Registration: Rego opened up in December for the July Marathon Weekend and was available online. I made it during the early bird rego - which was about $100 for the Half Marathon. There was no option to get your bib mailed out but there was several pick up (Check in centres) locations that you could choose from in the lead up to the event.

Expo: One of the biggest running events in the country definitely has one of the biggest expos! I turned up at open on the last day and was able to pick up my bib with no line. Once it's been picked up they check to see if the timer is working (the first expo to do this) and then let you loose on the vendors! The Asics booth (sponsor of the run) was the biggest with a mixture of both GCAM branded gear and standard Asics gear. There was a mixture of apparel and other races from neighbouring countries, it was really interesting to find out about some of the other races in Japan!

Swag: At the expo you got a reusable GCAM16 bag, and the vendors have a huge amount of samples (such as Gold Kiwifruit) that you can get. I took advantage of the Asics Pace band which I entered some information pre-expo and was able to print out a band specific to my goal.

Course: Amazing, flat and fast course! The Half Marathon starts off at Southport and heads north, along a scenic route through Biggera Waters and Runaway Bay (where you then take a left turn for a little out and back before hitting the main street), up to Paradise Point before turning around and making your way back towards Southport and the finish line! The course does detour on the way back at Labrador so you run along the water (elites actually don't run this way), before joining the street again at the final bridge before the final km.

The course is entirely on closed roads, with safety barriers along specific sections, especially around the race precinct. The crowd support was outstanding! It was great to see support from young and old, especially the folks outside the retirement village sitting there with the "Free Oxygen" signs!

Aid stations were plenty, although the first one you come across is actually for the Marathon so it isn't set up when you run past. The Half one is a little further up. They had a mix of Endura and Water, however it was quite warm as the morning progressed, and although the map said there was a station just after the 19K mark I thought that there should have been another station before the finish.

There were photographers on the course, and they took some awesome pictures with the sun rising along the beach.

Once you hit the 600m to go, you hit the race precinct complete with a 250m to go sign (which is actually a pedestrian overpass) and you enter the absolute finish with spectator seating and blue ground. It's a pretty awesome way to finish!

Once you finish you walk through to the post-race food (kiwi fruit/orange) and water. You then need to look for your respective size tent to pic up your finisher's shirt and medal.

From there you are spit out into the race precinct which is pretty big. I ended up going to the lost person's tent since I couldn't find my party (I ended up being faster than what I assumed) and they were great to let me borrow a phone to call them.

On a personal note: This was my goal race and I ended up getting a massive PR! I used the pace band and was able to make sure I was under the required pace. It was an enjoyable half marathon, possibly one of the best halves that I have ran!

I recommend this to anyone wanting to run a race in Australia - whether you are local or international. It's got a great international feel to it, and is a nice, flat course along the beach. Can't wait to run again next year!

This was my first trail race and I couldn't have picked a better one! While this was first advertised as a 10K (the race also has 22K/35K options), the organisers let everyone know closer to the day that it was going to change to an 11K run, but on the day I clocked 12K exactly.

The race itself is held at Raffertys Resort at Cam's Wharf, about halfway between the Central Coast and Newcastle on the NSW Coast.

Expo: There was a small village atmosphere on the lakefront of Raffertys Resort, with a couple of food stalls, thermatech (sponsor) and registration. It was easy to pick up my bib prior to the race. There was a line of portaloos near the village.

Parking: The area is inside a holiday resort, so parking is limited. I ended up seeing all the cars parked in the nearby roads and found a spot in a public park carpark. Ended up walking about 1km to the start line, I had 10mins spare to the pre-race briefing!

Course: I wasn't too sure about the trail course prior to running, a look the night before showed a massive hill quite early on. The beginning of the course is a mix of trail and pedestrian path, then complete trail followed by trail/road at the end. I made sure that I had kept the energy levels at a right level while everyone left the start area like a bull out of the gate knowing that there were hills coming up. Overall the trails were quite enjoyable, nothing too hard (with the exception of the makeshift ladder and ropes to pull yourself up near the aid station) and nothing that a beginner couldn't handle! The only negative was a rude dirtbike riders who sprayed a fellow runner with debris as she said something to him, we reported it to the aid station and then I reported it to the solutions tent at the finish. It was nothing to do with the organisers of the race, but really brings it back how it's just yourself and your surroundings out there. Luckily the runner was ok, a bit shaken but she did finish.

The course was well marked with pink tape and arrows (crosses where you weren't meant to go). Volunteers were placed at areas such as roads and where the other courses continued and the 11KM course headed back. A few people seemed to get off track, but they came back easy. I was concerned that I'd get lost but didn't feel at any time that I was not on the right course.

Aid stations: Ok, so I've heard all about the aid stations at trail races and I may have been too conservative in taking some goodies when I first passed through - since I started to feel like I needed sugar a little up the road. I had my Orange Mud pack so was able to top up my drink bottles (no cups), there was also Tailwind available as well as a selection of fruit, lollies and potato chips. I tell you, those chips tasted amazing when I came through the second time.

Swag: Nothing at the beginning, but you ended up with a nice medal and a finisher's bag (including a bottle of local beer!) with a whole bunch of goodies which was nice.

