Have you done a Ragnar with the traditional 3 legs and wondered, what if I did them all at once, back to back? Then this is your race, lol! I … MORE
Have you done a Ragnar with the traditional 3 legs and wondered, what if I did them all at once, back to back? Then this is your race, lol! I “only” did the Half and after a few minutes started the 5K for the Skyline Challenge. But, I had the option to do the Half, 10K & 5K. I found it odd that they did not offer race day packet pickup, considering the race was at night. Due to the timing of my flight, I chose to have my packet mailed. My friend arrived earlier in the day and said it wasn’t a race expo, rather packet pickup on a restaurant patio. We were both shocked to see the number of vendors and tents that they had on race day. They could’ve easily had a tent for packet pickup. When it was close to time for the race to start, participants were meandering around looking for the start line. Well, it hadn’t been laid down yet. Traffic was still flowing past the start area up to 10 minutes before the start time. This pushed the race back 15 minutes. Once the race started, it was pretty fascinating to run on the Margaret Hill Bridge and I took a few pictures. Then there were portions of the race that had a smidge of a dirt trail portion, about 3 hills, and lots of night lights to see. Once I finished, I felt good, so I started on the 5K course, which was the last 3 miles of the half course. After the race, there were lots of vendors to visit at the tent, but just one food truck, Cousin’s Lobster. Plenty of Sam Adams and Truly though. The race location was right next to a thriving entertainment district, which is where I walked over to keep warm as I waited for my friend to finish. As a 50-State Hopeful, I’d recommend this race.
Please login to reply to this review.
3 Hour Ragnar-Type Race
Have you done a Ragnar with the traditional 3 legs and wondered, what if I did them all at once, back to back? Then this is your race, lol! I … MORE
Have you done a Ragnar with the traditional 3 legs and wondered, what if I did them all at once, back to back? Then this is your race, lol! I “only” did the Half and after a few minutes started the 5K for the Skyline Challenge. But, I had the option to do the Half, 10K & 5K. I found it odd that they did not offer race day packet pickup, considering the race was at night. Due to the timing of my flight, I chose to have my packet mailed. My friend arrived earlier in the day and said it wasn’t a race expo, rather packet pickup on a restaurant patio. We were both shocked to see the number of vendors and tents that they had on race day. They could’ve easily had a tent for packet pickup. When it was close to time for the race to start, participants were meandering around looking for the start line. Well, it hadn’t been laid down yet. Traffic was still flowing past the start area up to 10 minutes before the start time. This pushed the race back 15 minutes. Once the race started, it was pretty fascinating to run on the Margaret Hill Bridge and I took a few pictures. Then there were portions of the race that had a smidge of a dirt trail portion, about 3 hills, and lots of night lights to see. Once I finished, I felt good, so I started on the 5K course, which was the last 3 miles of the half course. After the race, there were lots of vendors to visit at the tent, but just one food truck, Cousin’s Lobster. Plenty of Sam Adams and Truly though. The race location was right next to a thriving entertainment district, which is where I walked over to keep warm as I waited for my friend to finish. As a 50-State Hopeful, I’d recommend this race.
GREAT CONCEPT...
The Course is open for 5 HOURS! The insanely long amount of time allows runners to run a variety of distances and speeds at the same time. (3.1, 6.2, 9.3, … MORE
The Course is open for 5 HOURS! The insanely long amount of time allows runners to run a variety of distances and speeds at the same time. (3.1, 6.2, 9.3, 13.1, 16.2, 19.3, 22.4) I chose to do the 19.3 (Half Marathon then a 10k) the half started at 4pm and the race closed at 9pm so if you are a walker wanting to walk a half or if you are training for a marathon like myself you have the ability to have the pottys and water stops. It is a night course so you get to see it but despite the medals having the Dallas skyline you aren’t in downtown.
Great Medal, Great View! (Lame shirt)
OK! I can recommend this run with a few exceptions. The organizers were PRETTY good about responding to messages. I sent a message as soon as they revealed the shirt … MORE
OK! I can recommend this run with a few exceptions. The organizers were PRETTY good about responding to messages. I sent a message as soon as they revealed the shirt for this year and it was LAME. It was almost solid red with a texas state outline on it with the bridge in it. Past years were BRIGHT!! COLORFUL!!! FUN!!! My friend bought a SUPER pretty shirt which was the race shirt from two years ago and people asked ALL NIGHT where she got it! They need to stick to bright colorful designs because with all the neon and lights, this is a BRIGHT COLORFUL RACE!! You start at dusk and there is still light, but by the time you finish it is full dark and all the buildings are lit and it is SOOOO pretty!! Everyone is wearing their flashing lights and glow sticks and it is a fun atmosphere. The free beer after was LAME. We didn’t even take ours. But they had Bai vendors there liberally handing out water and beverages and that was nice. And nuun on the course was different and appreciated. They needed better staffing at the aid stations, but they were nice and did their level best. No gels were passed out, just mini snickers which DEFINITELY are more of a trash issue. The heavier gu packets don’t blow around as much and presumably are easier to clean up after the event. I bet there are STILL snickers wrappers blowing around Dallas. The course had to be rerouted because of some flooding, but it still flowed pretty well, and only one giant puddle we had to navigate around (shoes still got muddy from the wet ground around the puddle).
