This was my second consecutive year running The Flying Pig "4-Way with Extra cheese" (1 mile, 10k, 5k, and marathon). I never in a million years would have thought I would look forward to going to Cincinnati. Let me tell you... No matter what distance race you run on Flying Pig weekend, the city of Cincinnati supports you 100% and you feel like a celebrity around town.
The race management is top notch, no matter the day or how many months and months out you are from race day, they are on top of it. You can email or call them and quickly have answers to your questions. As soon as race day is finished and cleaned up, they are already planning for the next year and there is amazing attention to every detail.
The Expo is large, and great vendors. It is right downtown in the convention center. Again, the second you walk in, you become a local celebrity if you are a runner.
The 1 mile run Friday night is fun, great to get your legs stretched out if you drive all day like I do to get there. Fun atmosphere, great shirt, medal (a can opener on it this year) and 2 free beers afterwards.
The 5k and 10k both are large fields, again with great t-shirts and medals. They have amazing course support and spectator support. For the challenge participant there is bag check so you can switch out your bib and medal between races. There is never a dull moment on either course.
Marathon- 6:30am start time. Which is nice to get some miles in before the sun fully comes up. This year it was nice and cool at the start and for a couple hours after. The sun came out the last few miles. The half and the full start together. The course, to me is hilly, and I live and train in the foothills of NC. Don't let the hills deter you- what goes up must come down. I found that the hills helped pace me better than other races. The climb to Eden Park is tough, but lots of spectator support to get you up there. Once you are there, the worst is behind you. There are water stations every mile, and lots of support stations between. All with pig themed names, handing out lots of candy, cookies, crackers etc. The Hogwash is one of my favorite stations, probably mile 23 or so, cold wet hand towels. They hit the spot! Family and friends can submit requests for signs to be placed on the last portion of the route. There are also PLENTY of unofficial aid stations with beer, candy, mimosas...The city of Cincinnati comes out to watch and party along the course. As you approach the finish line, again, you feel like a celebrity or an elite. The crowd cheering you in is amazing, the gentlemen in a suit there steps before the finish to shake your hand/high 5 you is a step above.
The best part of the race are the "Grunts" (volunteers) they are cheering you by name (on your bib), they are checking on you, supporting you, and overall so enthusiastic to support you.
This is the best race out there!

I have been wanting to run a Hot Chocolate race for a few years now. Finally they brought the race to Charlotte, and on a date that worked in my schedule.
Leading up to the race the event management was top notch with notifications, directions, etc.
The expo, I have mixed emotions on. It was super easy to pick up my race bib, and swag. The shirt, is actually a fleece line technical quarter zip mock neck pullover. It is SO comfortable and great. They even have a shirt exchange station if it doesn't fit. The volunteers were all super friendly and energetic. The expo itself was very small with just a couple vendors. Nothing exciting.
Race Day: Unfortunately, it was cold dreary weather on the cusp of rain all morning. I think had the weather been better, the crowd support would have been better. Charlotte is not a flat city by any means, so the course had an abunduce of hills, up and down, short and long, some steeper than others. But I have run much more hilly races in the area, overall I would say moderately rolling hills. The Course ran through the neighborhoods on the East side of downtown. Some of which are very nice, so are not, and some are up and coming. There were not very many spectators on the course, probably because of the weather, and it is was the first year this race was run here, so they may not have known. You finish at Memorial Stadium, it would have been nice to run the last .25 mi on the track, however you finish just outside the track. The finish line festival had a lot of potential. By the time I got there, the rain was starting up, and because of the wet weather leading up to race day, the ground was a wet soggy muddy mess. It did not deter me from getting my awesome giant plastic mug with dipping chocolate, pretzels, marshmallows, and cup of hot chocolate. Over all it was a good race, I would run it again.

