Latest reviews by Kristi R

(2019)
"Frederick Half Marathon 2019"
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This is a great course for runners of all levels. I have set PRs on this course twice as there are some hills, but certainly nothing outside of the ordinary for those who are used to training on rolling country roads. The race takes you through downtown Frederick, MD which is a cute town. There is a lot of support on the course with multiple aid stations and great cheering from community members. The final miles of the race are the most brutal - not only because they are the last ones, but because mile 11 is almost entirely up on long, long hill. The scenery also fades out at that point so it's mentally a challenging part of the course. Swag is always great. This year we received a great medal and a sweatshirt with a grayscale Maryland flag as the main design and a full color Maryland flag on the inside of the hood - which is perfect for those of us that live in MD and know are state flag is the coolest. This year's race was held on a very rainy Sunday morning and I still managed to PR which speaks to how great this race is! Highly recommend!

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(2017)
"Hershey Half Marathon Team Relay"
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In 2018, my friend and I decided to tackle the Hershey Half Marathon as a team and participated in the two person relay. First thing to know about this race is that I really feel like you get a lot of "bang for your buck." With the registration fee, we got the race, medal, and long sleeve 1/4 zip pullover and free tickets to Hersheypark in the Dark! The expo was minimal, but that doesn't bother me at all. The day before the race we enjoyed Hersheypark in the Dark and took our kids over to participate in the Kids Fun Run. The morning of the race ran very smoothly. There is ample, free parking at Hersheypark for the race and runners gather to begin at the stadium. I ran the first half of the course which began at the stadium, went through the theme park, and then through some of the downtown Hershey area. At the exchange, my partner picked up and continued to wind through beautiful Hershey, PA. I was jealous that she got to hit the chocolate aid station towards the end of the race. This was the first and only relay half marathon I ran and it was a lot of fun to shuttle back to the finish and be there to cheer her on to cross the line! The medals are SWEET here too - each year featuring some of your favorite Hershey chocolates. And at the end, we even got to take pictures with the Hershey characters. Overall, this was a really fun race and the perks that go along with it make it even better!

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(2017)
"2017 Disney Princess Weekend 10K"
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I participated in the 2017 Disney Princess 10K as part of the Glass Slipper Challenge Weekend. runDisney are my absolute favorite race weekends as I'm a certified Disney nerd and get to combine my passion for running and the mouse in one pixie dusted event! This race weekend is held in February, usually the weekend after President's Day. Weather tends to be pretty good by Florida standards - not too hot yet! The expo is always HUGE at runDisney featuring lots of great vendors and super cute (albeit expensive) official merchandise. Don't forget to use your Disney Visa, Annual Passholder, or DVC discounts if you qualify for them to purchase merchandise from the official runDisney booth. I will say that these are very expensive races compared to what you're used to locally. The swag for this race was a tech short sleeve t-shirt and a medal. Quality and design is always great! On race day, traffic can be an issue getting to the race - not that I would really know this though because I've never actually driven my own car there. runDisney provides busses from their resorts to the race weekend events which is really the way to go. When I've stayed off-property, I've used Uber to get there as well. Super early race start time of 5:30AM with a suggested arrival time to Epcot between 3:30 and 4:00AM to ensure you avoid problems with traffic. Energy is great pre-race - lots of music, dancing, characters, and excited runners to get excited with. Plenty of port-a-potties at the start as well. Come in costume if that's your thing - you certainly won't be alone! Runners are assigned corrals which begin at approximately 7-10 minute intervals. Each corral begins with fireworks - a send off fit for royalty! The first 3 miles take you out of the Epcot parking lot and around the roads surrounding the park while the final 3 miles take you through Epcot, around the Boardwalk area, and then back into the park to finish by running under Spaceship Earth and back in the parking lot. There are several character stops along the way - many featuring unique characters that are hard to find outside of the race experience. Lines can get long, so make sure you have a plan coming in. I NEVER plan to PR at Disney - this race is all about the fun on the course for me. After all, you've paid a ton of money for the race experience, why not enjoy it?!? They do enforce a 16 minute per mile pace that begins when the last runner crosses the start line. Post race, runners receive a hefty snack box and there are more opportunities for photos with characters. I truly love every magical mile of a Disney race. The cast members and volunteers along the course are so excited and full of energy and there is such a sense of fun around the whole experience. While a "racecation" may not be a cost effective option for all runners all of the time, it's definitely worth experiencing and checking out!

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(2016)
"Baltimore Half Marathon "
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The Baltimore Half Marathon is part of the annual Baltimore Running Festival held in October featuring race distances of 26.2, 13.1, and 5K. The half marathon begins at the Inner Harbor and winds through numerous Baltimore neighborhoods and communities. The course is well supported by both the community and the race organization. The race is in downtown Baltimore and features free parking, but traffic can get really backed up on race morning. We got a hotel downtown even though I'm only 45 minutes out of the city so we wouldn't have to fight the congestion. In the future, I would either get a hotel or take advantage of the metro race morning. Swag for the race is an Under Armour long sleeve tech shirt (which is a pretty sweet prize) and a cool crab medal - because. . .Baltimore. This particular year, I also ran the inaugural Baltimoronathon challenge which meant I ran the 5K and then followed it with the half-marathon on the same day. This means I also the 5K medal, 5K Under Armour tech t-shirt, and additional Baltimoronathon medal. I had also completed the Frederick Half, Baltimore 10-Miler, and now this race in the same year which made me eligible for the King Crab prize - which was a throw blanket in 2016. Overall, it was a good race experience and I'm signed up again for 2019, can't wait!

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