This was my 4th year running the Coke 10K. The excellent course, organization and volunteers keep bringing me back. Beautiful course through the residential, tree lines streets of Corinth, Mississippi! Surprisingly hilly but one flat stretch of one mile in the middle of the race is a life saver! Cold towels are handed out mid race and most welcome! This race is the beginning of May but things are already getting toasty in Mississippi. As in most years, the Coke 10K sold out. Terrific event!!!

I was blessed, as a US runner to be able to travel to London and run this amazing race! I had the time of my life in the UK!!! I'd heard stories about trying to get to the start but I didn't have any trouble at all with the trains or the walk to the red start. I was surprised at the low number of porta potties available at the red start! That came back to bite me at mile 21 when I had to use one. This was the first time ever(!) in a marathon where I've had to stop to use the facilities just because I couldn't get to one before the race. The race is fabulous but VERY crowded. VERY(!) crowded. It was difficult to maintain your pace due to the congestion on the course. That being said, it was such an incredible experience, I just changed my race plan and enjoyed the scenery and the great people everywhere cheering. I was surprised at how hilly it was. Towards the end, turning a corner and all of a sudden, there was Big Ben! I mean, there it was!!! How did I not see that before that point in the race? Simply amazing. So much of it, you practically had to stop to soak it all in. Running past Buckingham Palace and zeroing in on that finish line...can't beat this race!!!

I've run this race twice, 2015 and 2016. I loved it so much the first time, it deserved a repeat! There's so much history in the city of Berlin. Being a history nerd, it struck a chord with me. The race itself is not hard as far as elevation. It's the second flattest marathon I've run with Chicago being the flattest. The course is crowded through at least the first 10K with those first few aid stations being very congested. The popping noise from the plastic cups at those aid stations took me off guard. I'd never been in a race that had used plastic cups before. They serve hot tea at some of the aid stations and it looks like a Gatorade product to the eye. It was a huge surprise to my mouth...which was all set for a sports drink! The tea did the trick, though! Crowd support at Berlin is amazing!!! There's not a thin spot the entire 26.2 miles. I seriously loved this race!!!

This was my sister's first Half Marathon so I was supposed to run my own race and be there at the end to catch her finish on my phone. I did exactly that! It's a fun little race! Thoroughly enjoyed it!!! Some of the run, the trail is a little narrow for the number of runners but that's really no big deal. My only grumble was when volunteer let a concrete mixer make a turn right in front of myself and another runner. We had to wait for what seemed like forever for that big thing to move (you know how it is when your Garmin is ticking off the seconds. LOL!) Had a lovely time running and meeting up with so many of my Mississippi running friends and seeing my sister successfully complete her first Half!