Like the past 2 years, the weather was dismal, with the possibility of rain and/or snow in the morning. Thankfully, there were only a few flakes at the start line, and the ground wasn't too wet. This year, some good advance planning by RAM had them put straw down on the fields by Eakins Oval to help prevent slipping in the mud before and after the race.

In terms of scenery for this race, the best parts are the start/end at Eakins Oval, and parts along the river where you can see the boathouses and people out in their boats. Beyond that, it's very brick-heavy with some greenery. Considering the poor weather the past few years, it's also been very gray (little sunshine), but there's nothing that can be done about that.

Along the route, there were plenty of people out at the tables with water, candy ( yay! ) and Nuun. As a Nuunbassador, it's still disheartening to hear "Gatorade" or "sports drink". That's more of a training issue for the volunteers. It didn't affect how generous they were down the line. Additionally, the volunteers this year seemed to help move people along a bit quicker than usual.

What could be improved upon? Two things in particular:

1) Course marshals - a woman was injured a few minutes in front of me, and finding a course marshal or first-aid worker was nigh impossible for a significant distance. With such long stretches on pothole-heavy roads, a few extras around could have been helpful

2) The expo - among the least impressive of expos I've been to. Yes, the food/drink samples are good, but there are few merchants/sponsors, and it's held in one of the darker, more dismal halls of the convention center.

What's great?

1) The swag. The pullover is very nice this year, even sans pockets. The medals are great quality, and the extra touch of a Philadelphia-specific Liberty Bell was really nice. And the post-race food...how can you go wrong with chocolate, bananas, cookies, rice-krispie treats???

2) Communication from RAM is great. They keep on top of you, without overloading your inbox. They offer training tips and good directions to follow the day of the race

3) The people. This is one race where everyone seems to have a great time, no matter what. The announcers have fun, the volunteers are great.

I'm looking forward to pacing again next year if given the opportunity. I'm always in awe of those who are thankful for me getting them to the end, whether on pace, ahead of pace, or if I've taught them something new.

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