Still riding the high of two fantastic races and the PR’s that went with them, I impulsively signed up to run the Divas Half Marathon in North Myrtle Beach, one week after the Derby Festival Mini Marathon and two weeks after Rock-n-Roll Raleigh.  As Justin is still infected with half marathon fever, he briefly considered running (men are allowed) but decided to take the manly way out and support me in my 3 for 3 quest.  Unfortunately, I paid the price for my impulsivity, both monetarily and physically.  Having signed up late, I had to fork over $20 more than the cost of early registration (which actually doesn’t seem that bad.  Heck!  This is an expensive race!)  With spring break for some people ending this week and with the race being in town, hotel rooms were few and far between in North Myrtle Beach, so I paid the price there, as well, and paid it for a hotel located 20 minutes from the starting line… by car.  Anyone running this race has literally hundreds of hotels to choose from in Myrtle Beach, so my recommendation is, if you’re going to run it, sign up early and book your hotel early.  You’ll be glad to have a hotel, its parking spaces, and bathrooms close to the race start.  

The race expo (which the Divas call the Health and Fitness Boutique) was held on both Friday and Saturday.  The J. Bryan Floyd Community Center was packed to the gills with runners and vendors with their merchandise.  Though there was a brief hold-up at the expo entrance as volunteers asked for travel information from runners (length of hotel stay, number in party, etc.) things moved quickly to bib pick-up.  I picked up number 3173 (definitely indicating a late registration!) and was distracted by the many vendors on the way to t-shirt pick-up.  The Divas website indicated that their t-shirts run small, so I was mildly disgruntled when the large I ordered was in fact, large.  The Divas representative told me they “fixed the t-shirt problem a year ago” (Note to Divas: update your website!) and that I could exchange my shirt in one hour, at 5 pm.  (Good thing I got to the expo late.)  Not wanting to hang around for an hour and be tempted to purchase more at the expo, I asked at the solutions booth if t-shirt exchange was available on race morning.  The response was, “No, we don’t have the staff to man a booth in the morning.”  Needless to say, I hung around at the expo for another hour, determined to get a race shirt of the correct size.  At 4:50, an abrupt and mildly disgruntled Divas employee began exchanging shirts, and I got what I should have ordered in the first place: a size medium.  

I spent a restless night at the Horizon on 77th hotel, in spite of our spacious quarters (which was basically a one bedroom apartment with a full kitchen).  When the alarm rang at 5:15 am, I was ready to go simply because I was sick of a restless night of sleep.  Knowing our drive to the race start would take about twenty minutes, Justin and I left the hotel at 6, figuring this would allow us enough time to find parking and allow me to use the port-a-lets before the race.  Parking was easily done, but unfortunately for the 5,000 women running in both the half marathon and the 5K, using the port-a-lets was not.  There were twenty at the start of the race, and the public bathrooms across the street were locked up.  I joined hundreds of other women in line and crossed my fingers that, a.) my bladder wouldn’t explode before the race and, b.) I’d make it to the port-a-let before race start at 7:10.  Luck was with me this time and I managed to arrive at the 8:00-9:01 corral moments before the gun went off.  (I say corral, but the start was really just composed of sections, trusting women to place themselves in the correct area.)  All 2,753 runners began at once, and everyone from 9:00 and faster seemed to place themselves in their correct section (nice work, ladies!)  

The course took us down Ocean Blvd for the first two miles and from there ran us alternately in quiet, shady neighborhoods and sunny, major thoroughfares. While the course was flat, anyone running should know that there are some minor changes in elevation, though nothing that one would need to train for.  Water and Gatorade stops were located approximately every two miles, with cheery, enthusiastic volunteers distributing perfectly filled paper cups.  Cheering spectators could be found in great numbers in the “downtown” areas of the race, while neighborhood residents could be found on occasion on their front lawns, showing their support for the race and the runners.  While the course wasn't the most scenic of all the half marathons Justin and I have run, it gave runners the opportunity to see some of the residential areas of North Myrtle Beach and experience the quiet oases of local neighborhoods nestled amidst the craziness that is Myrtle Beach.

