DISCLAIMER: I received my entry into the Key West Half Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Pro.

This race was a perfect example for anyone that only trains outdoors when the weather is perfect. I always tell people to train no matter what the weather is like, unless of course it's dangerous. You think of Key West and picture it being sunny, little to no clouds, a slight breeze from the ocean, and some heat and humidity. Not this time! There was a nasty storm headed our way and there were constant wind gusts of around 31 mph the entire race.

The overcast and wind made the race cooler for me personally, though I know the humidity was still high and surely bothered runners from out of state. The course was fun. Other than the long out and back along the coast for a few miles, a lot of the race winds through the streets and heart of Key West. Seeing people out on their balconies and front patios watching on, or seated outside at a restaurant having breakfast is a nice pick me up if you enjoy random shouts of encouragement. You mostly run on the road with some spots being on the sidewalk but it's very flat and fast. Because of the strong winds, the waves were crashing into the sea wall and filling the streets so there were a couple of large puddles formed in areas but they were avoidable.

One unique difference with this race due to Covid concerns and precautions was having to carry your own hydration bottle or option of your choice. There were aid stations as usual but they were filling up your bottles or giving you the option to do so yourself. Knowing my experience with running that distance without hydration, I chose to run empty handed. To my surprise, there were two stations along the way that did have tiny cups of water and Gatorade that you could take if you felt it was safe to do so. I chose to as I trusted the volunteers who looked to be taking the cleanliness seriously.

The start/finish line was very organized. The finish chute was fun as other runners and spectators were cheering everyone on. Again, because of safety reasons, post race food/drink items were limited in options but thankfully not quantity. I was able to grab a couple of different flavored muffins and I skipped the hydration they had in the coolers since I had something of my own in my cooler close by. Although I didn't try any, it looked like they had 2-3 different beer options for those that wanted a beer. The live band playing island themed music/songs was fun as everyone hung out. The medal was very nice, including the ribbon and the shirt is definitely my favorite race shirt design of any race I've done. My only wish is that you could choose short sleeve or long sleeve because I definitely would have taken a long sleeve one. For this race, short sleeve were for men and long sleeve were for women.

I saw my teammate Krista out on the course and hung out afterwards to cheer her on as she finished. I also ran into a friend that moved to Key West a couple of years ago and was also running this race, so it was nice to see some familiar faces. As always, the Key West vibe is fun, exciting and inviting. Before, during, and after the race feels like a non stop party. I would definitely recommend this race to anyone considering running a half marathon. They also have a 5K option if you'd like to run something shorter. The only negative I had about the overall experience, and it's actually not a knock on the race itself, but it's the photo options. I know it's rare to get free race photos but I was a bit disappointed when I seen the cost and package options for the photos. This was as expensive as the race photos for my New York Marathon. So, keep this in mind if you're one that likes to purchase your race photos

DISCLAIMER: I received my entry into the Miami Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out the BibRave website to review, find, and write race reviews!"

I was hesitant to sign up for this race based on my experience running the half marathon in 2016. I'm glad I finally gave it another chance 6 years later because this time around was so much better. The things that went wrong back then have improved and were better this time around.

The first thing I was stressed about was the expo. Driving around Miami can be very hectic and stressful. With the expo being at the Miami Convention center with a huge parking garage across the street, it made things so much easier this time around. I walked right in and headed to the VIP section to pick up my bib, swag, and hang out. The VIP section had massage tables, hair braiding, snacks and beverages. I did have a little fun and get a couple of braids put in my beard. The race shirt is nice. It's not overdone with all the sponsors on the back. It's simple and has the Miami colors you come to expect. The VIP race jacket and bag are also very nice and I look forward to using them in the future!

The second thing I was stressed about was finding parking before the race. I remembered in 2016 driving around for a while because garages were still closed and I luckily stumbled across a church that was allowing people to park in their lot for $20. This time, the garage I've used for Miami Heat games was open early for the race. It's about a 5 minute walk to the start line. I was also surprised to find that even with an hour to go before the race, the garage was still pretty empty. I know people took advantage of the shuttle options but I still expected this lot to be full, being so close to the start.

