The Swag

The Color Run offers several levels of registration. This is a nice way to do it. If you just want to enjoy the race, they have the Classic Color Runner, which includes your bib, a sweatband, some tattoos, a t-shirt, and your finishers medal. Don't want to bother with race morning pickup? You can select the Classic+, which gets you the Classic Kit delievered right to your door ahead of the race. I did not get this with my registration, but for things I will mention later in the post, would have really appreciated it. The third option is the Deluxe Color Runner Kit, which includes the Classic Kit, the shipping, and some additional swag. In the Deluxe kit, you also receive a hat, a lei, and some TCR sunglasses.

I received a swag pack, the same as the one I gave away, which was also very similar to the Deluxe kit. The swag was all pretty nice. The shirts were very soft and comfy, something I love from a race shirt. The sunglasses were alright, better than your standard cheap type you see in that style, where anyone slaps their logo on. They've held up to my 4 and 2 year olds wanting to wear them, so that says something for them. The finisher's medal is good as well, a nice addition from the last time I ran the Color Run (which had no medal).

I did not have my packet mailed to me, so had to do race day pickup. Pickup was very easy, one set of lines for your bib then onto the next tables for your swag. There was one hiccup. Parking was a little at a premium at the park, so I was parked a little further away. This meant no time to take everything back to my car. The race only allowed for clear bags to be brought into the complex. All communications leading up to the race mentioned that you could buy a clear drawstring bag for a small fee that would go to the children's charity. Unfortunately, there were no bags. They did the best the could by offering simple shopping bags for free to hold your stuff, but it made for a slightly awkward running experience. Had we known, we would have brought our own, however planned to buy one to support the charity. I guess next time, bring one to be prepared.

The Race

The race course wound around the grounds of the Camden Yards Sports Complex. The course looped around Oriole Park at Camden Yards as well as M&T Bank Stadium. The route was all paved parking lots and sidewalks. This made for some hot running. The day would top out at 98 °F with 97% humidity. We had some shade, depending on the side of the stadium we were on, but the heat was rough. We carried water with us, plus there were several water stops on the course. After running the initial bit, we decided to walk the rest and play it safe in the heat. The number of color stops on the course was really great. Each station had a different color, followed by the last having several. The amount of color you'd get in each stop really would depend on the volunteer at that time, though if you didn't get enough for your liking, you could simply ask for a little more (which I did on one occassion. They were good about not being overzealous, for those that may not have wanted to get quite as colorful. Despite the heavy heat, we had a fun time. For a race like this, it is what you make of it. The one improvement I would suggest to the course would be some more music. The start line and finish line had music, which at times you could hear when the course wound close enough. Simply running some speaker lines out to the course and pumping the same music would be enough to keep it fun and lift some spirits, in conditions like these. The "party-like" atmosphere they keep would be a good fit for this as well.

The After Party

While other races have a great pre-race experience in expos, one of the things they do well at the Color Run is the post-race party. They usually team up with some companies, so there are plenty of snacks (like KIND bars) and water. They always have a stage with a DJ set up for a colorful party. They throw out Color Run swag into the crowd as well as color packets. Then they'd build to a countdown to throw the color into the air. It can be a lot of messy fun.

In addition they have photo spots set up where you can get your picture taken with various backdrops and props, themed to the race theme, such as a giant Color Run Pineapple. These were obviously available for before or after, as well as some well received water balloons. If the free snack items weren't enough, there were several food stands available, everything from pulled beef and sausages, to orange aide, lime aide, and the favorite of the day, Hawaiian Shaved Ice.

Race Review (TL;DR)

Easy flat course for a fun 5K. Room for improvement, but a good all around experience.

Race grade: B

The Runner’s World Half Marathon was the final race in the Hat Trick for me. I received entry to the hat trick to review as part of the BibRavePro program. The course was a really fun course traveling throughout Bethlehem. I had taken it easy during the 5K and 10K, saving my energy for the half. No part of the course was that boring. Portions of the course ran through many of the historic areas, including the Historic Moravian settlement, the Historic Hotel Bethlehem, and portions of the original 1741 settlement. The course had some early longer hills, but the back portion was largely downhill overall which made for a great race. Even the residential portions had a lot of spectators cheering you one. One of my favorite was a little old lady, who had one of those walkers with a chair in a large coat ringing a cowbell in 40 degree weather. THAT is some support. The course included plenty of water stops and med tents as well as some on course entertainment, including pep bands, bagpipes and DJs. The only on-course issue was at the very end, which mimic the 5K and 10K courses, there were so many people leaving via the course route, it was hard to know where to go. I knew from the past two races before, but I had to help direct a lady in front of me which way to go in the last half mile. The course had the same great finish by the steel stacks with the large shoots and Runner’s World staff on the mics with plenty of cheering. At the finish there was a band, Sunshine Symphony playing some great covers as well as a beer garden from Saucony Creek Craft Brewery. The post race food included bagels, bananas, Subway cookies, raisins, pretzels and mini muffins. That was a huge selection that was great to have.

