This was the second time that I raced in Onancock and the first time that I ran in the 10k--in 2014 I ran the half marathon. This is a great race that is well worth the travel time to get there.
The course and spectators: This course consists of running through Onancock and country roads. At times I was sharing the road with traffic but I felt that traffic was overall pretty light. There was not many spectators; however, there was a lady that provided runners cups of water near the beginning of the race in front of her house.
Aid stations: There were two official aid stations that I think provided both water and Gatorade (I only stopped at the second one). However, it's an out and back so I went past the first water stop as well as the unofficial one on the way back.
Parking: There is a parking lot that gets filled early but there is also plenty of parking spots along the road and neighborhood.
Swag: For being so inexpensive they have great swag. This year they gave out both a shirt and a soup mug which was awesome but I really loved the wine glass they provided in 2014(I just broke it). Be sure to get there early if you need a popular sized shirt such as a women's small. There are also a few tables with items that you can buy to support the animal charities on the VA eastern shore.
Post race: I like to pick races that have great food at the end and this race is one of is my favorite races for this reason. They provided fried chicken from Bojangles and several sides.I loved that they had a vegan quinoa salad ( so yummy) and I enjoyed the sweet potato biscuits. Also, beer was provided in a small keg. There was a separate table for desserts and baked goods which all looked delicious!
Town: Okay, runners here is a tip-- stay in Onancock for the weekend! Really, the people are nice and helpful and there are some really cute shops. On Saturday night, my mom and I ate at the Blarney Stone pub which had a few vegetarian options ( I ordered the veggie sub). The pub staff were both friendly and helpful in their suggestions. We stayed at the Inn at Onancock which is a B&B right down the road from the start. The owners were nice and accommodating of our race schedule and served a light breakfast early for us on race day. The whirlpool bath was perfect for recovery! Also, they serve wine and light refreshments in the early evening for their guests.

This was a great race that I would recommend to just about anyone! I was scheduled to run the marathon but due to injury, I had to switch to the 10k which involved no extra charge and no fuss (it involved a quick email to the designated person which i want to say was the race director). I was thinking about deferring the marathon entry to next year but I really wanted to visit Roanoke this year.

Race Expo: The race expo was a blur as we drove 8 hours that day and was really tired but found a spot to park in a parking garage for a few dollars. The staff was super helpful in directing runners to where we needed to be in order to collect our bibs and free socks. I heard about race stickers being given out at the expo from the facebook chatter afterwards but I wish that they would include them in the packets as I absolutely love stickers!

Swag: Do you like free socks and freaking comfortable t-shirts that feel like your favorite worn in t-shirt? I am in love with my t-shirt as it is a great color (redish), design was on point, and I can wear it either running or for any other activity (feels like cotton but is made of polyester). There were also a few coupons included in the race packet.

Course: This course was challenging but the 10k was not too bad as it was considerably shorter than the other distances. The course was well marked and color coded with people yelling out directions to runners at crucial points. This was perfect as I tend to drift off in thought and enjoy the scenery when running. The aid stations were well stocked with water and a drink called SKRATCH. This was the first time that I have had SKRATCH and it wasn't bad but I would probably stick to Tailwind if I was running a longer distance. It is important to note there are no energy gels provided for this distance so if you are going to be on the course for awhile then you might want to pack a couple. The course goes up, up, up to the Mill Mountain star and down, down, down back to town so be prepared. Not going to lie, I felt a little like Superwoman on the way down as I was going fast due to the grade of the road! However, this was after feeling like a slow turtle on the way up.

Parking on race day: I really had no problem getting a parking spot on race day. I stayed out of town in a farmhouse so I drove in that morning and only hit a little bit of traffic getting off the exit and into the closest parking garage due to road closures. I thought that I would have trouble getting a parking spot so close to the finish but it turned out that the parking garage (elm street garage?) had adequate room.
Finish festival: This was a wonderful celebration! There were multiple photo booth style opportunities and lots of vendors that came out despite the rain. I got my one free beer which was totally awesome and love that they used local breweries. I also loved the free music festival lineup. The award ceremony was great and I even got one of those unique trophies that looks like a running railroad spike. The awards are made by local high school students. Also, my husband and I walked through the park and enjoyed the earth day celebration. The earth day celebration had so many people that were enthusiastic about being there and we had a lot of fun.

