Rutgers Unite Half Marathon
If a university doesn't currently sponsor a half marathon, it should! The Rutgers Unite Half Marathon was an event particularly meaningful to Rutgers students and alumni, and seeing the streets draped in scarlet was enough to inspire any finisher, regardless of school loyalty.

Expo
The race expo was held from 9 am to 4 pm on the Saturday before the race at the Sonny Werblin Recreation Center on the Rutgers University campus. For an added $18 runners could choose to pick up their race packets on the morning of the half marathon. Since we flew in the morning before the race, we swung by packet pickup on our way back from Newark airport. Of note to future runners of this race, this year's event was held on the same day as Open House for future Rutgers students, and we rolled onto campus as Open House was beginning. As a result, we sat in some traffic. Friends who visited the expo later in the day had no problems entering or exiting the rec center, so we recommend going a little later. With that being said, arriving early ensured that we scored some great deals, got some free stuff, and enjoyed a quick massage without having to wait in line.

Runners who arrived at the expo knowing their bib numbers were sent directly to packet pickup, where the 6,000 bibs were evenly distributed across thirty volunteers.  A clear drawstring backpack was provided to hold our bibs, gender specific technical shirts, and advertisements for local races and event vendors. The shirts for this race may be the best we've ever gotten, particularly the women's shirts. In fact, they're so great, they'll make you wish you were a Rutgers grad or student!

Within seconds we had our race packets and were free to browse the rest of the expo at our leisure. This was not a massive expo by any means, but it felt like the vendors that were there were the ones who really counted. Emergen-C, Nuun, Mama Chia, and Agua Enerviva were all offering free samples to attendees. A local running store was selling discounted running gear, so we snapped up the deal of the day, a pair of Nike Flash tights for 50% off (though two Nuuns for $10 and a free water bottle wasn't bad either). We left the expo already feeling satisfied with our decision to run the Rutgers Unite Half Marathon. 

Accommodations
If you've got friends in the Rutgers University dorms, this is the ideal place to stay the night before the race, as the course winds through the Rutgers University Campus. 

If you're over 21 and don't have any student dorms at which to crash, the closest hotels to the Rutgers campus are the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick and The Helrich Hotel.  Both of these are nearly a 5K from the race start, so you'll still have to do some driving on race morning. 

Places to Eat
If you've never heard of the legendary Grease Trucks, you're not from NJ nor do you watch the Food Network. These food trucks are a favorite eating spot for college kids after a long night out, and are dispersed all across the different Rutgers campuses. A meal from the Grease Trucks is ideal post-run, especially if you're looking to replenish all your burned calories, and then some.

Downtown New Brunswick, home to the RU campus, has an array of dining options. If you are an adventurous eater there plenty of ethnic restaurants to try, ranging from Ethiopian to Indian to Mediterranean.

Course & Fan Support
The course began at the Sonny Werblin Recreation Center (also home to packet pickup). An inflatable Rutgers arch marked the start of the race and gateway to the slightly rolling hills of the Rutgers campus. The course may be familiar to recent Rutgers grads, and alumni may find that it showcases all the new and renovated buildings that didn't exist when they were students. Anyone not affiliated with the school will get a good tour of the campus by foot (which in our opinion is the best way to really see any new place).

Aid stations were located approximately every 2 miles and were well manned with volunteers distributing water and Gatorade. Runners could also grab energy gels around mile 7.  Intersections were also well-manned with volunteers clad in neon green shirts and often waving flags. Getting lost will not be a possible at this event.

The course's on-campus location makes this an easy event for spectators. Fans could be found all over the course, though were stationed most heavily at the start and finish. It is possible for ambitious fans to get to at least four points along the course; one man, his two kids, and their "touch here for power" sign made it happen.

The course ended on College Avenue (making it point-to-point) which was draped in scarlet race banners (in honor of RU's mascot the Scarlet Knight). 

Post-Race Party
After finishing under another inflatable RU arch, runners were presented with their race medals (which are sure to please anyone affiliated with the university), given a bottle of water, and corralled into the finish area where more free goodies were waiting for bibbed participants. Emergen-C was on hand again, this time allowing runners to spin their game show wheel for prizes (the neon orange aviators being my favorite).

A band was entertaining runners lounging lazily in the grass on one of the prettiest parts of campus. Some lounging was well-deserved after this race. We heard a number of runners who, like us, were exhausted by the long, gradual inclines of this course.

While no hot food or beer was served post-race, goodie bags contained yogurt, fruit cups, and cookies. Plenty of options for re-hydrating were available. Sports drinks were the logical choice for most, but it was nice to have the option of drinking a Coke, and that was a choice here.

Shuttles were available to get runners back to the start (as they were pre-race, where runners could be shuttled from their parked cars at the finish to the race start). While we didn't take advantage of either option, we heard no complaints during the race of anyone unable to board. Instead we battled traffic out of New Brunswick, abandoning our original plans to drop friends back off at the start. They graciously volunteered to hike it back to their car so we could race out of the city and catch a flight back home. Based on this experience, we recommend the shuttle over taking two cars and trying to drive back to your original location.

Final Verdict
This race is a must-do for anyone affiliated with the university. We were lucky enough to have friends and family members who were Rutgers alumni and employees, making the race a more meaningful event.

If you live in NJ and are considering a half marathon, this is a great option. The race was flawlessly organized and the course manageable (though not easy!) Both the expo and post-race party were enjoyable, probably due to the manageable size of the event (about 3,000 half marathoners and almost 1,000 8K runners).

Our friends declared we make this event a yearly tradition, and we'll agree...after we do some more hill training.

For more information visit http://www.cgiracing.com/unite/.

Expo
The race expo was held in one of the ballrooms at the Hilton Springfield from 4 pm to 8 pm on the Friday night before the race. Runners first lined up at tables by last name where each of us picked up an envelope containing our race bib and safety pins, and a bag filled with coupons and advertisements for other races. Of greatest value were the free passes to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, which cost us $22 in entry fees the day before the race! From there we were directed to the t-shirt table where runners could pick up their men's or women's size short-sleeve technical shirts. The white shirts featured an old-timey looking map of the race course printed on the front. They fit well enough that they can and will be worn regularly.

We spent the most time at the Springfield Road Runners Club table where shirts from previous year's races were on sale for $2. We were psyched to obtain one from the previous year's 50th anniversary race, whose design was featured in a Runner's World slideshow about awesome race shirts. New shirts were also available for $15.

After looping around the perimeter of the ballroom where booths mostly representing other local races had set up shop, we stopped at the one other vendor to make our best purchase of the week: two Bondi Bands. These keep the ears warm on race day without being so constricting as to leave lines in the forehead.