The goal of this particular race series is to treat every runner/woman like the “diva she is,” which I conclude means providing her with pink and/or sparkly things.  Somewhere around mile 12.8, runners had the chance to grab a pink feather boa and tiara before crossing the finish line.  Whether or not I would stop was in question: I am not a pink, sparkly girl, nor do I like to sacrifice half marathon times unnecessarily.  When I realized the station operated just like a water stop, where volunteers held the feather boas and tiaras for runners to grab without breaking stride, I got into the Diva spirit and looped a feather boa backwards around my neck and plodded onward to the finish line.  Tons of fans lined the streets for the remaining .3 miles, so cheering was plentiful.  Volunteers were there immediately with much needed bottles of water (the temperature of this spring race quickly climbed into the seventies, a blistering temperature for 13.1 miles!)  EMS volunteers were on hand, and just beyond them, buff, shirtless men were looping medals around runners’ necks.  Somewhat embarrassed by this gratuitous display of male flesh, I shame-facedly accepted my medal and proceeded to a table where flutes of champagne (or ginger ale, for those who, like me, aren’t champagne fans) and red roses were being distributed.  At the finisher photo area, runners posed in front of the Divas logo and I took the opportunity to ham it up for the camera.  When running twelve half marathons in twelve months, the finisher photos start to look the same, so hopefully the hamming will make for a unique photo. After passing boxes of bagels, fruit, and more cookies than I’ve ever seen in one place, runners exited the finisher corrals and were reunited with friends and family.  

My finish coincided with the awards ceremony for the 5K and half marathon, when the band took a break from entertaining everyone and plaques were awarded to top finishers (both male and female in the 5K, and just females in the half.)  When none of the male award winners took the stage to claim their prizes, some women spontaneously accepted for them and proved there were more people hamming it up at the Divas Half Marathon than just me. 

Side Note: There was a post-race pool party later in the day at one of the local hotels.  Justin and I opted out of going due to the fact that I was exhausted and hurting, and that we were eager to return home.

Final Verdict: With the right kind of planning, this is a great girls’ weekend for a group of running buddies.

Tips for a Successful Divas Half Marathon:
1.       Plan ahead so you can stay close to the finish line.  I can’t stress enough how important it is to be located close to your own bathroom.  You will NOT want to wait in the line of port-a-lets at the race start.
2.       Order your normal size race shirt.  Contrary to what the website says, the shirts do not run small.

For more information visit http://www.runlikeadiva.com/Events/Divas__Half_Marathon___5K_-_North_Myrtle_Beach/Event_Information.htm

The Kentucky Derby Marathon and Mini Marathon are the kick-off events to a week of festivities in Louisville that all lead up to the Kentucky Derby.  Our only regret with running this race was that we couldn’t stay in town longer and participate in more of what the Derby Festival had to offer.

Thanks to a special runner rate, we booked a stay at the Mini Marathon’s host hotel, the Galt House.  Either we arrived for check-in when everyone else did, or Galt House had people checking in constantly, all weekend.  After wandering through the hotel’s maze of a parking garage, we entered the building to find a line snaking around the lobby.  As we had time to observe those around us, we noticed many fit individuals carrying gallon jugs of water.  We began to question whether we had hydrated enough for this race, as neither one of us was carrying around a gallon of water.  Things got even more mysterious when we noticed many of these fit individuals seemed more muscular than your typical marathoners.  Though running half marathons has certainly taught us that runners come in all shapes and sizes, our host hotel had a large proportion of guests with muscularly large proportions.  The mystery was solved when I spotted this sign: "Kentucky Muscle Convention."  The Galt House had athletes from two very different sports staying there for the weekend.  

Panic over the long line and proper hydration abated when the line moved quickly and our check-in was completed fairly quickly.  By lucky request, we were placed in a third floor room, which meant we didn’t have to take an elevator during our entire stay.  The Galt House has escalators on its first two floors.  

We considered our room to be a jackpot, as it was the size of a small apartment.  We placed our race morning milk in the room’s mini-fridge and lined our cereal and snacks up on the wet bar before heading out to packet pick-up.  The Kentucky International Convention Center was located about two blocks from Galt House, making it super-convenient.  An added convenience: Friday’s expo was open till 9 pm, great for anyone working late or arriving in town late that night.  

