Overall Race Review
1. The Nog Run Club is amazing, first and foremost.
IF you’re local, check them out.
I owe them for the first time I saw Ben run without a shirt on so thank you Nog club.
Rick and Liz are a husband and wife dynamic duo who work all of the Nog events (with other amazing helpers too!) and they are truly amazing people to be connected with.

2. Pro: the course is PERFECT for hill practice.
Con: the course is PERFECT for hill practice.
If you genuinely love hilly races, you’re nuts.
However, like I stated before.. the race is so well run that you have so much fun and almost forget about all the hills between running the race and signing up the following year.

3. It’s a GREAT distance.
8k with hills?
Couldn’t ask for a better Saturday workout.

4. The location.
I love this race because it’s literally in my backyard.
If you don’t live around the area though it’s still nice to come downtown and run in your State’s capital.

5. It’s FUN!
They have food, beer, music, AND KILTS! What more could you ask for?

6. There are PLENTY of bathroom opportunities.
They always line the streets with port-a-nasties and I’ve never seen it get too backed up (pun intended).

7. There’s an after party.
The Nog is a bar.
Come, run, drink, stay until bar close.
At that time they may kick you out but if you’re still there after 12+ hours of drinking you may need to have AA kick you out.

8. There is plenty of water and food!
They had two “drinking stations” along the course if you needed anything.
Afterwards there were bagels, donuts, bananas, water, and gatorade.
Plus the NOG had food to serve as well.

9. I got to run next to Clifford the Big Red Dog for about a mile.
If you’re reading this Clifford, you were pushing it!

10. Everyone is so friendly and happy to be there.
In the three years I’ve been there I’ve NEVER seen anyone upset or cause issues.
Runners can be kind of catty at times and it’s never been an issue at this race (that I’ve been able to see).
Some runners take the race seriously, some drink beer along the way… regardless of your approach it seems that people in kilts are accepting.

So what I’m saying is….

Next year you better have a kilt,
get out there to beat the Guinness Book of World Records with us,
run an 8k in hill country,
and end it with a solid wash down of either beer or donuts…
or beer and donuts.

To see the full race recap go here: http://olivetorun.com/2013/03/03/the-hills-are-alive-st-paddys-8k-race-review/