Heather Miller's Staging Area

This race is much larger than I had realized – about 20,000 people. One side of the bridge is completely closed to traffic (there are technically two bridges that run side-by-side over the water) and offer great views of the Chesapeake Bay. There is a walker and a runner side to help with traffic – though some walkers didn’t really abide by that rule.

Considering how many people there are, and how narrow the bridge is, this event ran pretty smoothly. Everything from the school bus shuttles, staggered start, lots of port-o-potties, and the bag of goodies post-race was well executed. There was, however, a lot of traffic so I recommend leaving much earlier than you think – especially if you are in one of the later waves.

The swag is pretty good for a 10K – gender specific tech-tees, and a puzzle piece medal (it connects to the medals of future race years). You can purchase an all-you-can-drink beer bracelet at the expo. The race also sends you a video of you crossing the 5K mark and the finish line. It also gives you stats on how many runners you passed along the way and how many passed you – kind of fun to see!

Memorable Moments:
– Marylanders decked out in their state flag apparel
– The MC asking for volunteers to sing the National Anthem at the start of each wave – people were NAILING this and the crowd LOVED IT!

Running through the mountains, and I do mean mountains, is no joke! There is some serious incline to this race, which makes for a pretty challenging 10K. I have much respect for those half, full and double-full runners!

Other than the course, the event is family-friendly and offers a lot by ways of celebration with concerts, local beer, and downtown festivities. There is also a kids race so I def recommend bringing the whole famly to this one.

Memorable Moments:
– Unofficial mid-race mimosas at the top of Mill Mountain
– Post-race snacks, beer and concert on the lawn

I really enjoyed this race, even though it was challenging. The course runs through several civil war towns and battlefields, so there is a ton of history and just as many hills! Not only was it well organized, but you could feel how much the race director cares about this event – something that is sometimes lost in larger races.

Memorable Moments:
– In true historic war town form, the event takes off the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” instead of National Anthem.
– The “medal” is a simple, handmade clay mold from a local artisan.
– Shirts comes in several colors which are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis at the expo
– The free beer and concert on the lawn overlooking the town at the post-race party

There are hills…and by hills, I mean mountains. Going down was just as hard as going up, and I heard several runners say this race was used as a training event for Pikes Peak.

The town itself is small, walk-able (mostly) and awesome. With its high focus on local resources and sustainability, I def recommend checking out one of their local restaurants, and staying at a B&B. The course is gorgeous – lot’s of greenery, farmland, and fresh air. Coming from New York City, the fresh air was HEAVENLY.

Memorable Moments:
– The local maple-flavored ice-cream at the pre-race outdoor celebration
– Taking on one of the first hills and looking to my left to see people walking at the same speed I was running.
– Walking all of mile 15 and eating watermelon. I don’t even really like watermelon, but that was seriously the best watermelon I’ve ever had.
– Runners taking pictures with a cow at one of the farms. I must have missed why that was special.
– Deciding to drive back to NY after the race because I just wanted my own shower and bed. It took 8 hours because of shore traffic. Not one of my best decisions.
– Having to duck-walk back to my apartment after dropping off my rental car because I stupidly wore shorts and had a serious chaffing situation.

I registered for my first marathon, the NYC marathon, as a New Year’s resolution goal set in 2010. Running the 9+1 program with NYRR, I was in for 2011. The day starts early, but is totally worth it – it’s absolutely, hands-down the best way to see so many different neighborhoods that make up the city. It’s a big deal for businesses and residents as well – every section of the course is lined with people (except the Queensboro Bridge where spectators aren’t allowed) and many businesses blast music as you pass by their establishment. You’ll never experience a crowd or energy like this, at any other race – except maybe, maybe Boston. But, I’m biased.

Memorable Moments:
– Every runner singing Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” after crossing the start line onto the Verrazano Bridge.
– The roar of the crowd as I turned the corner from Queens into Manhattan
– Running into the Bronx and hearing the residents yell “welcome to the Bronx”, and then running out of the Bronx and hearing the residents yell “get the f*** out of the bronx”, while laughing (loved the sense of humor)!
– Unexpectedly seeing a co-worker on the sidelines who recognized me based on my shoes (which were a gift from my boss for work on a project).
– How the entertainment changed depending on the culture of the neighborhood.
– Bridges are hills disguised as architecture.
– Literally 99.9% of the people I passed on the street congratulating me on my finish.

Tip:
– Bring toilet paper if you think you’ll need to go before the start line.
– Give specific directions on where to meet family and friends (example, the Northeast corner of 1st and 73rd streets). I did this and saw everyone at every point we had mapped out!