I was so happy to be able to this 5K especially after I was originally going to do the 15K but it was canceled so I had to decide between doing it virtually or still taking a trip 2.5 hours north to Seattle. I'm so glad I chose to still race it in person! The energy of everyone there and being able to run again with other runners was truly amazing! I was so thrilled because I had injured my foot a month prior and could barely get to 3 miles up until the week prior. I also did the race with my husband who was coming back ACL surgery on his right knee. The expo was good, simple not too packed and it was easy to get in and out. My favorite part of the race was the announcer. He had so much energy and was so vibrant he really got the crowd motivated! The course was also generously easier than I expected. No crazy hills which was nice and the weather couldn't have been better. Overall it was such a great time and I made a trip to Seattle at the same time visiting the city. I would definitely recommend it and can't wait to do it again! And did I mention the chocolate at the end!? It never disappoints!!!!

This had been the first time I ran a race longer than 5K. I remember at the time it was actually a 10K, so I guess they have changed the distance since then. The expo was nice and it was very family friendly. I liked that they had a live band as well and lots of various resources for runners from gear to hydration. The course itself wasn't too bad, just a couple hills to be conquered. The bigger thing I remember was the heat! It got really hot early in the day, which I guess isn't too uncommon for high temps in Riverside, CA. Overall it was good, I would do it again if the swag had been a bit more attractive. But it was located next to the Mission Inn and a bunch of restaurants and shops to check out!

Decided to run the America's Turkey Trot again this year, though compared to last year I did the 5K option. I loved that I could sign up for this race totally last minute - literally the night before Thanksgiving! I didn't care that it was virtual, I needed this for myself after suffering a stress fracture in May 2021 and recovering from it slowly over 6 months. I got the swag about 7 days later which included a pretty cool medal and a hoodie. I will mention the hoodie is made of thin cotton and NOT sweatshirt material haha! Overall, I liked doing this race as a "treat" to myself to honor my running journey!

It was so wonderful to run a race in person again! This was the first time I was able to run with others since June 2019. The course was an out and back, with portions on a trail and on a main road. I noticed that the entire course was on a hill, so on the way out it wasn’t too bad, but on the way back it was a bit brutal. Some of the sections were pretty narrow so it felt like we were running on top of each other. It was really fun to see everybody in costumes though, and I was really happy with my time! I did not see any bathrooms nearby, and the parking was very limited. However, I really liked the metal and the race was well organized. I would do it again and recommend it to others in the Greater Portland area

Even though this was a virtual run for me when I ran it last year, I actually really enjoyed it! Thanks to social media I got to connect with so many people that were also running it virtually. We all made it a point to support and encourage each other, which made the race feel less lonely! Haha! The swag was my favorite part of all - the medal is huge and getting a sweater as a souvenir was awesome. I love wearing it because it reminds me of how hard I pushed myself that day, and how I got my fastest 10K PR yet. I would totally do it again, and hopefully "in-person" with others!