This inaugural running of the DC Wonder Woman Series 5k/10k in the DFW was run no where near a new race to the area. Management was on their "A" game with this one. From registration, to communication, expo offerings and packet pickup things were managed very well.

The expo was held in the outdoor pavilion area just outside of Texas Live! in Arlington right next to where the start line was situated. The packet pickup process went very smoothly and people were helped very quickly. The lines were non-existent because the volunteers worked so quickly. They were also extremely friendly and helpful. The coolest part for me and my kids was the opportunity to take photos with Wonder Woman! My oldest daughter loved this part so much and even got a high five from a super hero!

Parking for the expo and race day were free in the lots adjacent to Texas Live! and the ballpark. The walk on the morning of the race was extremely short because the lot was that close. Considering the number of racers there I was surprised I got as good of as a spot as I did. Having two large lots was more than adequate for this race.

The starting area was in the same area that the expo was held in the day prior and without any real corrals to speak of. This made things a little confusing before the race but communication about where the 5k racers should like up versus where the 10k racers needed to be cleared up any confusion on my part right away.

Course support was pretty good once the 5k and 10k courses merged as there were far more 5k racers than 10k so naturally there were more people out watching the 5k course. Everyone was in great spirits on the course and there were lots of people decked out in Wonder Woman gear. It was a nice change of pace to see everyone dressed so spirited instead of normal race day gear. There were 3 aid stations that I can remember for the 10k, which was a smart idea. The morning wasn't too warm but it was a bit humid and temps in the mid sixties felt a little warmer than normal. There was water and Ultima Replenish at the aid stations I saw.

The course was moderately challenging for a 10k course with a large(ish) hill between the 2.5 mile and 5k mark that took the wind out of my sails a bit and another moderate uphill climb was a good challenge. That large hill was a bridge climb and on the way down I was able to get a really good view of AT&T Stadium, which was really cool! I got the chance to run much closer to the stadium around mile 5.

The post-race snack was a cup of mandarin oranges, a lil' cutie orange, a small protein bar, abag of chips and a bottle of alkaline water. I thought this was a solid collection for a 5k/10k race. The medal is a hefty chunk of hardware with a cool spinning Wonder Woman symbol in the center. Paired with the Wonder Woman tech shirt and wristbands I got with my swag bag it was a nice haul. The icing on the cake was the set of free race photos and videos provided later in the day. You can't beat free race photos!

I would be more than happy to run this race again next year and hope that they bring back the DC Wonder Woman Series run for another year!

Race management for the Chevron Houston Marathon knocked it out of the park. Pre-race communication was excellent and timely. The website include all of the information a first-time and veteran racer would need for race weekend and didn't make this information hard to find.

I traveled from Dallas and stayed two nights so parking was a bit more expensive for me but I saw that day of parking was adequate and priced anywhere from $10-20, which is on par with other races I have attended.

The expo was packed with races on Friday and all of the vendors I spoke with were very friendly. The Fleet Feet booth at the center had a wide variety of gear and brands represented and if I had brought more money with me I'd have gone broke! Packet pick-up was super easy. All I needed was my ID and the QR code sent to me the week before and I was done with that process in less than 5 minutes.

The race itself was awesome! The volunteers were abundant and very communicative before the race about where each corral was and when they closed. It was pretty chilly, low 30's, at the start of the race but a base layer under my shirt and tights under my shorts was sufficient. It was the perfect running weather. The amount of volunteers and spectators on the course blew me away. Even with a windchill in the 20's early on the crowds were nuts. Lots of great signs and plenty of high fives were to be had along the way.

The aid stations were adequately spaced throughout the course and the same can be said of medical stations and staff. The aid stations were loaded up with water, Gatorade and fuel. When I say loaded up I mean loaded up!

I came into the race having taken about 3 weeks off from running due to an Achilles injury so while I wasn't feeling great physically during the run I was never once worried that if I couldn't continue I would be in a bad place. The medical staff along the course were very attentive to the racers who appeared to need help.

On top of the race shirt I was given at check-in, I also received a finishers shirt and a very nice glass mug, which I picked up once I had my medal. I didn't expect all of that SWAG so I was very pleasantly surprised.

After the race I had a little bit of trouble warming up and was having a hard time standing. A friend, who I saw after the race flagged down a medical staff volunteer and got me back to the first aid tent. There was a perch set up inside the convention center that was looking for anyone that might need help so it was easy for them to spot my friend flagging them down. I spent quite a bit of time in the tent and I was well taken care of. They got me warm water to drink and a banana for my blood sugar. This was on top of the ones I snagged right after I finished the race. Since I was cramping up and a little shaky they had some sports massage therapists to keep my leg muscles warm and got me under a heat sheet ASAP. I can't speak highly enough of the medical staff at this race. They and the volunteers were OUTSTANDING.

The post meal hot breakfast sandwich was exactly what I needed after a long run in the cold.

The course, the weather and the people make this a great race for potential PR's and for great spectating. Highly recommend this race.

The Texas Big Star Half may have taken place in Spring but it was quite the winter atmosphere.

Starting race temperature was in the low 30's and it definitely affected the turnout. I had heard from previous year's racers that this was a really fun race with a good turnout. They weren't wrong. The turnout considering the freezing temperatures was actually really good and race management did their very best to keep people smiling. Smile we did.

Lets back it up to the packet pick-up. There was no expo for this race, which I didn't necessarily mind because the race was taking place nearly 40 miles from my home and driving all the way there and spending any amount of time at an expo would've made for a really long night on race week. They did actually offer several different packet pick-up locations during the week leading up to the week, which I think was a really good way to try and cater to the racers. The race shirt is high quality and I still use it very frequently. The swag bag had some recovery tools and a very nice multi function headwear that has come in handy since the race.

Now we go back to race day. The race took place at Collin College’s Preston Ridge Campus in Frisco, TX and the parking was in lots adjacent to the start line. It was seemingly plentiful and getting in and out after the race was actually quite easy.

Pre-race stretching was lively and definitely kept people distracted from the cold and there were plentiful bathrooms near the start line. I point that out because we all know how important that is.

The course itself was not too challenging. There were a few very flat stretches and some long rolling hills as well. Once the sun came up it was actually a gorgeous day for a race. Bathrooms and aid stations were well positioned and the volunteers were working hard. Considering how difficult it was at some points to park and watch along the course there were actually ample spectators and they did a very good job making us all feel the love.

This ended up being a 13.1 race PR for me and the finisher's medal made it seem even that much sweeter.