I won a last minute half price entry to this race just a few days before the fact, so I figured, "why not?" I never ran a full 5K on the sand, so thought this could be a fun event, especially as I ramp down "racing" for the summer.

Everything about this race was SMOOTH and well organized! I attended packet pickup the afternoon before at the Fit2Run downtown, and didn't even have to wait in line. The swag bag had a nice t-shirt and a KIND bar - score! Plus, the race used CHRONO-TAG so no stress about timing.

Race day, I found easy parking (it took place at Siesta Key Beach) and upon arrival, we were offered pre-race refreshments (snack bars, water and powerade) and there was even a fun photobooth on hand.

The race started on time and with about 160 finishers (estimated) it was a smooth operation. All finishers received medals (very cool!) and there was a small awards ceremony about an hour after the race started.

Post-race, there were more snacks, plus cool swag from sponsor GTE financial (including free sunglasses and towels).

All volunteers and RDs were super friendly, and the vibe was incredibly positive. I would recommend this race to anyone - walkers, runners, families - it was a fun event, and really, you can't get much better than running on the beach, right?