I am very fortunate that this was my first 1/2 marathon!

The expo was ok. Unfortunately I got there late - around 2:00 on Saturday and it endes at 4:00 Saturday - and some of the vendors were already closing shop. However, one of the things I thought was great was that they had backdrops with different Philadelphia landmarks and the Love Run logo that you could take a picture in front of!

The sway was great also! The t-shirt is nice and I cannons wait to drink out of my coffee mug!

Race day was great. It was a little chilly but that's not there fault, that's just Pennsylvania in March. The course was great! I am not in Philadelphia often so being able to run the streets in center city and see what is around was great! Then running through Fairmount Park and past Boat House Row - what amazino views!!! The course was pretty flat, with just a few short hills. And ending at the Art Museum was iconic!

The race directors did a great job keeping the race organized and flowing and the city - the men and women in blue and the volunteers - kept the streets free and safe! Well done everyone!!!

First and foremost, this is a great race for a great cause - helping people with disabilities. And they allow you to findraise! It is held across the United States so there is a race for everyone.

The Trexlertown race starts at a church and is a very flat course so if you are looking for a PR, this is your race. It does run along a main road and they keep it open to traffic so you need to be aware of your surroundings however the volunteers do a great job at keeping runners safe!

At the end of the race there were people that were giving away their homemade food which was nice and the medal everyone receives for finishing is amazing, especially for a 5k!

I would definitely recommend this race to anyone looking for a great race for a great cause!

I don't go into the city (Philadelphia) often for runs as I live up north; especially a 5k because it takes me three times as long to drive there then it does to actually run the race. But I will continue to come to Philadelphia for this 5k! It is set in a beautiful neighborhood starting at the Please Touch Museam and running through a beautiful neighborhood.

It was so touching to see the little heros - children in remission of cancer or going through treatment; hearing their stories, speaking with their families, and seeing them so happy and joyful in what has to be a very sad time in their little lives.

The amnesties the race provides are also very nice. With registration, everyone receives a nice t-shirt and a very nice medal to all the finishers.

The only down side was that all the info stated that the race started at 8:00 or 8:30 and it didn't actually start until 9:00. It didn't bother me but you could tell some people were getting very anxious to start. Overall, - great race for a great cause!!! I will be back for my third year next year!

The Runner's World Half and Festival is just that - a FESTIVAL - a three day running event and celebration!

I will start with the Expo that started Friday. They did such a great job making packet pick up easy and fast - I was in and out. Once you picked up your packet, there were two floors of vendors that were there to give you info and free samples - everything from food and drinks that would be offered during the races to running gear (rollers, KT Tape, shoes, clothing, etc) - and at discounted prices!

My race was Saturday at 9:30 however there was a race that started at 8:00 that morning so I was sure that parking was going to be a hassle because I did not need to get there until later. The city did a great job keeping the traffic moving and parking was not an issue at all. There really in not a bad parking space around the Steel Stacks.

Running Bethlehem is unlike running any other area. Although hilly, it offers some of the most amazing views and residents come out of there homes to cheer runners on along the course! It really is a community event, whether your running or not. The first responders do an amazing job at making sure everyone is safe!

After the race, there is live music and FREE seminars that anyone can attend offering useful information from the experts.

Overall, A+ Runner's World! I cant wait for next years Festival!

I was very excited about this race because it was the first annual for the Lehigh Valley. The Travis Manion foundation runs these races all over the country however the first for our area. Then to find out that it was all made possible due to a high school students history project - just amazing! She told us a little about Travis Manion and his sacrifice for our country - dying serving our country in Iraq.

The start of the race was very emotional. There were several fire trucks from different area fire companies along with local police there!

The course started on the Parkland High School track and quickly trailed onto the grass into the woods. This was one of the hardest courses I have ever run - there were, what seemed like 70* elevations both up and down and they were incredibally rocky. I felt like I was hiking a mountain, not running a race. However when you think of what our service men and women go through, this was a walk in the park. The course then looped around and ended back on the track. As someone who never ran track in school, this was an awesome experience as spectators sat on the bleachers waiting for runners to arrive!

After the race, they provided lots of food and drinks! The swag was very nice as well. Everyone received a very nice t-shirt and if you raised money through the fundraising site, you also received a commemorative coin and a nice hat!

Although a very difficult course, I will definitely run it again next year!