Kimberly Singleton's Staging Area

Transportation: I drove the 8 hours from North Carolina, so I had my own vehicle. My family was supposed to take a weekend trip to visit my in-laws in Kentucky, which was about an hour and a half from the race. My husband was unable to go at the last minute due to work, so I met his parents so they could spend a few days with the kids. I stayed overnight for the race and drove back to NC right after.

Hotel/lodging: Home2 Suites Lexington Keeneland Airport, about 20 minutes away from the race site (Ashbrook Farm). It was conveniently located and super clean. Check-out was at 11 a.m. I highly recommend this hotel!

Pre-Race Expo/Packet Pick-Up: No expo, but packet pick-up was held the day before (12-6 p.m.) at the Pisgah Presbyterian Church, about a mile away from the race site. The volunteers were all really nice and helpful, and a few horses near the parking area added to the overall vibe. Race day packet pickup was an option, but we were encouraged to pick it up the day before if possible.

RACE: Honestly, I was initially aiming to do the Run the Bluegrass half-marathon earlier in May, but I was busy that weekend. I had read so much about some of the bigger or well-known races in KY, but I really like smaller races with easy logistics and good scenery. It had only two reviews on Race Raves, but both rated it highly; then I checked out the Facebook page and loved the pictures! As cheesy as it sounds, I felt like this was the race I was supposed to do for Kentucky, so I signed up.

Difficulty: The course was definitely not flat, although it was pretty fast! Surprisingly, I PR’ed and came in first in my age group😳 With over 800 feet of elevation change, it was pretty hilly, but rolling hills are expected on horse farms in Kentucky. I would definitely recommend Hill training for this course, but it wasn’t bad, and the scenery more than made up for it.

Scenery: Absolutely beautiful horse farms and rolling hills. The course ran through four horse farms- Ashbrook, Newtownnanner Stud Farm, Winstar Farm, and Buck Pond Farm. 5.2 of the 13.1 miles were through the farms, with 833 feet of elevation change. Winter Farm was my favorite, but they were all incredible, especially with how Green and lush everything is this time of year. It felt like something out of a storybook in some areas!

Production: There were 182 runners in the half-marathon. The start time was at 6:45 a.m. I left the hotel at 5:55 a.m. and parked at 6:15 a.m. Parking was on site, right by the start/finish- my favorite!

Communication was great! I received a few emails with details about race-day logistics/timeline, packet pickup, and FAQs. Also, on Wednesday before the race, I emailed the race director because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it and inquired about a possible deferral. She was prompt and understanding. I ended up talking to her after the race, and she was just as nice in person. I really appreciated her kindness, especially considering how busy she was right before the event!

There were plenty of water stations and bathrooms throughout- we passed a total of 12 hydration stations along the 13.1 miles. There weren’t really any spectators, but the volunteers were encouraging as we passed.

Swag: Included a gender-specific shirt (women’s was a somewhat fitted V-neck of a poly-cotton/rayon blend). A long-sleeve dry-fit quarter-zip, hats, and a sweatshirt were sold at packet pick-up, but the shirt was the only swag included in the race cost. I honestly don’t care about swag, though. All I want is a decent shirt I can lounge or possibly run in and a medal. And I loved the medal!

Sightseeing/Extras: I didn’t explore Lexington, but driving along the horse farms was so pretty! I passed by the Kentucky Castle (I initially had no idea what it was lol), which is apparently a boutique hotel and event space. I would’ve booked a tour had I known about this place beforehand- I love stuff like this! If you have the dough, you could stay here and only be a few minutes away from the race!

Roanoke is just under 3.5 hours from where I’m at in North Carolina, so I drove up for the night. I stayed at Spark by Hilton Roanoke Airport, about 10 minutes (5 miles) from the race start. The hotel was fine, but there was nothing else around it. They were super accommodating and let me check out at noon instead of 11 a.m., so I could check out some of the post-race festivities and make sure I had enough time to shower before heading home!

Pre-Race Expo/Packet Pick-Up: Packet pick-up was held the day before at Elmwood Park in downtown Roanoke (the same location as the race) until 8 p.m. I was thankful for the late time since I wasn’t able to leave town until mid-afternoon, and I try to avoid morning pickup.

Difficulty: HARD. I haven’t run many races, but this was by far the most difficult, lol. This race is known as “America’s Toughest Road Race” due to the 3,790 feet of elevation gain/loss. Obviously, this isn’t a fast course; I was told to just take it all in and enjoy the views, so that’s what I did. I walked a few times up the mountain, and it was nice to haul balls down it! I’ve never had that experience before.

