As a Midwesterner, I spent much of the winter in a Polar Vortex. So there was a lot of training indoors leading up to this race. When you're not used to running in 70 to 80-degree temps first thing in the morning, it can be a shock to your system. This was a local race that snaked through Miami Beach. I loved that we were running on bridges in which traffic was flowing and the elevation proved to be a great challenge. I appreciated there being an adequate number of aid stations. As an outsider, though, I would recommend bringing your own nutrition. There was nutrition at the aid stations but it wasn't stuff I was used to so I was reluctant to pick it up. The race organizers were upfront about not having medals ready - a shipping error - but they made up for it by providing a temporary medal. I think this was a unique situation the race handled well.

A couple things I didn't like:
1. After crossing the finish line and going through the food area where I picked up one thing I was told I couldn't go back to get more food (which didn't have other people on it). I understood the desire to manage traffic flow, but I think exceptions should be made or the food area relocated to a different area.
2. I asked a volunteer what my time was but she couldn't tell me if that was my chip time or gun time.

One surprise element of the race I did appreciate was the race sending me a video of my finish in which the announcer called out my name and city. That was a sweet post-race gift that I've never gotten before. Overall, a good physical challenge for me and a race worth considering, especially if you're from out of state.