The First Half has been going on for 27 years and counting (2017’s date has been set already btw… save the date: Feb 5, 2017). The website is fantastic and very informative. Everything I needed to know was easy to find and clearly written. I loved that package pickup was open late on Friday (until 8pm). Bib pickup was quick and painless, just know what your number is before you go. I received my bib, safety pins, a race shirt (embellished with hearts since the race was on Valentine’s Day) and a really cool fridge magnet that looks like a digital clock and you can peel off pieces so you can put your time in.

The Course

The First Half is a fast course with not a lot of hills. It starts off at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown, which is easily accessible via the Canada Line (get off at Yaletown-Roundhouse). You head east on Pacific first and loop around BC Place before getting on the seawall underneath the Granville Street bridge. Follow the seawall and the south Lost Lagoon path and start making your way around the Stanley Park seawall counter-clockwise. Before heading back to Yaletown, you take another detour around Lost Lagoon, this time on the north side and around, heading back towards the seawall, where you follow the same course back to the finish line. The problem areas were mostly around Lost Lagoon as it’s a little more uneven, made of gravel (around the water), and muddy. The hill underneath the Granville Street Bridge at the 20th km was also a killer as it’s steep and by that time you’re already pretty tired. The good news is that the finish line is just a downhill sprint away. That was my favourite part of the race. It was fun just flying down the road for that last kilometer. There were ample water stations throughout the race and also included the option to grab sports drinks. Everything was nicely marked and the volunteers were so great, standing out in the rain for hours waiting for us to pass through. Thank you all! Having nice weather would just be the icing on the cake for this race.

Post-Race

I was greeted by a volunteer straight away and she put a medal around my neck. It’s cute and has a heart motif as well. People were staying warm inside the Roundhouse where there was a little expo with booths for other upcoming races as well as a photo wall, announcers giving out prizes and results printed and projected on a screen. Just outside, there was an array of food: bananas, oranges, yogurt, coffee, and soup (chicken noodle and vegetarian). Recycling was a big deal, they really put a focus into keeping this event very eco-friendly, with bins for everything including compost, and volunteers telling us where to put what. There were also photographers at the finish line and inside by the photo wall so if you’re lucky, your photo could be posted on their Facebook page.

Would I Do It Again?

Yes! I need to do better and perhaps run this course during perfect weather. The race was organized really well, no problems. The best part was that transfers are allowed (for a fee). So no worries if you’re sick or for some reason, can’t make it. You have an option to transfer your bib to someone else. The course was nice and flat except for a few parts but mostly not too challenging. There was no delay at the starting line, as soon as the gun went off, I crossed the start line within 20 seconds. Gotta love a small field.

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