Social Media: Someone at @SeaWheeze is on all the time! Their response times are phenomenal. I was also part of a SeaWheeze Facebook group, which had a lot of interesting discussion - although this was not moderated by SeaWheeze itself. The email updates were frequent enough to be useful, but not annoying. And they had an app, too!

Package Pickup: Running all day on Friday, I found the package pickup to be crowded but quick - with volunteers guiding you to the numbers spots on the ground to keep the line moving. It was all quite efficient.

T-Shirt/Swag: Rather than a t-shirt (and, honestly, I don't need another one), we got an exclusive pair of lululemon shorts. I like this year's design for the men quite a lot - better than designs from other years. In addition to the shorts, we got a mesh duffle bag, nuun, a cap, some Saje products, an endless supply of KIND bars, sunglasses...and one of the most epic medals I've ever seen!

Course: The course features some of the best of Vancouver - the city, water views, the Seawall and Stanley Park. There are a few hills, including two crossings of Burrard Bridge, but it's a relatively flat course. I've run ever bit of this route at some point, but it all works together quite nicely for SeaWheeze.

Post-Race: Because I finished a bit nearer the front, the flow from finish line to brunch to post-race plaza gathering was quick. I heard from later finishers that there was quite a bottleneck, and a serious lack of hydration. Since I didn't experience this firsthand, I can't really comment...but I figure there are a few more logistics to sort out. Overall, I was satisfied.

The Sunset Festival was also some good fun - although I missed the mass yoga event, and didn't stay late into the night. If you were in the mood, it would be an excellent time!

Organization: lululemon knows how to put on a good show. Overall, I was pretty impressed with how well everything was organized. The one exception - and this did not affect me personally - was the congestion at the finish line for slightly slower runners, and the fact that they ran out of water. For an August race, I consider this to be unacceptable. That aside, I thought things went very well.

Would I run it again? It depends. Since I'm not a huge fan of the brand, I'm in no hurry to get more gear and swag. And that's what you pay for. That and the spectacle of the whole thing. This is not a criticism - simply a matter of my own priorities. If you haven't participated in SeaWheeze before, I'd definitely recommend giving it a try!

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