The DAV 5K is a national race series presented by DAV (Disabled American Veterans). These races are held to raise money and awareness of the issues that ill and injured veterans race every day. New this year, in order to give back more support to the programs & services that DAV offers, the DAV 5K no longer offered official timing and Veteran Branch of Service T-Shirts. If running a timed/certified course is a must for you then this race won't check those boxes, however it's a great way honor those who served while getting some fitness in. I'd rather see more services offered to our veterans so I think this is a great use of resources on the part of DAV. I also appreciated the transparency.

Pre-race info: This is where race management lost a star. I did not receive a single email from DAV5K after registering for the race. You have to get all the race and packet pickup information from the website/google search. I'm not sure if this was also a cost-saving measure but it made planning for the race a bit annoying, i.e. I only found out there was packet pickup on Friday on that same day. The information on the website was good though.

Race morning - you can park in the paid Piedmont park lot or find street parking. I opted for the paid lot to save time and it was easy ($6). Leaving the parking deck/park area in general was difficult since there are many walkers in the race and the roads were still partially closed when I left.The start area is a 5-10 walk/jog from the parking deck and included free Chik-Fil-A biscuits, coffee, hot chocolate, etc. It was freezing so hot chocolate was amazing. The race ceremonies include a presentation of the colors, pledge of allegiance (that was a first for me at a race), and the national anthem. The motorcycle honor ride starts first, followed by runners (who they tell to start in the front), and then walkers. Everything went off right on time, which was much appreciated on a cold morning.

The race - the course is the 5k loop around Piedmont park which I've run many times. The course would be more fun/pretty if they used the roads/paths inside the park rather than running on the road around the park but it does make for really easy course markings since it's just right turns around the park. There was one water stop and they were handing out whole bottles of water, which is honestly a bit useless if you're running but probably not necessary if you're running a 5k in cold weather anyway. Just something weird imo which loses a star for aid stations.

Overall, I thought the race was well-managed and made for a great recovery 5k for me after several weeks of hard races. It was certainly a great way to celebrate Veterans Day.

The Atlanta 10 Miler has become one of those yearly traditions for many Atlanta-area runners, much like Publix, Peachtree, and the Atlanta Half. It's well timed in the fall for typically good weather, and fall marathon/half marathon training runs. In fact, the Atlanta Half Marathon training program uses it as a 10 mile training run for their participants. For me, it was my last Saturday run before Marine Corps so the timing was perfect. The course is very hilly, even by Atlanta standards, but it makes for a good challenge to improve my time each year. Hills or not, everyone always seems to enjoy the race and the excellent course support and race management make it easy to see why.
Pre race:
- Packet pickup Friday and Saturday before the race. This year it was in a pop up shop at Atlantic Station near the start area. The pickup/shop was extremely well stocked with gear, ATC swag, and a Mizuno shoe trying station. The pickup process was very quick and well organized. Overall, it was like a mini-version of marathon major expo. Extremely well executed.
- Race morning: Atlantic station has plenty of parking in their giant underground parking deck, and the parking is free for the whole morning. I always get there early because I volunteer before the race so I never have trouble parking. However, it's highly recommended to get to Atlantic Station by 6 am since the roads into the parking deck and off the highway get backed up. Since parking is so close to the start area, you can just stay warm in your car until closer to race time.
-The course: hilly for sure so be prepared. However, there's some really fun elements. First, there's the race within a race called "Cardiac Hill Challenge" and it's a DOWNHILL 1 mile segment. The top 50 men and top 50 women down this segment get a really cool mug. What I noticed the most on this section were the awesome/hilarious signs of encouragement Atlanta Track Club had lining hill. I'm not sure if the signs were there in the past but they were awesome and very on point. In addition, Atlanta Track Club recruits local schools and organizations to man cheer stations along the course. The cheer stations plus the awesome volunteers at the water stops made for great course support. This race has the best course support, besides Peachtree Road Race. Water stops were approximately every 1.5 miles so I ran without my own water for once and it worked out well. Each stop was well organized with water first and powerade second. There was also a Cliff gel stop between miles 5 and 6.
- The finish: there was a downhill finish line this year, which was very much appreciated. The finish area had a ton of snacks including: water, powerade, bananas, cliff bars, cheezits, etc. There were also volunteers walking around the finish area handing out goodies such as massage balls and blinkies.

