I ran the Philadelphia Marathon for the first time this year. I had originally signed up to run this event in 2020, but it was canceled because of the pandemic. So I was excited that it was on for 2021! Runners had to be vaccinated, which I supported.

The crowds for this race were amazing, and it's something I have truly missed during the pandemic. Because my name was on my bib, I got a lot of personalized cheers, and there were many fun signs to read.

I've heard this race referred to as "flat," and while it isn't the hilliest race I've done, there were certainly hills. The course had some changes because of construction. Elevation corrections on Strava and Garmin showed 650 feet and 998 feet of gain, respectively, so I'm not sure exactly how many feet I climbed, but it was not as flat as what I am used to at home in Salisbury, Maryland.

Until Mile 8, the course seemed flat. I enjoyed running through the city. There were then a few loops in park areas. The toughest part of the course was an out-and-back from approximately miles 16-25, and then the course continues on the same road to the finish line. There seemed to be a gradual incline going up toward the turnaround, and the scenery didn't change much on the out-and-back until we turned around in Manayunk.

There were so many aid stations, and while I stopped at all of them, I probably would have been OK with not doing so. There were tons of volunteers working these aid stations, and they were enthusiastic and helpful.

The expo did not have a ton of vendors, which doesn't really matter to me, but I really liked that there were some speaker sessions/meet-and-greets, so I gave it a "5" rating. I was able to hear from Meb Keflezighi, Aliphine Tuliamuk and Bart Yasso, and then meet each of them afterward and get photos with each. Meb and Aliphine signed my bib.

The medal is really nice and is gold with a ringing Liberty Bell. The other swag was a long-sleeve tech shirt. It's nice, but nothing out of the ordinary.

I thought this race was managed really well, particularly since it was the first edition since the pandemic began. I felt I had all the info I needed via email, it was super quick to get my bib and shirt, there were security checks, and everything seemed to run smoothly. I did have to wait in line for security before the race began, and there didn't seem to be enough people doing the security checks, but it did not impact how I felt about the race. The race was also interactive on social media and was able to bring in pro runners, as noted above.

I didn't rate Parking/Access because I stayed in an Airbnb that was about a mile away and walked to the start.

Read my full recap here: https://sherunsbytheseashore.com/2021/11/25/the-philadelphia-marathon-was-a-great-return-to-big-city-marathons/

Running across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a fun tradition, and after three years, it returned in 2021 under new management by Corrigan Sports and with a new name. I had a great time and enjoyed returning to run across the bridge.

My friend got the VIP package for us, which was really nice. Most people park in one of a few different parking areas and are shuttled to the start and then shuttled back to the parking area from the finish. We were able to park by the finish and just had to take a shuttle to the start. I didn't rate parking/access since the VIP parking/access is different.

As VIPs, we also had a special waiting area at the start with two porta-potties and a VIP area at the finish with additional food, tables, chairs and porta-potties.

Everything seemed to run very smoothly aside from the expo. The lines were ridiculous (I would guess well over an hour long) and there was not any signage until you got into the expo. We waited in the line for a little bit even though we figured there must be a VIP area. We were able to get our bibs once we confirmed there was a VIP line, but it was unclear what people were standing in line for — whether it was to get their bibs or just enter the expo. Hopefully there will be more volunteers and/or a longer time frame next year. Some people also had their bibs mailed to them for an extra fee.

This is the only reason I took off a star for race management. There was lots of communication and the race ran smoothly, with plenty of police along the way.

I was part of a social team that had 40+ members, so we got a tent at the finish line and were able to save $15 per participant, which was a nice perk.

The race goes up and down over a bridge, so there is an incline for about two miles. I found it difficult, since I live in a very flat area, but rated the elevation difficulty a 2/5 stars because I was still able to run my fastest 10K of the year. After the incline, there is a decline, which is great! Then, there is another hill before the finish.

The bridge is normally closed to pedestrians, so this is the only opportunity to run across the bridge, and there were beautiful sunrise views.

It was a large event, with more than 10,000 finishers, but there were numerous waves, so it didn't feel cramped.

Swag was a tech T-shirt and a medal that starts a five-year puzzle.

