Latest reviews by Bradley
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
For the full report, with lots of photos, visit my blog: http://bradleyontherun.com/2017/08/20/seawheeze-2017/
SeaWheeze 2017 – Quick Review
Social Media: Huge props to lululemon and SeaWheeze for their phenomenal social media – excellent responsiveness on Twitter and consistent, informative but not-too-often emails. Great updates on Facebook, plus event photos. I wish they had a dedicated Instagram page.
Packet Pickup: Because I went early and didn’t bother with the Showcase Store, the package pickup was quick and uneventful. I did find it funny how long it took my volunteers to attach my number to my drawstring bag, but I imagine they got the hang of things as the day went on.
T-Shirt/Swag: Pretty decent haul – the nifty technical shorts, drawstring bag, sunglasses, water bottle, nuun…all good things. No cap, which was a bit of a disappointment. And one of my most epic medals – rivalling last year’s!!
Course: The course itself is nothing new to me, I’ve done it all before. But I love the energy that the volunteers and entertainers bring! Just as your energy starts to flag, you turn a corner and there’s something new to engage you!
Post-Race: There was lots to do in addition to eating – but I was tired and didn’t want to linger. Opportunities for massage, socializing, and lots of vendors. Got a nice little swag package from Saje as well! The Sunset Festival in the evening is a great way to cap off the weekend festivities!
Organization: lululemon certainly knows how to host an epic event! They worked out some of the kinks that hampered last year’s race, and everything seemed to go off without a hitch…even the weather!
Would I run it again? If the circumstances were favourable, I’d do it for sure! I find the cost prohibitive, but you get what you pay for! We’ll see what 2018 has to bring! (It’s worth noting that the 2018 race has been bumped to September!)
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
For the full race report, with photos, visit my blog:
http://bradleyontherun.com/2017/06/07/north-olympic-discovery-marathon-race-report/
North Olympic Discovery Marathon (Half) – Quick Recap
Social Media: The North Olympic Discovery Marathon website is a wealth of information – pretty much all you need can be found here. But they also keep things fresh and update on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Good content, solid social media. One area for improvement: updated social media links on the website!
Package Pickup: Quick and efficient, with friendly volunteers and a great community spirit. Raffle to win local goods. Handy location.
T-Shirt/Swag: One of the best race shirts ever! A stylish long-sleeved quarter zip – and in a lightweight material, perfect for post-race or shoulder season runs. Huge props! The medal was a simple, elegant design. Definitely one of my favourites.
Course: I can’t say enough about the course. There’s a reason the North Olympic Discovery Marathon was voted the most scenic course. Country road, shaded trails, and 5k on the seaside with views of Canada. What more could you ask for? Yes, I admit, the course was a bit tougher than I expected – the rolling hills of the trail are deceptively challenging, and Mother Nature really threw a curveball with the coastal headwind. Still, there aren’t enough adjectives to describe the beauty of the course.
Post-Race: Really well-organized and fun post-race celebration. Great food, free beer, and lots of positive energy. There was live music, too – if not for the fact we were driving back to Canada, I would have been happy to hang around for another hour.
Would I Run It Again? Honestly, I think the North Olympic Discovery Marathon is one of the area’s best kept secrets. Unequivocally, yes! Such a friendly, well organized, and scenic race…it’s everything I look for in a half marathon. I’m extremely glad I had the chance to run, and I will be back, without a doubt! You should run, too!
Overall
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For the full race report - visit my blog at http://bradleyontherun.com/2017/06/22/rock-n-roll-seattle-half-marathon/
Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Half Marathon – Quick Recap
Social Media: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle website is thorough and detailed. This is your number one source of information, so all of the other social media channels are general Rock ‘n’ Roll info.
Package Pickup: I was concerned about driving and parking in Seattle, but we found the location pretty easily. It’s not cheap! We only parked for about an hour and it cost $10. Otherwise, the package pickup was quick, and the Expo was large and energetic. Make sure you study the Expo map so you can pinpoint your favourite vendors!
T-Shirt/Swag: Honestly, I was hoping for something a bit snazzier for the t-shirt – black is a bit bland. But the medal is blingy and I really love it! For those doing remix challenges, they got some other awesome medals, too.
Course: Apparently, this year’s course was flatter than in other years – and as we drove the course, my (local) friend observed that in hilly Seattle, they chose a pretty runner-friendly route. The scenery for the first 13 kilometres – Arboretum and Lake Washington – is stunning. The latter third of the route is mostly a straight line through the city, so it’s not especially scenic. But it’s also pretty flat. And then you finish between two stadiums, to the cheering of the crowds – and that’s truly inspiring!