When I first registered for Marine Corps it was simply because 1) I wasn't running NYC and 2) I wanted a fall marathon. The timing was right and I knew people loved the race but felt pretty neutral about the whole thing honestly, probably because I've been to DC and it's not my favorite place. Anyway, as the race approached I realized I was getting more and more excited, especially because I finally started having good training runs and I was doing the race with cool people. I went to the race prepared to run a 4:30 marathon but due to some stomach issues and my friend (first time marathoner) having MAJOR stomach issues, this never panned out. However, I LOVED the race as a whole. I'm glad my attitude about the whole thing came around eventually because it was a really fun race and I HIGHLY recommend it. Let's get to some details:
Expo: The expo was great IMO. There are free shuttles from two major metro stops to the convention center so, while no direct metro access, it was still easy to get there. Bib pickup was very easy and organized. The one disappointing this I experienced at first was a surprisingly slow assigned expected finish time which put me in a different corral than my friends. This was the first year they assigned corrals and I guess I didn't put the appropriate finish time when I registered. They flat out refused to change it. I decided to worry about it at the start and hopefully "sneak" into my friend's corral, although I had doubts whether they would be enforcing it anyway. The expo itself was really well organized and had good flow with wide aisles so, unlike other large expos (CHICAGO!) it wasn't nearly as claustrophobic. The key apparel sponsor is Brooks and they have a large store with plenty of extra swag you can buy. I ended up with the jacket and an awesome pair of gloves. There was a ton of nice stuff. Expect to spend $$$.
Swag: the big talk this year was about the AWFUL race shirt. The shirt is always a mock turtleneck (I think it's a marine thing) which is already pretty awful but I expected that. This year however, the shirt design just really sealed the deal of awfulness. Honestly, I don't want a picture of strangers across my chest. I actually used the shirt as my throwaway at the start to keep warm (it is quite cozy in all fairness) but I really wasn't expecting to keep the shirt anyway since I don't keep many race shirts. #SorryNotSorry
I expect there was so many complaints that this won't happen again. The medal, however, is badass and included this year a compartment with a challenge coin. Very cool.

Race morning: The race starts at 7:55 but the metro only opens as early as 6, probably later depending on which stop you use. Honestly, this is pretty sucky on the part of the metro but not much the race can do about it I guess. DC metro is pretty awful/confusing on a good day. We stayed in Alexandria, a few miles from the start, which made for an easy uber ride. We wanted to get there early so we go in an uber by 5:45 and were at the start by 6. We had no issues at this time. We just told the uber to get as close to Pentagon as possible and it worked fine, although you do have to walk probably .5 mile at least to the start area (not too surprising for a large city race though). I suggest planning to get there early and staying in Arlington/Crystal City/Alexandria is probably easier/more direct than staying in DC proper. It sounds like many people who waited for the metro were much more rushed and some people ended up starting after all the corrals had started. Don't do that. Get there early and it won't be an issue.

The start: There are UPS trucks for bag drop, tents to hang out in (including a non-denominational religious service), and tons of potties. However, if the lines at the potties are long in the waiting area, just head up to the start line corrals on the bridge/highway; there's even more potties lining the highway with no waits. As I said before, I was worried about starting with my friends. However, it ended up not being an issue because there was absolutely no enforcement of the corrals when we actually got to the start line so I still started where I wanted. I've been told the corrals were added to stem the fact that people suck at self-seeding. Even with the "corrals" this year, people were still pretty awful at self-seeding and the start is crowded as expected. It's a large race (~30,000 runners) so just expect crowds, especially at the start. The pre-race ceremonies include a skydiving team flying in with an American flag while someone sings the National Anthem. Very cool. One thing I really loved about the start was the line of soldiers in the first mile carrying all the flags of nations represented among participants at the race; 65 countries were represented this year which is something awesome to see at a very American race in the Capitol.

The course: the first 3 miles are net uphill and definitely make for a good warmup. After that I would characterize the course and rolling flats; very manageable. The course itself is beautiful, imo, heading into several awesome neighborhoods including Georgetown, Roslyn, central DC and the mall area, etc. You run by many monuments, Smithsonian museums, the Capitol, etc. It was pretty spectacular. At mile 12 you run the Blue Mile which honors fallen soldier. Several of their photos are accompanied by their family members. There TONS of American flags and it's a pretty emotional/motivating experience, more than I expected.