Read my full recap here: https://sherunsbytheseashore.com/2021/11/08/oct-31-was-a-beautiful-day-to-run-across-the-bay-bridge/

This was my ninth year running the Mike Sterling 10K. Of course, since I return every year, it's obviously one of my favorite races! The race is held during Labor Day Weekend and the National Hard Crab Derby. Usually, it's very hot, but this year, it was cooler, which allowed me to have a much faster race than last year. Many runners got PRs.

It's extremely flat in Crisfield, and I like the course, which has water views and takes runners through neighborhoods and through the small town.

Swag was a T-shirt with a crab on it — Crisfield is the Crab Capital of the World. It's only $25, so of course, I would not expect a lot of extras and am happy with the T-shirt. There are also cool overall and age group awards (I didn't earn one this year), along with fun door prizes, including crab meat, Smith Island Cake and running shoes (also didn't get one of those this year).

It's also super easy to park for free steps away from the start, and the race is managed well. There were three water stops and volunteers were friendly. Packet pickup was held at a small beach in Crisfield the night before.

I'd definitely recommend this event! Read more here: https://sherunsbytheseashore.com/2021/09/10/on-a-beautiful-day-i-beat-last-years-mike-sterling-10k-time-by-four-minutes/

I love this race! This is the sixth year I've run it. It's held at the Delaware Technical Community College Owens Campus in Georgetown on a Thursday evening in September near 9/11 (this year it was 9/9). The race is just $25 (early rate) and offers so much food at the end — ice cream, chicken, cole slaw, rolls, pizza, cheese curls, bananas and Dogfish Head beer. There was also live music.

Swag is a basic T-shirt, but for $25 and with all the food, that's definitely all I need (honestly, I'd be fine with just the food!). The race also benefits a great cause — scholarships for veterans and first responders at the college.

There are three aid stations for the 5K, which is more than most 5Ks probably have and is helpful. The course is two loops around the campus — nothing too exciting, but it is flat.

I've had to park kind of far away in the past, but this year, with a smaller race field and no election going on like there was in 2019, it was easy to park. Packet pickup was held inside before the event. I also appreciated that covid procedures were practiced, with volunteers serving food and wearing masks.

This is a great event and I'll be back next year!

Read my full recap on my blog: https://sherunsbytheseashore.com/2021/09/26/run-white-and-blue-5k-not-my-fastest-time-but-a-fun-time/

To be fair, I work in marketing for Wicomico County Recreation & Parks, which is one of the organizations that puts on this event (the other is Algonquin Ultras). However, this is a fun and unique event that I'd like to share with the BibRave community.

This is the third year I've participated in the Pemberton 24. At this race, a 5K starts every hour, on the hour, for 24 hours (5Ks start at 7 p.m. Friday through 6 p.m. Saturday). Runners can choose to do as many or as few 5Ks as they want — but they need to start with the group (no early or late starts). Runners get points for each 5K they complete, an extra point for 5Ks between midnight and 4 a.m., and additional points for placing. People can participate on teams or as individuals.

It's a cup-less race, and there is an aid station that runners get to at the end of each 5K. There are different food options after each 5K. There is a water cooler that people can use to refill their bottles/hydration packs, and other options included soda, chips, ice pops, chicken, cupcakes, quesadillas and more. There was also a food truck at the event (one on Friday and a different one on Saturday).

The race is run on trails. I love the trails at Pemberton Park, but I did rate "scenery" as a 4/5 because a lot of the race is in the dark, so you can't see much. Headlamps are required for the dark hours. There are also some fun decorations set up along the way. Also, it is the same loop over 24 hours, so the scenery does not change after the first time (aside from how light or dark it is).

Swag includes a T-shirt and a patch. You can "patch out" when you are finished with your run, no matter how far that is. On the T-shirt, you can fill in how many of the 5Ks you did. I completed 12 this year.

Although the trails are technical and there are lots of roots, there is hardly any elevation. There are some hills that those of us who live in the very flat local area notice.

Parking is easy and free, and each runner/team gets a campsite where they can set up a tent, coolers or other items. Since I live close by, this year I opted to drive home, sleep and come back.

I know everyone who manages the race, but I think they do a great job. There's also a really involved Facebook group if you are interested or have any questions.

Read more in my blog post: https://sherunsbytheseashore.com/2021/10/10/i-tried-a-new-strategy-for-this-years-pemberton-24-and-it-worked/