The Rock N Roll Chicago Half Marathon is a race I have run 5 times since its debut in 2009. I look forward to running in Chicago every summer when I visit my family and this race is usually the culminating event of my stay. I truly believe there are few cities in the world greater than Chicago in the summertime.

But as I ran this race for the 5th time this year, I realize that what I love about running this race has for more to do with circumstances NOT related to the race itself. The beautiful Chicago skyline at dawn, the majesty of the Millennium Park, Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain in the heart of the city center, the gorgeous lakeshore scenery are all aspects of Chicago to be enjoyed whether I am running the race or not. This year, there were two people who made this race unforgettable: Andy Grammer and Meb.

If you choose to ever run this race, you must be prepared for really hot and humid conditions. Of the five times I've run this race, only once was the weather conducive for a "fast" race. The course is pretty flat, but there are quite a few turns throughout the course to navigate the city streets. I should also note that the specific course has changed each year over the last 3 years so it is difficult to predict what they may decide to do next year. I'm sure the logistics of the course have to adapt to the circumstances each year so it's understandable to have some slight changes. It's part of running in a major city. The last two years, the hardest "hill" has been the Columbus Drive off ramp from Lakeshore Drive in the 13th mile.

The expo is located at McCormick Place, an enormous conference center that could be a city within itself! Parking there usually costs $10-20, or you can find street parking a few blocks away and pay much less. This year, I was staying in the city so I rented a bike and rode from Ohio St. Beach along the lakefront to avoid traffic and parking. The expo had some great bargains from local running stores and offered a variety of retail opportunities, but there was not really anything unique to it that set it aside from other large race expos.

I have run other Rock N Roll events (San Diego Marathon and St. Louis Half Marathon). The one criticism I have about the Chicago Rock N Roll is that there was really not much "rock n roll" happening during the race. There were a few DJs along the course that pumped music really loud and I think I heard one live band. I am not really sure why the organizers choose street performers as entertainment on the course. A few clowns on stilts just doesn't make sense to me when the race advertises, "Music every mile makes up the heart and 'sole' of this event." However, Andy Grammer's performance at the post-race concert was fantastic! He had performed the night before at Taylor Swift's concert and was up early to entertain thousands of dehydrated runners. Unfortunately it was so hot and there was no shade to escape the sun so I didn't stay for the whole performance.

Which brings me to aid stations. There was an email sent out to runners the night before warning of the harsh race day conditions. At the 6:30 start time, the temperature was already in the 80s and humidity at 87%. There were about 35 corrals that started in waves of 1-2 minute intervals, which means those in the later corrals started around 7:00 or later. I was in corral 6 and by the time I came through the water stops, they were struggling to keep them stocked and at least one stop ran out of Gatorade. There were only 8 water stops on the entire course as well. As I walked through each water stop, I worried about the runners and walkers behind me. I personally counted five runners down on the course receiving medical assistance which is always a scary sight!

For me, the best part of the race are the people. This year, Meb Keflezighi was the headlining ambassador for the race. I had the privilege of meeting him at the New York City Marathon last year when he just popped his head into our breakfast to wish all runners good luck. At Chicago Rock N Roll, I had read that he was going to pace the 1:45 group, which happened to be my corral! This race was my first race back from a hip injury so I knew I had to adjust my goal time. I thought maybe I could hang for a mile or two with his group just to have the experience of running with Meb. But at the starting line, it was announced that he would be pacing the 1:30 group, which meant he was in corral 2 and there was no way I would get to run with him. I wasn't too terribly disappointed since I figured it was a pipe dream to meet him anyway. But as I walked through the final water stop at mile 12 on the course, there was a runner standing in the middle of the course offering high fives to any runner passing by. I did the ultimate double take as I realized it was Meb! He had already paced his group to the finish and ran back to the course on his own to cheer on runners! No cameras. No microphones. No security or handlers. Just Meb. He was so gracious, so humble and so positive, it totally lifted my spirits more than I imagined possible. I don't think people realized who it was because people just kept running by him. Since I had no time goal in mind, I stopped to take out my phone and ask for a selfie, to which he kindly obliged. That moment was the highlight of my race! (In addition to finishing safely, of course!)

Bottom line is this: The Chicago Rock N Roll Half Marathon is a good time. I do enjoy this race each year. If you are looking for a unique race experience with personal touches in Chicago, this is probably not your race. If you do decide to run it, be prepared for the unpredictable weather conditions, LOTS of runners, a course that navigates a gorgeous yet busy city that most likely will not have rock n roll at every mile. If you have run other Rock N Roll Marathon events, this one will feel very familiar. That said, I will probably run this race again the next summer I am in Chicago. I enjoy my hometown city too much to miss the chance to run in it. And if you ever have the chance to run in a race with Meb, don't miss it!! You never know what might happen.

Oklahoma City in the spring time can bring very unpredictable weather. This year, the weather turned out to be a perfect backdrop for the full marathon. With overcast conditions, temps in the high 50s, and a cool north wind at about 15 mph, I knew this was a day meant for a successful race.

