The mile in the sand is a fun race for all ages, and helps you get warmed up for the following days half marathon. I mean where else can you run a mile and still get a cool medal?? Don't let the distance fool you, it is only a mile but running in sand is NO JOKE. The harder you run, the more you seem to sink. A positive is the run is right on the beach, so you are running with the ocean to you side. If you are already planning to do the 5k or half marathon at virginia beach, throw this race in the mix as well. Not only will you get a medal for the mile in the sand and half marathon/5k, but you will also get an extra medal for completing 2 events. Thats a 3 medal weekend.

Rock and Roll Virginia Beach is a fairly flat course, but it takes place in September every year during holiday weekend. What that means is it is extremely humid during this race and if you don't properly hydrate, you will be in for a long race. The spectators are great and many of them will be out in front of their homes handing out popsicles to help runners battle the humidity. The course itself is nice, with one of the highlights being when you run through the military base. The race ends on a long stretch down the beach shoreline. You are guaranteed to be dripping sweat by the end but it is well worth it. Put this race on your to-do list.

The race is not much for scenery but it is for a great cause, which makes it worth it. This is an out and back course so enjoy the "out" because it is downhill, but the "back" you will be fighting hills all the way to the finish line. The best part is after you finish, you get free chick-fila food. :-)

I absolutely LOVED this race. The scenery was great, crowd support was splendid and the course was flat & fast. I PR'd on this race. Not only is the race runner-friendly, but the finisher medal is like no other. The medal is a large surfboard, and easily the largest medal in my collection. The race finishes on the boardwalk, so after you are done you can sit and enjoy the ocean while drinking your beer. I would recommend this race to EVERYONE.

I was extremely happy when i heard that the Rock and Roll Series was finally having a race in Raleigh, NC. The expo was pretty big and the race shirts were fairly nice. The is great crowd support with this race and the course takes you through some of Raleigh's great downtown sites. The race starts off pretty face but once you reach mile 6, you start to encounter hills, I you have to tackle one pretty steep hill at mile 11. They have altered the course a few times since the inaugural race, so it may not be as bad now. If you are a North Carolina resident, you have to run this race and if you are an out of towner, you will enjoy the sites Raleigh has to offer.