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Latest reviews by Jessica DeForrest
Jessica DeForrest recommends this race
(2019)
"It really is the most beautiful Urban Race in America!"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
Having run the 10 mile distance previously at this race weekend, I was super pumped to make this my first marathon finish.
I went to the expo the day before and it was smooth transitioning from getting my bib, to shopping for marathon gear, to browsing all the booths that the expo had to offer. The layout this year was different than previous years, and it seemed more cramped, putting the packet pick-up on the side, as opposed to the back of the venue in previous years. But, as always, security was quick, people were friendly, and the offerings at the expo booths were great! They even had a spot for children to make signs for their racers!
Sunday morning we parked in St. Paul by Union Depot and took the light rail to Minneapolis. Contrary to others comments that taking the light rail takes "forever", we were able to get to Minneapolis just as fast as when I've taken the light rail for other events. Parking fees were reasonable and the light rail was free with our race bib.
Everything at the race start was well organized. Gear drop was in UPS vehicles, which was well organized by bib # and my truck was close to the church where my fundraising team gathered for pre-race photos. TONS of porta-potties to be had, and even more once the 10 mile runners had taken off to start their race. 15 minutes before race start and I didn't have to wait AT ALL for a porta-potty... definitely a plus!
The course is well staffed, and TONS of spectators lining the entire course. Having your name on your bib is definitely a plus, as it makes it feel like you know everyone along the course, and they totally keep you going when you don't think you can. There are hills on this course, but it isn't nearly as bad as some will make you think. The grade of Summit is so low key, minus a few spots, you don't even notice you're moving uphill, even after 20-ish miles.
The end of the course is the absolute best! Not only is it downhill into the finish, but you get to cross under a giant American flag held up by fire trucks at mile 26, and you see the span of St. Paul as a backdrop to the finish line. The entire course is wide, but the finishing 0.2 is the widest I've ever seen of any race I've done, so even if there are a lot of people around you as you are finishing, there are no worries of running into anyone.
Every runner gets so much at the finish line... a race blanket, water, soup broth, fruit cup, bananas, granola bars, chips, chocolate milk, gatorade... and I could go on. And lest we not forget about the free Summit Beer! I love that they have a family area, organized by last name, for you to meet your loved ones. Let's be real... with how many people are in such a small area, it could be almost impossible to find them without this. But the organization of the finish line village is seemless. You get your medal, all your goodies, and you move right to getting your finisher's shirt, gear from bag drop and right out to meet your family and into the village to get your beer and head back to parking.
Twin Cities in Motion is top notch in organization of races. I will definitely be back!
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Jessica DeForrest recommends this race
(2019)
"Mid -Week Party in the City!"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
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Not having run this race since 2005 (and A LOT has changed about it), I was excited to get back to this race. Other than Ragnar, this is one of the very few evening race opportunities. I had signed up for this race back in April at the Allstate Hot Chocolate 15k Expo, and I had received a "Run with Fire" free coffee mug for signing me up... free swag? Heck yes!
This race does not have an expo, but they did offer packet pick-up at multiple LifeTime Fitness locations throughout the metro, which is definitely the way to go. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to fight rush hour traffic through to the other side of the cities just to spend 5 minutes picking up a packet. This way, I was able to quickly swing by while out running errands and still have time left in my day to get other things done. Swag was about average, minus the fact that both the shirt and the medal were GLOW IN THE DARK, which was pretty sweet (although I don't recommend ever wearing the shirt to bed, as the glow is a bit distracting). I would have much rather preferred a crew neck shirt in the women's size as opposed to a v-neck, but that is a personal preference.
To save time and money on race day, I chose to carpool, and with the free lightrail pass for all Aquatennial attendees (available on the Aquatennial event page), my friends and I were able to park in Saint Paul, close to a lightrail station for free and ride in. From there, it was about a half mile walk to the start, which it was a beautiful night to chat while doing so.
The start line was right by the Convention Center, which is a perfect place to have a start, as you have multiple rooms within the building for on-site packet pickup, options for food/drink, and gathering with groups of friends beforehand. Given that this race had a new course, and a good chunk of the race was on roads I have not run before, I don't have much for comparison, but it was nice running in the opposite direction on the river road than I normally have. Having a bridge right at the end, given the heat of the day, was not the most awesome, but it definitely tested how much you had left in the tank! The course ran through downtown Minneapolis out to the river and then across to Boom Island Park, which then became an ideal location for the post-race party.
Upon crossing the finish line, racers received their medal and a goodie bag with items from some of the race sponsors. It was nice to have the bag, as so many times I feel like I don't have enough hands/arms when I run a race with all the food and items I receive at the finish line. In addition to the usual post-race items (potato chips, bananas, etc.) we also received a pizza from the local Jet's Pizza joint. It really hit the spot, when drinking the post race beer. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't have the Goose Island beer they had advertised, but the beer selection, including a hard seltzer, were delicious to enjoy while listening to the band and hanging with friends.
We decided to stay later at the party, and take the shuttle back to the Convention Center, so there was a bit of confusion as we walked to catch what ended up being the final shuttle. The website stated the last shuttle would leave at 11pm, while the security guards were saying 10pm (it was about 10:15pm). We were worried we wouldn't get a ride back to our vehicle, but fortunately we did.
I also want to give a shoutout to the volunteers working the bag drop. A friend forgot something in her bag she had already turned in. While it wasn't anything critical, the volunteers searched in the truck to find her bag anyway, so she could get her gum out for the race!