Food: Okay, I was less than thrilled about the food. It wasn't bad as it was typical food that you find after a race but I really love when races have really great food. I picked out a banana and two small muffins. If you like chocolate milk then they had chocolate milk, as well as water and sodas available for refreshment. Like I said, its not bad but I just love food and wouldn't mind for this race to take a page out of the Rehoboth Marathon's book in regards to this. However, I didn't sign up for this race for the food but for the scenery.

Roanoke: We stayed around after the race to shop around the outdoor market and found some really unique goods (honey, chocolate, and pottery) as well as some absorbing conversation with vendors about the area and its history. We ate at a Thai restaurant for lunch and stayed out until we were too tired to continue. My husband and I vowed to come back to Roanoke and explore more of the area in the next few years.
Communications with race management: It is important to note that I contacted race management twice by email, once when I switched races and once when I had small issue with the award (it was missing a small medallion) I was answered within hours and in a courteous, professional manner. This is something that I greatly appreciate!

This race was my first full marathon distance and it couldn't have been a better experience. I selected this race because it's relatively close to home( within a couple of hours) and the Facebook group is so positive and excited about this event.
Where I stayed: I rented a small cottage, through VRBO, a mile away that was dog friendly as I was planning on bringing my dog and Rehoboth is very dog friendly. I had a great experience and it was super easy to get to the race start and packer pickup.
Parking: This is definitely not a problem in the off season as there are no parking fees or permit parking only areas. Plenty of free parking close to the race. However, after the marathon I noticed that there was a tow truck towing people from a private lot so please pay attention to signs when parking in a private lot.
Packet pickup: This was relatively easy and involved stand in multiple lines to get my t-shirt, after party bands, and race bib. I am guessing this is to spread out the crowd but this was slightly confusing to me as I didn't really see signs due to congestion (but people cleared out fast). They also had a few vendors there like Hoka and the Rehoboth Running Company was open across the street to buy last minute gels or whatnot.
Swag/perks: The race t-shirt fit me perfectly (I selected a unisex xs) which is difficult because I am a smaller person. If you wanted a women's specific cut you could pay more for a women specific shirt but I chose not to do this. My favorite perk of this race was the free runner tracking by Race Joy. This is the first time I used this app but I cannot say how thankful I was that I used this. Not only could my family track my progress but they could send messages and cheers that are read aloud as I ran! It really made my day and I laughed so much as some of the cheers were hilarious. Unlimited Dog Fish Head beer at the finish was also a seller. I almost forgot to mention, this race offers free race photos! I can never afford the pricey race photos so this was awesome.
The course: This course is pancake flat with breathtaking views of nature. The course consisted of both pavement and hard packed gravel trail. I liked the mixture and it gave my legs a bit of a break from the constant pounding of asphalt. If you are trying to BQ then this course is for you! Some parts of the course is a bit narrow due to it being on trails so at times passing was a bit a of a challenge.
The after party: This is the most important part of a race for me and I pick my races accordingly. The food was phenomenal! The veggie burgers were delicious ( yes, this race is veggie friendly:) as were the waffles, mac and cheese and coleslaw. My mom really loved the hamburgers and said that they were pretty thick. I had two 60 minute Dog Fish Head beers which really tied everything together. It was totally worth the extra money to get my family extra wrist bands. Many people also enjoyed dancing for several hours.
Cons: There are so many pros that I really had to rake my brain but here are a few things to note. There are no race corrals so if you are pretty speedy line up near the front as it's always frustrating to weave in and out. That being said I am pretty new to bigger races so everyone might know this already. Second, this race is expensive so sign up early! Better yet, activate an alarm reminder on your phone in order to get the special discount on the first day to receive full savings.
Race sponsors: This race has great sponsors and a few days before the race an email went out about marathon deals. We ate dinner at the Lupo Italian kitchen and recieved 50% off our pasta. I was really impressed by the service and quality of food that we received. We were seated near the window and were treated to a view of the beautiful Christmas lights that lined the street.
Bottom line is that this is a race that people keep coming back to year after year!