Although I have lived in Oklahoma for 6 years, I have not ventured out too far from the OKC metro area. I had never been to Lawton before this race and was not sure what to expect. Several ladies from the Norman and OKC RunHers groups decided to run this race to support our Lawton RunHers sisters, who were hosting this event. All the proceeds from this weekend event went to Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma so I was excited to support such a worthy cause.

For a small town race, the Spirit of Survival certainly exceeded my expectations! It's a relatively small race with about 3,500 participants. The out and back course started off with a party in the park, then winding through beautiful tree-lined streets and a few neighborhoods then back again. It is a relatively flat course, with a few big hills between miles 5-9. Runners enjoy a beautiful view of the Wichita Mountains throughout the course. There were at least 4 water stops that we hit on our way out and back on this course. The directors had a competition between the water stops. Runners were asked to vote for the most entertaining water stop and the winners received gift cards as a prize. The competition was fierce as each one was truly a party.

The best part of this race was the participants. The Spirit of Survival truly lived up to its name as several cancer survivors took part in the race. Watching the community surround each other in support for cancer research makes this race a "Must Run" on my calendar! The beautiful course and friendly people of Lawton exemplify Oklahoman hospitality!