The parking for the Runner's World events was interesting. Parking was spread throughout a couple of different lots. A lot of the lead up made it sounds like there was hardly any near the start, but they seemed easy to get a spot by word of mouth. I parked at an outer lot, which provided a free shuttle that was easy enough to get in and out from.

The expo was smaller than some I had been to, but had quality. KT Tape was there, offering free tapings, and I received a pair of compression arm sleeves for free. There was even a brewery offering samples, which may be unusual at most expos, but welcomed by me. Saucony Creek Craft Brewery was the brewery for the beer tent after the half, so that was the reason.

Overall, the whole weekend was amazing, capped off with a fantastic half marathon. I even finished with a PR after running two other races. I loved the event and plan to be back in the future.

I ran this race as the first of three as a part of the Hat Trick challenge. The 5K was a great course. It was an out and back looping sort of course. There was a single water stop that came up twice. After the course went across the Fahy Memorial Bridge, there was a DJ with music that you would loop past when going by City Hall. The course had great views of the steel stacks. The course would then go pack to the finish with looping by the Sands Casino. The finish area had some great chutes with cheering spectators and members of the Runner's World staff on the mic to greet you as you crossed. It made for a great finish line experience for a 5K, where you don't often get one.

The parking for the Runner's World events was interesting. Parking was spread throughout a couple of different lots. A lot of the lead up made it sounds like there was hardly any near the start, but they seemed easy to get a spot by word of mouth. I parked at an outer lot, which provided a free shuttle that was easy enough to get in and out from.

The expo was smaller than some I had been to, but had quality. KT Tape was there, offering free tapings, and I received a pair of compression arm sleeves for free. There was even a brewery offering samples, which may be unusual at most expos, but welcomed by me. Saucony Creek Craft Brewery was the brewery for the beer tent after the half, so that was the reason.

This race was the second of three for me as part of the Hat Trick challenge. The 10K course takes you on a tour of some historic areas of Bethlehem. It started the same as the 5K, crossing the Fahy Memorial Bridge, which included a DJ posted at the end. The bridge offers a good view of the steel stacks. The course takes you past the Historic Moravian settlement, the Historic Hotel Bethlehem, and through the historic residential district. That’s a lot of “historic”. The course offered some elevation change, but nothing too drastic. The finish wrapped passed the Sands Casino and back through some chutes for a great finish line experience, complete with Runner’s World editors calling you across the finish. The course included 4 water stops (3 with one that you passed twice) which was a good number for a 10K, but welcomed.

The parking for the Runner's World events was interesting. Parking was spread throughout a couple of different lots. A lot of the lead up made it sounds like there was hardly any near the start, but they seemed easy to get a spot by word of mouth. I parked at an outer lot, which provided a free shuttle that was easy enough to get in and out from.

The expo was smaller than some I had been to, but had quality. KT Tape was there, offering free tapings, and I received a pair of compression arm sleeves for free. There was even a brewery offering samples, which may be unusual at most expos, but welcomed by me. Saucony Creek Craft Brewery was the brewery for the beer tent after the half, so that was the reason.

This race, put on by Bristow Tri and Swim, benefitted USMC Toys for Tots program. While the race was a bargain price to begin with ($25) you could save an extra $5 by bringing a toy. Sure, you'd spend more than that on the toy, but it isn't really about the money, is it? It's about toys for boys and girls who otherwise may not get one. That's something always worth giving towards.

I went with a semi costume for the race. Not as complete as my snowman costume for the Christmas Town Dash 8K the week before, but I went with my Grinch face shirt over some long sleeve Under Armor and some Christmas ProCompression socks.

Parking at the race was a cinch. It was held at the Northern Virginia Community College campus in Manassas. This meant plenty of parking and it was located right of of I-66 which means easy access. I did race day pickup, which was simple, as always at a BRATS event. There was a table set up right near the start / finish line. As it has been with every BRATS race I've done, there was a table with one person that would look up your name, another grabbed your bib and a third your shirt. The swag was limited to the shirt, but it was a nice Santa themed tech shirt. Yes, a technical shirt for a $25 5K. Hard value to beat.

The weather started a little chilly. As the race went on, it warmed up quite a bit, feeling almost spring like at the end. The field was pretty small, just 144 people, which felt especially small compared to the previous BRATS race that had just under 700 total. The course wasn't difficult, some slight hills but they were long and nothing too steep. It was an out and back course near the battlefield and I-66. A portion of it ran past some office buildings and businesses, which was less scenic. The turn around had the battlefield on the one side (nice) and the interstate on the other (less nice). The race was structured similar to the Turkey Trot they ran, where there was "one" water stop, but since it was an out and back, you could hit it twice. In the end, the race went by quickly, which I'll fully attribute to having someone to talk to for the race. I had met another blogger for the first time and ran with them for this race.

While my time didn't seem to keep as fast as I had hoped for pace wise on our tracking (Katie's Garmin and my phone), the official chip time was under my goal (12 min / mile) and another PR for 5K for the second race in a row. Hopefully, I can do the same in the last leg of the holiday 5K series in January. Post race, I grabbed my water bottle, free banana and a granola bar and chowed down quickly. I snapped a Nuun in half to drop into the bottle, because that's just how I roll. Great value to get a technical shirt and more than just a banana and water at the end.