This race is always well run, and I will definitely be back!
Jessica DeForrest recommends this race
(2019)
"Hot but fun race!"
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I want to start by saying that, while I had been intending all along to run this race, I didn't sign up until last minute. I am so glad I did.
The packet pick-up was a perfect location, at a brewery! My vote is for all races to have their packet pickups at breweries. I carpooled with a friend (because I knew the parking lot was small), met another friend there and we were able to enjoy a brew before heading back home. Beer at 11am? Don't mind if I do! Although I was not able to get a women's sized shirt in my size due to my late signup, I found the corresponding mens size to actually be a better fit, as the women's size performance shirts tend to be short and wide in the torso.
Race Day: What a way to start a day filled with fun, food, friends and drinking! It was super hot, but fortunately it was overcast with a slight breeze for the majority of the 5k. I was able to set a goal for myself, given that I am marathon training, and achieve my goal. The popsicles and free fresh berry treats at the finish were perfect! I also loved watching the doughnut eating contest... super entertaining! The location for runners to get their hot dog (or veggie dog... way to accommodate almost every one) was a big inconspicuous, as it was right at the end of the finisher's chute and many people missed it. Also, I say this at most every race, it would be nice to have a bag or something to put all the post-race food/goodies (milk, chips, bread, water, gatorade, etc.) as we runners just do not have enough arms for all of it!
Beer Garden: Although it was hot and a VERY early morning run, I always love a good beer after a race. 8am? Don't mind if I do! However, it would be nice if there had been at least a few porta-potties inside the beer garden. I was fortunate to have friends with me to hold my beer while I ran to the restroom, but what if I had come alone?
Overall, this race I give a thumbs up. I will definitely run this race again!
Jessica DeForrest recommends this race
(2019)
"Cold and Hilly, but beautiful run"
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Let me first say how disappointed I was in the expo. Not only was it held right in downtown Minneapolis, which means expensive parking during the work week, but the hours were less than ideal. I appreciated having validated parking, but it was still $7 for me to park for less than an hour. Additionally, for how big this race is, I was very underwhelmed upon walking into the expo. Two of the big sponsors, besides Allstate, are Nuun and Honey Stinger. Being an ambassador for both, I was excited to see how they branded and advertised themselves at the expo. They didn't. I found Honey Stinger to be completely absent from the expo, and the only Nuun was a seven-flavor small spot at the checkout. No table, no opportunity to advertise and spread the word about their new Endurance or Rest lines. It made me very sad, as I would have been more than happy to volunteer at a table for the expo for either company.
Given that the previous weekend provided 60 degree temps and sunshine, I was looking forward to running in a beautifully warm race, given that my last 9 races were cold, cold, cold! And then, like true Minnesota spring weather, we got a snowstorm 3 days before the race. Race morning was barely 30 degrees and windy.
I understand that with this race being in Minneapolis, parking can be a pain, given that you have to park at least a quarter mile away. I would have appreciated the race recommending where to park, rather than just linking the Minneapolis parking website to the race website.
This is a beautiful, but hilly out and back course along the Mississippi. I ran with friends, and we started at a decent pace. I warmed up quickly, but then at the turnaround, we started heading into the wind. This race is deceiving, feeling like you are doing a lot of uphill running on the way out, so you get into a mindset that on the way back will be mostly downhill, but it is (again) a lot of uphill running.
At a few of the water stops, where Nuun was provided, it was clear the volunteers were not trained on how to mix the Nuun, with an improper Nuun to water ratio, making the Nuun overly sweet, which I know turned many could-be Nuun drinkers away.
The finish was well set up and filed runners through to the water/nuun at the end. However, I was unimpressed by the fact I then had to walk almost another quarter mile just to get back to where I checked my gear, given how cold it was. And my fondue chocolate for dipping my amazing post-race goodies (which did include a HS waffle, the only place I saw HS visible throughout) hardened before I could finish it :(
Given how cold it was, I would have appreciated more warming areas than what they had for how many racers that were participating in this race.
Additionally, while this race is always fun to run, I would appreciate it if the race were a bit cheaper.
Jessica DeForrest recommends this race
(2018)
"Scenic and Beautiful Course!"
Overall
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Parking/Access
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While this was the second year of running this race, it was my first time running it having gotten in on the lottery. Last year, I ran this race last minute for an injured friend. As always, this race is so well run for how large it is. The expo had much of what I was looking for, gave me an opportunity to sign up for other races, as well as look at and purchase items I was in "need" of (my husband would say otherwise!).
Race morning, while cold, brought high expectations. I had a goal of finishing sub 1:30 (and PR'ing), and this race did not disappoint. While cold, I love that this race offers the opportunity for you to "throw away" your warm clothes you wear right up until race start, while donating them to local homeless and battered womens' shelters. It made me not feel bad about leaving a beloved sweatshirt by the wayside!
This race has such amazing crowd support, and water stations are well placed. At the end, I love that this race provides everyone with a reflective blanket, hot soup broth (my fave), chocolate milk and other normal post-race essentials. I just wish they gave bags for us to carry it all! I only had one operational hand due to a previous injury, so carrying it all was an issue.
The race village at the finish was set up differently from last year, and it was great, offering the place to get your post-race beverage right on the capitol lawn, making for awesome post-race photo ops!
I love this race so much, I cannot wait to make TCM my first marathon in 2019!