Packet pickup was available two days prior as well as the morning of right outside of Colony Square. It was easy peasy- you received a shirt and race bib. No goodie bag or anything like that. They were giving away green sunglasses and green beads before the race for free that you could wear, though I wasn't sure if the race organizers were doing it or if it was in preparation for the parade that would happen after the race.

Parking was readily available in local parking garages. I can't remember the fee we paid, but the race directors did give out $8 off tickets that you could use when exiting the garage. So depending on how long you hung out after the race, you would just have to pay the balance.

There weren't any port-o- potties, but you could walk into the Shops At Colony Square to use their public restroom and wait in the warm lobby until the race began.

The start line was right outside of the Shops At Colony Square. There were vendors taking St. Patrick's-themed photos in front of the Midtown sign and promoters around for the upcoming Chips movie taking pictures and giving out swag (shirts and bags) as well.

Let's talk about the elevation- the course is not flat! Hills, hills, and more hills. It was no joke, so be prepared for that.

There was only one aid station just past the 2-mile mark and they had water.

I saw 1 photographer while running through Piedmont Park and that's it. They posted the pictures in their Flickr album and on their Facebook page for free after the race, so that was nice.

Upon crossing the finish line, runners received their medal, there was also water, bananas and some bars available. Runners received a free beer from Reformation Brewery and there were two food trucks available for a price and one giving away food for free. (Guess which food truck I went to??)

Shout out to The Establishment of Atlanta-- that goat cheese mac was on point!

On top of the food listed above, the post-race party included a live band playing music. Runners were able to sit and chill (truly chill, since it was so cold) on the tables and chairs out on the square and enjoy their post-race beer and food. Race directors also held a raffle to give away some small prizes, which was cool.
It's definitely a race I would do again. Running through Piedmont Park was a treat as it is absolutely gorgeous. It's a small hometown race, but what a great vibe both before and after!

This year was the inaugural year for the speedway challenge, which is the option to run both the half marathon and then lap the track with the 5K.

I participated in the Half Marathon relay, running the first half of the race, as well at the 5K Lap the Track.

Packet pickup was available the day before the race and the morning of at the speedway. I went the day before just to scope out the area, get a beat on what the parking situation was like, and let's face it-- waking up extra, extra early on race day to get my packet is really not my thing.

Parking was free and plentiful. They actually had runners pull up on the grass right outside of the speedway, so that was perfect. We were just steps away from the start line.

The potties at the start line were plentiful, but you needed to use your observant eye to find them. Right next to where we parked, there was one restroom and the line was very long. Upon asking an employee, we found out that there were a multitude (I'm talking 5+) other restrooms scattered throughout, so I was able to walk around and find a restroom with no line.

The start line was right on the track and again steps away from parking. What was great about this was that they had a car loop the track to start us off and as someone who is not very NASCAR-savvy, it was very cool to see (and hear) a race car in person.

We were told that the course covers "the speedway, to the beach, and back." Since I participated in a relay, I only ran half of the course and my best friend was able to do the second half. I think she might agree that she got the short end of the stick because as we learned, the second half involved running over a bridge twice. Oops.

The first half of the course started on the track and then mostly ran through neighborhoods, nothing truly exciting to see there. The second half once crossing the bridge went on the beach for a bit, then circled back to the track.

There were a good number of aid stations with both water and gatorade to drink along the course. The volunteers were great and very cheerful and supportive! Just past the 10K mark there was gatorade, water, fuel (in gel form) and potties for runners.

I believe I saw photographers in two or three spots along the route. Photos were made available two days after the event. The local newspaper was there and also shared some candids from the race, which was cool.

Upon crossing the finish line, half marathon runners received their medal, water, a Daytona race towel, and a freezing cold washcloth to cool off with. They also had a time table available to receive a slip with your official time right away.

The post-race party included free eggs, sausage, cheese potatoes (which were SO DELICIOUS), bananas, and oranges. Runners also got free beer, but the line was too long for me so I just headed back to my hotel.

There were lots of race cars out and about available for photos. There weren't very many vendors, though. I believe I saw two tents pitched with vendors there.

It was overcast this year, which was perfect because I can't imagine how much more difficult the race would have been had the sun been out pounding down on us.

For the 3.1 "Lap the Track," runners and walkers lapped the 2-mile track, exited the speedway for a short time outside before returning to the track for the finish. This portion of the course was pretty flat and if I had run it, I imagine that it would be a fast run.

Goodies for the speedway challenge included a jacket and a medal. All in all, speedway challenge runners would have received: 3 medals, 1 race towel, 2 race shirts, and a race jacket.

