I'm a Northern Arizona native, so being able to return back home and run this beautiful race was such a treat. We came up late the night before the race and stayed the night in town. The next morning, it was really easy to get to packet pick-up thanks to the free shuttle service that stopped right outside our hotel (Sedona Rouge- always a favorite!). We quickly found our bibs and race tees (which were perfect!) and dropped our things at gear check.

We had about an hour to waste before the race so we enjoyed the scenery, checked out the booths, and used the restroom. There were plenty of restrooms on site, which is always great!

The race started on time and although it was a later start time than most races (9:20am), I appreciated that the day was a bit warmer by this point. The majority of the course is hilly and you can't forget the elevation of Sedona, so that was a fun challenge. The race is out and back. I felt like the turnaround was pretty well marked, but a friend of mine did miss the turnaround, so maybe not. The aid stations were adequate with plenty of water, electrolytes, GU, and bananas. One stop even had a dancing gorilla, so that's fun! The finish looks like it's on an uphill, but it's not actually- that was a relief. The finisher medals were really nice and definitely representative of the race.

Overall, a pretty stellar run that I'm really happy to have had the opportunity to race in. I will definitely be returning in future years!