The starting corral was very organized as I remember from 2016. You're assigned a corral based on your expected finish time or in my case, corral B if you're VIP, or really fast. This year it was because of VIP, I'm not that fast these days. There were a lot of bathroom options and surprisingly, the ones closer to the start line had the shortest lines. I think everyone just assumed the closer you got, the longer they'd get. So I lucked out and was able to quickly use one without having to wait more than a couple of minutes. I ran into a bunch of my local running friends and 3 of my fellow BibRave teammates. This year I was running the full marathon and was ready to go!

The first half of the race was great. The weather was cool to me although it was very humid. I still kept cool with the breeze coming off the water. The atmosphere is more quiet in the first half as it's still very early, mostly everything is closed, and people are still sleeping from their city life partying the night before. The aid stations were great and handled the craziness well. You get the major bridge out of the way at the very beginning and then you just have a good amount of smaller ones the rest of the way. The live music along the way and the crowds from miles 11-13 were very helpful for a motivational push.

As expected and as usual, it starts to die down a lot as you break off from the half marathon runners. Thankfully the course starts taking you through the city more where people are now out having breakfast and supporting you. This definitely helps as runners started getting affected by the sun bringing the heat along with the higher humidity. The aid stations definitely became more crucial and the volunteers continued to be awesome. People were sitting out on their lawns cheering us on, spraying us with their hoses to help cool us down and even offering drinks and snacks to help us deal with the cramping.

The last mile is the best! Going through that very long finishing chute with the entire way packed with people cheering you on is such an adrenaline rush. Right before you hit the last corner to the finish, there's a mat that lets the announcer know you're coming and he reads off everyone's name to the crowds. This is definitely great for them if they're waiting for you because they can hear your name loud and clear and know you're there. I used the crowd to push me a little harder for one last sprint while also easing up just enough to avoid the dreadful cramps that lock your hamstrings up in a second. Definitely wasn't how I wanted my finishing photos to come out, ha!

After you cross the finish line, you get your medal which as always, Miami does very well. This years 20th anniversary medal was beautiful. I still think 2016's two-sided design was the best. There were 3 packaged meal options as you made your way to the finishing area. The volunteer was nice enough to let me take the chicken wrap and veggie pasta. Both were delicious. I headed to the VIP area to relax and cool down before heading home. The VIP area gave you private access to the finish line and spots in the grandstands. Watching a 91 year old finish the half marathon was spectacular. I hung out for a while and then headed up to relax and recover. I wanted to take advantage of some of the other VIP perks but I was too exhausted at that point knowing I still had about an hour drive home.

This race does sell out, so if you're looking for a fun half or full marathon to run in a beautiful area surrounded by lively crowds, definitely add this race to your bucket list. Just keep in mind, the weather is different every year. It can be in the 40s or the 90s. It could be clear skies and sunshine or cloudy and pouring. You'll still enjoy it either way!

I love this race! I've run it multiple times and you never know what to expect other than constant hill climbs. You have 6 hours to do as many 1.24 mile loops on an old landfill hill. Rolling hills with one steep on at the halfway mark. There's an aid station at the start of the loop with everything you'd need. Everyone sets up camp there so you're constantly passing the cheering spectators and relay runners waiting for their teammate. The weather can be really cold, rainy, or hot. We've seen it different almost every year. Parking is on site. A new feature is getting a belt buckle if you complete more than a marathon distance. Pretty cool for runners who want to earn something other than a medal. You also get a thin beach towel instead of a t-shirt which I think is awesome!

This is a fun but challenging 100 miler. You receive a map and turn by turn directions for each section. You get one at the start and at each aid station. This keeps you alert so you don't get off course or lost. It's self sufficient. The checkpoints will have water coolers but that's it. So unless you have a crew to follow you and help you, you will have to bring your supplies or money to purchase them along the way. You can have drop bags at the checkpoints which helps as well. The course is different every year to keep it fresh. You will get to see all the fun spots Miami has to offer. The custom made belt buckles are always awesome! I highly recommend this race. Be prepared to be brutally hot and poured on at least once!