Support: first off, MARINES! Everywhere. I'd say maybe 75% of volunteers were uniformed Marines with local organizations, boy scout troops, etc, making up the rest. You can't go wrong when everywhere you look is Marines. They make great cheerleaders and aid station volunteers. It's incredibly motivating. I heard later that maybe some of them are actually marched from Quantico the night before for the race but I'm not sure if that's true. Of course, the highlight at the end is receiving the medal from a Marine. I messed up big time though by forgetting to get myself or my friend selfies with "our" medal Marines. Don't make that mistake; get your selfie! The finish is up one last hill to the Iwo Jima memorial which also makes for a great post-race photo spot. Don't miss it!

I ran this race in 2016, the first year it was offered in Atlanta. While it was a fun race, it needed some major improvements (you can read about that in my previous review from 2016). I didn't run it last year, but this year I actually live down the block from the start/finish at Grant Park so I couldn't pass up the chance to run a half marathon at my front door. I'm happy to report that much of the issues I experienced in the first year seem vastly improved. Even with major construction at the park there was plenty of parking in and around the park. I didn't have to drive, of course, but many friends who ran reported easy race morning parking and access. The race start was pretty low-key, which makes me wonder if the race is much smaller than it was 2 years ago, but this also meant plenty of port-o-johns for everyone and no long bathroom lines. It was a single wave start, but with the seemingly low numbers this was not a problem and it did not feel too crowded on the park paths for the first mile. The course winds through some nice Atlanta neighborhoods including: Grant Park, Inman Park, Little 5 Points, Virginia Highlands, Old 4th Ward, and several miles on the Eastside Beltline. The course is your typical hilly Atlanta course but still manageable. Water stops are every 2 miles and include water and gatorade, and very nice volunteers. Starting around mile 7 the stops also include some pickles, fruit, gels, etc. At the finish you get your medal (a nice one that also acts as a bottle opener of course!) and can use two tickets on your race bib for beer from Monday Night Brewing. Usually at races, the beer selection is limited but I was really surprised they offered a nice range including some sours (my fave!). For once I was able to drink a post-race beer because they had something I liked! The finish/post-race party area included the beer, a great snack table, some local vendor booths, and a fun photo booth. King of Pops also showed up, which made my freaking morning (although it wasn't free). A nice improvement this year from 2016 was that they now check IDs at packet pickup and give you a wristband ahead of time so you don't need to carry ID on race day. Overall it was a solid, albeit very hot and humid, race experience and I very much recommend if you're looking for a small feel race with some nice race perks.
Pros:
- Nice race course
- Consistent water stops with water, gatorade, and fuel (starting mile 7ish)
- Pace teams
- Option for t-shirt of tank top (I've actually been wearing the tank because it's cute - I almost never wear race shirts)
- Cool medal
- Lots of pre-race info/emails/communication
- Easy morning access/parking
- Good beer selection at finish

Cons:
- Packet pickup is still at Road Runner Sports (the sponsor) on Thursday and Friday before the race. Going there during the week is a major traffic nightmare. I really wish they would offer packet pickup at the store the weekend before the race since it would be so much more accessible

Straight to the point: this is one of my favorite road marathons yet! Whether this is your first or 50th marathon, Vermont City Marathon is a race not to be missed. From the pre-race info, to the race management, and the fantastic neighborhood support, make Vermont City your next destination race for sure. I found myself surrounding by pure happiness and excitement all weekend and couldn't wipe the smile off my face for the entire 26.2 miles. That should be enough info for you to make VCM your next race experience but if you want more details, read on.

Race options: full marathon, half and half relay (2 people who each run half marathon distance), 3-5 person relay

Pre-race: Registration opens on October 1 and starts around $110 for the marathon. Relay options open around December 28 and start at $175 total for the half and half, and $250 total for the 3-5 person relay. Race management makes great use of social medial with many Thursday afternoon Facebook live sessions highlighting different aspects of the course, on-course nutrition, training, and race weekend events. There's also a virtual training add on with Coach Sam Davis that provides a great training plan and awesome motivating email updates.

