This was the first time that the marathon was held! Marathoners started at 6:30, while the half-marathoners started at 7:30 (plus the shorter distances). This is a very hilly course! … MORE
This was the first time that the marathon was held! Marathoners started at 6:30, while the half-marathoners started at 7:30 (plus the shorter distances). This is a very hilly course!
The biggest compliant I have is that the streets, especially the highway entrances/exits, were not fully blocked off. The police were there for the intersections, but we had to run next to and with traffic, so someone could have gotten hit easily. Most of the route is through the suburbs/side-streets of Jackson, so it was mostly quiet. There are also no timing mats or photographers along the route unfortunately.
The expo was at the fitness center, and they had a lot to offer! They offered wine, beer, and margaritas to us! As for swag, we received a shirt, lotion, sunglasses, and a stress ball (so not much to offer). Additionally, since I traveled from West Virginia, I was somewhat treated as a celebrity! The volunteers were happy that they got someone who was out-of-state to come!
There was free parking at the fairgrounds (like a 2–3-minute walk to the starting line) and there was no gear check. I didn’t need gear check since I parked. There were a few pacers, but the ones I saw ran a 3:30 marathon, 5:00 marathon, and 5:30 marathon.
I wish there were more spectators and crowd support. At least there were tons of volunteers to make the course doable! I do hope to see this marathon grow since it has tons of potential.
The medal is HUGE! It is almost the size of my face!
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Inaugural Marathon, Room for Growth!
This was the first time that the marathon was held! Marathoners started at 6:30, while the half-marathoners started at 7:30 (plus the shorter distances). This is a very hilly course! … MORE
This was the first time that the marathon was held! Marathoners started at 6:30, while the half-marathoners started at 7:30 (plus the shorter distances). This is a very hilly course!
The biggest compliant I have is that the streets, especially the highway entrances/exits, were not fully blocked off. The police were there for the intersections, but we had to run next to and with traffic, so someone could have gotten hit easily. Most of the route is through the suburbs/side-streets of Jackson, so it was mostly quiet. There are also no timing mats or photographers along the route unfortunately.
The expo was at the fitness center, and they had a lot to offer! They offered wine, beer, and margaritas to us! As for swag, we received a shirt, lotion, sunglasses, and a stress ball (so not much to offer). Additionally, since I traveled from West Virginia, I was somewhat treated as a celebrity! The volunteers were happy that they got someone who was out-of-state to come!
There was free parking at the fairgrounds (like a 2–3-minute walk to the starting line) and there was no gear check. I didn’t need gear check since I parked. There were a few pacers, but the ones I saw ran a 3:30 marathon, 5:00 marathon, and 5:30 marathon.
I wish there were more spectators and crowd support. At least there were tons of volunteers to make the course doable! I do hope to see this marathon grow since it has tons of potential.
The medal is HUGE! It is almost the size of my face!
A hilly run for a great cause
I picked this race as it has a great mission helping the Children’s Hospital. Overall, it is the 2nd year of an “up and coming” race with a lot of … MORE
I picked this race as it has a great mission helping the Children’s Hospital. Overall, it is the 2nd year of an “up and coming” race with a lot of potential. The post race party was amazing with a ton of food, drink, and energy. The medal is huge if you are into that.
I flew in at 10 the night before so was unable to attend the expo. I walked from the hotel to the start. There is no gear check, but they were very kind to hold onto my shirt and coat until after the race. The volunteers were wonderful.
The start and end location is very unique and I enjoyed the atmosphere. There were no suggested pace times or corrals at the start so it is a bit chaotic, and easily fixed in the future. The race is hilly, and I appreciated the change from flat races. The aid stations were great and plentiful, with Gatorade and gels. One odd thing that occurred is at one point you cross the exit of a highway, and the cop was stopping runners to let the cars through as they were antsy. The race might have to alter the course for that.
The results are posted immediately, but not age groups. In order to determine how I placed in my age group, I had to go back to the hotel and download the results into a spreadsheet and sort it myself.
I highly recommend visiting the Civil Rights Museum while in town, it was impressive and very nicely done. I’m glad I picked this race for MS!
Great Cause and Great Atmosphere
This was the first Run the Rainbow for Children's of Mississippi race, and I think that the organizers did a fantastic job preparing for the race. The course went through … MORE
This was the first Run the Rainbow for Children’s of Mississippi race, and I think that the organizers did a fantastic job preparing for the race. The course went through a lot of the Belhaven and downtown areas of Jackson as well as the campus of the University of Mississippi Medical Center. For those unfamiliar with the Belhaven area of Jackson, be prepared for hills. Overall, this was a great race, and I look forward to seeing it expand in the coming years with the addition of a marathon as well.