I had the good fortune to pace this fantastic race. This was their inaugural race, but you would never know that if they didn't announce it! Everything about the experience … MORE
I had the good fortune to pace this fantastic race. This was their inaugural race, but you would never know that if they didn’t announce it! Everything about the experience was well thought out and organized.
Packet Pick Up/Swag:
Packet pick up was a breeze. There was an option to pick up your packet the night before, but since I was coming from out of town, I took advantage of the race day pick up. It was in the parking lot of the finish area/shuttle bus location and could not have been easier. This was the first year this event was held, but they still took the effort to provide a finisher shirt, local coupons and other goodies in the swag bag. The finisher medal was small and cute, and it included the bracelets you needed for the post-run beer and food.
Start Area/Organization/Communication:
Pre-race and race day communication was incredibly clear and organized. There was a lot of information provided to runners including parking logistics, directions, shuttle times and all of the little details you don’t think to ask about: everything was spelled out in emails/on Facebook and there were plenty of knowledgeable volunteers answering questions. This was a point to point race, with parking at the finish area, so participants hopped on a shuttle bus to the start. There were enough porto-potties at the parking area and the start area. Shuttles left in shifts so not one area was super crowded. They had gear check as well.
Course:
Yes, this was a small town race, but don’t let it’s charm fool you into thinking this was a cookie cutter course, LOL! The word of the day was hills. I would say for the first 5 or so miles it was nothing but constant rolling hills. Each individual hill was not terrible but the cumulative effect was enough to make your legs wake up and pay attention. The course flattened out (somewhat but not totally) during the middle sections then ended with the last 2 ish miles of more hills. It was held on open county roads and the scenery was pleasant enough to distract you from the hill work you were performing. Personally, I loved the course: it was challenging enough to keep you engaged but not too tough that it became unpleasant.
Finish:
The finish festival was incredibly thoughtful and fun. The post run snack table had SO many snacks that I think they ended up with extra! After that, runners were invited to the shared parking lot to enjoy a post run beer from a local brewery (there were 4 choices) and a meal. They had a local radio station broadcasting for the event and there were some yard games set up for kids to play. It was the type of post run vibe that I absolutely love: chill and welcoming, allowing the participants to hang out, relax and enjoy their morning.
Overall: From start to finish, this was really a top notch event. I can only assume that the race director and/or plenty of team members are runners themselves because they thought of everything from a runner’s perspective. It was put together and executed better than some veteran races I have been to. Given that this was their first year, I can’t wait to see how they grow. I would highly recommend putting this race on your radar!
Please login to reply to this review.
Thoughtful & fun small town race
I had the good fortune to pace this fantastic race. This was their inaugural race, but you would never know that if they didn't announce it! Everything about the experience … MORE
I had the good fortune to pace this fantastic race. This was their inaugural race, but you would never know that if they didn’t announce it! Everything about the experience was well thought out and organized.
Packet Pick Up/Swag:
Packet pick up was a breeze. There was an option to pick up your packet the night before, but since I was coming from out of town, I took advantage of the race day pick up. It was in the parking lot of the finish area/shuttle bus location and could not have been easier. This was the first year this event was held, but they still took the effort to provide a finisher shirt, local coupons and other goodies in the swag bag. The finisher medal was small and cute, and it included the bracelets you needed for the post-run beer and food.
Start Area/Organization/Communication:
Pre-race and race day communication was incredibly clear and organized. There was a lot of information provided to runners including parking logistics, directions, shuttle times and all of the little details you don’t think to ask about: everything was spelled out in emails/on Facebook and there were plenty of knowledgeable volunteers answering questions. This was a point to point race, with parking at the finish area, so participants hopped on a shuttle bus to the start. There were enough porto-potties at the parking area and the start area. Shuttles left in shifts so not one area was super crowded. They had gear check as well.
Course:
Yes, this was a small town race, but don’t let it’s charm fool you into thinking this was a cookie cutter course, LOL! The word of the day was hills. I would say for the first 5 or so miles it was nothing but constant rolling hills. Each individual hill was not terrible but the cumulative effect was enough to make your legs wake up and pay attention. The course flattened out (somewhat but not totally) during the middle sections then ended with the last 2 ish miles of more hills. It was held on open county roads and the scenery was pleasant enough to distract you from the hill work you were performing. Personally, I loved the course: it was challenging enough to keep you engaged but not too tough that it became unpleasant.
Finish:
The finish festival was incredibly thoughtful and fun. The post run snack table had SO many snacks that I think they ended up with extra! After that, runners were invited to the shared parking lot to enjoy a post run beer from a local brewery (there were 4 choices) and a meal. They had a local radio station broadcasting for the event and there were some yard games set up for kids to play. It was the type of post run vibe that I absolutely love: chill and welcoming, allowing the participants to hang out, relax and enjoy their morning.
Overall: From start to finish, this was really a top notch event. I can only assume that the race director and/or plenty of team members are runners themselves because they thought of everything from a runner’s perspective. It was put together and executed better than some veteran races I have been to. Given that this was their first year, I can’t wait to see how they grow. I would highly recommend putting this race on your radar!