I believe this was the 3rd year the Castle-Rock Half Marathon has been running. It was my first half-marathon, which I wouldn’t recommend this race to other first time half-marathoners. There is a lot of sun exposure, long climbs, short and steep climbs, and lots of pavement. With that said, it would be a great race for someone who loves a challenging road run and has a half marathon or two under their belt. There was one area at the turnaround where the course was not clearly marked and I ended up going the wrong direction for a short distance.

Everything leading up to the race from registration to packet pick-up was very easy. I do love small races and the SWAG and expo were all great. It was a beautiful course that takes you through some residential areas and on to a local paved trail for the majority of the race. The time of year makes the race great because temperatures were perfect. All of the volunteers at the aid stations were rockstars. They kept me motivated every couple of miles. Timing and photography was great. You were able to request your photos via email for free. Parking was right next to the start in the small city park and there were indoor facilities available.

Would I race this one again? Maybe with reservations, but I am biased to trail running. It’s a great race for an experienced road runner wanting a small race feel.