This was my first half marathon in the states after being in Okinawa, Japan and running four halves and countless 10Ks pushing a stroller. I didn't train much for it. In fact, my longest distance was 8 miles. I was living in the gym because of the childcare and not running outside much because where I lived wasn't stroller friendly.

There wasn't an expo. We received our bib at a local running store in Alexandria, VA. That was a tad bit disappointing. We parked in a parking garage near the start of the race; we got there very early to ensure we had parking after hearing it was going to be disastrous.

The course was pretty. I thought I would have seen more of the monuments and other touristy things, but I wasn't too disappointed. Maybe because I was too focused on not dying. I did well in this race with a 1:52. It was somewhat of an out and back so seeing people get to mile 10 when I was on like 4-6 was very motivating for me. It was fun cheering them on too.

I was disappointed the food/water was a walk from the finish line and the line was super long. There were plenty of options once you got up there.

There were also plenty of potties. The lines went down quickly. This is always a concern of mine. Once I put a bib on, my body decides I need to be close to the potty til I cross the start line.

The weather was beautiful, running in DC was fun and I'd definitely do this one again.

My husband and I signed up for the Half and 5K (held the next day). This is my fastest 1/2 marathon to date (out of 16). It's a beautiful city to run in. The weather the day of the event was colder than we expected but it was perfect running weather. The water stations were exactly where we needed them and there were plenty of snacks and beer after the race. I used my jelly beans around mile 7 and 10. I don't take pictures on my runs normally, but this was a beautiful course. I was 7 weeks pregnant at this race so getting my PR was so exciting!

The next day we did the 5K with our son. The route was flat and there were people cheering the entire race. It was fun to finish on the baseball field. My son hit the gate and finished strong.

This was my fiancé (husband now) and my first time in Arizona. The expo was great as all Rock n Roll ones have been for us so far. It was a chilly morning but perfect running weather. The course did not disappoint the entire run. The climb at like mile 7 or 10...I can't remember...wasn't fun but the scenery was so pretty I focused on that. This race was definitely one of the best as far as scenery and ease of getting around. We ended our afternoon after the run at World of Beer, another first for me. This is a race we definitely want to get back to one day!

This was my fiancé (husband now) and my first time in Arizona. The expo was great as all Rock n Roll ones have been for us so far. It was a chilly morning but perfect running weather. The course did not disappoint the entire run. The climb at like mile 7 or 10...I can't remember...wasn't fun but the scenery was so pretty I focused on that. This race was definitely one of the best as far as scenery and ease of getting around. We ended our afternoon after the run at World of Beer, another first for me. This is a race we definitely want to get back to one day!

I started this race in the inaugural year (2008). They changed the course from the initial one and it's better than before. The bands and crowds are great. The expo is one of the best ones of the Rock n Roll series that I've been to. Many people loathe the hill at the end of the race but I loved the added challenge. It's fun passing by the Alamo.