This was my first time running Seawheeze but I'm hoping it won't be my last. As one of the first wave lottery 'winners', I knew early on that I got into the race. I didn't know what to expect but as my 12th half, I wasn't too nervous. I've definitely had a wide range of race experiences but this one far exceeded all of them.

First of all, Vancouver was such a fun city to experience. So beautiful and the other race participants were fantastic. I went to the race not knowing a soul but left with a gaggle of new girlfriends that I spent most of the weekend with. We met from an online group of solo runners and decided we might meet up at the expo and maybe grab a bite at some point. We ended up attending the early shopping hours, subsequent meals, expo hopping and post race partying all together.

So first, the swag: While this is probably the most expensive half that I've experienced, it wasn't outrageous considering what you got: a pair of Lululemon shorts that shipped to you around June, a bottle of Saje bath salts, post-race Lulu hat, running sunglasses (not Lulu), free yoga sessions, vision planning, hair braiding, manicures, temporary (sprayed on) tattoos, and of course, the post race festival! The festival featured Diplo and Felix Cartel but also had a ferris wheel, vintage arcade, bounce houses, and giant inflatable jax. In addition to the freebies, you could shop at the Lulu pre and post race stores (definitely not free but all merchandise was limited edition and made just for Seawheeze). I thought the race was well worth the cost and Lululemon really put a lot of attention into the experience for participants. I know some random people that were also gifted with goodie boxes from Lulu that included clothes, Saje products, etc - one of my new friends was one of these lucky ladies. If you were also staying at a hotel on the Seawheeze 'rate', sweet and savory treats were delivered to your room.

The race itself was really fun and well supported. The weather was a little miserable but the whole experience was such a blast that I couldn't even dwell on it. There was a minor incline a few miles in but overall the race was pretty flat. Loved the spinning crew that cheered you on around mile 2 and of course the drag queens that were waiting for you at the top of the main hill. And the sea wall? Took my breath away! It was so beautiful though probably the most congested part of the race. You couldn't look away from the road for too long for fear of running into someone.

Once you made it through the finish cute, they handed you your gorgeous medal and more swag, and from there you had the option of heading straight in to the recovery zone of grabbing a brunch box. I waited in line for the box but it was pretty fast moving. It was worth it as I was ready for some post race fuel. The box included: banana bread, yogurt with chia seeds, grapes, and a little piece of chocolate. It was enough to tide me over while I waited for the awesome massage station where they gave you a full on 20 minute massage. None of this 5 min post race freebie. This was incredible and just what my legs wanted after that cold run.

After the race, I had a few hours to freshen up before I took the shuttle to the post-race festival. The entertainment was amazing and our group had fun watching the yoga and then dancing the night away. This was one of the most memorable race experiences - because yes, this one is really about the entire experience - that I've ever had. While making a trip across the country to Vancouver isn't something I can do every year, I'd love to do it again in the near future.