If you are as crazy of a Lincoln fan as I am, this is definitely the race for you! The main reason I chose this run was the course. It was very exciting to be able to visit the town that Lincoln spent so much of his life at and to be able to run past all the major Lincoln sites (including his home and burial site). I actually traveled to Springfield a little earlier to be able to visit the museum and his home, and I would definitely recommend both sites as they were absolutely spectacular to see. The course itself was not too hilly (just a few), and ran through the streets and the park. I really enjoyed all the volunteers and how enthusiastic all the support course was. I actually fell and twisted my ankle on this run, but one of the volunteers was very sweet about offering to help take me to the medical tent.

This is probably one of the smaller runs I have done, but it was definitely worth it. The penny medal is probably my favorite medal of all time, just due to the creativity and uniqueness of tying the race and the location very well to the town. The expo was small (more just of a bib pickup), and I don't think the swag or t-shirt was anything extra special. This race was all about the experience for me, and I would say that even though I fell, it was still probably one of the best race experiences I have ever had.

This was actually my first time ever running in the rain (I know... sad, right?), and it wasn't as bad as I would have expected. The beginning of the race starts in downtown Louisville, and the weather was extremely humid due to the storm that was coming in. About midway through the race, it started drizzling, and it didn't start pouring til the end of my run. The course was absolutely beautiful overall, in being able to see so much of downtown Louisville and Churchill Downs. The best part was being able to run through Churchill Downs (in the concrete center loop), and due to the timing of the race, there were horses and their jockeys outside exercising right next to the run. It was a really neat thing to see, and to experience the hype of the town revving up for the Derby the following weekend. There were plenty of Aid stations and this race had quite a bit of spectators, even with the weather conditions. The finish line for the race ends where the KDF Fest-a-Ville takes place, and I would have hung out and stayed at the post-race party if it wasn't raining quite as bad. I definitely give the marathon runners a lot of credit for running through the pouring rain, as it was really coming down just about another hour after I finished.

The Expo was fairly large and took place at the Convention Center. I personally wasn't a huge fan of the mini marathon shirts, as they were neon yellow with the course stamped on the front. The race management team did an excellent job with e-mail blasts and posting information on social media sites about the predicted weather for the upcoming race. I really appreciated all the outreach and constant communication they did to inform runners of the conditions for race day.

This is by far one of the most spectacular half marathons I have done! It was very well organized and the race was fantastic. Never any issues with losing the course, nor did I feel like the aid/water stations were too far apart. Very scenic with the harbor, the park, and multiple sites in San Diego! This is a great run for first time half marathoners, as well as those that want to PR. Flat for the most part (1 long hill), and with the last few miles being downhill, definitely a great chance to pick up some speed on tired legs. Loved it!

I had always heard that Austin was known for being super hilly, but I was definitely surprised how hilly the race was. I actually prefer hills over a flat course, as to just how much more interesting it keeps the run and I feel like I get a great challenge from it too. Although the course was hilly, the majority of the hills were fairly short and steep (which I prefer to long and continuously inclining). I actually PRed at this race, so my experience may be slightly bias too.

One thing I didn't realize was how humid Austin was. I did expect a little bit of humidity, but not to the extent that it was in February. This race did have perfect weather though, with mid-50s, cloudy but not gloomy, and slight humidity to keep the temperature feeling cool. Definitely optimum running weather.

Rock 'n' Roll is always very good at putting together an amazing Expo with ease of getting to the location, great times, and lots of vendors. As I have seen more and more bib pickup locations, I think Rock 'n' Roll really seems to have gotten this process down.

I did both the 5K (Saturday) and the half marathon (Sunday) for the remix event. Both courses were great, and the half marathon had a wonderfully scenic view going by the botanic gardens. You were able to see a lot of the beauty of Arizona in the half marathon, and the weather was definitely ideal for running in January. I had a great trip with these runs!