some gentle rolling hills but by mile 4 (when you hit the bridge) it’s some pretty big hills going up and down and it’ll kick your butt if you’re not prepared. You finish going up hill for the last 400 meters or so, so get ready for a big push.

Despite the challenge of the course it’s really beautiful and there’s decent crowd support throughout. If you’re up for a challenge do this race!

(side note getting in/out of the parking lot can kind of be a nightmare so be sure to get there early and maybe hang around for a bit after the race to avoid the traffic getting out)

Overall such an amazing experience. The expo and fireworks the day before are really cool and adds so much to the experience. The start is electric and huge! The race itself isn’t too difficult, a few hills in the middle but a solid start and finish. The vibes are off the charts and the amount of people cheering you on is awesome. A race I’ll come back to for sure!

Love the vibes of this race, a women’s only race that provides spaces for only women so super empowering and provides a safe space. Some aid along the course and some really good vibes. A great medal and shirt combo and some fun post-race festivities.

A solid DC Half covering some iconic DC areas. The beginning is pretty flat but it gets hilly in the back. Not a ton of crowd support through the first few miles but it goes by the start so you get some crowd support there. A little tricky to get to the start as there’s no parking close by.

A super fun race through Solomons Island. An aid station about halfway through with a pretty flat course trough the first two miles with a little bit of hills towards the end. Past two years have been a bit rainy but the race directors have still kept the vibes up and made it a fun run!

A really really fun Half with lots of entertainment and crowd support. A good amount of aid stations and a medium difficult course. Goes all the way around DC so a nice tour of the city. Post-race festivities are really fun with lots of options.

This race was definitely a challenging one this year. It snowed the night before, so the course was covered with a fresh layer of snow with a sheet of ice underneath. But the views were incredible, and the snow did add to the overall effect. Other than the snow the course isn’t too bad. The 10K is an out and back with a few aid stops along the course.

This is one of the smaller races in Southern Maryland but there’s always a great group of people that put on the race. Everyone is super supportive and even in the heat it’s a fun race. There’re quite a few hills so it can definitely knock you out a bit but there’s water on the course and people guiding you through the turns. You run through the neighborhood so not incredible views, but the community comes out to cheer on the runners.

This course is a mix of paved road and grass so it can get a little tricky. It starts off going around the vineyard then you go out and back down the main road. You’ll encounter some big hills in the middle followed by some back and forth through the actual vineyard. The energy is amazing for this race and the post-race festivities are great. You get a wine glass and free wine at the end so a great race to run or walk.

This is one of the most challenging races I’ve ever done but it’s so worth it. There are so many great spots along the course and lots of spectators and entertainment spots to cheer you on. You get a great view of DC and if the weather is kind to you October is the perfect time of year to run.

The 5K is a super fun little race going through DC with some great views of the capital. A solid crowd with really good crowd energy. Nice views of the Cherry Blossoms as well! There is a lottery to get into the 10-Miler but I was able to sign up for the 5K. Be prepared to sign up early!

A great fall race through DC. Lots of runners come out so it ends up feeling like a big race while not feeling too crowded. The overall production is great and the course isn’t too difficult.

A really fun race through Leonardtown for a good cause. The course isn’t too difficult, a handful of hills in the middle but otherwise flat. Tons of post-race activities and food so a really awesome time!

An overall good run from NYRR. Takes you on a little tour of central park. A cute theme but not the most exciting NYRR race. Still fun to go through central park with good post race snacks and overall good vibes.

This was a really great experience to do with other runners leading up to the NYC Marathon. It loops central park so can get a little hilly around the back of the park. Vibes are good and post-race snacks are awesome. Feels great to train in a big group.

A super fun little race put on by NYRR. One solid loop around central park so a mini tour of the city. A decent crowd but didn’t feel too crowded. NYRR entertainment at the end was great and there was plenty of aid around the course.

This is a pretty solid 4-miler going through Central Park. NYRR puts on a fun event with lots of themed items at the end. Weather was also pretty nice in May, and the 4-Miler is a good option to stay fresh with runs.

A solid two loops around central park with a decent crowd. NYRR puts on a great race with lots of aid stations and a tech shirt as the swag. It’s definitely a colder race but so fun!

NYRR always puts on a good race, this year was no different. The course gives a fun tour of Staten Island with tons of entertainment along the course. A decent amount of crowd support is along the course and the finish line festivities are awesome!

Love this race so much. This was the second time I ran, and it was amazing. The weather worked out perfectly this year and I was able to get a course PR!