No matter which event you are running (marathon, half-marathon, relay or 5k), the start of this race is one of the most poignant and breathtaking events you will ever experience. The starting line is located on Harvey Ave, directly next to the west end of the Oklahoma City National Memorial. Shortly before the singing of the National Anthem, a moment of silence that lasts for 168 seconds: one second for every victim of the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995. The power of silence among 26,000 people is overwhelming. It reminds the runners of why the race is there in first place.

Runners are assigned a starting corral based on their anticipated finishing time, but the corrals are loosely monitored. Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay runners all start together (followed by the 5K event 30 minutes later), making the first few miles pretty crowded. This is not a bad thing if you are running the marathon! There are some hills on this course. They are not too long, but they can feel steep! Be careful not to push it too hard up the overpass at mile 2. There are still a lot of miles to go after that!

The spectator support along the course is wonderful! The water stops are lively and well stocked with a variety of refreshments. The half marathon and marathon courses separate at mile 8, which opens up the course significantly for marathoners to find their rhythm without having to weave through runners. Every water stop after mile 9 offered pretzels, powerade, water, oranges, bananas and sometime GU and wet sponges. There are lots of medic tents throughout the course and I never once felt unsupported during this race.

A wonderful local running store, Red Coyote, provides pace leaders for groups in both the marathon and half marathon. I was able to observe several different pacers sharing the load of the group, which ensures that their pacing stays accurate and on time. In addition, they were all so friendly and encouraging that the atmosphere among the runners made the perfect day even more enjoyable!

Local residents make a party of marathon day. You can see people in their driveways offering a variety of incentives to runners as they pass by. From shots of whiskey and cups of beer to free donuts or pieces of bacon, it is a runner's paradise! It truly is one, long block party for Oklahoma City!

The finish line is located on Broadway Ave, which is known as Automobile Alley. The last 1/2 mile is lined with cheering crowds which lifts your spirits into the finish line. At the finish, there are tons of volunteers offering hugs, blankets and medals. There is an awesome spread of post-race food and beverage (accept no beer...not sure if that's an Oklahoma law, but I don't like it), and cheeseburgers courtesy of Carl's Jr.

In addition to the adult events, there is also a very well-organized Kids' marathon event. Thousands of students from local schools who have logged 25 miles prior to race day, finish the last 1.2 miles on the marathon course. They have their own separate finishing area, complete with their own refreshments, supervision and security! All the kids receive finishers medals and have the chance to hang out with Rumble, the mascot for the OKC Thunder.

Overall, I highly recommend this race. However, I would caution those unfamiliar with Oklahoma weather patterns to be prepared for the unpredictable springtime weather here. It could snow, it could hail, it could be hot or it could be perfect. And it is true that the Oklahoma wind comes sweeping down the plains! I advise you to be flexible, but come do this race anyway. It is a vital fundraiser that benefits the sacred site of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and the museum.

For more information about my experience at the OKC Memorial Marathon, check out my race recap on my blog "Presently Running": https://wordpress.com/post/71139989/396/

Oklahoma weather in the spring time is unpredictable to say the least. The A2A Marathon takes place in late March, which can either mean super cold winter-like conditions or the first heat wave of the spring. No matter what, you can usually count on the wind sweeping down the plains. This year, it was definitely windy and chilly at the start, but no where near winter-like conditions of past races.

I decided to run this race with a friend as preparation for the OKC Marathon. Ardmore is roughly 90 minutes from Norman so we could leave early in the morning on race day to get there and be home around lunch time. Hands down, the best aspect of this race is the PEOPLE! The local organizers, spectators and volunteers are very passionate about the race's benefactor, Mercy Hospital. As such, there is tons of hometown love for the runners. Here are the Pros and Cons of this race.

PROS:

SWAG - Boy, did this race hook us up! The race shirt was a gray, long sleeve 3/4 zip tech shirt with a simple race logo on the front. It came in both men's and women's sizes. At the finish, runners were offered another long sleeve 3/4 zip tech shirt in black! In addition, runners received a hat and cotton t-shirt. Not bad for a $60 entry fee!

COURSE SCENERY - The Arbuckle mountains offer a gorgeous backdrop to the Oklahoma sunrise. The course is on a 2-lane frontage road that runs parallel to highway 35 and is completely shut down to all traffic during the race. This helps the runners feel safe and able to take in the scenery as you run. There are farms, wildflowers and lots of different animals to see as you run along this road!

BELL LAP TO THE FINISH LINE: No matter which distance you run, this point to point race finishes inside the local high school stadium. There is a giant bell on the track as you enter the stadium that the directors ask runners to ring as they run their last lap to the finish line to honor the patients being served by Mercy Hospital. It's a very symbolic gesture and quite moving to hear the bell ring throughout the stadium nonstop.

INDOOR PLUMBING: Since the race finishes in the high school stadium, all the bathrooms and locker rooms are open to the runners. It's so amazing to have indoor plumbing at the start and finish of a race! You can even take a shower if you choose! Just be sure to bring your own towel. We were able to park right there at the stadium which made for easy access to the car post-race.

HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS: The post-race food was great! There was a wide variety of choices including my favorite, the homemade cinnamon rolls made by volunteers! They were warm. They were sticky. They were delicious!

CONS:

WIND: This is spring time in Oklahoma. There will be wind. The question is how much and how cold. This year, it was a cold headwind for 13.1 miles. Definitely a challenge. If you're lucky, it could be a tailwind, but friends who have run this race for many years report that has never happened.

HILLS: There are lots of rolling hills on this course. They aren't steep but there are nonstop. Be sure to prepare your legs for them if you decide to run this race.

BUS TO START: Since it is a point to point race, you have to take a bus out to the start line. Porta potties, water and Gatorade are available to runners as they wait at the stop, but there is no shelter to save you from the elements. I would suggest wearing a garbage bag to keep you warm and dry as you wait to start. Luckily for me, a friend was volunteering at this race and had her car at the start. We crammed in as many runners as possible to keep warm before the start (See photo).

DID I MENTION THE WIND?: This year, we lucked out with the weather in the 50s. There have been years that it has been icy and snowy. Just be aware that the weather is unpredictable and this is probably not the course to go for a PR.

The Go Girl Run Half Marathon and 5K is specifically designed to celebrate women, health and fitness, and support the charity efforts for the chosen charity organizations. This was the inaugural Go Girl Run in Oklahoma City and it was spectacular!

The celebration of all women was palpable beginning at packet pick-up the day before the race. The expo was set up on the lawn in front of the beautiful Myriad Gardens in downtown Oklahoma City. There were several booths for shopping around including a local representative for Stella & Dot, Bondiband, Schlegel Bicycles, Runhers, Hoka One-One, Advocare, and Red Coyote, a popular OKC running specialty store. Ladies love to bargain shop and the expo provided just the setting to do so. Lots of gear was available as well as coupons for discounts at local shops.

Spring time weather can be very unpredictable in Oklahoma, but we lucked out with a gorgeous, sunny race day with little wind. The half marathon got underway at 7:00 am, followed by the 5K at 7:30. It was an impressive turn-out of about 1,010 runners, 6 of which were male. The course had a few rolling hills but nothing too devastating. The organizers also took great pride in making sure it differed from the OKC Memorial Marathon course, which many locals greatly appreciated.

At the finish, each runner received an enormous 1 pound medal and a beautifully engraved wine glass. Fresh fruit smoothies were blended on the spot and were just part of a great assortment of post-race grub that included bagels, bananas, pretzels and energy bars. A local brewery provided both light and dark beers at the finish as well. In addition, runners could get a free finisher's certificate printed out with their official finishing time.

The best part about this race was the incredible love and support in the atmosphere. The organizers sent out an email the week before the race requesting runners to stay and support the last finishers as though they were the first. It was an amazing scene as about 100 women lined the course leading to the finish line to cheer loudly for the last few finishers. The tears of emotion and love flowed freely from participants as well as spectators as we witnessed women tapping into strength they did not know existed within them.

There are three other Go Girl Runs scheduled this year throughout Missouri (Springfield, Columbia and Kansas City). I highly recommend this event for any woman looking to challenge themselves surrounded by an incredibly supportive crowd. Grab your girlfriends and make it an adventure. You won't regret it!

The Route 66 Marathon is run on the Sunday before Thanksgiving in Tulsa, OK, which is about 100 miles east of OKC. Oklahoma weather can be very unpredictable at any given time of the year. Usually, late November temperatures average in the 60s, but the last two years, Oklahoma was hit with early snow storms the week before the race. This year, we were lucky that the weather cleared up for the weekend of the race.

This year, I ran the half marathon course with my Norman RunHers women's running group. I ran the Route 66 full marathon in 2010, but since then, the course has changed and the race has grown with about 8,000 runners participating in Sunday's race. One change I noticed from when I ran the event in 2010 is that the 5K, Fun Run and Mascot Dash are held on Saturday. This is a fantastic way to build the anticipation for the marathon and half marathon on Sunday.

The Tulsa community support was unbelievably supportive of all the runners! Most of the half marathon course weaves in and out of beautiful neighborhoods with the residents sitting out on their driveways cheering for the runners. Local high school students volunteered at many of the water stations and graciously cheered us on as we ran. There was a party atmosphere for almost every mile of the half marathon.

In my opinion, this course would be very difficult to run a PR. It is very hilly, especially through the first 10 miles. Since I only ran the half this year, I cannot speak of the second half of the marathon course. If you decide to run the full marathon, I would suggest including a great deal of hill work into your training to prepare for this challenging course. It is no fun to burn out the legs before the second half of the race! This year, I ran for pure enjoyment and felt that 13.1 miles were quite enough for me on this day.

This is a great race to either enjoy with your family or with your friends for a quick weekend getaway. The Oklahoma hospitality can't be beat! After the race, the local restaurants were open and welcomed all runners. We had our pick of different types of food, atmosphere, and did not have to wait long for a table at all. I will definitely be back next year!