This was my first time participating in any type of race challenge. I am glad that I chose to walk the 5K portion because my feet and calves were singing to me after my half of the half and I got some great best friend bonding time in since we don't get to see each other often.

The atmosphere of this race was so wonderful and I would definitely consider doing it again.

Packet pickup was easy. There were three locations throughout the Bay Area to pickup your packet, two in Clearwater and one in Tampa so I was able to pickup at the Tampa location on my way home from work one day. I do think that they could have had a pickup in Saint Petersburg or North Tampa for the people for whom the other locations weren't convenient, but I know that this isn't always possible. Pickup included your bib number and tee (a blue, long-sleeved dri-fit shirt).

Parking in Clearwater is plentiful. If you are not familiar with the area, you can pull up a parking map on the City of Clearwater's website in order to find available, free parking.

The potties at the start line were plentiful, but per usual the lines were long. I almost missed the start, which has never really happened to me but when you've gotta go, you've gotta go!

The start line was in a great spot- right on the water.

The course is beautiful. You do go up a hill right out of the start line and then you go over the bridge, so get your calves ready for that! You run right into Clearwater Beach before turning around to head back to Coachman Park. Be ready to head up some hills again on the way back! There is some good shade along the route and the wind was great (especially when you are right by the water). When there aren't trees? The sun is hardcore. I definitely recommend sunscreen-- at least on your face, which I did not do and regretted about half way through.

There were three or four aid stations with water to drink and there were tons of volunteers around the route with helpful signs making sure that you went the right way.

I saw three photographers along the route. Photos are available for free for this race, which is always great, so smile big!

Upon crossing the finish line, runners received their medal and water. They also had a time table available to receive a slip with your official time right away. The finish line festival included free pancakes, oranges, bananas, and orange juice. I wasn't feeling very hungry so I just had a banana, but the pancakes did smell delicious. I went right home after the race, so I didn't get to visit the expo but there seemed to be lots of tents up and vendors to visit. They were also handing out tickets for giveaways after the race, which is pretty cool.

The course was great. The shirt was awesome. The medal was nice and big and the price was right! For the 5K/10K: Pre-reg sign-up fee $29 Day-of sign-up fee $35 Kids 12 & Under = $10. No price increase at different intervals. I love that! So I would definitely do it again.

Ronnie’s Run was started by the mother of Ronnie Scrimo in an effort to bring awareness to drug and alcohol abuse. Ronnie passed away in December of 2014.

Communication from the race director beforehand was good, I received one email prior to race day outlining what to expect in regards to parking and admission into Ft. DeSoto Park, packet pickup, and other relevant information.

Packet pickup was easy. There were three locations offered in advance, two in Saint Pete and one in Gibsonton, as well as race day pickup. They probably could have had a pickup at the Fit2Run in Tampa for the people for whom the other locations weren’t convenient, but I know that this isn’t always possible. Pickup included your bib number, tee (a black, dri-fit shirt), and some other goodies. Racers all receive a free #run4Ronnie headband for signing up as well.

Parking at Ft. DeSoto is plentiful. The park was made for visitors, so there really is no issue for parking there.

The location can be tricky if you’ve never been to Ft. DeSoto. Most races run on North Beach, which is far back into the park and can be hard to find in the dark. My advice? Follow the other cars.

There were no potties at the start line, but here were public restrooms on site near Ft. DeSoto’s shelter 1 and shelter 2. The lines were long as there are only 2 stalls in the female restroom, so get there early if using the potty is a must for you.

For those of you interested in race tracking, this year free race tracking was provided via RaceJoy.

There are 3 distances for this race: 1-mile, 5K, and 10-miler. I did both the 1-mile and the 5K. The one mile is just a run straight down the parking lot and back to the start line. Yes, medals are given for the 1-mile race.

The start line for the 5K race is in the parking lot of North Beach and as you run, you go on a nice tour of the Arrowhead area of the park. The course is all paved roads, no sand. You get some good views of the water along the way and there are aid stations as you go through. TAKE THE DRINK because the course is not fully shaded and it gets hot here in Florida. Sunscreen is your friend.

Photos are free in this race and are all uploaded to Facebook afterwards. The race photographers are at the start/finish and along the course once during the 5k.

The finish line was complete with water, chocolate milk, a hot breakfast, and Krispy Kreme donuts. They also held raffles for beach cruisers, which I was not able to stick around for.

Proceeds from this race goes to Lighthouse Ministries, a group that works with the at-risk and homeless population here in Florida. I spoke with some wonderful women while waiting in line at the restroom who shared stories about their struggle, triumph, and consistent fight against addiction.

I would absolutely do this run again– great goodies, a good course, and a wonderful cause.