Any runner that couldn't make it to Friday's packet pickup had the option of visiting the Hilton from 6:30 am to 7:15 am on race morning to do so.

Accommodations
The race's host hotel was the Hilton Springfield, which was convenient for a number of reasons. First, it was the site of packet pickup, so anyone staying at the hotel needn't set foot outside to get from sleeping quarters to their race swag. Second, the hotel was less than two blocks from the race start, so it is possible to roll out of bed moments before the race and still arrive on time. Finally, anyone hanging out in Springfield to do some sight-seeing will find the Hilton is located within walking distance of just about everything there is to see and do: the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, the Old State Capitol, and the Lincoln Home National Historic Site.

The weekend of the Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon also coincided with a major Illinois youth group convention. The Hilton was also host to these individuals, and there were tons of them. If future races coincide with this event, ask for a room closer to the ground floor. At times it was difficult to get onto an elevator, and we were too high up to be able to take the stairs.

Just across the street was a Doubletree Hotel, which would be almost equally as convenient as the Hilton.

Places to Eat
Everyone we talked to in Springfield suggested Saputo's, a local Italian restaurant. We chose it for carb-loading the night before the race. Prices were more reasonable than fine-dining, but more expensive than dinner at the Subway down the street or some of the local pubs. If you are going to eat at Saputo's call ahead for reservations.

We also enjoyed eating at Obed & Isaacs, known for the historic site it occupies and the delicious beers it brews. If you are up for a challenge, try the locally known "horseshoe", an open-faced sandwich topped with choice of meat, cheese sauce, and French fries. (This meal may be best post-race!)

For foodie lovers, consider a stop at Driftwood Cocktail & Eatery where we got a Charleston quality farm-to-table meal. The restaurant serves small plates of super delicious food in a creative way.

Course & Fan Support
We ran this race for the Lincoln penny finisher medal, so were pleasantly surprised to find the course was more scenic than Springfield first led us to believe.

After a moving speech by Abe Lincoln where he quoted Steve Prefontaine (we never in a million years thought we'd hear Abe quote Steve), the race began to musket fire by Civil War reenactors. The first half of the race ran immediately past the only home Abe Lincoln ever owned. From there we spent some time in the Washington Park area which showcased some majestic homes and tree-lined streets. The second half of the race was slightly more challenging, though not unreasonable. We kept hearing about some "monster hills" that had us quivering in our running shoes, however this was just the talk of Midwesterners who may, like us, be unused to hills. Anyone who has properly trained for the race will conquer the hills with a little extra effort, and be rewarded at one of them with a view of Lincoln's final resting place at Oak Ridge Cemetery. We loved that one of the hills was littered with signs encouraging runners to keep going, recognizing the challenge that those of us who live in The Land of No Hills may face.

Also rewarding were the number of fans out to support runners on a chilly April morning. It had been a while since we'd seen so many spectators at a race, especially ones holding signs like "Go random stranger!" and "Touch here for power." Intersections were well manned with volunteers. Aid stations, also manned with many generous volunteers were located approximately every two miles. Each aid station was stocked with water and Gatorade, with the one at mile 7 also providing energy gels to fuel runners through the last half of the race. Police officers were directing traffic throughout the course, ensuring all runners had a clear path to their destination, the finish line.

The course finished a block away from the race start just in front of the Old State Capitol where runners were draped with the greatest finisher medal of all time, a giant Lincoln wheat penny.

Post-Race Party
The post-race party was held on the lawn of the Old State Capitol where a lively bluegrass band entertained runners who were eating bagels, drinking chocolate milk, and even enjoying free beer from Rolling Meadows Brewery (who were most appropriately serving Abe's Ale and Lincoln's Lager). An awards ceremony was held at 10:30 where top finishers were awarded with framed posters of the same design on our shirts. We immediately regretted not buying one of the posters at the previous day's expo, because matted and framed they'd be a tasteful addition to any home and a brilliant reminder of a great race experience.

Final Verdict
This race is a must-do for every half marathoner, especially those that are Lincoln fans. Abe and Mary Todd impersonators were on hand at both the start and finish of the race and gladly posed for photos with runners (we took advantage of this both pre and post race). In addition to showcasing the most historic parts of Springfield, the course had just enough hills to keep it interesting, without being overly taxing. With about 2,000 runners, the race was neither too crowded nor too lonely. Finally, this race rewards you with a finisher medal that you'll want to prominently display somewhere where you can gaze upon it daily (or hourly if you are a huge Lincoln fan).

Tips for a Successful Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon

1. Do some hill or speed training to challenge yourself. This will ensure that the hills of Springfield feel manageable rather than impossible.
   
2. Take some time to visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, especially since your race registration entitles you to a free ticket. The museum contains some interesting Lincoln artifacts and different perspectives on his life and presidency.
   
3. If you are a Lincoln fan, visit Abe's Old Hat, a store that has unconventional antiques, many Lincoln related. It's like a museum, except you can buy most of the items in the store.
   

Publix Savannah Women's Half Marathon
This race was an opportunity to return to beautiful Savannah, GA, the site of our first half marathon. Since it was a women's race, it was also an opportunity for one of us to attempt to catch up to the other in total number of half marathons run. Since Savannah is only a hop, skip, and a jump from our home base, signing up for this inaugural event was a no-brainer.

Expo
The Fashion and Fitness Expo was held in downtown Savannah in one of the ballrooms at the Hilton Savannah DeSoto Hotel (also the race's host hotel).  The ballroom was a fitting location for a fashion and fitness event, where chandeliers crowned the area selling official race merchandise. Runners were first directed to the bib pick-up line where (as of 8 pm) there was no line in which to wait. From there we were directed to pick up our participant gift (as opposed to the typical race shirt), a New Balance deluxe tote bag. We were then free to browse the rest of the expo. Hopefully this first event was a success, and future expos will host a larger and greater number of vendors. While we were super excited to pick up some freebies from Publix, we didn't buy any of the highly priced New Balance race merchandise and were left with only a few other vendors to visit. Byrd's Cookies and The Salt Table made it worth our while as they were giving out free samples. What we liked most of all was that the expo was open from 10 am to 9 pm, so even after fighting Friday night traffic at home, we still arrived at the expo with time to spare. Anyone unable to make even the 9 pm deadline also had the option of picking up a race packet on the Saturday morning of the race. 

Accommodations
Hotels in downtown Savannah are costly, though for this race the rates weren't as inflated as they are for the Rock-N-Roll half marathon. Runners can stay right across the street from the race start and finish at the luxury hotel, Mansion on Forsyth Park. The race's host hotel was more reasonably priced, as was our stay at the B Historic, which was about half the price of Mansion. Both the Hilton and B Historic were located less than a mile from the start, so they made for a good, walking warm-up before the race.

