Latest reviews by Courtney Werts

(2018)
"An Event to Remember"
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This is an experience that anyone should do at least once. This is all about empowerment and celebrating Breast Cancer Survivors. It should be said that this isn't a race, there is no clock, no winners, but it is a 10 mile course each day.
The packet pick up was easy and right by the water. There were a couple vendors but not really an expo. The packet included a hat, I was a little bummed for the price that a t-shirt wasn't included as well but we did end up with 4 medals in the end (plus the option for an additional virtual race medal)
The support on the course was great on the first day, lots of people cheering, giving us all kinds of drinks, shots, candy--so fun!
The second day was a bit more of a running course and not as much crowd support.
The third day was almost all beach which was gorgeous.
Overall this is a great race to do with friends and know you are supporting an amazing cause.

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(2018)
"My First Ironman 70.3 RACE!!!"
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This was my first Ironman race ever. I had volunteered the previous year but this was my first time as a participant.
The packet pickup was well organized and an easy process. This was done at the Ironman village. This was set up right by the finish line. This is also where the Athlete Briefing was held. I went to the first Briefing and it was packed. It was hard to hear because I wasn't in the tent so that may have been the only issue is not being prepared for the amount of athletes.
There was a good amount of vendors at the expo, it wasn't huge but a variety. The official merchandise tent had an awesome amount of goodie. Every type of item you could want, I spent a lot of money!!!
Everyone that I dealt with was very nice and helpful.
The day of the event the parking was easy and close. The bus ride over to the swim start took longer than expected because the driver got lost. We did make it in plenty of time. The race start was based on what you thought your finish would be. I much prefer by age as of course there were a ton of people that started WAY to early and then it was a struggle to swim pass them. It is a lake so the water is well, Lake water. Not horrible but not clear for sure.
The transition area is on the football field.
The bike course is FLAT. Lots of peddling and corn fields. There isn't much to look at, pretty ho-hum route but it was safe and the aid stations were well stocked.
The run portion was a double loop. It was flat and very shaded which was nice for the time of day for the run. The aid stations were great with a mix of options like chips, pretzels, coke, water, Gatorade and lots more.
In my opinion, this is a great 1st half ironman, not a super tough course, great support and great organization.

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(2018)
"First Year, All Women Could Rock"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
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Keep in mind this was the first year for this race so obviously there will be some kinks and bumps that will happen just because of that but I will give my honest opinion. I just wanted to clarity this before I start.
I got this race entry for $10 based on the lottery they had to register. I had a ton of issues with the online registration so I finally called the company and spoke with one of the race coordinators. She was very nice and apologetic and honored my price based on my screenshot information that was my proof which I appreciated. I was a little nervous when I arrived in DC because I never got any emails confirming my registration but they had my name when I got there and my bib was ready to go!
I went with some running buddies and we stayed at one of the host hotels. We partially did this for the shuttle to and from the race and partially the location to the city. It was in a great spot to get around the city and do sightseeing.
There wasn't an expo it was a packet pick up at a store. It was small and they had a table set up and it got crowded fast. I definitely recommend going on an off time, like after lunch or before dinner to avoid the crowd. The swag bag had some coupons, a bag and a VERY, SMALL SHIRT. Like 2 sizes, womens cut, cotton small.
So the morning of the race we worked our way downstairs to the lobby to get on the shuttle. There were 2 buses but they were taking a really long time. We got worried we wouldn't make the race so we ended up taking an Uber instead. This was a little disappointing especially since we waited over a 1/2 hour 45 mins to realize we wouldn't make the next bus that had yet to return from the last drop off.
We arrived to the race, got some great photo ops-the start line was very close to Lincoln Memorial and then we hit the road. The views were amazing, great sites, some areas I would not have otherwise seen. Not too hilly and a variety of scenery. There was a good mix of shaded, back roads as well as lots of opportunity to see some of Washingtons amazing scenic areas.
The aid stations were great and plenty. The volunteers were awesome, all smiles!
The finish was nothing special or exciting and there was not much of a crowd.
We were about mid pack to finish and needless to say they were already out of a lot of items. Not enough foil blankets, not enough food, not enough shelter. It was cold, colder than usual and they weren't prepared for that. There were lines for everything, including the shuttles back to the hotel. We got in line as the shuttle was leaving so we were about 10th in line. We waited over 1/2 hour and with no end in site we Ubered again.
Overall, this race had a really positive vibe. Lots of women talking with each other, sharing stories and just encouraging each other. I don't know that I would do this race year after year but it was definitely a race I am glad that I did.

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(2018)
"Fun, Well Organized Race"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
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This is a fun race. This was the first time I did the race and I participated in the relay. I was with a group of friends and I had no idea what to expect but definitely a good time!
Packet pick up and the Expo:
This is a MEGA expo-bring money to spend. If you want to buy some gear this is the place. Packet pick up was easy, no issues and the expo was great. Nice variety, and I saw some brands I have never seen before. If you hang around until the end they discount all the race gear.
Race:
The race is big, be prepared and give yourself plenty of time to hurry up and wait. We had a hotel downtown so we walked to our start area. Other participants were friendly and it was fun while we waited for our start. The course is hilly, period. Be prepared.
The most lack luster of the whole race was the finish. I was expecting a fun area to hang out but that didn't happen. I don't know if it was because we were part of the relay or just bad luck but they shuffled us to the back of the course and we missed most of the food. When we tried to explain that we didn't get all the food tent are they wouldn't let us back in to the area to get the rest of our finish line goodies, that was disappointing.

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(2017)
"Such a fun race!"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
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Parking/Access
Race Management

This is an all time favorite race! The swag is THE BEST, I wear my jackets all year long. The expo is good, I do wish that it was a bit bigger and they had more hot chocolate gear. The course is around Columbus, nothing too challenging and it is very well supported. This is possibly my favorite race of the year.

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