The expo was very well organized and the volunteers were some of the friendliest I have met. They had several themed stations set up for photo opportunities including a massive pirate ship in the center with real pirates. My Daddy had never been to an expo before and was blown away by the fact that people were selling a pair of socks for 10 dollars. It was quite the experience.

The race itself was fantastic. There were people everywhere and all the fellow runners that I met were super encouraging and nice. With a light rain sinking into our skin, it was hard not to just laugh about it. All of the miles were very clearly marked and you could see them in the distance. My biggest complaint early on in the race was a handcycle that had either stopped for a break or just fell behind. He was screaming at participants to move out of his way and was downright rude. He literally would run straight into the heels of people which had to hurt. Obviously it was harder for him to maneuver the crowds since he wasn’t on his feet but he still did not have to be so hateful.

There was a huge amount of crowd support that really made me take my mind off the distance. This course is by no means flat and the most annoying part of it was that the “hills” were really just inclined but they were soooo long which made it seem like they lasted forever and then the downhill inclines seemed like flatland. We ran past the Governor’s Mansion and he was outside with his wife (and bodyguards) high fiving runners. Several people stopped for photos but I chose not to. My favorite part of the race was the Couch Potato Mile. This portion was a strip of race that had couches lining the streets on both sides. The volunteers were handing out tater tots, french fries, potato chips, donuts, and beer. They even gave us all a sticker that said Couch Potato Mile. I’ve never seen anything like that before and loved the quirkiness that it gave the race.

Around mile 12.5 Maybelline beauty cosmetics had a station set up where you could get beads and lip gloss for your finish line photos. I grabbed some beads to put around my neck and placed the lip gloss in my running pack. That was such a cool touch and another unique thing to this race. Finally I could hear the finish line and had it in sight. There were people everywhere cheering and the announcer was booming calling everyone’s name out.

The post-race chute was incredibly organized. I was able to get my medal, some food, and my space blanket and then make my way to the reunion area. Oh, and the post race food was “snacks” but they were so delicious and perfect for what I was craving. Chocolate milk and goldfish may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it was just what I needed and wanted in that moment. I was able to locate my dad and then we stopped by the merchandise table and picked up a souvenir shirt since they were marked down to five dollars. Since I had a spectator I chose not to check a bag which made me glad because the bag check line was extremely long. Something to think about if you ever do this race.

Side note: due to a port strike on the West Coast, finishers medals were stuck at sea. The race directors contacted everyone several days before the race to let us know the situation and even worked hard to get us some plastic medals so that we would have a tangible medal upon finishing. They are mailing all medals at no cost to us so I’ve been very impressed with their professionalism. Do this race, y’all!