Places to Eat
If you are anything like us, you will likely eat at whatever establishment is close to your hotel. For those staying at B Historic, try The Distillery. It had a good variety of meal options, there was no wait on the Friday before the race, and it was within walking distance of our hotel.

Anyone interested in a memorable meal has a large variety of options to choose from. While in Savannah, many people make the attempt to eat at Lady & Sons, popular due to the fact that it is a Paula Deen restaurant. You can give it a try, but be prepared for a long wait.  Another memorable option is Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room where patrons eat family style from the constantly changing menu.

For anyone wanting to eat on River Street, which many enjoy experiencing due to the lack of laws prohibiting open containers, a plethora of options exist. The hotel's desk clerk recommended Huey's, but we couldn't wait the 90 minutes for lunch. Instead, we went upstairs to Tubby's Tank House where we thoroughly enjoyed each of our three meals and the fact that there was no wait.

Course & Fan Support
We've said this a lot in the last six months. This was one of the prettiest courses we've ever run, and its beauty was due mostly to the miles of stately homes, magnificent live oak trees, and even the sometimes dilapidated splendor that is Savannah. Though every time we return to Savannah the city seems more and more revitalized, there are still pockets of decaying beauty that are just as awe-inspiring as the manicured lawns of the Historic District. Every mile of the Publix Women's Savannah Half Marathon was beautiful. It's tempting to tell runners to experience this race with a friend, run easy, and enjoy the feast for the eyes that has been set before them. With that being said, the late March race date, manageable race size (2300 runners), and flat course make this event one for a potential PR. 

There was music to entertain runners at a few points along the course.

Aid stations for this event were located every two miles, and if they were stocked with more than water, I didn't grab those cups. (Rumor has it that sports drinks were available.) Anyone running this event should know there is no energy gel located anywhere along the course. Bring your own!

Prior to the race, the port-a-let situation looked manageable, and race organizers appeared to have planned for 2,300 female athletes, pre-race.

A delightful surprise to this event was that it never seemed overly crowded, or even crowded at all. In a way, it feels as if we got some of the benefits of a big race without all the hassle. The start was manageable and, as a 1:50 half marathoner, I started close the front, and didn't have to do any dodging during the race's first half mile. Most participants were running a 2:00 pace or slower, making the race accommodating to just about any runner or walker. Many of the streets were closed, allowing runners free reign of the roads. Police were stationed all over the course, ensuring traffic didn't impede runners' experiences. Additionally, it seemed fairly laid back, with even a bicyclist or two pacing a runner, and a spectator jogging here or there with a family member. Of note, few volunteers were out on the course directing runners.  Be sure to follow the arrows painted on the ground if you're unsure of which turn to take.  

If you run this race for any reason, run it for the course. It was one of the best. Don't miss out on experiencing it.

Post-Race Party
Post-race, runners were draped with tasteful finisher medals, encouraged to snap a photo, and corralled down a chute that offered up all the usual post-race fare: bagels, bananas, muffins, Powerade, etc.

Forsyth Park was set up much like Savannah's famed squares, with the gear check, stage, merchandise vendor, beer tent, and solutions center all surrounding an open space area for runners. We partook in at least four free samples of Natalie's juice, snapped some photos in the lovely park setting, and listened to a fun little band sing some pop songs better than the original singers. After chatting with some personable ladies from Tennessee, we hung out long enough to enjoy the awards ceremony. The top race finishers were awarded with cash and Satchel bracelets. Though men were invited to run this race, only females received awards. It was a little disappointing that though only the female half of the population received awards, age groups were still in 10 year increments rather than five. Needless to say, it was a short awards ceremony. Race organizers, please consider offering awards to age groups in five year increments, allowing you to recognize more runners! 

Final Verdict
I hope this event was enough of a success that its second running takes place next year. After attempting to run a PR, it will be nice to run leisurely through the streets of Savannah with a running buddy, finish the race, and enjoy reclining on the lawn of Forsyth Park before a day of shopping and strolling in downtown Savannah.

Tips for Running a Successful Publix Savannah Women's Half Marathon

1. This is an easy race to run. There is very little a runner can do to mess it up. My only suggestion: bring your own energy gel as none was provided on the course. 
   
2. Don't expect a race t-shirt. This year’s finisher "gift" was an attractive duffle bag I'll be taking to all future races. 
   

For more information visit http://www.savannahwomenshalf.com/.

This wasn’t a half marathon, but we chose to include it here for two reasons.  

1. As a two-person team, our total distance run was close to half marathon distance (15.5 miles for each of us).
   
2. Planning for an event such as this might require some forethought, so hopefully this post will help future runners successfully prepare for a day of running.
   

We signed up for Peyton’s Wild & Wacky 10X5K Ultra for a few different reasons.  First, it allowed us to challenge ourselves as runners in a whole new way.  Second, it involved both a day of running and a day of socializing with other runners.  Most importantly, it allowed us to honor a family and the race’s namesake, Peyton Moore, who encouraged those around him to fall in love with running and physical fitness.  

This event had a number of registration options for runners of all fitness levels.  The race was designed so that participants could run one 5K every hour on the hour from 7 am to 4 pm.  Runners could choose to run one 5K (at 11 am) or participate in the 10X5K ultra as an individual, a two-man team, or a five-man team.

Gasparilla Distance Classic 

After reading about the Gasparilla Distance Classic in a book called The Runner's Bucket List, we knew we had to try the event's Michelob Ultra Challenge. The Challenge would allow us the opportunity to do two things: run farther in one weekend than we ever had before and earn boatloads of swag courtesy of Gasparilla. Participants of the Michelob Ultra Challenge received one shirt for each of the four events they registered for as well as a Michelob Ultra Challenge jacket. They also earned one finisher medal for every event completed and one extra medal for completing the Challenge. Runners had the option of choosing two "lighter" Challenges: the Bud Light Lime Challenge and Michelob Amber challenge, both of which involved less running than the Ultra, but were equally as generous with the swag. 

The Gasparilla Distance Classic does not disappoint. In addition to the aforementioned swag, the post-race festivities literally supply runners with plastic bags so they can stock up on freebies like juices, granola bars, squeezable fruit snacks, and more. In addition, Tampa is a welcome break in February for anyone suffering in the cold weather of other parts of the country. It was 70 degrees by the time the last race finished on Sunday, making the rest of the day a warm treat for anyone grown accustomed to snow and freezing temperatures.

Expo
The event expo was held at the Tampa Bay Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the Friday before the 15K and 5K. Runners partaking in only Sunday's events (the half marathon and 8K) could visit the expo from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. This expo was huge and had just about everything a runner might want, need, or impulsively buy: discount running gear, free samples of frozen Power Ice, energy shots, beet chips, and more.  Florida Blue Cross Blue Shield was snapping free photos for runners in their photo booth, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were testing people's skills in the long jump, vertical jump, and more.  

