This is my second time doing the Shamrock half marathon! I love a race with a theme and this one did not disappoint.

The expo is perfectly sized! If you join a team (like I did) you get your bib from your team leader. This was great since no everyone has the run the same distance but you get to be a part of a group. It was easy to get to the expo thanks to the Portland Streetcar. More than enough samples and the swag they were selling was pretty cute! If I wasn't saving money I would have dropped some cash.

I am local to Portland already so getting to the start line was amazingly easy! An easy one-mile walk over one of Portland's bridges. The starts are staggered so there was never a crazy amount of crowds but you saw the people when you were running. Nothing is a bigger boast than seeing one of your friends crushing it! The turn arounds provided lots of chances to see people who were doing different distances.

The course goes through some different parts of Portland. But what makes the half marathon a challenge is the LONG hill you hit from about 4 miles until mile 8. The last mile is steep but once you get to the top you get some pretty amazing views of both the mountain and Portland. And finishing on a downhill means you can really push the pace the last bit!

The post-race party was happening from the moment I got there and was still rocking after I finished over 2 hours later! It was a see of green and happy people!

Your medal also doubles as a bottle opener which adds to the charm! The T-shirt was a great quality long sleeve which is such a nice change.

This race has a distance for everyone and if you are looking for a reason to visit Portland in the spring this is a great one to check out

I ran the 5K race and really enjoyed the whole thing from start to finish.

Packet Pickup: Was easy and small. I happened to pick the exact time that the kids' races started. So there were lots of kids all hyped up. I would make sure not to do this next time just for my own sake. It was super fast and I loved how cozy and hometown it felt.

Race Day: I chose to walk to the start line because I was unsure about parking. But once I got there I saw that I had nothing to fear. Lots of parking and everything was very well organized. The half and the full started first followed by the 5K, and then the 10K. It was nice to be a smaller group and not all squished together.

The Course: It followed a river path which is my favorite thing to run on. It was quiet but pretty and was very FLAT. So flat my Fibit said I hadn't reached my goal for flights of stairs. This would be a great race for a BQ or PR.

I finished this race by coming in 2nd in my age and my husband PR'ing and coming in 3rd in his age!

The post race was amazing. I didn't get to stick around for much since there was a long drive ahead but I was able to get some snacks and take some great pictures.

This is my second time running the Kansas City Marathon! But this time I opted for the 10K since I was coming off my second marathon two weeks before.

Expo: Having the expo in Union Station was amazing. It is not only a historic part of KC but it was super easy to get to. Free parking and the option to quickly get your bib and go, or do what I do and walk around planning my next race. The vendors were amazing and everyone was very helpful.

Day of: Parking is always something that stresses me out. KC has a lot of paid parking garages and the race defined ones fill up face. My suggestion is to find one that is on the streetcar path and park there. We had about a 15-minute walk to the start.

The Race: The 10K, Half and Full all start together. It was a little packed, but I think that was because I was in a popular pace time. The fireworks at the start got the excitement up to level 10. The course was so exciting and different from the year I did it. This year went up Grand towards the Sprint Center. This time we were lucky enough to go through the historic 18th and Vine! The spectators and aid stations were stocked and were amazing. They were so encouraging and had the most energy. The biggest change for me was the finish! It was downhill (YESSS) and gave me the kick that I needed!

Post Race- After I crossed the finish line there were people handing out Chick-Fil-a sandwiches. Post race beers with no line and lots of space to find my family that all did the 5k race!

This race is amazing. I know the Half and Full are challenging so be ready. If you are looking for a 10K that is well staffed, organized and fun this is the race for you!

Expo:
There is something beautiful and simple about an expo where the only goal is to get your bib and be ready to go. Being my first trail race this made it feel more like it was a community compared to a show. It was quick to get what I needed. I could ask questions about the course and race, all without being overwhelmed.