Post-Race: Immediately after the race, I was loaded up with water, Gatorade, a banana, chocolate milk…I ran out of hands! But I didn’t stay for the post-race celebration, free beer, or headliner band. So I’ll reserve judgement. But, I have no doubt it was heaps of fun!
Would I Run It Again? The more races I run, the more I’ve come to prefer smaller, local races. The crush of huge crowds sometimes overwhelms me (or, more accurately, tires me out). The Rock ‘n’ Roll races are massive…but I still had a really good time. Everything was very well organized. For the chance to run this route again? Yes, I would definitely do it!
Overall
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Parking/Access
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For the complete race review, with all the struggles described in detail - and photos! - visit my blog:
http://bradleyontherun.com/2017/05/09/bmo-vancouver-marathon-2017/
BMO Vancouver Marathon – Quick Recap
Social Media: The gang at BMO Vancouver Marathon (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) does a fantastic job of keeping us informed and up to date. With social media and regular email updates, it’s a truly professional organization. Excellent communication. Two thumb up!
Package Pickup: With my Prestige Club pass, I was able to skip the line – and that was awesome! The Health, Sports and Lifestyle Expo is fun and engaging, with lots of great vendors. I have to give special recognition to Vicky at North Olympic Discovery Marathon – a race I’ll be doing in about a month!
T-Shirt/Swag: I’m not a huge fan of baby blue, but i really like this year’s t-shirt design. The swag I got from the Prestige Club – specifically the RunVan BUFF – really made me happy! And the 2017 medal is epic – heavy, 3D and stylish. Love it!
Course: Gorgeous. I run these road and paths, and the Seawall, all the time. I’m spoiled. But it’s a fabulous course, with lots of community support, and some stunning ocean views to boot. It’s hard to appreciate them on the far side of Stanley Park – though the hills are over, the endlessness of the final kilometres is painful. But still scenic! One of the best! You would never regret running in Vancouver.
Prestige Club: I was SO thrilled to win this VIP upgrade. Express pickup – brilliant! The heated tent, food, and private toilets at the start line were amazing – and had it been colder or rainy, it would have been a true lifesaver. The after party was mildly underwhelming…and, since I had a couple of spectator friends in tow, I didn’t want to leave them alone. If I’d travelled from another city, or was on my own – then I think it would have made more of an impact. Also, having my checked bag valeted personally from start line to finish line, not bad at all! Given the price tag, probably not a perk I’d purchase for myself, but it was still a great perk!
Post-Race: I think the Finish Line street festival gets better every year! Loads of food and drink, vendors, food trucks, massage…and lots of opportunity to connect with other runners, friends and family. One of the best!
Would I Run It Again? Without a doubt, I will run other BMO Vancouver Marathon events…but I don’t know if I’ll run the full marathon again. Honestly, I’m not sure whether or not I’ll ever run a full marathon. If I do, I might try for a slightly flatter course! Nevertheless, this one of the best organized race events I’ve been to, and I highly recommend it! Come and #RUNVAN!
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
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Parking/Access
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Quick Recap – April Fool’s Half Marathon
Social Media: The social media team did a great job with engagement on both Twitter and Facebook. I would love for them to have had an Instagram account for me to tag as well, but that was hardly an issue. The race website is great – jam-packed with information – providing all the information we needed!
Packet pickup: Available on Thursday night at Denman Street Running Room, or on Saturday in Gibsons. If neither option works, there is morning-of pickup available.
T-Shirt/Swag: Fun race t-shirts are available, but you have to purchase them separately. This is great, actually, because it keeps the race price low, and you can choose whether or not you want another race shirt. Given the price of the race, the medal is fantastic – this one celebrating the race’s 40th anniversary!
Course: Point-to-point from Gibsons – through Roberts Creek and along the highway north to Davis Bay near Sechelt. If you’re looking for a fast, flat course…this ain’t it! The scenery is OK – mostly residential countryside – but it’s the spirit of the spectators and volunteers that makes all the difference. I wonder what it would be like running it in the rain. I should note that there is also a relay option for the half marathon – you can read more about the relay experience on Zahida’s blog.
Post-Race: I spent less time that I normally would post-race because I dashed to the washroom, and soon thereafter jumped on a bus back to the ferry. However, there was a wonderful selection of food – bagels, yogurt, drinks and three kinds of vegetarian soup!
Would I Run It Again? YES! It’s a delightfully fun race, great value for money – and wonderful local community spirit. Lots of familiar faces from the Vancouver running scene, which is fun.
For the full review - with photos - visit my blog!
http://bradleyontherun.com/2017/04/04/april-fools-half-marathon/