Beyond the vendors, runners first picked up their race bibs at one of more than a dozen pickup booths. From there participants could proceed to t-shirt pickup which was organized by event: 5K, 8K, 15K, half marathon and (fortunately), Challenges. At the Challenge booth, one volunteer grabbed all four race shirts for us, in addition to the Michelob Ultra Challenge jacket we earned simply by registering for all four events.

Accommodations 
We HIGHLY recommend staying downtown for this event, and suspect that even if we lived in the area we'd still stay downtown, especially if participating in one of the Challenges. To be within easy walking distance of the start and finish lines, stay at the Westin Harbour Island, the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, or Embassy Suites Downtown - Tampa Convention Center. As long as you are keeping at least a nine or ten minute pace per mile in all the events, you can make it back to one of these hotels to drop off your finisher medal, change into dry clothes, and refuel.  Prices weren't awful, but you will pay to stay in a downtown, high-end hotel. We consider ourselves to be thrifty people, but the hotel was worth the investment. 

Places to Eat
The end of Tampa Bay where we stayed mystified us until we departed. For an area with a convention center and some large high-end hotels, dining options were hard to find. Fortunately, a local directed us to Cafe DuFrain, which we would have never found on our own. Unfortunately we did not listen and ate across the street at the Italian restaurant we thought would be better for carb loading. Both restaurants were pricey, and what our Italian restaurant charged us for the quality of food we received was practically robbery. We should have eaten at the eclectic cafe. 

The following night we wandered out to where we could see a cruise ship docked, thinking we would stumble upon a greater variety of reasonably priced establishments to eat dinner. Luckily, Channelside (as the area is called) had a few more options (a few, but not a bunch!) We were super happy with Precinct Pizza and the $8 meatball and chicken parmigiana sandwiches we ordered. For anyone wanting a more traditional type of carb loading, pasta dishes were available here. The Zeppolies we ate for dessert apparently didn't impact our running for the worse the following day as we made it through all 30.4 miles of the Challenge. 

Other options at Channelside included Hooters, Hablo Taco, and more.

Anyone not wanting to wander Tampa in search of food has the option of eating at the pre-race buffet at the Westin on both Friday and Saturday nights. We shied away from it initially because the $26.95 price tag scared us off. However, the pasta buffet would have been cheaper than our Italian restaurant mistake on Friday night. 

Course & Fan Support
All the courses for the Gasparilla Distance Classic took runners along Bayshore Blvd. which boasts of having the longest sidewalk in the world at 4.5 miles. The races are huge, so the roads were closed for us and we didn't spend any time on the aforementioned sidewalk. Bayshore runs right along Tampa Bay, affording runners a view of the water for most of the race. The half marathon was the only one to take runners onto Davis Island, though due to the race's 6 a.m. start and sunrise 45 minutes later, we didn't see much of the island. 

Gatorade and water were available approximately every 1.5 miles. At around mile 9 of the half marathon runners were treated to Gatorade Energy Chews. Most aid stations also had one or two port-a-lets which were constantly in use during the race.

Fan support was at its best near the start and finish where hundreds of spectators were lined up waiting for finishing family members and friends. The most impressive people along the course were the volunteers, who provided the most support to runners throughout the race. Our favorites were the mime near the finish line who was silently cheering runners for hours, and the man at mile nine with the microphone who was equally as enthusiastic a cheerleader during the races the day before. 

The finish area was a giant chute set up to encourage runners to keep moving toward its exit. 100 meters after the finish line, volunteers were passing out bottled water and Mylar blankets, and just after this there was a table stocked with cups of Gatorade. Shortly beyond the refreshment stand more volunteers were draping finisher medals around runners' necks so that they could pose for photos with pirates before exiting the chute. 

Because all the races began and ended near the city's convention center, we assumed the indoor restrooms were available for use pre and post race. Port-a-lets were stationed at random en route to the race start, but there was never a whole herd of them, so the indoor facilities must have been available.

Post-Race Party
The post-race extravaganza began near the convention center where runners, plastic bags in hand, stocked up on freebies courtesy of race sponsor, Publix, and some other vendors. After filling a bag with flavored water, granola bars, squeezable fruit, real fruit, and some coupons, we returned to the Westin to unload before attending the official post-race party. 

The real party was held at Cotanchobe Park which on Saturday seemed like a short walk from the hotel but on Sunday (after 30.4 miles of running) seemed like a longer walk.  Each participant was given one free beer coupon, and it was in this area that runners could redeem it. Live music entertained the crowd in between awards presentations, which also featured random door prizes. Runners, be sure to bring your race bib to the post-race party. Door prizes were awarded to those holding up bibs in response to questions like, "Who came here from a place with snow on the ground?"  We were lucky enough to win a $50 gift card to the Sports Authority after a generic "Hold up your bib for a prize!" 

Also awarded just to those runners in the top 10% of their age groups were special mugs. Anyone who suspected a prize was due lined up at the mug tent where volunteers checked results on iPads. If you made the cut, a mug was yours. 

Food options were limited at the party to purchasing from two food trucks. On Saturday, after two races and 12.4 miles, we were ravenous enough to purchase a breakfast bowl from Wicked Wich for $9.00 and devour it in minutes. 

After enjoying the park's water view, some sunshine, and live music, we hobbled back to the Westin for a much needed nap to prepare us for the next day's 18 miles of running, and the party celebrating that accomplishment. 

Final Verdict 
The Gasparilla Distance Classic is a race for the bucket list. There are many reasons to run any or all of the events during race weekend. Run it for the generous swag and freebies. Run it to be part of something big. Run it for a beautiful view of Tampa Bay. Whatever you do, be sure to take a moment to be awed by the organization that must go into planning an event of this magnitude. 

Tips for a Successful Gasparilla Distance Classic

1. Stay at one of the aforementioned hotels, especially if participating in multiple events. 
2. Be prepared for cool to hot weather. Race start for us on Saturday was 42 degrees, but by Sunday's last race temps had risen to the lower 70's. 
3. You will be fighting crowds at the starting line of all the events. If you want a primo spot, arrive at the start early and stake out your position. 

For more information visit www.tampabayrun.com.

Save the Light Half Marathon
The Morris Island Lighthouse, just off the coast of Folly Beach, SC, may have been lost to the sea years ago were it not for the Save the Light organization.  The half marathon is one of a number of fundraising events for which the proceeds go to further preserve the landmark.  It is for this reason and a few others that the Save the Light Half Marathon is an event worth running.

