The Rothman 8k is part of the Philadelphia Marathon weekend activities. Being part of the large running activities allows them to take advantage of "shared services". For example, I'd never see an expo as large to support just an 8k. Also, while it is held on the same day as the half marathon, it is possible to do both (and tack on the full the following day) for additional medals.

The course is pretty standard for Philadelphia and doesn't visit anything beyond Logan Square. The shirts are nice short sleeve tech. The medal has historically been a good design (imo).

Other Pros: Seriously, who doesn't like a running challenge. Adding 8k isn't insane. The extra medal is sweet. And as I said before, being part of the large running activities has its advantages. Tons of crowd support. Good course support.

Other Cons: Really, nothing to complain about. The medal is a bit small, but it is an 8k. And as I said, the design has been sweet.