Latest reviews by Amy

(2017)
"Fantastic Nighttime Trail Race"
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Being a new trail runner, I was a bit intimidated by this race. It's in New Caney, just north of Houston, in August. August here is HOT. And the 5k started at 8:40 at night. And it was through the woods on mainly single track dirt and grass trails. And it was awesome!! While I had to watch my feet, the terrain was not difficult. The race does start off very warm (92), but it cooled slightly as I ran. There is something really amazing about running through the trees at night with nothing but a headlamp. You receive a glow necklace when you pick up your bib, and many runners accessorized with their own glow bracelets and anklets. Not much in the way of swag. A quality T shirt that ran a little large, and no medal, but I don't care to receive a medal for a 5k anyway. Post race there was a food truck serving a choice of 3 different Tex-Mex dishes and beer for those of age. People hung out in the park after, eating & visiting. A fun and well-run 5k.

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(2017)
"Outstanding Marathon"
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The Pig has been on my list since 1998 - it did not disappoint. The course winds through Cincinnati, giving you a great tour of a cool city. There were so many aid stations & spectators, I never ran more than half a mile without seeing a smiling face, being handed snacks, or receiving a high five.
The course is hilly throughout, but less so after Mile 19.
The Expo was pretty good. Several of the vendors didn't anticipate such a large crowd, and by 2 PM were out of promo items and closing up.
Because the Expo and the race are downtown, you'll likely have to pay for parking and walk, as you would in any big city.
The swag was really nice, including a poster & a high-quality backpack. And if you decided to buy a souvenir, like a mug, the prices were reasonable.
I don't know whether they are there every year, but Artworks was at the Expo making really cool flying pig shirts while you wait. I love my shirt!
The medal was great, two-sided showing a pig flying across the city. Definitely one of the nicest ones I've received. My only negative comment is regarding the race shirts. They were white with 3 emojis across the chest. They looked as if someone spent 15 minutes designing them. :(
Add this marathon to your list - it's worth the trip.

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(2017)
"Amazing Trail Race"
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This is a beautiful, challenging trail race. There are outstanding views and the topography offers grassy single track as well as granite trails.
I'm not used to rocky trails, & found the terrain difficult at times There were many places I walked either because it was steep or I was a little nervous about my footing. The time limit is generous enough to walk the whole course if you are doing the half, as a marathon & double marathon are going on at the same time.
Parking is ample. We did packet pickup an hour before the race, and had plenty of time. Management is very responsive to questions. The medal was high-quality.
The shirt was cute, but I thought it ran a bit small.
I highly recommend this race.

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(2016)
"Fun Trail Race"
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I'm still new to trail racing. This was my 3rd race, and I had a great time. The half marathon course was 3 loops. I thought it would be dull running the same loop 3 times, but it wasn't at all. I noticed something new each time.
The terrain offered the opportunity to run rocky areas, up steps, over little creeks, through sand, and on grass. It had it all. About 2 miles or so was single track. The race was a little late in the year to see wildflowers in Texas, but the views were still interesting. And the birds and rabbits were very active, especially at the race start.
As another reviewer noted, the transportation to the start was a challenge. The van ride to the start was ok, but riding to the parking lot post race was pretty rough. The cargo vans were HOT by the time we caught a ride at 11 AM. Wondering if the RD would be able to haul everyone on a flat bed trailer instead, maybe a hay ride of sorts.
The t shirts were high quality, and I've gotten several compliments on the quality of the finishers' medal.
Loved this race and will likely run it again in 2017.

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(2016)
"Decent 1st Effort"
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Ran the inaugural Canton Balloon Fest Half in Canton, Texas Saturday, May 14th. This was a reasonably challenging race, with several gently rolling hills. The half course went through the town, out into the countryside, and back.
The first miles through town, the road was easy to run. Miles 8-12 traversed some pretty bumpy asphalt. The roads were not closed to traffic, so there were many places where we had to run single file. I sometimes found myself running through weeds on the side of the road either to pass another runner or just to stay on flatter ground.
The big selling point of the race was seeing hot air balloons during the race, but the weatherman missed the forecast. It rained for the first 3 miles or so, then was windy and overcast the rest of the race. The rainy weather turned out to be a good thing for those running the half, as there was almost no shade on the course. Also, I doubt that the aid stations would have been able to meet the demand for water had the day been sunny.
Crossing the finish line, I was dismayed to receive a completely different medal that what was shown on the website. Instead of a 4 color metal medal, finishers received a cheap looking clear acrylic medallion. Also, the finishers’ tech shirts are so thin that you can see right through them. So ok to wear during a training run, but I would never wear the shirt in public.
As I said, this was their inaugural race, so I have high hopes they’ll do better in 2017.
Bottom line: I enjoyed the small-town feel of this race but would hesitate to do the half again because an 8 o’clock start could mean a hot, sunny 13.1 miles over rough asphalt. I would probably choose to run the 10k which turns around at the edge of town. And if you’re really into medals, you have been warned.
Pros:
Plenty of free parking
Parking a short distance from the start/finish line
Real restrooms at the start/finish
Homemade breakfast burritos post-race
Pleasant, friendly volunteers
Quaint area for lunch & shopping post-race
Cons:
Bait & switch medal
Cheap shirt
Understaffed water stations

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