I have participated in the GoGirl Run OKC for two years and I thoroughly enjoyed both races. The GoGirl Run has such a great "girl power" vibe and supportive atmosphere. There is a lot of camaraderie and it makes for an excellent first half-marathon. Although there were plenty of very fast runners in the pack, it did not feel super-competitive and emphasized the accomplishment of finishing and feeling strong over time and winning.

The course was pretty, but largely ran through neighborhoods and side streets that did not require a lot of volunteers for traffic control being on a Saturday morning. It included moderate hills, but ended with the downhill side of a bridge and flat stretch to the finish line. The aid stations were sufficiently located, but I used my Orange Mud Hydraquiver for hydration so I cannot comment on the quality of the hydration drink offered. There was a decent amount of crowd support, but not as much as other, larger races.

The t-shirt offered was high quality. Post-race, runners were given a VERY large (and sparkly) medal to commemorate their accomplishment as well as a race branded wine glass and a certificate with their finishing time. Healthy smoothies were available for runners as well as the usual post-race fare (bananas, oranges, bagels). I really liked that GoGirl offers free race photos. A couple days after the race, I received a link to my photos and was able to download them at no cost. I thought that was a really nice perk.

Overall, this was a fantastic race, but there were a few cons. First, the traffic control on the course was not as tight as I would have liked. Although there were volunteers controlling traffic at many of the major intersections, there were several smaller intersections without any controls so runners had to be extra aware of traffic when crossing the streets. Medical aid was not readily available. I had a friend who was having significant pain part way through the race who would have asked for help if she could have found some. There was not medical aid at the finish line that I could see.

The atmosphere at the finish line was a lot of fun and very supportive. GoGirl has a tradition of organizing a crowd at the finish line to cheer the very last runners in.

I would definitely run this race again. It is only in its second year in OKC and this year was even better than the first. I look forward to participating with my running buddies again next year!