Scenery: A two-mile climb up Mill Mountain (and next to the famous Mill Mountain star, which overlooks the Roanoke Valley); residential communities on a two-mile ascent up Peakwood Rd; downtown scenery. Really pretty, and the perfect Virginia race!

Production: There were 860 runners in the half-marathon. The start time was at 7:35 a.m. at Elmwood Park. There was a free parking garage nearby that I used. I got to the race site around 7:05, and it was almost totally full.

Communication was great. Several pre-race emails were sent in the weeks leading up to the race, reiterating the race logistics.

There were SO many aid stations and portapotties- I don’t even know how many, but I definitely didn’t need to bring my own water. Volunteers and spectators were everywhere, and while I usually don’t mind if there’s a lack of spectators, it was really nice having people cheer you on while wondering why you’re running up a mountain for fun 😉

Swag: Included a gender specific race shirt and finishers’ medal. There was an expo where vendors may have been handing out free stuff, but I didn’t really look.

Sightseeing/Extras: Because I got in town around dinnertime and was tired from working that morning and the 3-hour drive up, I didn’t do any sightseeing. I walked around Elmwood Park a bit; they had a festival with live music and food trucks (on both Friday evening and Saturday). It looked fun! I happily went back to the hotel to shower and relax in peace, haha. I would’ve liked to check out more of Roanoke, though, so next time!

This race was held in Pinehurst, NC, about twenty minutes from my house. Pinehurst is known for its vast array of golf courses, but it also offers great trails, dining, local shops, and beautiful (and expensive lol) homes.

Difficulty: I’m not sure if this was an off-day for me or if I’m just not used to running trails for more than a few miles, but this race was somewhat difficult for me! It was decently hilly, and while most of the trails were well-groomed, there were some sandy areas. Again, I do almost all of my runs on roads, so take my difficulty rating with a grain of salt 😉

Scenery: Trail running through Reservoir Park, Whitehall Trail, and Nick’s Creek Trail. Half-marathoners did the loop once; marathoners did it twice. It was scenic, tranquil, and a great little escape from the outside world!

Production: This race was small (fewer than 150 participants for the marathon, half-marathon, and 5K total) with easy logistics. Packet pick-up was the evening before at Pace Yourself Running, the local running store in Southern Pines, and there was also the option to pick up your packet on race day morning. Race parking was at Sandhills Community College, right by the start/finish line- super easy! The start time was 8 a.m., and I got there around 7:45. The half-marathon was very affordable at $54 ($50 plus a $4 processing fee), and proceeds supported community wellness by funding gym memberships, coaching, and nutritional consultations for low-income families and high school athletes. There were four aid stations with friendly volunteers along the route, offering water, Gatorade, pickle juice (did not try this, lol), and runners’ snacks at mile 9 (I didn’t stop for anything, but it looked like a good spread). Communication from the race director was great, with an email sent regarding packet pick-up, parking, and weather information.

Swag: Included a short-sleeve moisture-wicking shirt and a finisher medal. We were also given a small reusable bag with a resistance band (along with a card showing various exercises to use with it), chapstick, band-aids + chafing protectant, local running club stickers, and a coupon for one free week at the local Hotworx studio (there may have been a few other things that I can’t recall right now).

Overall, this was a well put-together race with a supportive crew that I would definitely participate in again!

We’re currently stationed in North Carolina, so it was an easy 4-hour drive to Savannah.

PROS
*Affordable pricing- I signed up only a few weeks prior, and it was $70. Smaller race (I think they capped it at 400 participants), which I love!
*Great organization. The race director sent a few emails leading up to race day with helpful info. Packet pick-up was at the local running store and was super easy.
*There was also a 5K and 10K race the evening before- I love when races offer these options!
*7 AM start time- not too early, not too late!
*The route went through a beautiful neighborhood. I like looking at different types of homes lol, so this was enjoyable to me. There were sidewalks and very little traffic.
*Porta-potties were along the route, and aid stations were well-manned, offering water and Gatorade. There were children helping out, and it was just the cutest to see them cheer everyone on and hand out drinks!
*I looked freaky in most of them, but they took great (and free!) race pics along the route.
*Post-race goodies included bananas, an assortment of snacks (bars, cookies, pretzels/chips, jerky), coffee, and hot chocolate.
*Free medal engraving post-race. I didn’t take advantage of this, but I thought it was such a neat offering!

CONS
*Unless you like a big race with a ton of crowd support, I can’t think of any cons. I guess one thing would be that the t-shirt was just ehh- white and kinda see-through.

If we’re still stationed in NC next year, I’ll happily drive back down for this event!