Kim Allen's Staging Area

This race is always well done with the nicest volunteers. There were some issues with signage and correct distance this year but overall, it is a good, flat, course for the 5k. My only complaint is the food at the end. You basically get either fruit or some cookies, which just isn’t enough for those doing 10k or higher. I would love to see chocolate milk, Gatorade and maybe some bagels added. There was supposed to be a beer tent this year but I didn’t see anything at the end.

This race was definitely a challenge! The run through downtown Savannah and across the bridge is very scenic. The swag/expo is just meh. We got a long sleeved shirt and that was it. You could stand in a very long line to get a free glass of Michelob Ultra, some Brunswick Stew or a bottle of BodyArmour. The nice part is the race happens on the same weekend as other holiday events in downtown.

This race is very well run: good communication, great swag, and terrific course support. Better yet, the funds go to support the domestic violence shelter in town.

This was an awesome race and worth traveling for. The course is beautiful and challenging. So challenging that I had my personal worst time and need to do it again to conquer the course! I definitely didn’t expect the weather to be as hot and humid as it was or that I would have to climb another hill to get to the food after a tough finish.

Packet pickup could use some help – the lines were not clearly marked and I think I stood in a line I didn’t even need to stand in. People coming in after the opening time were not sure where they were supposed to go and ended up cutting into the lines. For as many participants and vendors, packet pickup should really be open all day and not just 4-8.

All that said, the support on the course was phenomenal. The whole town comes out to cheer the runners, provide snacks, and encouragement. On top of that, the folks who put out their sprinklers were a Godsend!

Since this race is in my town and I had heard great things, I thought I would give it a go for my first half marathon. Maybe my disappointment was because I have done Disney races, but I don’t think so.
The Good:
Packet pickup was pretty easy and there were some decent vendors there.
The tribute to the fallen near the last mile was amazing!
Parts of the course were beautiful.
Police presence for blocking roads and cheering on runners. (It was a pick me up to have one officer on his intercom call me “sunshine” as I was thinking about quitting!)
We got bling! Medals are important at the end of a race.

The bad:
There wasn’t a ton of course support. Water and gatorade were great, but that was about it.
There was only one clock and it was at the halfway mark.
The hills were miserable.
There was no medical support on the course.
There was an after party? I wasn’t really sure about that. I got my snacks of Oreo cookies and a water and that was it. Thank goodness my husband brought me a gatorade because there was nothing additional at the end. There were booths but I think you had to pay – I don’t usually carry money during a race!

The ugly:
Most of the course! The beginning of the half goes through the GHETTO! Rundown houses, bars on the windows, burnt out buildings. I was genuinely afraid during parts of the course.
No bathrooms on the course! People were running into the university to use the bathrooms but if you didn’t know they were there, you were out of luck.

Overall, this race was a blast. I’m not sure any amount of training will prepare you for the crowds or the long photo lines. Even though I had been warned, I still wasn’t prepared for the amount of standing around, waiting for the corral to get to the start line. Disney does everything well and their races are no exception. The swag, the expo, the snack box at the end… all first class.