Packet Pickup
Early packet pickup is held at the Tides Hotel on Folly Beach the Friday before the race.  One small banquet room is reserved for runners to pick up their Save the Light Half Marathon shirts and bibs.  One of the neat things about this race is that each year a poster is included with race registration that features artwork or a photograph related to the lighthouse.  We matted and framed our poster from the 2013 race and it’s been hanging in our house ever since.  

Accommodations
The Tides Hotel is the only major hotel on Folly Beach, a town where people typically stay in vacation rentals.  Runners from out of town (or locals who just wanted to spend a night at the beach) could take advantage of the special race rate of $99 on Friday and/or Saturday night. 

Places to Eat
The Tides also hosts a pasta dinner for runners and their family members on the night before the race.  For $13.95 runners can fuel up on pasta, salad, fruit, and dessert, and do some pre-race socializing.

Folly Beach is also host to a number of bars and restaurants.  If you’re willing to brave Mexican food the night before the race, we recommend giving Taco Boy a try.  Brunch might be the best meal to eat on Folly, so consider dining post-race at either Rita’s or the Lost Dog Café. 

Course and Fan Support
Folly Beach is known for its laid back vibe, and the Save the Light Half Marathon was a Folly Beach kind of event.  A number of people ran the half marathon with their dogs, and there were a number of bicyclists out there following the course with friends or family members.  After running many larger, stricter events, it was great to be part of a race that wasn’t too uptight about things. 

The prettiest part of the course takes runners along the Atlantic Ocean, past “The Washout” (a popular location with local surfers) and as close to the Morris Island Lighthouse as is possible during a running event.  When you literally reach the end of the road, you’ll turn around an orange traffic cone and follow the route on which you came in, and run back along Ashley Avenue. 

This is a small race, so the few spectators along the course are out cheering for someone they know.  With that being said, the finish line was packed with a sizable crowd by the time I arrived, so there was some great crowd support to get runners through that final kick. 

Aid stations with water and Gatorade were located approximately every 2.5 miles along the course. 

Post-Race Party
Save the Light provided runners with all the usual post-race food and drink: bagels, bananas, water, etc.  While there was no true post-race party, the fastest runners of the bunch did convene back inside the Tides two and a half hours after the race start for the awards ceremony.  Age group winners were awarded with mugs featuring the year’s poster art. 

Final Verdict
This race is a bargain.  For $45 runners are given entry to the race, a long sleeve cotton t-shirt, poster, and finisher medal.  It’s rare that an event provide runners with so much for so little.  We recommend running this race for its bargain price, for the great cause it supports, and for its laid-back Folly Beach vibe.  

For more information visit www.savethelight.org.

The Charleston Half Marathon is a local race for us, and the first race one of us repeated.  It was an even more delightful experience the second time around, so if you get the chance to run it twice, we recommend you do it!  In its fifth year, the race is getting better with age and was another event that (aside from one major snafu addressed later in this recap) was  well-organized and a pleasure to be a part of.  

Expo
The race expo was held at Burke High School in downtown Charleston from 11 am to 8 pm on the Friday before the race.  We had to rush through the expo to get to the Charleston Youth Marathon (an event designed to promote health and fitness among local kids) at 3:30, so we missed out on perusing the expo at our leisure.  We do know that our favorite local running store, Fleet Feet Sports of Mt. Pleasant had a booth, along with a dozen or so other vendors. 

Lucky for us, the packet pick-up process was quick and easy.  Race bibs were picked up on one side of the Burke gymnasium and long sleeved technical t-shirts picked up from the other side.  The women’s shirts were rumored to be running very small, but having learned my lesson at the last two half marathons with long sleeved shirts, I gambled on a men’s medium.  While it’s not fitted, the sleeves are long enough for anyone 5’9” and taller, while the women’s sleeves apparently run too short for anyone over 5’5”.  We’ll both get a lot of use out of our new, attractive and lightweight running shirts and be proud to show off their local flair when we travel to other races.

Of note, anyone not registered for the race could do so at the expo.  Also, it was very easy for one of us to transfer from running the full marathon to the half marathon.  It only took about 10 minutes for individuals working at the expo to make this change for us.  

Accommodations
Anyone requiring a hotel room for this race who likes to be within walking distance to the start should stay at the Charleston Marriott at 170 Lockwood Blvd.  While this hotel won’t put you in the middle of the best parts of downtown Charleston, you will be able to roll right out of bed in the morning and walk to the race start.  Anyone who wants to stay in Charleston and experience King and Market Streets (where there’s lots of good shopping and dining) can consider a number of other hotels that partner with the race (along with the Marriott).  All hotels affiliated with the race donate $5 to the Youth Endowment for the Arts, the race’s beneficiary charity.  Visit http://charlestonmarathon.com/participant-info/hotels/ for a list of hotels associated with the race. 

Places to Eat
Charleston is a city for foodies, so if you want to eat good food before or after a race, the Charleston Marathon is one to run.  Downtown is overflowing with options for dining, and it would be nearly impossible to list all of the delicious places to eat in one moderately sized blog post (and Trip Advisor has already done it: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g54171-Charleston_South_Carolina.html).  Our personal favorite place to eat downtown is Hominy Grill, where you can get a great post-race lunch.

If you are staying downtown, you won’t find an Olive Garden or a Carraba’s.  Eat local!

At the race’s finish in Park Circle, North Charleston, runners can eat at a number of restaurants, many of which have outdoor seating with a view of the post-race festivities: Sesame, EVO Pizza, The Barbeque Joint, and more.

Course & Fan Support
This point to point course begins at Burke High School in downtown Charleston, and from there takes runners through some of the prettiest parts of the city.  Runners will get views of the Charleston Harbor as they run along the Battery and race through one of the prettiest places in the world to shop: King Street.  After six miles in downtown Charleston where there is decent crowd support, runners enter “The Neck” area, so known because it connects Charleston to North Charleston.  The Neck is mostly industrial, with a spattering of tattoo parlors and a few other more notorious establishments.  Fan support is more limited here. The race progresses into the old Navy Yard (where episodes of the TV show “Army Wives” were filmed).  Runners will get a view of the Cooper River just before exiting this area for the final 1.5 miles of the race.  The course ends in Park Circle, a revitalized section of North Charleston where there will be hundreds of people cheering on race finishers for the final .2 miles of the race.

Aid stations with water and Gatorade were located approximately every two miles and each contained plenty of volunteers to hand drinks to runners that needed them.  Additionally, local school bands (many of which are benefited by the proceeds of this race) were stationed along the course providing runners with some musical entertainment.  

One huge perk of this race is that it starts at a high school, which is open to provide indoor restrooms (in addition to the port-o-lets) close to the starting line.  This made for minimal lines even 10 minutes before the race start.  The event also ended at a high school, and this one's locker room was open to runners, allowing them the option to shower and use flushing toilets at the finish. 