The race expo began with bib pick-up and t-shirt pick-up.  Justin was able to exchange his generously cut size large for a smaller size medium, while I was satisfied with my women’s M.  From there, the expo corralled us through vendor booths like Fleet Feet, the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon (http://lscmarathon.com/schedule/) and HB Tune hand bands.  We snagged some free tech shirts from previous races (The Great Pumpkin 10K and the Fall Runathon) at one vendor’s booth and other freebies like lip balm and stickers at others.   When we exited the expo we felt satisfied with all we had accomplished while there, and we had plenty of time left for dinner and an evening of entertainment.  

Concerned that tickets to the night’s minor league baseball game would sell out, we walked from the expo to Louisville Slugger Field where we bought general admission tickets to a Bats vs. Indians game.  We considered walking the ¾ mile back to Galt House to dump our goodies, but couldn’t pass up an opportunity to carb load at a restaurant called Bearno’s.  Having seen a line at The Old Spaghetti Factory that looked very similar to the check-in line at Galt House (it snaked outside and around a corner of the building) we seized the opportunity to eat immediately and were not disappointed.  We recommend any runners get their pre-race pasta, here.  Both Justin and I fueled up on the chicken Parmesan for $8.99 each (and the cost of a beverage).  

As the baseball game had already started by the time we finished eating, we walked back to the stadium, feeling reassured that if the temperature dropped, we had plenty of free shirts to layer over what we were already wearing.

Though the Bats lost their game, minor league baseball is always great fun.  We recommend checking them out if they are in town during the race.  In addition to entertainment in the form of minor league baseball, we also got a great view from the stadium of marathon preparations. 

Our night at the Galt House had all of the comforts of home minus the restless animals making every attempt to get our attention at 3 am.  We were mostly ready to go when the alarm rang at 6:15, a later wake-up call than usual.  It was a quick quarter mile walk to the race start, another point in Galt House’s favor.

Justin’s 1:28 projected finish time was fast enough to earn him a spot in corral A, while my 1:50 projected finish put me in corral B.  A lovely version of the “Star Spangled Banner” was sung by a country singer I wish I could name.  Ten minutes later, the starting gun went off, and much to my surprise, that meant everyone started at 7:30! This was no wave start, so corrals A and B were great places to be.  The mostly flat course took us through downtown Louisville where we enjoyed music and water stops every mile or two, as well as tons of crowd support.  Our run down 4th Street would eventually lead us to Churchill Downs, where we ran on a paved path through the racetrack.  I had been waiting for this moment since registering for the race and was not disappointed.  How many people can say they’ve run through Churchill Downs?!  After exiting, we ran back into town, through more cheering spectators, and ended at the finish line by Louisville Slugger Stadium.  I felt like a real champion when a volunteer placed the finisher medal around my neck, especially since I was feeling pretty secure that I had PR’d again.  (The rolling hills of Raleigh the previous weekend made this course seem super-easy.)  

The eagle-eyed Justin found me at the finish after I had downed at least five cups of water (should have been hydrating like the muscle convention-ers!) I learned he had PR’d by over a minute, as well.  Another reason to consider running this race: it is a good place to run a personal best.  

We loaded up on granola bars, chocolate milk, pretzels, Powerade, bagels, and peanut butter crackers at the post-race festival.  Justin used his beer ticket and mine to enjoy two free Michelob Ultras while we listened to a band play snappy versions of hit songs from the last five decades.  As my body temperature dropped, I was extra grateful for the Mylar blanket Justin thought to take at the finish line (I foolishly thought I wouldn’t need one).  Sadly, I hadn’t stuffed my credit card in my SPIBelt, so I couldn’t take advantage of the discounted race merchandise available at the party and buy a $20 long-sleeved Asics tech shirt to keep me warm.  (Note to runners, bring cash or a credit card so you can buy discounted race merchandise!)  With only a thin layer of Mylar to keep me warm, and in spite of sunny skies and near 60 degree temperatures, I shivered through the rest of our time at the festival and our quarter mile walk back to the hotel.  

We were allowed to extend hotel check-out by one hour, giving us enough time to enjoy the post-race festivities and get ourselves cleaned up to go home.  Score another point for Galt House: it had the best water pressure of any hotel I’ve ever stayed in, and it delivered the best (and warmest) post-race shower, ever.  We definitely recommend staying here.

After convincing Justin to return to the post-race party after check-out, I purchased one of those discounted race shirts and we spent some time cheering on some finishing marathoners.  Before heading out of town, Justin enjoyed some beer at the Bluegrass Brewing Company, while I felt refreshed with a cold glass of Mello Yello.  While the food wasn’t memorable, Justin says the beer is worth stopping in for.  

