Shannon Kelleher's Staging Area

I participated in the ocean view challenge where I ran the 5k on Saturday and the Half on Sunday. The Expo was nice not too big but with lots of free goodies and lots of people to answer question about the event morning. Additionally, in your swag bag you were provided with a magazine with all the information you could want. There was easy and free shuttling to (and from) the start the morning of the half from multiple location. Every corral had its own gear check so you could keep your coat until it was time to start the race. There were LOTS of port-o-potties so the lines were outrageously long. During the 5K we got reusable water cups that we could use the following day which I thought was great if you weren’t super concerned about taking a bit of extra time to fill it. You got gels twice along the course which was really nice! Great music along the way, including DJs, bag pipes, and drummers etc. The scenery was beautiful and the temp was perfect. The general organization of the race was well thought out. Upon finishing the race you get the killer medal that not actually metal but maybe ceramic and has a handmade vibe to it; it’s really beautiful! You’re ushered along and provide ample post-race snacks in a box so you’re aren’t trying to clumsily carry stuff in your arms. Gear check folks were on point and had my stuff even before I asked. I didn’t spend much time in the finishers area but there was beer and soup. My only complaint is that it was unclear were to go after the race for the shuttle. After you exited there was no clear signage or person directing where to go but we were quickly able to track a volunteer down. This was an amazing race and I will DEFINITELY be making it a tradition!