Pretty Scenery put the rest was ugly.
Honest Race review from the guy who walked the Half in his support boot and was the last male finisher: (Half Fanatic #11634). Pre-Race: Start was beautiful. Weather was great. … MORE
Honest Race review from the guy who walked the Half in his support boot and was the last male finisher: (Half Fanatic #11634).
Pre-Race: Start was beautiful. Weather was great. I had won VIP status so parking was super close and the porta potty trailer was an awesome perk. I had some sparkling water in the VIP tent but no food. There were crackers, cookies, and rice krispy treats available. I know a number of the pacers so I was hanging with them and my wife who came to cheer me on. I hobbled down the levee to the start line in the river bottoms. I fully committed to walking the half in my boot in the time limit of 3 hours 30 minutes. I would normally run/walk and finish in 2 hours 45 minutes without the boot.
Course: The course layout was great. A good sampling of roads, trails, design district and river bottoms. Other than the start, there was very little in the way of gravel roads.
Pacers: Great group of volunteers from the Irving Running Club. I asked a couple why the pace signs were pinned to their clothes and was informed that the race did not provide sticks for the signs. The 1:40 pacer had a stick because he brought his own. A wooden dowel costs quarters at a hobby lobby or home depot. The race should have provided them.
Course Lighting: Knowing that I’d be on the course for the entire time limit, I knew going in I was going to be in the dark at some point. That still did not prepare me for how dark certain areas of the course actually were. Had I not been near another runner who had a head lamp there were parts where I could have easily slipped or gone down and no one would have known it.
Course Medical: Where? The only ambulance or emergency personnel I saw was at the top of the levee at the beginning. There were plenty of police officers along the route at intersections directing traffic, but not one single mule or gator with EMS support anywhere on course. Again, if I had fallen or anyone for that matter, there was no help. We were on our own.
Course Porta-Potties: 1. Just one. In the middle of the road along Riverfront. Mile ~3ish. I’m not even sure it was provided by the race. It was just there, and when I went by it was available so I used it.
Course Support: 5.5+ miles into a half marathon, and I finally see a water stop. Oh wait, they don’t actually have water. But here comes the neighboring convenience store that donated a case of water bottles. Really? For one, the distance is way too far. 3-4 miles between water stops is tops. Figure it out. Then the next unofficial water stop was the awesome volunteers who stopped at Fuel City along Riverfront to bring water across the road to runners. Still no Powerade (which was advertised). Finally a water stop once the half merged with the 10K. I’m lucky that I carry water bottles with me. 3 stops total, not a single one had cups by the time I made it through.
Course Markings: The little signs were difficult to see. Especially in the dark. The loop near the end that went around the lake was skipped by lots of people. If there was a volunteer standing there directing people, that would have been better. With mile markers, some miles were long, while others were short. That’s how it goes. I suggest little clip on LED lights to each one.
Finish line: I finished at 3:34:22. Almost at my goal to walk it all in a boot. The finish line was all lit up with LED’s under the Continental Street bridge. There was no announcer, and just one spectator waiting on friend to finish. The spectator informed us to keep going. There was a volunteer or race person or maybe a timing mat person sitting with a clip board, but she was busy doing whatever it was she was doing to look up.
Post Race: I was confused because I’m very used to finishing a race and having a volunteer or someone hand me a medal, grab a banana, some water, and away I go. Not this time. I finished, then have to walk roughly another 1/4 mile under the Continental bridge, through the original start line setup, then up the steep ramp of the levee, to find tables setup with remains of gallon water jugs. No volunteers in sight. Very little water left. Again no powerade, or bananas, or anything really. Still no medal. I asked another runner where he got his medal. He pointed to the Trinity River tent. I walk over and grabbed my medal (still wrapped in plastic) out of a plastic bin, unroll it, remove the plastic, and put in on my neck. No volunteer or anyone checking. I could have walked away with whatever I wanted. I checked the VIP tent. Nothing left in there. No post race snacks. No volunteers.
During the Race: The Start/Finish area at the top of the levee was where my wife hung out, waiting on me to finish. About 2 hours after I started, and roughly 15 minutes after the 10K and 5K started she went to use the porta potties. No toilet paper. Anywhere. She checked every potty. Luckily we keep a roll in our car.
Volunteers: When I saw volunteers, they were awesome. They went above and beyond and did everything they could to make a bad situation better as best they could. I wish there were more volunteers like them.
Overall: I put this race in the bottom 3 of all time. Out of 40+ races lifetime, that’s pretty bad. The other 2 worst of all time are Mellew Productions Races, so that’s the company this race falls with. This race might have improved from last year, but it still has a long way to go. I categorize this race as a one and done. There is nothing I saw that would compel me to do it again. I hope it improves, but after not improving that much from last year, I doubt it.