Disclaimer: I received entry to the 305 Half Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Ambassador.

Wow, what an amazing race for my 75th half marathon! I admittedly did not train properly for the heat and humidity of this race, so the 83 degree temps and 62% humidity definitely impacted my performance. That being said, the course was so beautiful! The race started in South Beach along Ocean Drive with a stunning sunrise over the ocean. We ran through downtown South Beach and across the Julia Tuttle Cswy bridge into downtown Miami. Thankfully I was given a heads up on the climb up the bridges, so I was prepared to tackle them. The backdrop of downtown Miami definitely helped to distract from the climb as the sun starting to beat down on me. Downtown Miami provided a brief reprieve from the sun as the buildings shaded us for a couple miles. We then turned back to head towards South Beach again, crossing over another the MacArthur Cswy bridge and alongside the massive cruise ships. As we were back in direct sunlight, with some occasional shade from the palm trees, I focused on the cruise ships and scenery to push through. After crossing the bridge, we weaved along a gorgeous beachside paved trail that was lined with palm trees and other foliage for the last few miles before finishing in Lummus Park. Although this was a decent sized race, I never experienced any bottlenecking or had extensive weaving through other runners, which was a welcomed change.

There were plenty of aid stations, some of which had a hose and volunteers offering to cool runners down if they wanted. I rarely use aid stations anymore during half marathons, however I took advantage of 4 of the aid stations on this race for a sip of water and then dumped the rest on my head to cool me down. The humidity prevented the water from absorbing though, so I was pretty soaked by the time I finished the race. All of the volunteers were friendly and energetic, the spectators along the course did a great job of keeping us motivated as well.

Upon crossing the finish line, we were presented with a stunning medal that highlighted some of the main areas and notable aspects of Miami. We also received water, Gatorade, Dole fruit cups and there was a rice dish offered but I declined as I can't eat directly after a race. The finisher festival in Lummus Park had a super fun and upbeat vibe as a DJ was keeping the energy going. The beer garden had a few options for runners over 21, however I am not a beer fan so it would have been great to have a seltzer or cider option.

Rewinding back to the expo, they had a variety of options on different days/times to accommodate runner's schedules. I opted for the Saturday packet pickup that was held at Nike as it was the closest to my hotel. The packet pick-up was busy, however it was very well organized so the line went fast. We received our bib, finisher shirt, and a 20% discount at Nike (since they were hosting this expo day) that I took advantage of. Speaking of the finisher shirt, this finisher tank is perhaps one of my all-time favorite finisher shirts I've received from a race. Not only does it fit great (many finisher shirts are baggy and not flattering) but it has a vibrant 305 design on the front and down the back. This is a shirt I will definitely be rocking often on runs and just around town.

Overall, Run Miami did a phenomenal job on the 305 Half Marathon, it was so well organized from start to finish. If you are looking for a race in Florida, I cannot recommend this one enough!

This is my second year running the HC Phoenix 15k and is one of the race weekends I look forward to the most every year. Starting with the expo, you immediately get into the festive spirit as everyone is in a great mood, most likely because they are handing out as much free chocolate as you can eat! The chocolate fondue with marshmallow dippers and delectable hot chocolate are the perfect way to get a kick-start on carb loading! The streak of awesome finisher swag continued this year with a super comfy hoodie that has two separate zipper pockets, which is super handy to store pre-run items! There were plenty of port-a-potties at the start line, so you didn't have to worry about standing in long lines and missing the start. This is a mostly flat course that winds through the streets of downtown Phoenix before the 15k splits off for an up and over on a bridge around mile 6.5. It can be an unexpected surprise for first timers, but thankfully I remembered what to expect from last year. There is another uphill right at mile 9, uphill finishes are not my fave but this one isn’t bad as long as you keep some gas in the tank. After crossing the finish line you get to collect a sweet medal and the prized chocolate fondue and dippers- yum! The hot chocolate is seriously some of the best I’ve had, I could drink mugs of it! They have a DJ playing to keep the vibe up and plenty of backdrops to snap a quick picture. Special call out to the spectators and volunteers, they are all super friendly and energized. I will definitely be back in 2023!

