My key takeaway from this past weekend's Chevron Houston Marathon was that this race was so well organized and supported, it made every single aspect of the event fun and fast. What more could a runner ask for??

The race expo was a great size, perfect for picking up last minute supplies (like the gels I didn't want to bring on the plane,) and for trying out the latest and greatest new running gear.

On race morning, parking was plentiful and we were able to wait indoors until about 15 minutes before our corral closed. A nice perk on a 30 degree morning! Aid stations stocked with water, Gatorade Endurance and gels were plentiful along the course. As were the port-a-cans. I passed banks of potties with no line at several spots over the 26.2 miles.

I was also super impressed with how many Houstonians came out to cheer on runners, especially considering how cold it was on race day. If you like cheering spectators, and course entertainment like bands, cheer squads, and even belly dancers, you will love this race.

After the race, we were once again ushered inside for post-race food, potties, and awesome swag (a medal, a finisher's shirt, and a beautiful glass finisher's mug!)

Side note: A friend I was with needed some medical attention after the race and the med team was there in a jiffy. I merely had to look around and put my hand in the air and a volunteer came running with a wheelchair. Now that's amazing race preparation!