So far in 2016 I've A.) Ran in the coldest Miami Half Marathon ever B.) Ran in one of the wettest Broad St. Runs in Philadelphia. But what happened in Cleveland in mid-May was the icing on the cake. I'm sure you have already heard about the weather conditions that day (hail, sleet, cold rain, wind, 40 degree temps, etc). But let's talk about and review the entire race weekend.
The expo, which I went to Friday, is located in the Convention Center downtown. There was an Indians game that night so I was able to pick up my bib/shirt and go to the game all in one shot. Very convienient. But 3 issues at the expo.. 1.) I had to look up my bib number in a book at the expo entrance. They could not e-mail me that info beforehand? 2.) The bib itself. Mine was a generic white one as opposed to the color coded one others got. I get that I signed up later than others but still it looked like they created it the nite before. Very poor. 3.) The gear check bag was very small. Knowing what the weather was going to be I made sure to bring a change of clothes for after the race and it was a challenge fitting everything into the bag! However, I did like the fact that Great Lakes Brewing Company was giving out free beer samples there :).
On raceday, if I am running in a city, I try to use mass transit. In Cleveland there is a train that goes to downtown so that's how I got to the start. We started in front of the Q (home of the Cavaliers, good luck to them in the NBA Finals by the way). The first 3 miles were in the city, flat for the most part except going over the bridge leading out of downtown (I forget the name). Then the course goes through the Tremont neighborhood for a couple of miles. The crowd support is usually the most concentrated in that area. In the middle of the race (miles 6-9) the course went thru an area full of warehouses, and not much else. This stretch the race can do without. Very boring and it did not help that I was caught in a hailstorm at that point (really). The end of the race is on the Shoreway. I was expecting a brutal climb around the last mile but it appeared that we got on it after that climb which was a pleasant suprise. I do not think the marathoners were as lucky. This part, which leads back to downtown for the finish, is another part of the race where it is just you and the other runners, very few spectators. The last mile or 2 of a race should be a stretch where there should be many people cheering you on as you finish. Not the case here.
I really could not enjoy the postrace since the weather was so bad I just wanted to get my small gear check bag and change into warm clothes and get out asap. The conditions were just terrible. I know they had beer and your usual postrace foods. The medal, which includes a spinning guitar, was nice but I do believe they need to change it up a bit. It seems like the same one every year.
It seems like there are more negatives than positives here but I will be back next year for the 40th running. I might even do the full marathon! But while I recommend this race for anyone looking for a mid-May long race, there are some changes that should be made for me to continue doing this race every year.

I wrapped up my 2015 running schedule with the Philadelphia Half Marathon. Lots to talk about so here goes:

Expo- It was held in Center City at the PA Convention Center. I don't believe in paying $$ to park in order to pick up my bib so I took a train into the city from NJ (where I live). Very easy bib/T-Shirt pick up and I was also able to get some supplies for raceday. There was a lot of race related merchandise on sale as well.
Raceday- The race starts at 7am. I'm not a big fan of early race starts as I had to leave my place a little after 4am to catch the train and get to the start. I understand that there were long waits to get thru the security checkpoints but I had no problem with that, especially with what was going on in the world recently. Once you got past the checkpoint, very easy to get to your corral and check you bag. Gear check trucks were organized by runners last name.
The start of the race went along really smooth. I think I started in the sixth corral so there were no issues navigating traffic early on. The first 6 miles you run thru Center City, Olde City, Penns Landing, South Philly. Around mile 5 you run past Independence Hall. The crowds along South St, Front St, and especially Chestnut Street are really good and supportive. The run down Chestnut St, in terms of crowd support, is as good as any race I've been in.
After you cross the Schuylkill River into University City the crowds thin out a bit (although you get the college kids at Drexel U cheering you on) and you start to hit a few hills. There are 2 challenging hills, one on 34th St after mile 7 and one in Fairmount Park around mile 10. Adding to it is the wind in your face. Not fun. There was a nice downhill by the Philly Zoo around mile 8 so knowing that the hill in the park was coming up I pushed myself a little. The last 3 miles, in Fairmount Park, you had the wind at your back so that helped a bit. By the time you get to the Art Museum there is the split for those that are doing the full marathon. You finish the race same place where you start. Hopefully at the finish you get a high five from Mayor Nutter, who is really supportive of the running community in Philly.
Post race- Probably one of the best medals I've received. The medal includes the Liberty Bell that rings. I swear, it sounded like thousands of Salvation Army collectors during Xmas! They offered fruits, chips, water, gatorade, and a Philly staple, pretzels. And this is the only race I've been to where chicken broth is given out.
Result- I ran my fastest half marathon in 3 years. I was actually shocked I put up such a good score. Familarity with the course helped but maybe the fact the pope celebrated mass in September at the same location was a factor. Who knows.
Summary- This is a race that I recommend. I run quite a few races in the Philadelphia area during the year and this is one of my favorites. In a way, it is kinda like a 'final exam' on my running for the year. Is it the best road race in Philadelphia? No, that would be the Broad St 10 Mile Run in May, which is currently by #1 race anywhere on my calendar. But if you're looking to do a half marathon in November, definitely check this one out. It's a good one if you're trying to go after a PR. Maybe I'll see you here in 2016!

For the 3rd time I ran the Trenton Half Marathon on Sat 8 November. It happened to be the 3rd running of the race so I can say I've ran this race every year! Here's the review:

Expo- this is the only race where I can attend the expo during my lunch hour since I work just outside of Trenton. Went to the expo, got my bib, shirt, and couple things within an hour. Very convienient.

Race parking- We were able to use parking lots at some of the government buildings and it was only a short walk to the start (1/2 mile). The start/finish is at Arm & Hammer Park, home of the Trenton Thunder minor league baseball team. By the way, I work for A&H.

Race course- The highlight of the course is that you get to run over the Delaware River into PA around mile 5 and then again over the Delaware back into NJ around mile 7. You are running on steel girders as you are on the bridges. The finish of the race is a run along the outfield and into home plate at A&H Park. Fun finish. Elevation is for the most part flat except for a couple of hills here and there but nothing lung busting. Adequate number of aid stations along the course.

Management- They need to do a better job of starting the race on time. We were scheduled to start at 8AM but there was a delay of almost 20 minutes. To be fair, they do need to clear roads in 2 states but still this needs improvement. Plenty of bathrooms at the start line. Post race they gave out pretzels, water, and cliff bars. They had a finishers festival but I didn't hang around for that. The baggage check area was improved over the last 2 runnings. Much quicker to get my gear afterwards.

The main issue is getting the race to start on time, but other than that this is a good race to try and would recommend this to all.