The start and finish was in the Vacation Isle in Mission Bay park along the water. There were plenty of port-a-potties and they actually had park restrooms, which I opted to use. The race was staged by how fast runners anticipated they would be, which was nice. I opted for the “fit 8-9/min mile” group and after a couple waves we were off to the races! We wrapped underneath a bridge and made our first climb up the bridge, which was one of only a few inclines on the course. Most of the race was relatively flat and followed the inlet bay, winding through some neighborhoods and a few different parks. Crowd support was mostly concentrated at the start/finish line, including the final push up the bridge at mile 12.

After crossing the finish line, I received my medal and some light recovery snacks and drinks. There was a classic rock cover band performing, which I loved! If I had more time, I would have definitely stayed around for a bit to listen to them, but I had a long drive back to Vegas ahead of me. The bay was a beautiful backdrop for the start/finish line and provided a wonderful photo-opt for the important finish line and medal pics. If you are a serious competitor (which I am not!) this race also provides prize money to the top finishers, a nice extra incentive! My prize for the race was the half marathon medal, which is hefty and has a beautiful design. While the prize money and medals are wonderful, perhaps the best part of this specific race is the fact that it benefits Make-A-Wish San Diego while also promoting an active, healthy lifestyle.

If you are looking for a quick and flat course that gives back to the community in Southern California, this is your race!

The expo was great, the buzz was palpable in person.
The process of boarding and being shuttled to the start was incredibly well organized and very smooth. Upon being dropped off at the Big Sur Lodge there was hot coffee, which at 3:30am is a godsend because it was cold!!! The organizers did a good job of prepping us that we should wear layers, but even so, a recommendation would be space heaters because I lost a lot of energy and had tight muscle from shivering for 2 hours before the start.
All of that shivering turned to excitement as we lined up in our corrals as the sun was rising. It was neat to overhear the legacy runners chat about the course and their experience, I soaked it all up! Around 6:45am my corral started on a steady downhill for the first couple miles through beautiful redwoods. The course then opened to the first sight of the Pacific Ocean as we began a steady climb, some perplexed cows were, what I’d like to think, cheering us on.
I had read so many reviews from past runners, which helped me pace myself on this new course. I kept gas in the tank as I knew the infamous Hurricane Point climb was approaching from miles 10-12. This hill is no joke, however I kept the mindset of one foot in front of the other to keep pushing through and refrain from walking. The views of the Pacific Ocean were absolutely stunning, this also helped keep my mind off of the climb. The drummers were a huge help to push through the last bit!
After Hurricane Point we began a decline towards Bixby Bridge, however the slant in the road along Hwy 1 definitely made it more challenging to take advantage of the downhills. My ankles were definitely starting to feel the strain, but again, it was mind over matter. Mile 15 is when I really started to feel the lack of training hit, however the scenery and knowing I was fortunate to be able to run this marathon helped me push through.
The rest of the course was a combination of flat and rolling hills with beautiful scenery throughout. The aid stations were well stocked and the volunteers were all incredibly friendly. I loved the touch of having locally grown strawberries at the last aid station, I definitely took advantage of the sugar boost to push through. Thankfully I had been forewarned about the hill at mile 25, so I was prepared to make a final climb before the finish. Coming down the last half mile took every ounce of energy in my body, but when I crossed that finish line I felt like part of a special group of runners. My finish time was 4:45:12, which while not “fast” to many, was fast for me. The hand painted medal now rests on my desk as a reminder to be brave and never say no to opportunities.
I’ve never had luck at running lotteries and felt for everyone that wanted to run but were not selected. My finish was as much for me as it was for them! I am not over exaggerating when I say every single person I talked to, or read comments from, said the exact same thing- Big Sur was the most challenging and beautiful marathon they’ve ran. The word “brutiful” was used many times, which sums it up perfectly!
Overall I feel incredibly blessed to have been granted the opportunity to run the iconic Big Sur Marathon. It actually ignited my excitement to push myself and find another marathon to run. I mean, if I can come within 72 seconds of my marathon PR on this super challenging course with minimal training, why not do another? I’d highly recommend the Big Sur Marathon to any runner looking to challenge themselves and enjoy unparalleled beauty. Definitely add this race to your bucket list!