This race never seems to disappoint year after year. I've run this race (5 miler once and the 1/2 marathon) 5-6 times. It's one of my favorite races to repeat annually!

This race offers multiple distances- 5 miler, 1/2 marathon, marathon and ultra- so there are all levels of athletes on the course. My star rankings are based on my overall experience at this race for the many times I have participated. The 2016 race encountered difficult weather with storms moving in early am of race day. We had a group of 5 friends running the half marathon course and only two of us, including myself, showed up on race day because of the weather. Sadly, the marathon and ultra courses were not safe as parts of the course were under water and high winds of up to 35-40 mph gusts meant that everyone running longer than the 5 miles wound up running only the half marathon. Communication of this change was not well-announced at the starting line which was already delayed by one hour due to the weather conditions and many athletes found out about the course closures en route after the race began. Having run the 1/2 marathon race many times, this is definitely a blow for the athletes and race director who spend months training and planning for this event. It created a more-than-usual crowded course for the half marathon, but even still it was very manageable given the extra number of runners crowding the roads on the same course. Yes, the weather was absolutely an issue for everyone out there- course markers were obsolete as they could have become dangerous flying objects if picked up by the wind; the wind gusts in-between the buildings on the beach were so strong they picked up my legs and I tripped over my own feet 2-3 times; hitting 30-35 mph winds on the 3rd overpass head on and succumbing to walking up the bridge was more than frustrating in a race that I pride myself on for running ALL of the FOUR overpasses/bridge inclines (out-n-back, 2 bridge course); runners who were registered for the full or ultra received their respective medals even though they only ran the 1/2 marathon course- this is understandable as I'm sure the race director did not have enough 1/2 marathon medals on hand at the last minute to accommodate for the increase in the number of runners who ended up being shifted to the 1/2 course.

BUT... even with all of the weather issues we are STILL talking about this race every time we show up to run another race that might even have the slightest weather issues citing, "If we could run Clearwater, we can do this!". It's almost like a badge we wear that we conquered the unexpected and unpredictable curve ball Mother Nature threw at us that day. There was definitely a lot more camaraderie on the course- I was wind blown into a couple of runners, but I'm sure they understood! Volunteers were AMAZING- and they STILL showed up despite the weather. And having 35mph wind gusts to my back up and down a HUGE overpass/bridge in the last mile of the race helped me run a 9:30 mile 13 pace- I've never run the last mile of a 1/2 marathon that fast before in my life (see picture!) and it more than made up for the walking on the previous bridge! I usually stick around for hours after I finish this race to watch and cheer on the full and ultra marathoners finish and enjoy the awesome water-front views, music, post-race food and BEER, but this year the weather just didn't cooperate for that fun :(

The t-shirts are gender sized and are a nice dri-fit material. They fit true-to-size as well, and don't run small. The medals are HUGE and have a very nice stained glass look to them. This race always comes to the table with great medals year after year.

Aid stations are well-manned with fun, energetic volunteers and there's enough to get by on this course.

The scenery is AMAZING!!! The views of the beach and surroundings from atop the course's bridges are unbeatable. I will say that's one of the main reasons I keep running this race year after year and why it's my zen run even when there's not a race taking place!

Expo- I take advantage of the early packet pick-up option at a location near where I live so I usually do not attend the expo. There are always a good selection of vendors on hand at the venue on Race day as well.

Elevation- yes, there are two overpasses in the half marathon. These bridges are not small and are quite steep. And you get to run each bridge twice on the out-n-back course.

Parking- I've never had any issues with parking at this venue. I've always been able to park right next to the venue without any problems. You just have to show up a bit early and you'll find plenty of parking and short port-a-potty lines too!

Race management- FREE RACE PHOTOS! While I usually don't like many of my race photos, this race does offer them for FREE so this year I really tried to be funny (given the weather, why not!?) and I took advantage of it and got some great pictures!

Overall, if you're looking for a great winter race and to escape the cold, harsh northern winters in mid-January check out this race! It's also a great race for locals who are seeking a challenging course (some FL hills!) with great views of the beaches. I'm proud to claim myself as a "wind runner" and to have participated in this event in 2016. I was signed up for another race in the same area the following weekend and again Mother Nature screwed it up, but the subsequent event was cancelled! I feel very lucky and am happy that the 2016 Clearwater Distance Classic was still able to offer two of the four races this year. I look forward to this race every year and can't wait to run it again in 2017!