The Rocky Run is a tribute to the fictional Rocky Balboa, and those fans who seek his inspiration when touring Philadelphia. It's held just a week before the Philadelphia Marathon and Half Marathon, and serves as a nice taper distance for runners who are racing the next weekend.
The race offers a 5k and 10 mile distance option, or the Rocky Challenge, for runners who want to run both to total 13.1 miles. There is no 10k option!!
I ran the 10 mile distance, as a fall alternative to spring's widely-popular Broad Street Run. Like many other Philadelphia distance races - the Philly Marathon, Love Run half, Rock n Roll half, etc., the Rocky Run 10 miler starts and ends at the Philadelphia Art Museum, and utilizes a course nearly identical to that of the Love Run and Philly Half. There are some steep hills around mile 4-6, which I anticipated having completed the Love Run on the same course. The race does NOT include a running on the art museum steps, as one might hope for if they're a fan of the Rocky franchise. (However, I recommend running them post-race to take a well-deserved selfie!)
Overall, the course was beautiful in November because of the tree lining the entire route. As a Philly resident, I wasn't surprised by any aspect of the course, and I almost wish they'd altered the route a bit so it wasn't comparable to the other races that use the same layout.

The Rocky Run is much smaller than the Philadelphia Marathon & Half, so the area didn't feel overly crowded (neither did the port-a-potty lines!) Post-race, the snacks offered were bananas and Clif bars, which were nice but nothing special. The race shirts are cotton tees, which I appreciate because the logo design is fun and wearable outside of the running realm. The best part of the swag is the race medal - for just the 10 miler, the medal itself is huge and gold, and the ribbon bears an image of Rocky himself. Pretty impressive medals for a low-key race.

Overall, the Rocky Run is a fun race with plenty of spirit. It offers a less claustrophobic experience than many others large races in downtown Philadelphia, and with a challenging course, leaves runners feeling like they earned their Rocky stripes.

Levi's Run is a great small-town run that raises money to fight Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. I signed up the week-of because I would be in town to visit family. The 5k takes place at the Lebanon Fairgrounds, and offers morning-of bib pickup and race registration. It's one of the few races that utilize the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail, a converted railroad track that now attracts runners, bikers, and walkers.

The 5k course is completely flat, and is mostly covered by trees on the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail. There's one water station at the halfway mark, where very friendly and energetic volunteers cheer you on. I ran my fastest 5k time in years on this course - very smooth and pleasant for a fall morning.

Runners do not receive a race shirt - just a swag bag that includes your bib and some snacks for after the race. Runners do not receive medals, unless they finish in the top 3 overall or within their age group.
Overall, Levi's Run is easy, enjoyable, and community-oriented. If you want to feel good about registering for a 5k, sign up to benefit Levi's fight. I hope to make this an annual tradition within my fall training routines!

This race was an unexpected treat! I chose the 1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut race because I wanted to work toward a long-distance race goal at the start of summer, knowing I'd be training for a fall marathon through the heat of the summer months. I was so thrilled with this small, local race. It was very affordable - only $65 for the half, or $69 for the full. Bib pick-up was very low key and quiet, and I popped in and out with my shirt and bib in just 5 minutes. On race day, I arrived at Pennypack Park pretty early to get a parking spot in the lot. Parking spots are limited, but there was additional street parking very close to the starting area. Leading up to the race, there was a German accordion player who kept the atmosphere lively. The bathroom situation was clean and accessible - one long row of port-a-potties directly next to the starting line. There was also water offered while runners waited, which was very helpful as it was a hot and humid morning.

I originally signed up to run the full marathon at this event, but with the hot weather leading up to race day, I knew I wouldn't be able to commit to 26.2 miles. This race allowed me to stop at the 13.1 mark and cross the finish line, without having to switch bibs. The person running the results booth made a quick note about my distance switch, and I was able to head over to the post-race party.

Overall, this was a challenging yet scenic course. Pennypack Park is covered in trees, with streams lining the race route, which helped it to feel cooler than it was. There are a few very challenging hills throughout the course, but the race website gives fair warning as to which mile markers to be weary of. The hills are steep, but fortunately are followed by a nice downhill to coast off the tension. The volunteers at the water stations were very friendly and encouraging, and wore German dirndles and lederhosen to match the theme of the race. The course felt very difficult, but I still managed to unexpectedly beat my personal half marathon record by over 7 minutes. I missed placing in my age group by just one spot, but I still felt so excited to be part of this race.

After the race, runners can pick up a printed ticket with their race results, after grabbing lite snacks offered in front of a small camper stationed by the start. The after-party is just a short 10 minute drive from the park, complete with a nice outdoor dining area, live accordion music, and German dancing. Runners receive two tickets that are good for a free beer or a German bratwurst. I will say that the pre- and post-race "swag" were my favorite parts of the event! Getting to mingle with other runners while drinking a FREE refreshing beer and refueling with a brat and sauerkraut was very enjoyable, and made this introverted runner feel excited to be part of the larger running community.

I would strongly recommend this race for new or returning runners, as an alternative and retreat from downtown Philadelphia races. Excellent execution, great benefits, and beautiful scenery earned this one an A in my book.

Getting a spot in the TCS New York City Marathon is difficult. I knew I had to run this race, and opted to join Team For Kids to guarantee me a bib. I had to raise $2,620.00 for the organization leading up to race day. Joining Team For Kids made this race experience smooth and enjoyable. If you can run for a one of the many partnering charities, I strongly encourage you to do so. The support and camaraderie you receive alleviate many of the pre-race and race-day stressors that are bound to arise at a large-scale marathon like this.

Getting to the starting line and waiting in the starting area for the hours leading up until corral starts was a draining experience. Team For Kids provided buses to Staten Island for all their runner, which was wonderful because getting there would have been very difficult as I was traveling in from New Jersey on race day. Many runners had to sit outside in the cold morning air for hours before their corral took off, but Team For Kids provided heated tents, their own port-a-potties, and food to fuel up. I would have felt stressed about the hours and logistics leading up to my own corral start, but Team For Kids took care of their runners!

The marathon itself was exhilarating. The first two miles take you across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and straight into cheering crowd waiting as runners cross into Brooklyn. The course is composed of a handful of bridges and is otherwise relatively flat and easy to run, so long as you've trained properly! I managed to stick with one of the pacers for a large portion of the race, which helped me feel confident about running a comfortable yet goal-worthy time. The water stations and bathrooms scattered throughout were spaced out well, and volunteers at the stations offered the perfect boost of morale.
At the finish line, things get congested. I opted for the post-race poncho as opposed to a gear check. This made the process of weaving my way out of central park with flocks of runners a lot quicker, and the poncho is necessary for keeping warm!

The course scenery offers runners unending views of all 5 boroughs, dozens of landmarks, and the most enthusiastic and uplifting crowds I've experienced. The marathon brings out the best of New York City, and the energy of the people lining the entire race course pushed me to keep going when I felt like I couldn't. People from all walks of life, whose stories vary vastly, have worked hard for months to get themselves to the starting line, and you can feel that power in every single mile of the race. The finish line, after weaving through Central Park, is heavily emotional.

The TCS New York City Marathon is truly a bucket-list race. It is worth ALL of the effort you have to give in order to gain a spot among the over 50,000 runners gathering from across the world. Running across New York's 5 boroughs is not only a scenic and historic trek - the momentum of this race is an affirmation of self, of growth, and of the power of humanity and human connection.