I've run in the Jeff Galloway 13.1 for the last three years and also ran the inaugural race in 2014 as a virtual runner. It's such a nice thing that Olympian Jeff Galloway has his own race and is very visible at every part of it.

The race starts in Midtown Atlanta and ends in Piedmont Park. It's a fast, downhill start, but be careful since it seems that many people run too fast here. There are rolling hills the next two miles as the race works its way to Freedom Parkway. This street provides another downhill grade to the turnaround at the PATH trail that parallels the roadway. Then you connect with the Atlanta Eastside Beltline, where it's downhill until you reach the city's Virginia-Highland neighborhood. Then you work your way over rolling hills that yield to a few miles of fast downhill running until you reach the edge of Piedmont Park.

There are a few uphill grades as you run around the street perimeter of the park (10th Street and Piedmont Avenue) before entering another steep downhill section leading to a newer part of the park called Piedmont Park Commons.

After that, you run in the park along paved trails to the finish. The downhill sections contribute to the fast race times -- this year's weather was perfect with a clear start of about 34 degrees.

The expo is nice, held the last two years at the downtown Westin hotel. It's a small expo but that's a good thing as Jeff Galloway is accessible for pictures or chatting. I love the race T-shirt -- it is a long-sleeved Sport-Tec shirt that is great for winter weather. The design is typically a map of the course throughout the city, maybe not my favorite but the shirt is high quality.

Aid stations are great and many people there cheer you on as you run. After the run, there are plenty of snacks and water and you can get your picture taken with Jeff Galloway in the park.

All in all, it's a worthwhile race that has been a great addition to the other half marathons in Atlanta.