This was a great race that I would recommend to just about anyone! I was scheduled to run the marathon but due to injury, I had to switch to the 10k which involved no extra charge and no fuss (it involved a quick email to the designated person which i want to say was the race director). I was thinking about deferring the marathon entry to next year but I really wanted to visit Roanoke this year.

Race Expo: The race expo was a blur as we drove 8 hours that day and was really tired but found a spot to park in a parking garage for a few dollars. The staff was super helpful in directing runners to where we needed to be in order to collect our bibs and free socks. I heard about race stickers being given out at the expo from the facebook chatter afterwards but I wish that they would include them in the packets as I absolutely love stickers!

Swag: Do you like free socks and freaking comfortable t-shirts that feel like your favorite worn in t-shirt? I am in love with my t-shirt as it is a great color (redish), design was on point, and I can wear it either running or for any other activity (feels like cotton but is made of polyester). There were also a few coupons included in the race packet.

Course: This course was challenging but the 10k was not too bad as it was considerably shorter than the other distances. The course was well marked and color coded with people yelling out directions to runners at crucial points. This was perfect as I tend to drift off in thought and enjoy the scenery when running. The aid stations were well stocked with water and a drink called SKRATCH. This was the first time that I have had SKRATCH and it wasn't bad but I would probably stick to Tailwind if I was running a longer distance. It is important to note there are no energy gels provided for this distance so if you are going to be on the course for awhile then you might want to pack a couple. The course goes up, up, up to the Mill Mountain star and down, down, down back to town so be prepared. Not going to lie, I felt a little like Superwoman on the way down as I was going fast due to the grade of the road! However, this was after feeling like a slow turtle on the way up.

Parking on race day: I really had no problem getting a parking spot on race day. I stayed out of town in a farmhouse so I drove in that morning and only hit a little bit of traffic getting off the exit and into the closest parking garage due to road closures. I thought that I would have trouble getting a parking spot so close to the finish but it turned out that the parking garage (elm street garage?) had adequate room.
Finish festival: This was a wonderful celebration! There were multiple photo booth style opportunities and lots of vendors that came out despite the rain. I got my one free beer which was totally awesome and love that they used local breweries. I also loved the free music festival lineup. The award ceremony was great and I even got one of those unique trophies that looks like a running railroad spike. The awards are made by local high school students. Also, my husband and I walked through the park and enjoyed the earth day celebration. The earth day celebration had so many people that were enthusiastic about being there and we had a lot of fun.

Food: Okay, I was less than thrilled about the food. It wasn't bad as it was typical food that you find after a race but I really love when races have really great food. I picked out a banana and two small muffins. If you like chocolate milk then they had chocolate milk, as well as water and sodas available for refreshment. Like I said, its not bad but I just love food and wouldn't mind for this race to take a page out of the Rehoboth Marathon's book in regards to this. However, I didn't sign up for this race for the food but for the scenery.

Roanoke: We stayed around after the race to shop around the outdoor market and found some really unique goods (honey, chocolate, and pottery) as well as some absorbing conversation with vendors about the area and its history. We ate at a Thai restaurant for lunch and stayed out until we were too tired to continue. My husband and I vowed to come back to Roanoke and explore more of the area in the next few years.
Communications with race management: It is important to note that I contacted race management twice by email, once when I switched races and once when I had small issue with the award (it was missing a small medallion) I was answered within hours and in a courteous, professional manner. This is something that I greatly appreciate!