Barry Music's Staging Area

This was my 2nd year running it and the Coasties did a great job… bigger and better than last year. The overall race production and communication were wonderful, felt well informed when I arrived.

On race day, show up early to get a close spot. There is plenty of free parking, but with road closures, the close ones fill up fast. Don’t sweat the long porta john lines; there is one line foal ALL the porta johns, so it moves fast.

One the race course, I was pleasantly surprised at how many people come out and cheer you on, even during the 5k… Thank-You Elizabeth City. The course is flat and plenty to see. The Coast Guard changed the courses a little this year, but for the better. The starting ceremony was awesome and not too drawn out; everyone seemed to enjoy the flyover. The finishing chute was nice and the medal was fantastic as usual.

I had only two things that could be addressed, I had trouble figuring out where to pick up my Semper Paratus Challenge coin. It was at the finish line, but I had to ask a couple of volunteers before anyone knew where to find them. The 2nd issue was the wind… I know nothing could be done about it, but it seemed like for 10 of the 13.1 miles, it was always in your face. The only place it was at your back was on the air strip… not complaining, just mentioning.

Overall, AWESOME job Coasties. Once the word gets out about it, this race is destined to become one of the biggest and best military races.

A sea of maize and blue… if this sounds good to you, then this is your race. From kids in strollers to adults that are are the mature side, everyone was showing their U of M spirit.

The race takes you around campus and gives you a great view of the architecture that the University is famous for. The finish is at the 50 yard line of the famous Big House and is played on the giant scoreboard.

Communication about the race is plentiful and packet pick-up was smooth. It was held at Crisler Arena and the M Den was open to purchase your hard to find U of M apparel.

Overall, a very good time and a must do.

The city of Cleveland, TN is a nice quiet to with a beautiful campus a Lee University right in the middle of it. Communication before the race was nice. Terra Running Co was quick to respond to any questions, directions were right on and packet pickup was in they’re store/coffee shop. Everyone was friendly and could tell by our accent that we were from out of town, but they made us feel welcome.
This is usually a late spring race, but was moved to late Oct. The weather was perfect, chilly before the start but gradually warmed up. Race instructions were numerous and helpful. Along the course, volunteers were friendly helpful and always cheering you on.
The Half marathon course went through the campus of Lee University and a couple of really pretty old neighborhoods, then finally onto the city’s Greenway. From here, the course followed the river and provided plenty of shade. There were plenty of aid stations which were well maintained. There were only two spots I could see that could have used better course makings, but since this is a young race, I’ll give them a pass.
No port-a-johns on the course… Let that sink in….. but you didn’t need them. The city has provided plenty of bathrooms, which are well maintained, with flush toilets and running water… who needs port-a-johns….
The finish are was small, but very welcoming and sense parking was free on the streets and at the museum, the downtown was very walkable.
My only real complaint is that the course was long…. the half was 13.5, just bit too long.
Overall very nice small town race, definitely worth the drive if you aren’t from here. Great Job, Terra Running.

I have had this race on my list “to do” list since I saw the medals. I was excited to run it last year for the 10th anniversary…. but in person was not to be… 🙁
This was a new year looking forward to finally running an in person race. Communication was excellent with emails as was packet pick-up. you scheduled a time for pick up, so as not to be bunched up. As we waited for our turn to enter, there were two ladies answering questions about the race, the area, etc. Pickup was smooth as silk…. Race day… you were assigned a wave before race day with an approximate start time. Something happened that I have never seen at a race before… the waves started a couple a minutes early, usually they start late. Start went off without a hitch. Course directions were easy to to follow. Aid stations were all manned but small… once again not a bad thing. All had bottled water and a porta-john… two thumbs up for that. The course is what it is… beautiful. Don’t expect crowd support, although the volunteers were very encouraging. Finish line was quick, snacks were bagged and handed to you as well as the medal.
Overall, awesome race, word to the wise… DO YOUR HILL TRAINING… the hills are no joke.

To me, the thing that stands out the most about this race were the amenities; things that were provided to make your race experience better… On Friday, there were volunteers EVERYWHERE; helping you park, ensuring that you were in the right line, answering questions and my favorite, the s’mores. On Saturday, the volunteers were assisting with traffic control, which could have been a nightmare and parking. After the bus ride to the starting line, there were plenty of port-a-johns, hot coffee and hot chocolate, bananas and plenty of Vaseline… in case you forgot. There was a young lady on the mic that kept us informed and entertained at the same time. There was a raffle and awesome prizes, even though I didn’t win… and this was all before the race.
You cannot say enough about the gorgeous scenery, this was running through the Appalachians as you would imagine it to be. The weather was warm and very sticky, but we were warned ahead of time of this and encouraged to hydrate and watch our electrolytes.
The start was a little congested, but only because we were restricted to one lane of a two lane road. Things began to thin out after a mile or so and any vehicles we did encounter were courteous and supportive. We did have to watch for bicyclists coming from behind, but they were usually good about announcing their presence and encouraging us as they rode by.
Aid stations were plentiful and once again, the volunteers were supportive and encouraging. The only part of the course that would bear a caution is at times, the pitch of the road was pretty steep. I did read about it beforehand, but actually experiencing it was another matter… not too tough, but be prepared.
At the end, that medals are by far my favorite half marathon and 5K medals. The Black Bear Challenge medal is pretty cool too.
If you are looking for a fantastic, destination race, this needs to be on your list… Great job VR and most importantly, THANK-YOU Volunteers… you were awesome.

The course is hilly and difficult, but not too difficult if you train for hills.
Start line was at Camden Yards and was very nice. I wish they would have a wave start, because the start was a bit congested. the course was nice with lots of community support. It seemed like every neighborhood we traveled through had crowds cheering us on.
The finish at the harbor was nice but a little crowded. Medal was awesome.
Overall, very nice race…