Matt Walker's Staging Area

This is a HUGE race. 21,000+ runners on Sunday between the Full and Half. The expo was fairly large and had lots of vendors. I really liked the swag: shirt, blanket, magnet, and poster. The corrals on race day were very crowded as expected, and the first few miles were shoulder to shoulder. It thinned out slightly after 3 miles, but the entire course was well populated. Yes, there are hills after mile 5, but not horrible. The views were beautiful at the top! The crowd support was great and very consistent throughout the race. The last 3 miles were all downhill, so it made for a fun finish. The post race celebration area was super crowded, but once you got through the families waiting, there was plenty of space in the park. The Skyline chilidog was the highlight for me! Overall, very pleased with this race.

I ran as the 10:30/mile pacer for the half marathon. There were lots of changes this year and mostly for the better. The race expo/packet pick up was a breeze. The course utilized a new bridge (twice) which was somewhat of a challenge. There were several other small hills as well. There was a lot more of the course on the campus of USM which was nice. The water stations were well staffed and there was plenty of volunteers throughout the course to help navigate. The post race festival was in a new park and was much improved, which several great food options and live music. I would say that this race was very much improved this year.

This was a challenging course will plenty of hills. The start line could’ve used a couple of improvements, like more bathrooms and maybe a better sound system so we could hear the announcements and anthem. The course was mostly through neighborhoods and had adequate water stations. The signage was good and the course workers were great. The finish fest was excellent. Plenty of post race snacks, locally brewed beer with an awesome beer glass, and smores stations!

Race Day: Get on the early shuttles to the start line. There are probably 20+ port-o-potties, but the lines are insanely long.
Course: Straight and flat course, but somewhat narrower in places than I imagined. You basically get one lane, so it gets congested at times. Was very windy due to being right on the beach, but the views were nice! You pass at least 4 Waffle Houses with 2 more at the finish line lol. Be ready for the only incline of the race at Mile 12 as you have to ascend an exit ramp for a down and back before you enter the baseball stadium where the finish line is located.
Post Race: Several food and drink options, but it gets crowded quick.
Overall a great race, plenty of things to do in the area.

This is a large race, so be prepared for crowds. It is a very flat course. The buildings can mess with your GPS, so make sure you are tracking your mileage manually. The crowd support was fantastic, and the aid stations were plenty. The food and drinks were aplenty at the finish line and the swag was decent, as well as the medal.

This is a well organized event put on by FGH Cancer Center. If you’re local to the Hattiesburg area, this is a great opportunity to get a 5K in. The course is mostly flat with a couple of hills through neighborhoods. There is a 5K and 2-mile walk option as well as a kids run. I really liked that they had live bands at the start/finish line festival and also one along the course near the finish. The post race food was great! Red beans and rice, donuts, snacks, etc. They give out quite a few door prizes after the race.

This race was smaller than I was expecting, but that’s not a bad thing. Everyone was just so nice! The Half runners are bussed to their start line about halfway through the marathon course. Quiet and peaceful area for the most part. The scenes around the lake were amazing! Quite a few hills that make for a small challenge, but nothing too bad. The only negative is the traffic on the last half of the course. Other than that, this was a fun race.

The race expo was decent. Lots of clothing, shoes, glasses, etc. Packet pickup was easy with almost no lines. The course was mostly flat which made for a very PRable course. The only hills were going through the tunnels of Churchill Downs. I was expecting a bit more scenery running through the horse track, but most of the views were blocked by fences and other large items, but it was cool nonetheless. Crowd support was very good at times. Thanks to the guys handing out Red Bulls on Mile 12. They had a few snacks and beverages at the post race area, but nothing out of the ordinary. The medals and shirts were nice. They give a bonus medal if you run the 5K the night before. Overall a great race.

Not the easiest course as there are a few hills, but not horrible. The scenery is nice in spots: The downtown start/finish area, the zoo, and running through USM’s campus. Other than that it is mostly neighborhoods. There were a few cheer sections that I enjoyed, but there could be more. The water stations were pretty frequent with the exception of the last 4 mile stretch. I did like that they offered gels at several of them. The finish festival was great as they offered several food and drink options. Nice medal and comfy shirt.

The majority of this course is secluded. It winds through a state park on a paved pathway, with several narrow boardwalks to cross. Not very many cheer stations, but the ones that were there were great. Plenty of water stations. The post race food was great: pastas, grilled chicken, and breadsticks. The local beer selection was great as well. Being at the Hangout before and after the race was definitely a plus, with many hotels in walking distance.

It was a simple neighborhood race, but the post-race hot chocolate and cookies were top notch. We got to meet Santa and make reindeer food! Great race to bring the family to.

The course was a down and back and was mostly flat. The start line was a little crowded and took a minute or two to space out. The scenery was mostly through a neighborhood. The crowd support was top notch.

The best thing about this race was the course support. The water stops were frequent, and the course was filled with spectators and cheering sections. Great swag for the Looney Challenge. Shirts, medals, backpack, and socks. Would definitely recommend.

I’ve never seen such effort put into a 10K before. Normally in a race of this size, there is a marathon or a half involved, but there were around 6000 runners in this race alone. The course was great, with a large hill on Mile 4 and mostly downhill after that. It took is around downtown Charlotte with a large part being on the interstate. The location of the start/finish line was very convenient to nearby hotels and the medal and shirt were great! Would highly recommend.

It was really cool to get to run underneath the arch and along the river. There were a few hills that I was not prepared for, but otherwise a fairly easy course. The race production was ok. The swag included a medal and a rollup blanket which I immediately used to rest after the race. This race was well put together.

I’ve always liked 5K races that are in conjunction with larger races, as it makes for a better production and overall experience. I used this race to mark Arkansas off my list. Lots of things to do in the area, so make sure to check them out. The expo overall was excellent; Indoors, lots of vendors. They have a different theme each year (Dinosaurs this year) which made for an interesting race. The medals were nice and big. Not much of a post race festival, just a few places to take pictures.

The race begins in the park across the highway from the beach. It is a down and back course that is part boardwalk, part pavement and mostly flat. The boardwalk sections are somewhat narrow, but running across the lake was nice. Other than that, there isn’t much scenery to enjoy. I can’t speak too much about Pre-race and Post-race events because it was a torrential downpour the entire race, so we left very quickly afterwards. The shirt and medal were Safari animal themed, but a little too cartoonish for my taste.

This is my 2nd year running this race. Getting to run near water is always a plus, not to mention all of the fun things to do in the area. The majority of this race is across a bridge, and the incline can be a challenge, so be prepared. The finish line is at the Margaritaville Resort, which is nice. Overall, this race is very well put together.

Indianapolis is a terrific city to visit. We were able to catch a Colts game while we were in town, among other things. It was nice being able to run around Lucas Oil Stadium and the downtown area. It was a fairly large race with all 3 distances beginning immediately after the other. It was cold and windy, so be prepared. The finish line area was super crowded. The medal was nice, but the shirt could use some design improvements.

One of the flattest courses I’ve seen. It’s a down and back format. Not really much scenery, mostly just houses. Not very crowded. Kind of wish they had it on the same day as the half marathon. Not really any food trucks or food options after the race.

Nashville is a fun city to visit, lots of things to do. The race was very well put together. The only complaint I have is the lack of food trucks after the race. There were only a couple for several thousand people. The entertainment was awesome! Several bands performing along the course and at the post race party. I will definitely be going again.