Final Verdict:  Runners will enjoy a mostly flat course and be awed at mile 8 by a short run through the famed Churchill Downs.  The Mini Marathon course was loaded with enthusiastic volunteers, spectators, and fans.  Post-race, runners will be well-fed and well-entertained, not only by race organizers, but by everything Louisville has to offer.  

Tips for a Successful Derby Festival Mini Marathon:
1.  Bring cash for discounted merchandise at the post-race party.
2.  Stay at the host hotel, the Galt House.  It is convenient to many attractions worth seeing and doing in Louisville, and was clean and spacious.
3.  Do your best to stay a day or two after the race is over.  Apparently we missed one of the best fireworks shows in the United States by leaving Saturday afternoon.

For more information on this race visit http://derbyfestivalmarathon.com/

If the decked out statue of Sir Walter Raleigh was any indication of the kind of race Rock-n-Roll Raleigh would be, the next 24 hours were sure to be memorable… and they were.  We were greeted at the race expo on Salisbury Street by Sir Walter, who was outfitted in his usual bronze doublet and breeches, along with an electric guitar strung jauntily over his Elizabethan shoulders. 

All runners were required to attend the race expo at the Raleigh Convention Center in order to pick up their race bibs, t-shirts, and swag bags.  Rock-n-Roll is strict about packet pick-up, which is not available on race day.  Rock-n-Roll runners must also pick up their own packets; no one else may pick up for them. Fortunately, RnR has some of the best expos around, and we were not disappointed at this one.  We were greeted at the expo’s entrance by two charming balloon sculptures, one of a guitar and one of a runner, both in keeping with the Rock-n-Roll marathon theme.  

After snapping some cheesy photos with the balloon runner, we proceeded down an escalator and literally walked the red carpet to our first stop, the race bib pick-up lines, where no waiting was necessary.  We breezed through to t-shirt pick-up, where we each received a short-sleeved black Brooks technical tee with the Rock-n-Roll Raleigh logo on both the front and the back.  While Justin’s unisex shirt ran a little big, my women’s medium ran a little small and looked too much like a crop top on my 5’9” frame.  Exchanges could not be made at the expo, but were available at the information booth the morning of the race.  After picking up a black swag bag, we had about 45 minutes to enjoy the rest of the expo before closing time. 

Brooks’s Run Happy Island, which seems to be appearing at numerous Rock-n-Roll events (http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/events/run-happy-island), was the expo’s most popular attraction.  We took advantage of the gait analysis station, where we both found out we were mostly neutral pronators.  Brooks had emailed us videos of each of our gait analyses and shoe recommendations by the time we returned to our hotel later that evening.  Run Happy Island also included a giant running shoe that functioned much like a mechanical bull in that it spat people out after reaching speeds too high for those that are runners, not rodeo champs.  After scanning our Run Happy Island passports, we found out neither of us had won a free pair of running sneakers, but we were both placated with “winning” our choice of a free t-shirt or beach bag.  

The remainder of the race expo contained typical vendors of running garb and accessories, as well as representatives from races like the Divas Half Marathon series (http://www.runlikeadiva.com/) and the City of Oaks Marathon (http://www.cityofoaksmarathon.com/).  Since we had recently purchased a case of Clif Energy Gel shots in Vanilla from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007GEK8JQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1), the only purchase we needed to make was a pair of Nip Guards for Justin to prevent chafing in events where a shirt is necessary, which, for Justin, pretty much includes all races between December and March. 

In spite of registering for Raleigh on opening day, we (in true Bullard fashion) neglected to book a hotel until one month before race day.  As a result, we couldn’t score a room at the coveted Sheraton Raleigh Convention Center Hotel, which would have allowed us to practically roll out of bed on race morning and right onto the finish line.  The closest we could get to the race start was 3.9 miles away at the Hampton Inn in Garner.  We got lucky with this hotel: it was literally a straight shot from our downtown parking garage to the hotel.  Even better, the hotel staff really catered to runners: they gladly extended checkout by 2 hours, allowing us to enjoy Rock-n-Roll’s post-race party without having to rush back to check out at 11 am.  Additionally, they extended their continental breakfast hours on race morning by opening at 4:30 am.  Justin picked up two of Hampton’s pre-packed to-go lunches made just for runners.  Hampton’s rooms were clean and comfortable, so we slept well on the night before the race, especially after doing some carb-loading at the hotel-recommended restaurant, Ragazzi’s. 