Of note: it was determined that due to a wrong turn by the lead vehicle, the 2015 Charleston Marathon and Half Marathon courses were .1918 miles too long. To resolve the issue, race organizers adjusted finishers' times so that results now include gun time, chip time, and official time. The official time is each runner's time adjusted to a true 13.1 mile course. For example, Justin's chip time was 1:29:05. His official time was adjusted to 1:27:51. Both of our GPS devices (and our runner's intuition) tell us we were faster than official time indicated, but this was not a big deal for either of us as we were not attempting to PR or qualify for another race. Of greater concern is that Charleston is a Boston qualifying course. Charleston's course length and recent time adjustments may have had a dramatic impact on whether or not runners met their BQ standards.

Post-Race Party
The Charleston Marathon has one of the best post-race parties around in one of the prettiest settings.  Park Circle is the perfect host to weary runners ready for free beer, shrimp & grits, and all the other usual post-race food and drink.  The main street was closed to cars so runners could comfortably hang out in the street and enjoy the many vendors lined up along E. Montague Ave.  A live band was busy entertaining most of the adults while kids were lined up for an American Gladiators style bounce house. 

Final Verdict
If you want a tour of Charleston by foot, this race provides it.  While “The Neck” isn’t the prettiest part of Charleston, it’s part of Charleston, nonetheless, and you will see it in stark contrast to the stately beauty of downtown.  For anyone visiting from colder parts of the world, a weekend in Charleston could be a warm alternative to whatever weather is happening at home.  Runners from Chicago would likely laugh in the face of a chilly South Carolina weekend, but locals know that MLK weekend, the traditional race weekend for this event, is often the coldest of the year. 

Tips for Running a Successful Charleston Half Marathon

1. Be prepared for any kind of weather.  Charleston in January can get as warm as sixty degrees, but a recent cold snap had us at eighteen degrees at race time a mere week before the marathon.  
   
2. Take some time to enjoy the city of Charleston.  In our opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world.  If you don’t believe us, believe Conde Nast travel magazine who ranked Charleston as the number one city in the United States, and second only to Florence, Italy, in the world.  
   

For more information about the Charleston Half Marathon visit 
http://charlestonmarathon.com/. 

Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon
We registered for the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon a mere 48 hours before race day.  In spite of our late entry into the race, we had a great experience and were not impacted by our delayed registration at all, thanks to the great organization on behalf of 1st Place Sports and all involved in this event.  For anyone who is a frequent racer, or a Jacksonville local, we recommend being part of this experience. 

Expo
1st Place Sports offered packet pick-up at various 1st Place Sports locations in the Jacksonville area on the Friday and Saturday before the race.  Being such late registrants, we weren’t allowed to pick up our packets prior to race day, but this didn’t impact us at all as we couldn’t get to Jacksonville until too late on the night before the race.  Instead, we arrived at the Bolles School (the location of the race start and race morning packet pick-up) at approximately 6:30, after a ten minute trek from the car to packet pick-up.  Packets included a Brooks technical t-shirt, some advertisements for local Jacksonville races, and a serving size of lemonade mix.  Female runners be warned: this race has given out Brooks technical shirts for the last two years, and women’s Brooks tech shirts run a size small.  Inquire about the shirts, and if they are Brooks, order up from what you would normally get.  Race organizers were very accommodating and were allowing runners to swap ill-fitting shirts for the correct size.  Since we didn’t know Brooks tech shirts were being offered, I ordered my usual women’s medium.  When it didn’t fit, volunteers took my bib number and told me race organizers would be ordering more larges as that size was all out. 

Also of import to anyone registered for this race: the race website says that parking is limited and runners staying at the host hotel were encouraged to take the free shuttle to the race start.  Having not stayed at the host hotel, this had us a little panicked.  When we arrived at the Bolles School (a little late by most people’s standards), there was plenty of on-street parking a half mile or more from the race start.  As long as you don’t mind walking (or running!), don’t worry about the parking situation.  By 6:25 we were parked, and a brisk warm-up jog had us at packet pick-up inside the gym of the Bolles School less than ten minutes later.  We didn’t have time to make it back to the car, so we took advantage of the bag check and stuffed our clothes inside the provided clear plastic bags, leaving them in the care of race volunteers until we finished running.   Not having to rush back to the car gave us the ten minutes we needed to make a quick restroom stop, where lines moments before the race were short enough to still allow runners to arrive at the start on time.  

Course & Fan Support
The Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon took runners on a scenic tour of one area of suburban Jacksonville, with miles six through eight of the course being the most picturesque.  Runners were treated to some views of the St. Johns River, and Spanish moss draped vistas of the houses along its bank.  Most runners will be delighted by the scenery, even those who live in the Southeast and are accustomed to such scenery.  All runners will likely appreciate the entirely flat course which is advertised as producing some fast times.

Aid stations were located approximately every two miles and offered Gatorade and water.  The course was one of the most clearly marked we have ever run.  Any time there was a turn, a sign with both an arrow and a direction (left, right, or straight) marked the way. 

Fan support along the course was minimal, so anyone running this race will have to be content with the beautiful scenery.  With that being said, the course ended on the track at the Bolles School, where there were plenty of people waiting to cheer on race finishers.  Both our names were announced on the loudspeaker as we rounded the final curve of the track, which made us reminiscent of all those glorious state track meets we ran in high school.  Runners crossed an impressive line which was an actual structure (not just an inflatable arch) topped with black and gold balloons.  Volunteers were on hand passing out finisher medals, and just beyond them was the sustenance provided to runners courtesy of their registration fees. 

Post-Race Party
Post-race, a variety of food and drinks were offered to runners.  Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice was giving out free 8 oz. containers of their various fresh juices.  Kiddie pools filled with ice contained plenty of bottled water for thirsty runners, and for anyone wanting a hot beverage, hot chocolate was also available.  For food, runners could choose from hot lentil soup, the typical bananas and muffins, fruit cups and peanut butter crackers. 

A few vendors also had booths set up on the turf inside the track. Runners had a chance to chat with representatives from Orange Theory Fitness, some local races, and a running club or two.  We checked the official race merchandise booths for race shirts in a women’s large, but it appeared the race was truly out of this size and I would have to wait until the order came in. 

Unable to find any live results posted at the finish line, we hung out for the awards ceremony to see if Justin had won an age group award.  This was a fast field of runners, with an impressive number of men and women finishing under 1:30.  Justin’s 1:26:22 was just enough to eke out a 3rd place finish in his age group, earning him a small plaque and some bragging rights.  

