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Latest reviews by Jenn
Jenn recommends this race
(2014)
"Run Rabbit Run 5K"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
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I spur of the moment decided to run this race for Easter weekend. I was going to do the 10K, but since I left my Fuel Belt water bottles at home by mistake, I changed my mind and did the 5K.
The Good
-The course is beautiful! It runs through Queens Harbour Yacht and Country Club, which has a lot of really nice houses and gardens to look at. It's a really easy out and back course, and it was pretty much pancake flat.
-The post-race brunch was a great touch, even though the choices were a little odd. Pulled pork at 9 AM seemed a little heavy, but it sure did taste great. I overheard a race volunteer say they weren't expecting so many people, so she ran out and grabbed donuts.
-The vendors in the little race area were cool. Jacksonville Running Company was there with foam rollers, and there were some other tents set up with giveaways and coffee.
-Parking is touchy, but the local businesses seemed to be cool (I didn't hear anyone getting towed) with their parking lots being taken over.
-The Easter Bunny was there, which was a nice touch for the kids (and kids-at-heart like me!)
-I won my age group (yay!) and I got a chocolate rabbit (Easter themed race, remember), a gift certificate to Jacksonville Running Company, and a certificate. They had a nice variety of donated items to give out, but...
The Bad
-The complete lack of perks for runners who signed up the day of the race was really disappointing. I know on the site it said that medals were for the first 200 runners. I totally get that, and having planned a race before, I know it's a pain in the butt when people sign up last minute since it messes with your numbers. HOWEVER, 1st Place Sports deals with this all the time, and they always have enough medals/shirts for late entrants. The first overall male/female got a plaque, but everyone else got paper certificates. Not even a medal for the age group winners? Eh…
Overall this was a really fun race, and I'll most likely be back to run it next year. I had never done an Easter-themed race before, so it was cute to see people dressed like bunnies.
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Jenn recommends this race
(2014)
"Tap N Run"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
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I hesitate to call this a "race" since it really wasn't. It's a lot like the Color Run, in that there are no times recorded. It's a "4K" but my GPS marked more like 2.2 miles, but it was so hot out that this was totally okay with me. For this run, your bib has 4 little "coupons" for beer on it. You get a small beer at the first three spots, and then a can of beer at the end. Beer "Chug Stations" are at the start line, and then at around mile 1 and mile 1.5.
The Good:
-AWESOME swag. You get sunglasses, a koozie, a sticker, a cool tshirt (not moisture wicking, but it looks good), and a race medal.
-The beer was kept nice and cold, which is surprising because of how hot out it was. Nothing is worse than warm beer, so kudos to the organizers for keeping it on ice.
-The "course" is easy. No hills or anything like that. The start/finish line are about 50 feet away from each other, so you don't have to worry about finding a way back to the start line.
-A+ for teaming with a cab company to get people home. I only had one (very small) beer, so I didn't need to take advantage of it.
-Everyone got into the costume portion, which was really cool.
The Bad:
-The water at the aid stations was HOT. It was REALLY warm out, and there were more than a few of us gasping for water at the 2nd beer station.
-I think they should move this race to a little bit earlier in the year. The sun in Jacksonville is HOT, and it was around 80 degrees at the start of the race.
-The medal is a slight letdown only because it looks like it's the same one for every location. It didn't list the city or the date.
Overall this was a fun run to do. I would hesitate to sign up by myself again, because it looked like those who came in groups had a lot more fun. It turns into a party after the "race" is over.
Jenn recommends this race
(2014)
"Gate River Run"
Overall
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The Gate River Run is Jacksonville's most popular race. This was my first year running it, and I had an awesome time and would recommend it to anyone looking for a race to run.
The race starts outside of EverBank Field, so there is plenty of parking available at the start. The layout at the start was pretty clear for corrals, although I did get lost looking for the very tiny bag check area.
I would suggest registering very early for this race. I was in the "Gray Zone" which is just behind the seeded corrals. Even though the corrals go off in different waves, there was a lot of bottlenecking for most of the course. I wasn't looking for a PR though, so it didn't really bother me.
The course is a good challenge, especially if you're like me and you never do hill training. You go over two bridges - the Main Street Bridge after the first mile, and then you end with the Hart Bridge. The course goes through different neighborhoods, and there is a lot of great crowd support. This year I saw people grilling and giving out sausages, kids giving out ice pops, and women with hoses to cool off the runners.
Swag is good. For your registration fee, you get a really nice tshirt, medal, and a beer glass courtesy of Gate with the race logo on it. It's a must if you live in Jacksonville!
Jenn recommends this race
(2014)
"26.2 with Donna"
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This race was OUTSTANDING. I've run 6 half marathons (4 in New York and 2 in Jacksonville) and this was my favorite race out of all of them.
Aside from the fact that it's for an amazing cause, the race is put on so well that I would do it even if it wasn't for charity. The course is great, and you go from the streets to the beach to a bridge with awesome views. Crowd support is like nothing I've ever seen. It's like the entire city is out there supporting you.
There is a full marathon, half marathon, 5K, and a relay to participate in. There's something for everyone!
Jenn recommends this race
(2013)
"Jacksonville Bank Half"
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I ran the Jax Bank Half on a spur of the moment decision to do a half marathon. This is a pretty no frills race, but the cost is really low and you get a lot for the registration cost.
There is no expo - you pick your bib number up at whichever 1st Place Sports store you chose when you registered online. The t-shirt is a great tech material, and is really nice looking also.
This race starts and finishes at the Bolles School. There is a free shuttle that takes you from the overflow lot to the school, which was great and removed the headache of finding a place to park.
The course is very flat, and is an out and back that brings you back to the Bolles School to finish on the track. The medal is beautiful, and the post race offerings (water, bananas, soup, etc.) were great. I'll be running this again for sure!