After receiving propaganda in various forms about anticipated race morning traffic, we departed from the Hampton at 5:50 am, enabling us to arrive downtown by the time race organizers recommended: 6 am.  (Rumor has it that runners staying outside the city and off of I-40 fought traffic to arrive on time.)  As we normally like to roll into a race about 10 minutes before a race’s start time, 1 hour gave us plenty of time to line up for a restroom break at one of the many port-a-lets lining downtown Raleigh’s streets.  I was also able to exchange my tiny size medium t-shirt for a women’s large, which fit perfectly (note to possible women registering for a RnR race: order one size up in t-shirts).

If any runner arrives at the start still feeling sleepy, the energy of Rock-n-Roll is sure to wake anyone up.  About 12,500 runners were gathered and ready to run, while running anthems like “Party in the USA” (ha ha) were blasting over the speakers set up all around downtown.  The race’s energetic British announcer gave me pause at around 6:50 when he declared, “The course is a little hilly!” (Translation: The course is a lot hilly!) but I was there and ready to run, and there was no going back.  When the gun went off at 7:10 for the first corral, Justin began his race.  I began about 4 minutes later with corral D, and was treated immediately to a downhill start.  (This also gave me pause as I had recently read in Runner’s World about the challenges of downhill running on one’s quadriceps and lower legs, one of the reasons Boston is such a challenging race: it opens with a 4 mile downhill stretch.)

British announcer was right: the RnR course was one rolling hill after another.  Apparently, even though Justin and I live in one of the flattest places in the country, our one-day-a-week hill training on the Cooper River Bridge is working.  We both ran well enough to enjoy a course that was even more scenic than we expected.  With thousands of runners, it is nearly impossible to make a wrong turn, but regardless, volunteers or police officers were stationed at the numerous intersections throughout downtown.  Aid stations were located approximately every two miles, while a band appeared every one mile.  Dozens of volunteers wearing leis and grass hula skirts were enthusiastically distributing water and Gatorade at mile 6, and for a while I thought that they were also trying to energize runners by blasting “The Final Countdown.”  Based on this race, I can only conclude that not many of the bands in Raleigh contain runners.  (Or those that do were probably running the race!)  While I enjoyed the entertainment every mile, I needed to hear anthems like “Eye of the Tiger” from the Rocky movies and “Danger Zone” from Top Gun to get me over those hills, but the bands continued to play songs of a slower tempo.  Fortunately, I had my iPhone set up with an inspiration playlist, which I later realized was the reason I had been hearing “The Final Countdown” (or maybe hill delirium was beginning to set in).    

While I did not have it in to me kill it on the last mile as I had in my previous two halves, I did have enough energy to sprint the last .1 miles to the finish, which I should probably credit to the massive crowd lining Fayetteville Street.  After crossing the finish line, I paused for a moment to catch my breath and then continued on through RnR’s “secure zone” where a volunteer placed a finisher medal around my neck (as I am pretty sure after swinging through all those hills, my arms were not functioning so well at that point.)  Continuing through the zone I was rewarded with free Power Bars, chocolate milk, bananas, and water, but chose not to partake in the free pizza or chocolate chip cookies near the end.  At the very end of the chute I caught sight of Justin, who had spied me first (again, thanks to the neon orange visor).  I exited the secure zone to reunite with him (runners are not allowed re-entry to the secure zone) to proceed to the post-race party at the Red Hat Amphitheater.  A funky little band from Charlottesville, VA was entertaining runners with rock-sy/folk-sy versions of old 80’s tunes like “Take On Me” and “Crazy Train.”  Just next door to the amphitheater was the Michelob Ultra Beer Tent where Justin partook in the one beer allotted to him via his race entry.  Lucky for him, I am not a beer drinker, so I donated my beer to his cause, and we hung out near Red Hat for a little longer to enjoy the music.  

I took the opportunity to immediately Google “rock n roll Raleigh results” where I was able to instantly view both my and Justin’s finish times, along with our 10 mile, 10K, and 5K splits.  I had my suspicions that another PR was in store for me, and I was right.  Apparently rolling hills agree with me, and I PR’ed by 2 minutes (thus explaining my inability to pick things up for the last mile of the race!)  Sated by a PR and free food and beverages, we meandered back to the car and headed back to the hotel. 

