Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find and write race reviews!

This was my second year in a row running the Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon for BibRave, and I had a great time! The race has a fun atmosphere and is well-organized. There are bands along the course and at the post-race party, and half marathon runners also get access to the American Music Festival, which is a cool perk (although I did not take advantage of that this year).

It was very hot and humid — it's held during Labor Day Weekend each year — but there were plenty of aid stations staffed by numerous helpful volunteers, there were water sprays to run through and there were cooling buses people could get in along the course, along with medical staff.

The start of the race is cool as far as scenery. The race starts on Pacific Avenue at 14th Street, and runners make their way up to about 31st Street before heading back on Atlantic Avenue, the main strip. The course is not super exciting for some parts in the middle, but it finishes on the boardwalk, which is awesome! It's very flat, and the only noticeable hill for me (and I live in a very flat area) was a bridge that we crossed over on the way out and back.

We received a navy blue tech short-sleeve shirt that had King Neptune on it, and there was also a cute finisher medal. I did start getting the large size for my shirt at Rock 'n' Roll races even though I'm generally a women's medium in most clothes, because they seem to run small.

With Rock 'n' Roll races, there are also opportunities to earn extra medals through remix challenges (more than one race in a weekend — this race also offers a 5K and Mile in the Sand) or combos with other Rock 'n' Roll races. I will get a Heavy Medal for participating in two Rock 'n' Roll half marathons this year, because I also ran Rock 'n' Roll Washington, D.C.

It seemed like there was less at the expo, at least from what I remember, and it seemed like there weren't a ton of people there at the time we went on Saturday. It was easy to get my bib and shirt, and the coolest part about the expo this year was getting to meet Kathrine Switzer. Since it didn't seem overly crowded, my friend and I were able to get right near the front of the line to meet her. She was very friendly and we got photos with her and autographs. There are also some fun photo ops where people can pose while at the expo.

The race was well-organized. I received numerous emails leading up to the race, and the course was well-marked, there were a great amount of water stops and everything seemed to run smoothly. Having had heat-related issues in the past, I appreciated that there were heat warning signs up at the expo and there were also the cooling buses and medical staff available to help.

I don't have anything to rate as far as parking because my friend and I stayed in an oceanfront hotel that was within close walking distance from the start and finish.

The post-race party is on the beach, and it has a fun atmosphere! There is a concert on the beach and you can even get in the water if you want (see my photo).

Read my blog review here: https://sherunsbytheseashore.com/2018/09/09/humana-rock-n-roll-virginia-beach-half-marathon-fun-race-steady-pace/