Have you ever had math homework you needed help with while you wanted to get in a half marathon? The Princeton Half Marathon is the race you can go to where other runners will correct your math ("You're actually not a third done, you're actually 22.9% done"--actual race quote) and you'll always run the tangents because everyone around knows exactly how to calculate them.

The Princeton Half is a great race if you like hills, this is by no stretch of the imagination a flat course. If you're above a 12 minute/mile, you might find yourself a little alone out on the roads since the race seems to draw speedier runners and has a small field. It was a lovely course with portions run cross country, and a really small field of runners so no crowding ever. All around, the race is expensive but a decent value with some good swag in 2015 ($10 giftcard to a local running store with no minimum purchase requirement, a 1 week gym membership, $4 post race brunch buffet, etc.).

The Navy Air Force Half Marathon in DC can sometimes get lost in the shuffle of armed forces themed races in the District, held the month before its more successful sibling races of the Army 10 miler and the obnoxious older brother that is the Marine Corps Marathon. The upside to all of this is that the crowds are smaller, the course open, and with all the scenery you'd hope to get from a DC race: the National Mall, the Potomac, and Rock Creek Parkway. The price tag is high, especially for late registrants, but as one of the few half marathons in the District and without the omnipresent crowding that you get at other headline DC races, it's worth the extra money.

Have you ever wondered what it'd be like to run in Japanese subway during rush hour? Do you ever crave having the throngs of humanity all around you while you struggle to not fall down and be trampled by their $100 sneakers? Then have I got a race for you! The Cherry Blossom 10 miler is the Runners' Rite of Spring. I live in DC and while the race is very conveniently located, it's also the most crowded race I've ever run.

Registration is like airline ticket pricing: for $40, you can register for the race. T-shirts, medals, and swag cost extra and this keeps costs down so for runners looking for a no frills kind of race it's a good option. At the same time, the crowding means good luck running and try not to trip over anyone at any point in the course because it will never cease being crowded (and FYI, the expo is just as crowded as the race course was).

As my mother said upon seeing the crowds trying to get down to Hains Point where the cherry blossoms are: they're trees, what, has no one ever seen a tree before?

If Pacers is putting on the race, you really kinda can't go wrong. They have excellent organization, well stocked aid stations, and generally speaking decent to scenic courses. The GW Parkway Classic is one of those races that you can't run in DC without seeing 5 other runners wearing the shirt, and that ought to tell you something about the popularity of this one. The course is all rolling hills from Washington's estate in Mt. Vernon, running along the Potomac river and finishing in scenic, Old Town Alexandria. I would hands down run this over the Cherry Blossom 10 miler given the choice, and I wouldn't regret the decision in the least.