Follow my running adventures at http://runawaywonk.blogspot.com/.

The expo.

My friends and I drove up Friday, so we could enjoy the city and do some sightseeing/shopping. When we got to town, we headed straight to the expo at the convention center. We got there right before they were closing down for the night. The volunteers were helpful and friendly. The vendors were all local stores, clubs, and businesses. It wasn't terrible, but it was nothing to write home about either. Kayla, Nikki, and I were in and out quick.

The premiums.

Unisex technical race tee, coffee mug with the name and date of the race, huge medal.

The shirt was listed in the promotional materials as being gender-specific, but it was not. The design was so-so, but the materials were super cheap. The screen print on mine actually sticks together. Kayla donated her's to the housekeeping staff of the Westin.

The mug was nice. I will use it as my new officer mug for tea. The best part was when the college-aged volunteer gave us the mug premium and really emphasized that it would break if set down incorrectly. I will have to remember to treat it gingerly.

The weather.

If it wasn't raining the entire weekend, it would have been perfect. Race start was in the upper 40s and there was a light drizzle. The rain got heavier throughout the race, but was never heavy. By the finish the temperature was low 50s. If only the sun was out...

The start.

Kayla, Nikki, and I walked to the start from the hotel. It was in front of the Art Museum. We arrived about 45 minutes before the gun. The bag drop was organized and well staffed. The volunteer took the tag off my bib and wrote my race number on the clear plastic bag provided by the race.

The corrals were self-seeded, meaning that I could go where ever I wanted. There was signage where to start dependent on expected finish time as well as a pace team with people carrying signs for each minute pace. Nikki headed to the speedsters and Kayla and I went toward the back. We started new the 9-minute pacers, who were a bit of a mess and disorganized. One was wearing headphones. HEADPHONES! A PACER!

All in all, it was like any other start. Music, announcer, people hanging out.

10,000 people registered and 7,000 people finished, so it was a good size race.

The course.

I would say the course was the best reason to do this race. My friend, Kayla, described it was the first part of Rock n Roll Philly and the back half of the Philly Marathon.

The start and finish was at the Art Museum at Eakins Oval. We headed towards Independence Mall through downtown Philly and ran by the Art Museum to run along the river. The course was very flat with the exception of the one hill leading up to Fairmount Park on Martin Luther King Drive. We finished down Benjamin Franklin Parkway. It was picturesque. I would love to run it again, with better weather.

The support.

Despite the terrible weather, there was quite a number of spectators on the course. There was some good signs, including one with my name spelled correctly at mile 12. The course also had three bands playing, all good.

There were water stops almost every two miles with water and Gatorade. About midway, one stop had Hammer gels. Each stop was well stocked with plenty of volunteers.

Next year, the run should publish where the water stops will be located in advance. In addition, the stops should be planned on the out and back areas to leverage runners coming by on each side. There was at least two occasions where I saw runners crossing over the path of oncoming runners to get to water.

The finish.

Terrible. Just terrible. The run was so well done until I crossed the finish line. There was no one telling runners were to go. The heat sheets and water were not in a linear path. Runners were going every direction. I had no idea where anything was. Volunteers were just standing around doing nothing. Somehow I missed the coffee and hot chocolate. My goal was to get out of the mess. I grabbed my drop bag and fled to the Whole Foods.

My take.

This was not an "A" race, and my goal was 2:20. My finish time was 2:18. Not bad. I was happy. Soaking wet, but happy. For a first year race, it was well done. I think the race organizers will improve on the areas that need improving like the finish line and the premiums.

My shoes were left in Philly was being so caked in mud, and I got the best stack of post-race french toast. Philly, hope to see you again!