The Rocky Run is a tribute to the fictional Rocky Balboa, and those fans who seek his inspiration when touring Philadelphia. It's held just a week before the Philadelphia Marathon and Half Marathon, and serves as a nice taper distance for runners who are racing the next weekend.
The race offers a 5k and 10 mile distance option, or the Rocky Challenge, for runners who want to run both to total 13.1 miles. There is no 10k option!!
I ran the 10 mile distance, as a fall alternative to spring's widely-popular Broad Street Run. Like many other Philadelphia distance races - the Philly Marathon, Love Run half, Rock n Roll half, etc., the Rocky Run 10 miler starts and ends at the Philadelphia Art Museum, and utilizes a course nearly identical to that of the Love Run and Philly Half. There are some steep hills around mile 4-6, which I anticipated having completed the Love Run on the same course. The race does NOT include a running on the art museum steps, as one might hope for if they're a fan of the Rocky franchise. (However, I recommend running them post-race to take a well-deserved selfie!)
Overall, the course was beautiful in November because of the tree lining the entire route. As a Philly resident, I wasn't surprised by any aspect of the course, and I almost wish they'd altered the route a bit so it wasn't comparable to the other races that use the same layout.

The Rocky Run is much smaller than the Philadelphia Marathon & Half, so the area didn't feel overly crowded (neither did the port-a-potty lines!) Post-race, the snacks offered were bananas and Clif bars, which were nice but nothing special. The race shirts are cotton tees, which I appreciate because the logo design is fun and wearable outside of the running realm. The best part of the swag is the race medal - for just the 10 miler, the medal itself is huge and gold, and the ribbon bears an image of Rocky himself. Pretty impressive medals for a low-key race.

Overall, the Rocky Run is a fun race with plenty of spirit. It offers a less claustrophobic experience than many others large races in downtown Philadelphia, and with a challenging course, leaves runners feeling like they earned their Rocky stripes.