Everywhere we stopped before heading for home, we were congratulated by Raleigh’s very hospitable residents.  Everyone from the wait staff at Tripp’s (where we stopped for lunch) to the hotel staff at the Hampton seemed excited about having the race in town.

Final Verdict: Rock-n-Roll Marathon organizers and the city of Raleigh know how to host a great race.  The event was well-organized and everyone we encountered was friendly and welcoming.  If you want to run a race where a city rolls out the red carpet for you, this is it! 

Tips for a Successful Rock-n-Roll Raleigh:
1.       We advise this based on rumor only: don’t stay at a hotel that requires you to   get on I-40.  Apparently there was traffic and some difficulty getting to the race.  Book the Sheraton Raleigh Convention Center early, if you want to be able to wake up mere minutes before the race.  We enjoyed our stay at the Hampton Inn in Garner, which was an easy drive in, and easy on the wallet!
2.       Don’t plan on staying at the race expo past closing time.  Vendors close up shop immediately! 
3.       If you live in a flat place like Charleston, train for hills.  For most people, this race wouldn't be considered mountainous, but for anyone not used to the slightest hill, be ready for them! 

For more information on this race visit http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/raleigh.

It's not a half marathon, but the Cooper River Bridge Run is well worth blogging about.  A local race for us, CRBR means no frantic searching for a hotel that meets both our penny-pinching travel budget and high standards for cleanliness and amenities.  For CRBR, we stay in the best accommodations around: our own house, which has all the amenities we need, and a few cats to run up and down the stairs the night before the race just to ensure that we don't sleep too well.  

CRBR's race expo was held the Thursday and Friday before the race, all day, both days at the Charleston Area Convention Center in North Charleston.   While I've not found a race expo to top Savannah Rock n' Roll's, the Bridge Run's expo came darn close.  Though I've attended the Bridge Run expo before, this is the first I've attended since Justin began his 12 half marathons in 12 months marathon.  Having been to so many more expos, I was able to attend this one with experienced eyes and appreciate all that it had to offer... and this one had just about everything!  

We arrived at the expo just after 7 pm, a little too late since closing time was at 8 pm and there was so much to see.  Vendors had been at the convention center since 8 am, and they were ready to close up shop right at closing time.  We breezed through the check-in process where there were little to no lines, picked up our bibs and proceeded to the swag bag pick-up.  For myself I picked up what I am pretty sure was the last bib number (44315) which thankfully was not in the last corral (which I am pretty sure was corral K).  For the much speedier Justin, I picked up a seeded bib with number 734.  This year, CRBR provided clear drawstring bags, each with a t-shirt and hand towel emblazoned with the very cool 2014 Cooper River Bridge Run logo.  There were some other goodies like samples of Aleve, coupons, a flash drive, and advertisements for future races.  Runners were encouraged to use the clear bag on the day of the race as this was the first Bridge Run since the Boston bombings in 2013, and security had been heightened.  

We spent the remaining 45 minutes before the expo's closing visiting all the vendor booths, enjoying free samples of items, and making a few purchases: a set of ATHLights (http://athlights.com/) and another pair of Thorlo Experia socks (my favorite post-race socks).  

When the alarm rang at 5:25 on Saturday morning, I was feeling as perky as I normally do at 9 am!  Normally waking up anytime before 6:30 makes me feel vomitously ill, but Bridge Run morning I was ready to go.  This may have been due to the fact that nothing great would be expected of me at the Bridge Run.   With anywhere between 30,000 and 40,000 runners squeezing over the Ravenel Bridge, unless you have a seeded spot like Justin, there will be no PR'ing at the Bridge Run.  It is best to go into this race to enjoy being part of the 9th largest race in the United States.  Enjoy the scenery, enjoy the costumes, and enjoy being part of something big... just don't plan on PR'ing!

Since the bridge closes down at 7 am on race morning, we were out the door by 6:30 and over the bridge well before 7.  (Score one for the Bullards for being on time!)  Heightened security was evident on the bridge, as military personnel were stationed every quarter mile or so along its span.  We breezed into Mt. Pleasant, pulled into a nearly empty business parking lot, and began our walk to the starting line, stopping for a quick Port-o-Potty break at one of the thousands available along the route.  If you are running this race, we recommend parking closer to the bridge and then walking the mile further into Mt. Pleasant to the starting line.  Port-o-Potties have less of a line the further they are from the starting line, and you get a great view of the course you'll be running.  The walk is all part of the experience!