Travel: There's plenty of great housing options in Burlington including chain hotels, BnBs, AirBnBs, and really affordable dorm room options at the local colleges. Race management does a great job making the race as accessible as possible to many different price points. If you can swing the extra cost, I highly recommend flying into Burlington airport. The race expo, downtown, and race start/finish are all within 10 minutes of the airport so you can manage without a rental car this way.

Expo: The Doubletree Hotel is the host hotel and expo location. It's 2 miles from the starting line and easily accessible from the airport. For a "small town" race I was really impressed with the expo. There was a nice selection of local running store vendors, local races, several product booths, as well as a large Hoka representation. The expo and packet pickup takes place on Friday and Saturday before the race. Packet pickup is very easy and the volunteer spent a lot of time explaining everything in the packet, race morning procedures, shirt pickup, etc. I should mention here that you should leave extra time everywhere you go during your VCM weekend experience because you'll get in conversations with EVERYONE, they're so friendly. This year Meb Keflezighi was a special guest and ran in the 5 person relay. He attended several meet and greets at the expo and around town during the weekend to take photos and sign autographs. I definitely took advantage of that at the expo. Special guest appearance times are listed in the pre-race info emails and website leading up to the weekend, so pay attention and arrive early to limit wait time.

Race Morning: Start time is 7 am. If you drive to the start, arrive by 6:15 to get parking. There's plenty of street parking (free on Sundays!) and several garages around town, so it's a very accessible course. There's also a bike valet if you choose to ride down. We drove down and snagged a spot within feet of the finish area at 6:15. The start and finish areas are in slightly different locations so there's a bag drop at the start which makes it really easy to have a change of clothes ready at the finish area party. I was really glad to make use of this since I was able to change into dry clothes and enjoy the party, beer, ice cream comfortably. An abundance of port-o-potties and self-seeded corrals make this a very stress-free race start.

The Course: I LOVED this course. I have the course difficulty 2 stars only because fellow BibRave Pros who are used to running in very flat areas felt this course was hilly. In my opinion, the course had amazing rolling hills in the first 15 miles and then all downhill from there. The first 15 miles have several gradual hills with really nice downhills, and the only significant hill on the course is at mile 15 and it is definitely consequential. However, once you crest that hill it's literally downhill and flat for the rest of the race. I fast hiked the hill to save my legs and then cruised for the next 11 miles to a 20 minute PR. The course does have a lot of turns with clovers and out and backs. This is meant to keep the race sequestered in the downtown area and neighborhoods, which makes it a really spectator friendly course. Spectators can stay in downtown and probably see you at least half a dozen times without moving very far. This also means that there's no really lonely sections of the course. Miles 4-8 are on a section of highway called the Beltline. Normally highway sections are much hated by runners but the rolling scenery was a beautiful backdrop and the out-and-back made it really fun to cheer and high five oncoming runners. I even got to high five Meb as he was running back! The course loops through downtown and church street area several times with tons of spectators hanging out at restaurant patios. Super fun. Most of the course runs through neighborhoods. The race itself is so loved by the locals that it seems everyone in town makes a front-lawn party of the event. I especially loved the jello-shots as well as the maple syrup shots. Yes, pure grade A Vermont maple syrup because, of course! The last 4 miles of the course runs on a path along Lake Champlain for flat/downhill finish and beautiful views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Finally, the finish line was packed with people and running through the chute makes you feel like a celebrity. I was smiling ear-to-ear and had so many high fives.

Aid stations: Nearly every mile and included water and Gatorade. You can easily run this course without carrying hydration, but I carried my pack just as backup since it was a bit humid. There was also various nutrition at several intervals including: oranges, bananas, popsicles. Untapped Maple was also on course with maple syrup based gels, drink mix, and waffles. Super yummy and their products only contain 1-3 ingredients each. The aid stations were well-stocked and never appeared to struggle with supply. The volunteers were exceptionally and also provided great excitement and support.

Finish area: at the finish you receive a medal (really nice one), heat sheet, water, bananas and other post-race snacks, pizza, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and chocolate milk, among other goodies. Once you exit the finisher area you can head over to the after party for free craft beef and live music. They have the party area set up right next to the finisher chute so it's really fun to cheer on more runners.

Overall, I think it's pretty clear that I LOVE this race and every person involved in it. I highly recommend making a family and/or group trip. The exceptionally friendly environment and multiple race options make it a great choice for a fantastic weekend adventure.