Expo/Bib pick up- This was a small race, so day-of pick up was the only option. I got there really early because I was coming in from out of town, so picking up my packet was a breeze.

Race morning- The race was located RIGHT ON the Panama City beach!! Because I was there early, I watched the sunrise while sitting in the sand, it was super enjoyable!

The course- The course was set on a loop, inland and away from the beach (bummer). But you run through a campground, so there’s a bunch of families cooking breakfast and cheering you on!

Aid stations- There was only a couple of aid stations, so if you hydrate frequently I would suggest bringing a handheld!

Finish- The bling and race shirt was great, but I had no idea how small of a race this was. When they called my name to get my age group award, no one cheered for me because they didn’t know who I was. Not anyone’s fault! I was just super embarrassed 😛

Expo/Bib pick up- The expo and bib pickup were in the same location. The line was really long, but the wait was only 15-20 minutes or so! It was super packed in there, so I just grabbed my bib and left because there was no room to go see the booths. But the volunteers were super friendly!

Race morning- Parking was SO much easier than I expected that I ended up being at the race super early. My family got there about 45 minutes after me and still had no problem finding a spot, so that was super nice! There is music bumping before the race starts, and a bunch of food/ coffee trucks around to keep warm. The lines for the porta potties weren’t too long, but definitely bring a jacket because you will be standing still in a line for a bit.

The course- The course was super flat which was great! The start is a little slow but they shut down the roads so there’s a bunch of room to spread out along the course!

Aid stations- Great aid stations and volunteers. Those last aid stations had the most traffic, however, because it started to get pretty warm out.

Finish- Super amazing finish!!! The race is a big loop so your family/ loved ones can stay in one spot to see you take off and finish! The music was bumping, everyone was cheering, and the whole vibe was like a party! There are corrals leading you out of the finish area, and along the way you can get various snacks and water!

Bling- The medal is MASSIVE!!!! It has stained glass and a beautiful blue dragonfly on it! All the runners also got a rose, which I thought was a cute little touch! I did win first in my age group, and was a little disappointed that the prize was a generic coaster that you could buy, I really hoped it would’ve been special or had significant text on it.

Expo/Bib pick up- There was no expo for this race, just a little both in a running store in Tempe. They do a couple of packet pickups (one in Tempe and one in Oro Valley where the race is). It’s nice that they spread the pickups all over the valley so you don’t have to go extra early on race day to figure things out!

Race morning- I was running late, so my boyfriend had to drop me off before the race (we were coming in from 2.5 hours away!). Everyone was super nice and let me go ahead of them in the porta potty line so I was could make it to the start before the gun went off!

The course- There wasn’t as big of a cluster of people trying to find their pace when we started because you immediately dive into some hills which spreads the crowd out a bit (super nice, you can find your spot and settle in pretty quickly). The out-and-back nature of this course did make the race pretty hilly and difficult, but it was nice to cheer for, and cheer on, fellow runners as they passed! The only grudge I have with this race is that myself and quite a few other runners ended up going an extra quarter mile. I usually would love the extra mileage, but I was on track for a PR so it was disappointing that there was about 12 of us after the race (that I know of) chatting about how we were all a quarter mile off.

Aid stations- There were plenty of great aid stations along the course! Normally I’d suggest carrying a handheld or something for a hilly course, but I went with just a flip belt with some chews and I was set!

Finish- Great finish! Towards the end the half marathoners get mixed in to finish with the racers of the other distances. It’s nice to finish as a whole group! Once you cross the finish and gather your medal, you can move to the side into a little pocket of tents and booths for some local chocolate milk, water, bananas and other snacks!

Bling- The medal is simple, small and “classic” which I loved!! The mountains make the perfect background to take pictures with your family and your new medal!!

Expo/Bib pick up- There was no expo for this race, just a little both in a running store in Tempe. They do a couple of packet pickups (one in Tempe and one in Oro Valley where the race is). It’s nice that they spread the pickups all over the valley so you don’t have to go extra early on race day to figure things out!

Race morning- I was running late, so my boyfriend had to drop me off before the race (we were coming in from 2.5 hours away!). Everyone was super nice and let me go ahead of them in the porta potty line so I was could make it to the start before the gun went off!

The course- There wasn’t as big of a cluster of people trying to find their pace when we started because you immediately dive into some hills which spreads the crowd out a bit (super nice, you can find your spot and settle in pretty quickly). The out-and-back nature of this course did make the race pretty hilly and difficult, but it was nice to cheer for, and cheer on, fellow runners as they passed! The only grudge I have with this race is that myself and quite a few other runners ended up going an extra quarter mile. I usually would love the extra mileage, but I was on track for a PR so it was disappointing that there was about 12 of us after the race (that I know of) chatting about how we were all a quarter mile off.

Aid stations- There were plenty of great aid stations along the course! Normally I’d suggest carrying a handheld or something for a hilly course, but I went with just a flip belt with some chews and I was set!

Finish- Great finish! Towards the end the half marathoners get mixed in to finish with the racers of the other distances. It’s nice to finish as a whole group! Once you cross the finish and gather your medal, you can move to the side into a little pocket of tents and booths for some local chocolate milk, water, bananas and other snacks!

Bling- The medal is simple, small and “classic” which I loved!! The mountains make the perfect background to take pictures with your family and your new medal!!

Expo/Bib pick up- There was no expo because this was the first ever year of the Dothan Half! Bib pickup was at the Wiregrass Mall. I got there right as it started so there we only a few people ahead of me. Super easy, super fast!

Race morning- You have to park about a quarter mile away from the start. The directions to get to the parking lot were a little confusing so I accidentally parked in the wrong lot, but I guess I wasn’t the only one so it was fine. A shuttle takes you from the lot to the start of the race, where the beginning was a little hectic. The shuttle was running late, so the gun had already gone off when the last of the runners were showing up. Not frustrating at all because I was running for fun, but if you run competitively I would go super early as to not miss the start.

The course- The course was situated so you run up every hill and work you way to the top of the elevation the circle has to offer. Going the other way would make the race completely downhill. I didn’t mind the hills, I thought they were a great challenge. My boyfriend ran it with me, however, and he did not feel the same! There’s a lot of support from the local cops for this race. Because the race started without us we still had a backpack with all of our stuff in it that we wanted to check in. A very sweet cop took the backpack for us in his car, and made sure to keep it safe while we ran. He even cheered for us through his intercom car thing during the race!! Amazing!!

Aid stations- Amazing aid stations at every mile! It was a competition between local businesses to have the best aid station, so there was a lot of enthusiasm!!

Finish- Great finish!! Everyone cheers for everyone, and runner linger at the finish to cheer for those coming in after them! I guess there was some confusion with chip times, but again, if you’re not running competitively the little hiccup wasn’t an issue.

Bling- Adorable peanut medal and age group medals!! We love ours because they’re so unique and representative of the area!