This was my first year running the Mini and with it being such a big, well known event, I had heard my fair share of war stories ranging from best race ever to never again will [they] run the Speedway. Since I had heard such a wide range of stories, I really had no idea what to expect.

Pros:
- It's flat and fast.
- There's plenty of things to see, spectators, and entertainment on the course.
- Great aid stations and course support.
- The expo was fantastic; tons of exhibitors and vendors, plus awesome organizations like Team in Training.
- It's a classic race! Good just to do for the experience to say you ran it.

A pro & a con: the Speedway. As a first timer, I really enjoyed it, and I liked getting to kiss the bricks. On the other hand, it's 2.5 miles of the course and after a while, it gets boring. (And I don't get bored easily!) I've also heard from other runners that the Speedway track causes them more pain, but I personally didn't have that issue.

Cons:
- Coming off the Speedway, there were a few miles that seemed a little sketchy in terms of where we were. Obviously there were aid stations and a crowd, but not the best moment on the course.
- The wave start. Apparently 2014 was the first year for the wave start and while I didn't experience any of the congestion I was warned about likely thanks to the wave start, I could've arrived a solid hour later and been totally fine. That meant I had a lot of time to warm up, cool down, warm up, cool down, which wasn't ideal.

Already signed up for next year, hoping to take a huge group of friends and make even more of an experience out of it!

Here's my full recap: http://www.girlinaredsundress.com/2014/05/the-mini/