This is the perfect small town "racecation" destination. No matter what race distance you choose, you are going to be treated to jaw dropping scenery to get you through.

The highs:
free shuttle to race
epic scenery
easy packet pickup
challenging course
late start times (9am!)

the lows:
very hilly
non race-specific medal

In my opinion, the highs far outweigh the lows. I will definitely come back and run a longer distance next time. It's the perfect destination to build a long weekend getaway. It's totally unique and peaceful with plenty of nearby activities to keep you entertained.

I had to drop down to the 10k due to an injury, but the 10k still had plenty of fun to go around!

The expo is located in downtown Phoenix, which is close to the full marathon start but nowhere near the other races start/finish in Tempe. It's a good size expo, not as overwhelming as some other RZR expos. The shirt is a decent tech shirt and you also get a few snack samples in your goodie bag.

Parking for this race can be a real challenge with over 20,000 people doing either 10k, half or full. I recommend taking the light rail there. Easy peasy.

The 10k has the same start time and location as the half. You still feel like you are part of all the excitement. There were plenty of cheer squads and bands along the way. Only one big hill a mile before the finish. Same finish line as all the other races.

At the finish there was live music, plenty of snacks, a beer tent(1 beer included with race entry), a fun Bigelow hot tea bar (it was a little chilly out) and a few other vendors.

It's definitely crowded, but across from the finish area is Mill Avenue with tons of bars and restaurants if you'd rather hang out there. To me the only real downside of the race is the price - as with all Rock n roll races. They have a great medal. The 10k might be my new favorite!

This was the inaugural Girls Run Fast 5k and 10k. I signed up months ago and was excited because I am familiar with Girls Run Fast, a local women's jewelry company, and like their products. It was also taking place at Kiwanis Park, a centrally located, easy to get to spot.

Race communication was pretty good leading up to the race because it was managed by Startline Racing, another great local company. They were posting pictures of the shirt and the medal and getting everyone excited. There was packet pickup offered the day before at a local running store, but it didn't seem like many people took advantage of it.

For your entry fee, you received a good quality tech tee (pink, of course), a huge medal, a running charm specific to your race distance and temporary tattoos. The only confusion seemed to be on race morning when it came to parking. The park has many entrances and lots and people did not seem to know where to go.

Packet pickup that morning was a breeze. I had dropped down from the 10k to the 5k and everything was very smooth in the transition. The 10k course was 2 loops and the 5k course was one. It was partly on the canal and partly on paved paths through the park, with plenty of hills!

There were age group awards - a running charm/necklace for 1st place age group winners. Then there was a huge raffle with about 25 prizes from gift cards to kindles!

All in all, it was a well-organized, very girly event! Great swag!

This was my second Ragnar experience, but 1st Ragnar Trail race. I joined a team of ladies, most of whom had done this race before and loved it.

If you're not familiar, for Ragnar Trail races, there are teams of 8 (or ultra teams of 4) who complete 3 separate loops of trail, totalling 15.6 miles per person. Instead of riding in vans from point to point, runners camp overnight, and every loop starts and ends in the same transition area.

The organizers have the parking situation down to a science. each team is allowed to park 2 vehicles at the park, and you are allowed to unload briefly in the Village campsite, then move your car to the parking lot nearby. The event tries to be as sustainable as possible. No paper cups were allowed at the site. You were required to bring your own reusable container, which was great.

Most folks brought a huge spread and cooked (a giant tailgate party), but there was also a mess hall where you could get meals.

The terrain had good variety, from rugged and challenging to fairly flat runnable sections. Each loop was full of beautiful Sonoran desert scenery. The course is EXTREMELY well marked, and for that i give the organizers an A+! The route was color coded, and reflective to be seen well at night.

I was a little surprised that there were basically no aid stations on the course at all. Given the rugged terrain, I'm surprised there weren't more course officials out there in case of emergency. There was a first aid tent, which I unfortunately had to visit, and I was attended to quickly.

For your entry fee, you receive a t-shirt, medal, tattoo, and 1 meal ticket. They served coffee during the day (bring your own cup) , plus hot chocolate and smores at night. They provided 2 bonfires to help us stay warm, which was much appreciated. You are allowed to go in a night early to set up your campsite if you so desire. They even showed a movie during the night, since there were still a lot of people up and about during the night, full of nervous energy.

Overall, I give this event high marks for being well organized. It welcomes both experienced trail runners and newbies like myself. The energy was high and everyone seemed to be excited to be part of it.

This was only my second trail race ever. I heard that this was a very technical course. So true!

There was packet pickup offered the day before at Road Runner Sports in Tempe, which was very convenient. For your registration fee, you get a cotton tee, swag bag with power bars, and a finishers medal.

Parking was adequate, but you need to plan on arriving early. There was a line to get in (you have to pay a $6 fee for the Park), so it almost caused the race to start late.

There are 2 distances to choose from - 8k or 20k. The 20k runners start 15 minutes before the 8k runners and follow a different course.

It's almost all singletrack, and extremely technical in my opinion. I ran the 8k and about 80% of the course was loose rocks. It's got great variety of climbs and descents, but you really have to be careful and it's obviously very difficult to pass folks on singletrack where there is cactus on either side!

I enjoyed the views and felt like I really challenged myself. There were awards 3 deep (cool pint classes), and a good spread of post-race food including an ice cream truck!

Xterra races provide a good challenge and great atmosphere. There were both serious seasoned trail runners and plenty of newbies like myself.