This was my first Firefly 5k Race. This year they were giving out a glow in the dark medals for all the participants. The race did not have an expo. We picked up our packets at a local running store or on race day. Packet pick up was easy.

Race Day-The race started at Piedmont Park, which is a nice location in the city. Parking is limited, but the MARTA station is within walking distance. We started running in Piedmont Park and ran North on 10th street and turned on right on Peachtree. We ran through the neighborhood south of Peachtree and that's when the hills got real. The first steep hill on 17th street was fine, but Prado was a beast. There was a water stop near mile 1, which was good. Only mile 3 was marked, but I could see the finish line so all was good. The finish was nice and well staffed with volunteers. The medals were located in a box at a tent away from the finish, so I think some people didn't get one. Overall it was great race and the medal was unique.

This was my second time pacing a half marathon. I paced the 2:20 group. Unfortunately I missed the expo due to work travel. The race terrain was similar to Atlanta, which has rolling hills. The terrain was great since I am use to running Atlanta. The course was scenic, we went through the University of Georgia's campus and around Athens. At one point in the race they were parachuting stuffed cows off a bridge. I got one and it was my guardian cow throughout the race. My only negative comment was that the pacers were not tracked so there is no record of my attendance or performance. The medal, cows, and after party were all great.

DIVAS Myrtle Beach is my second race for this series, I ran the Peachtree City, GA race last year. DIVAS is a fun race that makes every woman feel like a queen and the tiara sure helps. Myrtle Beach is great location for runcation, wonderful beaches and plenty of shopping.

Expo: The expo for the race is bit disappointing due to the theme of the race. The expo for both DIVAS races that I ran were held at small community centers. I like to use expos to purchase discounted gear. I was hoping for more vendors, but I did buy a few shirts. For 2015, the race is giving out tutus to all runners. We had an opportunity to take pictures with the tutus, boas, and tiaras. The race medals were also on display.

Race: This race was exciting because it was my first half marathon pacing gig. One of my goals for 2015 is to run races for free. One way to accomplish that goal is to pace the race. I volunteered to pace the 14 min/mile group. Because I do not run this pace, I knew it was going to be a challenge. I decided to do intervals (3 minutes running and 1 minute walking). Since I hadn’t used my watch for the interval functionality, I ran a bit too fast in the beginning. I am proud of the ladies who ran with me, two of them were running their first half marathon. I walked the last two miles to make it in on time. The terrain was about 95% flat, with a few small rolling hills. There was plenty to see along the course. I learned a lot about this race and I will work to continue to working on my pacing. Overall it was a great race and I met my pacing time. I medal was different than last year and I am looking forward to running the race in Peachtree City.

So I had so much fun in Atlanta running the Hot Chocolate Race that I decided to get on the road for another one. First, we were having issues with flight delays in Atlanta and I contacted RAM Racing about the possibility of missing the expo. They were so kind to hold the packets for my racing team. Thankfully we arrived on time for pick up. Overall the expo was great, just like Atlanta. The race, was unfortunately a struggle for me mentally. I finished the 15k running less than 10 min/miles, but the scenery was a bit boring. The terrain was flat, which is nice coming from Atlanta. There was nothing to see at the park that we ran around so I just ran to get finished. The medal was nice and the chocolate didn't disappoint.

This is my third time running this race, so I knew what to expect. The expo was hosted in downtown Atlanta and was smaller than it usually is for the race. Packet pickup was easy, but getting to the location can be challenging due to limited parking. It is easily accessible by MARTA. This year's swag was ok, but I am not a fan of bright color shirts.

This year's Georgia Publix Half Marathon was rainy. It rained the entire race. The course is classic Atlanta with tons of rolling hills. I PRed for the race. The finish had plenty of snacks and drinks and was well staffed with plenty of volunteers, despite the rain. Overall it was a great race.