I would definitely do this race again, it was completely enjoyable and I didn't feel that it was a stretch of my trail running experience. I'd be interested to hear about the extra km, but when you think about it - I paid for 10 and ended up with 12!

This is my third experience with the Bay to Bay Running Festival - the first two times I had completed the 12K race, this time I thought I'd tackle the Half Marathon, which has eluded me for 2 years!

Registration: Registration was online, however they were accepting registrations at packet pickup and I think even the morning of the race.

Expo: Packet pickup was held at the stadium where the finish line was. There was a local running shop stall set up selling all sorts of running gear but that was it.

Swag: No swag - you just received your bib & event shirt - there was no difference between the 12K & Half shirts this year (previous years had your event listed on the front).

Course: This was the second year of the new course, where the finish line is in the stadium. What is awesome is that it means that the half runners don't run part the finish line and then up a hill, but rather you keep to the left at the end and run around the lakefront for about 2km then head back to the stadium for the finish.

Where the 12K starts at the Woy Woy bridge and heads straight towards Gosford, the Half actually starts facing the opposite way, running along the lake in an out and back (which turns into grass at one stage) so you have about 8K under your belt before you hit the start line for the 12K. It does mean you'll be running in front of all the 12K runners. The rest of the course is flat, and mostly along the lake edge. There is a bit of a hill around the 13K/14K mark, but nothing too worrying.

Once you hit the parks you don't have that long to go, the race does make its way out to the main highway, then back into parkland before almost hitting the finish line. Once you hit that spot where the 12K heads to the finish line, it was a little crazy where the half runners are trying to finish and the people who had finished and walking back to their cars taking over the footpath. Once you get through the out and back portion and make your way around the stadium to the finish line, the half runners are pleasantly surprised with a medal!

From the finish line you head back into the race precinct which includes sponsor areas - where you can collect sample bags, and of course food!

This is one of my favourite races since this is local. I didn't have the best race myself, and mentally gave up when the 12K runners went past me. I also wasn't able to find myself in some of the pictures from the run (they packed up before I got there), and I was running a 2:41 half. There are real toilets once you get to the parks, which was great! It's cheap, and gets some great local support, it's definitely a must-do if you're in the region!

If you're competing in the Dopey Challenge, this is the first race that takes you outside the EPCOT park area. For Goofy runners, this is the first event of the weekend.

Expo: The WDW Marathon Weekend Expo is much bigger than anything you'll find at Disneyland, given they have much more space. Exhibitors take up two different locations at Wide World of Sports, and packet pickup/gear pickup is spread between three locations depending on your events. I liked that the Dopey & Goofy participants were able to pick up their bibs and gear in the same building. Once again, challenge runners need to get their picture taken at pickup so they're able to cross reference at the end of the final event.

Swag: You'll get the race technical shirt (6 shirts if you're competing in the Dopey Challenge/3 for Goofy Challenge participants), gear bag and a mini Clif Bar. There's plenty of product samples from painkillers to Clif products to bananas from the exhibitors on the floor.

Course: The course starts outside EPCOT, and heads up towards Magic Kingdom. The first 9km or so is on roadway however WDW-owned roads allows character stops along the course. There's approx. 4 photo opportunities before Magic Kingdom however the lines can be long. The course seemed to be incredibly crowded on the way up and I felt that I ran most of the way on the grass beside the path (can I call it a trail race?).

Once in the Magic Kingdom, you'll be running up Main Street, around Tomorrowland/Fantasyland and through the castle which is where the problem point is. I don't know if it's because the Frozen characters were on the balcony at the entrance, or if it's because only one ramp was open to get through the castle; however we came to a slow crawl underneath. It didn't make matters any better when people stop for selfies in front of you (note: they make room at the bottom of the castle for pictures). From here it's outside of the park and down back towards EPCOT and onto the finish line.

There are points in the course which are narrow & due to the crowd you may end up running on the grass. It's super important in this scenario to remember etiquette and move over to the right if you're not running (please don't just stop where you are - keep running until it's safe to move over).

Aid Stations: There was plenty of water/Powerade stops along the course, although I carried my own electrolyte drink. For food, there's a Clif Gel station. Medical was well represented on the course.

There were plenty of portaloos before the corrals and on the course, plus all restrooms are open in the parks.

Atmosphere: There is on course entertainment such as performers, music and characters which add to the magic.

Post-race: Disney are great for herding runners through the finish line area. Challenge runners do have to go through seperate tents once they've picked up their medal. Food-wise you do get a runner's box full of goodies plus a water (and Powerade if you please) however there was additional food to purchase (which also took Magic band payment).

The Family Reunion area is large, so organise a meet-up before you run (especially if you're international like me and messaging is a crazy amount) but you'll find race merchandise, celebratory flowers and balloons on sale here as well as a livestream of the finish. The buses to resorts leave from the end of the reunion area, lines were pretty manageable.

Overall: It's a great half marathon course, fairly flat (with exemption of the overpasses)! There definitely was a lot more street running than what I was led to believe - with Disneyland races you've got the parks first so the excitement tends to settle after about 40 mins. It was great to get out into another park (and to see the Castle) after running around EPCOT for the first two days of the Dopey Challenge.