Final Verdict
The Jacksonville Half Marathon is an easy race to run, because of both the flat, scenic course, and the effectiveness with which the race was organized.  Anyone in the area should add this race to their list of “must-runs” and enjoy a chance to burn off some post-holiday calories. 

Tips for Running a Successful Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon

1. Don’t worry about parking, there is plenty to be had on side streets.  
   
2. If you register late, arrive early on race morning to allow yourself time to pick up your packet, use the port-o-lets, drop any items off at your car, and arrive at the race start with plenty of time to get yourself together.  
   
3. Dress accordingly.  Don’t let the late December race date fool you into thinking you need to dress warmly.  It is very likely that shorts and a tank top will be ideal for Florida in the last week of December.  
   

We’re pretty sure that running the Kiawah Island Half Marathon two weeks after running the Space Coast Half Marathon puts us in an elite group of people who have run two of the prettiest races in the Southeast, if not the country, within one month.  We’re almost embarrassed to say that we’ve taken Kiawah for granted, with it being in our own backyard.  Don’t make the same mistake we did.  Run this race, and run it every year if you can.  Kiawah Island is locally know as a resort island that provides vacationers with luxuries like a top notch hotel (The Sanctuary) and some of the finest dining in town.  The island is just as good to its runners, as it provided the aforementioned top-notch course along with a fantastic post-race party, complete with Kiawah catered food, live music, beer, and opportunities for a few fun photo ops. 

Expo
Locals were able to take advantage of the early bird packet pickup held in downtown Charleston on the Saturday one week before the race.  The official Kiawah Island Marathon and Half Marathon expo was held at the East Beach Convention Center on Kiawah Island on Thursday evening and all day on Friday until 8:30 pm.  Anyone unable to attend at these times still had the option of picking up on race morning.  Visitors to the expo were encouraged to bring canned goods to be donated to the Charleston Area Senior Center and/or new or gently used school supplies to be donated to the local Teachers’ Supply Closet.  In an effort to be environmentally friendly, race organizers encouraged runners to bring their own bags to carry their race shirts (which were long sleeve, technical, and gender specific) and bibs, as plastic bags would not be provided.  A t-shirt exchange was available for anyone needing different sizes.  Official merchandise ranging from Christmas ornaments to pajamas to race shirts from year’s past was available for sale in one room of the conference center while plenty of other vendors had booths set up in the center’s halls. 

Of note: Kiawah is very generous to its registrants, who all had the option to defer if necessary to next year’s race.

The East Beach Conference Center also housed the Pre-Race Celebration Buffet.  As Kiawah is more than a 45 minute drive from the rest of Charleston, paying $32.95 for the convenience of eating a meal at the expo was well worth it for many runners, who both enjoyed the food and the entertainment provided. 

Post-Race Party
If we’ve attended a better post-race party than this, the magnificence of Kiawah’s is currently outshining them all.  Justin enjoyed the unlimited beer provided to runners and the fact that he had options from Angry Orchard, Michelob Ultra, Palmetto Brewing Co., and The Traveler Beer Company.  Traveler was giving out fake stick-on mustaches and allowing attendees to entertain themselves on their giant mustache see-saw.

Kiawah’s banquet staff prepared a gourmet quality post-race meal, and runners were able to gorge themselves on a half marathon (or marathon) worth of pasta, tabouli, corn muffins, white bean soup, and brownies.

We made a quick stop at a photo booth were runners could don funny Christmas hats, hold up signs and pose for four photos that were printed right then and there, courtesy of Red Fox Wireless and Pace Magazine.

Because of all the race organizers had to offer, we spent more time than usual at a post-race party.  As a result, we were still there when awards were called for the half-marathon.  Not only were we able to see the beautiful pelican statuettes given to the top finishers, but we were also there when Justin's name was called as the fifth place finisher in his age group.  Some age groups gave out awards for first through third, while others gave out awards all the way through fifth.  We are not sure how this was determined, but it worked out in our favor, so we like it!  

Accommodations
Kiawah is known as a resort island, so while there are options for on-island accommodations, they are costly.  The higher prices are well worth considering as an on-island stay will prevent you from having to take a shuttle to the start on race morning.  For anyone not staying on the island, the nearest budget hotels are located about 45 minutes away in the West Ashley part of Charleston.  For anyone staying at these hotels, be prepared to drive towards Kiawah and fight some traffic.  From there you will park at Freshfields Village and wait in line with other runners for shuttles busing runners onto the island.  Freshfields recently obtained its own hotel, the Andell Inn, and while anyone staying here would avoid driving in traffic, it will still require boarding one of the buses to the race start.  For anyone considering Andell, book early as it is the only hotel near Kiawah.

Places to Eat
For anyone not willing to pay the $32.95 for the pre-race buffet, there are a number of dining options on Kiawah Island, though many of them are equally expensive, if not more so.  The chefs on Kiawah Island cook meals for some of the wealthiest people in the world, including visiting royalty, so eating at a restaurant on the island is sure to guarantee you a memorable meal.  Visit http://www.kiawahresort.com/dining for more information.  Visitors to Charleston should know that it is a town for food lovers.  If you are visiting for more than one day, head downtown and eat at one of the many nationally recognized restaurants for another memorable meal. 

Course & Fan Support
In our opinion, the Lowcountry of South Carolina is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and Kiawah Island has some of its most stunning views.  The 2012 PGA championships were held on Kiawah’s Ocean Course, and the half marathon led runners there.  Much of the race's course is lined with shady live oaks draped with Spanish moss, and runners will be rewarded with frequent views of the marsh and the Kiawah River.  We both forgot to wear our sunglasses for the race, and while it wasn’t a big deal due to the shady nature of the course, there were a few occasions when the course ran directly into the rising sun.  Consider bringing a pair that you don’t mind wearing in the shade and the sun, or that you can carry or wear on top of your head.

We were both surprised and delighted by the number of fans along the course.  As Kiawah is a private island, we didn’t expect to see many people, but it appeared that the friends and family members of many runners were out to cheer runners on.  All the usual marathon and half marathon signs made an appearance, though an enthusiastic carrot and banana took the spectator prize for me due to their ability to seemingly cheer for hours.  I saw them at multiple points along the course and enjoyed the music they blared for the purpose of their own dancing and for the benefit of runners.  A number of bands were present, accompanied by the official race photographers and even more fans.  

Final Verdict 
Kiawah race organizers have the whole race thing down to a science.  Go to enjoy the race, but also to marvel at the seamlessness with which this race is put on.  Enjoy the scenery along the course and consider using the awesome post-race party as a motive for running a PR; it’ll get you there just a little bit sooner.  

Tips for Running a Successful Kiawah Half Marathon

1. If you are taking a shuttle, arrive early.  If we had gotten to the shuttles at 7 am or beyond, we may not have made it the race start on time.  
   