Race Course:
The 18K course went around the perimeter of Mt. Bachelor. This allowed for amazing 360 views. The terrane is HARD. Keep that in mind in regards to training and footwear. It is a very technical race, with lava rocks and very steep hills. Once you catch your breath you can enjoy the spectacular place you are in.

The aid stations were stocked with everything you could need or want (hello candy and bacon at the last one!!!). Plus they had a station where you could wash off any muck you may have collected. The people were positive and helpful and it was a joy going by them.

Post-race: With a giant area for stretching, compression pants, and foam rolling they really worked set you up for your recovery as well. Plus a post-race beer with a line that wasn't 50 people long? WIN! Plus amazing free race photos!

If you are ready for a CHALLENGE and are ready to push your limits, this is your race!

Packet Pick up- The packet pickup area was well organized. I liked that the volunteers directed you which section of the room to go to first and made sure you weren’t waiting in line for what you thought was a packet only to need to turn around and stand in a different line. Each group of bib numbers was broken into smaller lines which helped to keep the size of lines down. Altogether, it took less than 10 minutes to get through the whole thing, including signing my waiver, which I could have done at home.

Expo- I try to get to expos early in the morning, which helps with the crowds. By noon, a few thousand people were milling around the expo hall, which made it was hard to get to most of the samples. This is fine, I try to bring all my race day needs from home, but a free coconut water would have been nice. There were tons of areas for photo ops. The part I loved was seeing all the different medals from the other Rock ‘n’ Roll races, plus all the heavy medals you can earn depending on the number of Rock 'n' Roll races you run in a year. Make sure to go to the expo early, especially if large crowds stress you out.

Transportation- Since I got to the expo late, I missed out on getting a ticket for the shuttle that brought runners directly the start line. This miscalculation caused a bit of stress because I was staying about 2.5 miles away. A 5 a.m. Lyft ride turned out to be the answer. Based on what I saw when arriving, the buses brought people directly to the start line, which eliminated the uphill hike many runners had right before a race.

The start line- This is small, but was my favorite part. There were over 20 corrals, which is great because it means you don’t get push along too quickly. Every runner had a corral number assigned to them on their bibs, but these numbers were ignored as the start grew closer and runners arrived last minute. Since each corral started in 3-4 minute increments, I was able to start my run at the right pace without being pushed forward in a crowd. I loved this!

The course- I loved the half marathon course. Both the half and full marathoners ran together until about Mile 8. The course was filled with spectators (including a house at Mile 4 house giving out shots of tequila). The spectators were loud and tons of fun. I don’t think I remember too many stretches where there weren’t people cheering. The last three miles of the half marathon course was mostly downhill, which is great after 10 miles. There were a few hills but nothing that stood out as being significantly steep. I found myself pausing my Spotify playlist when arriving at each musician to hear the different styles of music being played.

Course Aid- It was a hot day, so I was keeping an eye out for every water stop I could get. They were well spaced out and well stocked. I was a huge fan of them making sure that we knew which one had water and which had Gatorade. Very helpful in case you have not trained with a specific drink.

Finish Line- That downhill finish made for a strong push at the end. You can hear people cheering for you on, and it made the last third of a mile fly by! I felt like a rock star (pun intended). They move you through the finish line area, allowing you to get your medal, Gatorade, and chocolate milk (yum). Surprisingly, at a race with 30,000 runners, it was easy to find my husband after the race.

Swag- The medal was very cute. I loved the small sparkle in the wave and the guitar pick shape. I only wish the half and full marathon were different sizes. I know when I ran my first marathon I loved that my medal was different than the 5K and half marathon. The standard race t-shirt was simple and what you would expect. There was a massive selection of finisher shirts available at the post-race party, which were pretty affordable.

Overall- This race was a ton of fun and out of my typical environment. I can see why people love the Rock ‘n’ Roll race series so much. They are well organized and offer excellent crowd support. If you are a music fan, love big races, and the sun, you should check this one out!