We approached the start as the sun was rising and the incomparable Edwin McCain was belting out his song "Holy City" about our beloved Charleston.  We dropped Justin off first at his corral, which was only one corral back from the Kenyans and Ethiopians who were here to score some prize money.  

From there a friend and I proceeded to corral D, which was many corrals ahead of where I started last year in "H."  

The race's announcer, who was feeling even perkier than I was that morning, got things started with the elites at 8 am.  Corrals were released every three minutes thereafter, so that D began at about 8:20.  

If you aren't used to hills, the Cooper River Bridge Run is a great way to ease into one.  At mile 2, we began our ascent, and with so many people headed in the same direction, it seems exponentially easier running up the bridge with 30,000 people than it does every Tuesday night when my running partner and I run it by ourselves.  

By the time we descended, we reached the second water stop of the race, had passed mile 4, and were cruising through downtown Charleston with thousands of other runners.  My running buddy encouraged me to speed ahead since she wasn't feeling as peppy as normal.  By mile 5 I decided to see how fast I could run my last mile without frustrating myself, mowing anyone down, or collapsing from exhaustion at the finish line.  Starting, from corral D, it appears that the fastest one can go without making herself crazy is 7:49 a mile.  

The race finishes in Marion Square, which was bursting at the seams by the time I got there.  I have to give full credit to my neon orange visor and the eagle eyes of my husband's running buddy, Doug, for spotting me as I entered.  Having finished their races in under 45 minutes, both Justin and Doug had already refueled with some water and watermelon.  Justin and I fought close to frenzied crowds for two bottles of Aquafina, then the three of us wandered off in search of muffins, bagels, and more fruit, all courtesy of race sponsor, Bi-Lo.  Our plan if we had trouble finding anyone in our party was to meet in front of the stage, so we proceeded there to find our two remaining members.  Lucky for me, the great Edwin McCain was playing the post-race concert, so we enjoyed more of his excellent music before the rest of our party arrived.  While the Rock n' Roll marathons boast of music every mile and send emails announcing the headliners of their post-race concerts, I am afraid the Cooper River Bridge Run had them beat on all fronts.  More than 30 bands were located along the 10K course, making for a band every quarter mile.  Edwin and his band wowed everyone in Marion Square, and when they left the stage so the awards ceremony could begin, I am pretty sure the audience deflated a little bit.  

If this is your first Bridge Run, enjoy the post-race experience in Marion Square.  Once you fight off the crowds hungry and thirsty for free food and water, you can actually find some personal space in front of the stage.  I also recommend staying for the awards ceremony where elite runners are recognized, in addition to top local runners, runners with disabilities, and wheelchair division athletes.  

If this is not your first Bridge Run, and you regularly run half marathons or are training for one, I recommend turning around after you get some water in Marion Square and running back over the bridge to your car.  It is very rare that a runner has the chance to run the magnificent Ravenel Bridge with no cars.  This is your chance.  If you can get back over it using the pedestrian lane before 10:30, you will pretty much have the bridge all to yourself, though you will likely get to see the last finisher descending into the streets of Charleston.  Bonus, if you parked your car where I recommended earlier, you'll be home before you know it! 

Medal Count: 0 (c'mon... we were competing against Kenyans!!!)

Final Verdict: Run this race at least once, making sure you stay for a few days to enjoy everything the Charleston area has to offer.

Tips for a great Cooper River Bridge Run experience:
1.  Don't expect to run a PR in this race.  Relax, enjoy yourself, run with some friends, check out the costumes, wear one yourself, enjoy the scenery... but DON'T frustrate yourself by trying to run a blistering time. 
2.  If you have your heart set on running a PR, you'll have to prove to the Bridge Run committee that you've run a 10K in under 45 minutes to be in the 40 to 45 minute corral, or under 40 minutes to be just behind the elites in the under 40 minute corral.  
3.  Give yourself more than one hour to enjoy the expo.  If you are a person that enjoys this sort of thing, there is a lot to see.  

For more information on this race visit http://bridgerun.com