I have run the Huntersville Half Marathon 5 out of the past 6 years. I run it because it goes by my doorstep, and it is on the roads I train on. It is definitely not an easy course, and not one I would recommend for a first time half marathoner.
The race management is phenomenal. The director is on top of things and knows what he is doing and on top of communication leading up to race day. The race is held the first or second weekend in December, weather in this area can be dicey. I have run this in rain, unusually warm humid weather, below freezing at the finish, and with snow/sleet showers. There is no telling what the weather will be like race day that time of year! The event expo, is not an expo, it is a packet pick up at the local running store. The race swag is nice, the now give you a nice hoodie sweatshirt, in years past you got a long sleeve technical - tee and at the finish you got a hat - one year a beenie, once a Brooks tech hat, and once a headsweats visor. I wish they still gave you the Headsweats visor at the finish, that's just me, I love those visors!
Race Morning - Parking- Ample parking. You start in the back of an outdoor mall area, plenty of parking, the finish is across the main street in a large parking lot of a strip mall, again, plenty of parking. I prefer to park near the finish and walk to the start, as a warm up.
Race- Huntersville is a suburb of Charlotte, NC, about 15 miles from downtown. It is a nice suburban area. The race does not go through the town, it goes through the popular shopping area and surrounding neighborhoods. You are primarily running through neighborhoods. Hilly neighborhoods. I think the course description is "gently rolling" that is an understatement. It starts out "gently rolling" but by mile 5-6 the hills start getting bigger. The back half of the course has some decent inclines. One of which is a "challenge" it is the "Hardcore Challenge" and there is a timing mat at the bottom and top. It is relatively quickly followed by a downhill and another uphill. I said this course goes on the streets I train on, it also hits the hills I purposely avoid! Running through neighborhoods, you would expect lots of spectator support. If the weather is bad, there is VERY little spectator support, if it is decent there will be a little more, but there really is not much at all in spectators. It is a little dissapointing. However, the race is clearly doing something right, every year there are more and more runners, it is large enough you are never alone on course, but small enough you are spaced out and not stepping on others or weaving by mile 2. I have a soft spot for this race as it is so familiar to me, I always PR on it, hills and all.
I wouldn't travel for this race, but if you are a relatively local runner, I would definitely run it.

My first and second marathon.
Most people enter by lottery. Before the lottery even takes place I scope out lodging. The start and finish are in Arlington, relatively close to metro stations, but the start in particular you will have to walk to get there. The race expo is large. It is a little difficult to get to because of the location at National Harbor. It seems like there would be a more centrally located expo. Parking is a little tricky and there is a lot of walking to get into the massive hotel and convention complex to the expo. Once there the logistics of getting your race packet and shirt are quick and easy. The shirts are a long sleeve thick fleece technical turtle neck. The first year one I got was pretty ugly and I have never worn, the second one I wore once on a cold windy run and it was good. If you are in Florida you will probably never wear it. Once you enter the expo you go straight into the Brooks official MCM merchandise. There are some great items, but the check out line is LONG. Like peak Disney long. I was there early Friday morning and waited in line 90 minutes just at the Brooks check out. My kids and husband walked the expo a few times impatiently waiting for me. There are a lot of vendors and giveaways.
Race Morning. The race starts at 7:50 or so, so not too early, however you have to give yourself some time to get to the start line and though security. The Marines are all on hand, very helpful, kind and very organized. At the start, the National Anthem is emotional, the flyovers are amazing. The race is congested the first few miles, and the crowd support is great. The course runs though DC and the surrounding areas. Georgetown is a neat area, and the monuments are really cool to run by and see in the distance. The Blue Mile is tough. Not only do you leave tons of crowd support, and enter a quiet area, the street is lined with pictures of fallen military, and then the family members of the fallen holding the flag. I witnessed several runners falling to their knees in front of their loved ones poster, it was tough. I have never ugly cried in a race before until now. It is tough, emotional, and amazing all at the same time. After that little out and back you come back to the crowds and soon the National Mall area which is fun and exciting. The bridge is another tough one. It is LONG and EMPTY and the sun and cement BEAT YOU UP. Drink up at the last aid station before the bridge, it will be awhile until you get to the next one. It is at the bridge I feel the race logistics begin to fall apart. No support on the bridge when people are starting to struggle. You get off the bridge and crowds picks up in Crystal City, and there are water stations again, but they seem farther and fewer between, medic tents are fewer from there to the finish as well. However in 2017 there were medics standing lining the highway the last mile looking for people in need of help. It was HOT and brutal so that was good to see. The last 2 or so miles are lonely they are on highway, by the pentagon, no crowd and you are hurting. But then suddenly you see the crowd ahead and hear the cheers, you are almost there, just one hill to climb. Dig deep and run up that hill! Think of those who can't, those who sacrificed it all and get up that hill, turn right and you are at the finish. They do a great job ushering you through the finishers chute, to drinks, food, water, bling, etc. Pictures in front of Iwo Jima. I ran for charity and was able to go to Charity Village to our tent post race for food, massage, family meet up, HIGHLY recommend running for charity even if you get in on the lottery like I did. The team camaraderie and post race extras are amazing, and the MCM charities don't have high minimum fundraising like NYC or Chicago have, especially if you get in through the lottery, $150 was the minimum for me and to be a part of something bigger than me and the race was amazing. As well as to be able to give back to those who sacrificed so much. Overall the MCM is a great race, amazing level of organization, and an emotional one.!