2. Take advantage of the bag check and bring warm, dry clothes to change into after the race.  It is often chilly for the weekend of this race and you don’t want to put a damper on all the fun to be had at the post-race party.
   
3. Bring sunglasses for the occasional parts of the course that put you in front of the rising sun.  
   

For more information visit 
http://www.kiawahresort.com/recreation/featured-events/kiawah-island-marathon.

The Space Coast Half Marathon was a race on our bucket list and it did not disappoint. While we signed up due to the space theme of the race and potential for seeing some hilarious costumes along the route, the route itself was the beautiful surprise of the whole event. 

Expo
The race expo was held at the Radisson Convention Center at Radisson Resort on the Port. The resort was also the race's host hotel and apparently the hotel of choice for those leaving from the nearby cruise terminal. Needless to say, parking was in short supply, but someone had hired parking lot attendants to direct traffic and find parking spaces for people where there were none. We were instructed to double park behind cruisers as they wouldn't be returning to their cars before the expo's conclusion. 

After a short invigorating walk to the convention center from our parking spot, we arrived 90 minutes before the closing of the medium sized race expo. There were no lines to pick up our participant guides and race bibs, and though the line to pick up our long sleeve technical t-shirts was long, it moved quickly. We were disappointed to discover that neither of the shirt sizes we had ordered were available. Note to runners of this race: if you want the correct size shirt, be sure to arrive at the expo early or take advantage of the week-long packet-pickup option at the Running Zone, a local running store. Luck was with us in the end as the men's small fit my long arms perfectly (Note to female runners with long arms, don't order women's sizes. The sleeves are always too short!) and the volunteers found a box of men's larges and yelled for Justin to come back for the correct size. 

We spent about fifteen more minutes browsing the expo, mostly at the one vendor selling GU and official race merchandise. There were some fun photo opportunities at the expo. We recommend donning your space race shirt, posing with the astronaut statue, and snapping some pictures.

Accommodations
We put a small amount of effort in, in attempt to find a hotel within walking distance to the start, but there were none to be had. We opted instead for the race's host hotel, the Radisson, which offered free shuttles to the starting line on race morning. The race also offered shuttles from other area hotels (14 of them, including all the usual hotel suspects like Marriott, Hampton Inn, Best Western, and more). Locals had the option to park at Merritt Square Mall and take a shuttle to the race start. 

Though the Radisson was bursting at the seams with guests, plenty of staff members (garbed in Space Coast Marathon t-shirts) were on hand to accommodate everyone. After a sound five hours of sleep on one of the hotel's Sleep Number beds, we woke up in time to catch the 5 am shuttle to the 6 am start in downtown Cocoa Beach. 

Places to Eat
Mere steps from the Radisson was Kelsey's Restaurant & Pizzeria. We ventured out towards the starting line the night before the race, just to investigate. Along the way we found Merritt Island Square Mall and a bevy of chain restaurants like Olive Garden and Carraba's. If you sit outside at Carraba's you can avoid the long wait required for an indoor seat.

Course & Fan Support
The course began and ended in Riverfront Park, an ideal location for a number of reasons. Sufficient port-a-lets were lined up along one side of the square, far enough away from the action to not be an eyesore, but close enough to the race start to be convenient. The park's restrooms with flushable toilets were also open and available for anyone who wanted to brave the extra long line. Bag check was located in a tent in the middle of the park, manned by volunteers in NASA costumes. This was the first time we took advantage of a bag check and we found it to be super easy. After stuffing a clear drawstring bag with dry clothes, we stuck a sticker with one of our bib numbers on the outside and left it for pickup at the end of the race. 

The park's stage was set up for the awards ceremony later in the day, and circling the stage was paved pavilion whose circumference would later act as the finish of the race. 

The out and back course began a block from the park on Brevard Ave. Because it was still dark at the 6 am start, it was easy to see the giant screen displaying a shuttle liftoff that started the race. After a quick exit from downtown Cocoa Beach, the course took us along Rockledge Drive and the Indian River. All runners were treated to sunrise over the river on the left and some beautiful Cocoa Beach homes on the right, many of which were twinkling with Christmas lights. Aid stations were located about every two miles and were stocked with water and Gatorade, and with GU at mile 8. Many volunteers were dressed for the race's theme, and we were handed waters from astronauts, superheroes, Star Wars characters, and some regular (and generous) earthlings. One private home was throwing a tailgate party, and cooking eggs and bacon and passing both out to runners. Fans could also be found throughout the course, holding signs and cheering runners on. It wasn't a problem for one fan to bike the course and cheer on his people every mile or so. Due to the out and back nature of this course, frontrunners  like Justin got a ton of support from fans and runners alike. He declares this race to have one of  the friendliest running crowds.

Post-Race Party
After turning around at mile 6.5, all half marathoners ran back along the river and into downtown Cocoa Beach. We circled the pavilion and crossed the finish line where the race announcer called out names of finishers. Volunteers handed runners impressively large Challenger finisher medals and we proceeded onward toward water, a photo op, and all the post-race party had to offer. Justin had already taken advantage at the Racejoy tent and learned he had placed first in his age group. As we waited for the 9:30 awards ceremony to begin we snapped photos of ourselves with more astronaut statues, refueled with the pizza, egg, and pancake breakfast, washed down with a Coke for me and a beer or two for Justin. We cheered on the first few marathoners to cross the finish line and from there made our way to the stage. Bart Yasso and former astronaut Mile McCulley presented Justin and the other award winners with framed Challenger photos and water bottles. 

From there we proceeded to the shuttle area where we boarded a bus back to the Radisson. While we did not wait at all for our shuttle, there was apparently a long enough wait earlier that people were complaining about it via Twitter. We recommend leaving the post-race party around ten if you want to avoid any wait time.

Final Verdict
This race is worth traveling to for many reasons. It's a medium sized race with big race perks, like Bart Yasso, all-you-can-eat post race food, costumes, and a fun theme. The course is one of the most beautiful we've run; the 6 am start time probably exists for a number of reasons, but surely one of them is to allow runners to watch the sun rise over the Indian River. 

Tips for a Successful Space Coast Half Marathon

1. Register for this race early; it sells out.
   
2. As a nod to the space theme, consider wearing anything from a NASA t-shirt to alien sunglasses  to a full-on costume. It was lots of fun to see how different people gave their own nod to the Space Coast.
   
3. Be prepared for a very early start. It means you won't need sunglasses for the first two hours of the race, but you will be running in the dark. I was glad to be wearing my Nite Beams visor which lit the path ahead.
4. Don't worry about staying close to the starting line. The shuttles from any of the area hotels will get you to the race just in time.
   

For more information on the Space Coast Half Marathon visit www.spacecoastmarathon.com.