I know, I know, I did this whole marathon/half-marathon thing completely backwards. I guess maybe there is logic in the universe that tells us we should do things in a progressive format, like, oh I don't know, running a half-marathon before running a full. I ignored that logic and ran this race, my first half-marathon, three weeks after my first full. You know what? It was still magical.

Packet Pick-Up:

Nothing super big or fancy like you'd find at an event like the Rock 'n' Roll series, but extremely well-organized, clean, and friendly! The packet pick-up was held on "Race Day Eve" at the local Fleet Feet in Augusta, GA. The process was very quick, which I appreciated as I had swung by on my lunch break from work and needed to get in and out.

The pre-race swag was incredible. A very nice hoodie for the half-marathon participants and I believe other distances got a tee shirt. There was also a Palmetto Peach PopSocket for your phone, which I thought was a unique piece of swag to have. Some other coupons and offers from various area businesses were included.

The Race:

The starting line started directly outside the front gate of SRP Park, home to minor league baseball team, the Augusta GreenJackets. The organization at the starting line was a little chaotic but not unmanageable, as there weren't that many runners participating (a few hundred). The race traveled from the baseball park up the North Augusta Greeneway, which is a beautiful walking/running/bike riding trail in our community. After about 3 or 4 miles on the Greeneway, we took a left into a neighborhood with hills that rolled and did not stop until you exited the neighborhood a few miles later. Once you exited, you had a large incline of about .70 miles that traveled up Martintown Rd, before turning right onto West Ave and traveling downhill for a little over a mile.

Once you reached the North Augusta courthouse at the bottom of the hill, you prepared to travel over a bridge from Georgia Ave. in South Carolina and onto Reynolds St in downtown Augusta, GA. This was a quick route down Reynolds St. (where my wife's office is located so she got to come out for a bit and cheer me on as I ran by), back up the Augusta Riverwalk, and over the bridge into South Carolina again before snaking around toward the ballpark. The finish was memorable, as you actually cross the finish line on the baseball field. It was incredibly memorable for me, as I got to carry my 3-year-old son on my shoulders as I ran over the finish with my parents cheering me on.

The course is a beautiful track, although I wish there was less mileage in the neighborhood with the rolling hills and more emphasis placed on running through downtown Augusta. There are some really great murals and statues (James Brown, most notably) in the downtown area, and I think it would offer visiting runners a cooler aesthetic to the race. Also, the aide stations seemed to be few and far between with not many options for a potty break, but don't quote me on that because I self-supported with a hydration vest and my own nutrition, and never had to use one of those giant orange beacons of light (aka port-a-potty).

The Finish Area:

The medal for the half was amazing, being rather large with a spinning center. You also had a beer ticket included in your registration, and runners were given their own commemorative Palmetto Peach pint glass to drink from and keep. There were also the usual post-run snacks (bananas, oranges, water, etc).

Overall:

The volunteers were great, the swag was amazing, and the course is one I run almost every weekend on my long runs and it's just beautiful. I would for sure recommend this race. The elevation with the hills make it a little challenging, but nothing that a first timer couldn't handle, and certainly fun for more experienced runners. This race is local to me, and I will be running it every year I'm able.

If you are traveling from outside of Augusta/North Augusta to run this race, my picks for meals while you visit are:

The Whiskey Bar & Kitchen - 1048 Broad St, Augusta, GA 30901
The Boll Weevil Cafe (for dessert) - 10 James Brown Blvd, Augusta, GA 30901
Soy Noodle House - 1032 Broad St, Augusta, GA 30901
Sole Augusta - 1033 Broad St, Augusta, GA 30901
The Pizza Joint - 1245 Broad St, Augusta, GA 30901
Manuel's Bread Cafe - 505 Railroad Ave #100, North Augusta, SC 29841
Rio Cantina - At SRP Park where the start/finish line are, 187 Railroad Ave, North Augusta, SC 29841