Latest reviews by Jessica Murphy

(2015)
"Nike at it's best"
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Course Scenery
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In full disclosure I work for Nike and was able to run the race through work. I also ran this race in 2013 before I worked at Nike. I can truthfully say the race saw significant improvements, much of which came from focusing solely on the Half Marathon experience.

This year the course route changed and i LOVED the switch-up. You got to run through many more SF neighborhoods.We also lucked out with the most amazing SF weather. The morning was beautiful and clear. You could see the GG bridge! And well across to beautiful views of the Muir trails.

This year they got rid of the expo which was AMAZING since the crowding issue in union square was overwhelming. This time I got in and out of packet pickup in less than 5 minutes! The post-race offerings were amazing - loved the whole foods set-up and the food was delicious!

Finally, my favorite part was mile 10. They had an entire NRC cheer station set-up to cheer people and run people up the hardest hill of the race. It honestly made the hill go by so quickly - loved every part of this!!

What's to love:
Tiffany's - need I say more
Volunteers - all SO energetic and helpful!!
Cheer station - amazing!!!
On course entertainment - sooo much variety - this was so well done!! Better than any Rock n Roll race I've done!

What was just ok:
Aid stations - could've been longer. Also I wanted Nuun available in more locations
Starting line - I missed the fireworks at the starting line!

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(2015)
"Always a Fav"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management

This race never disappoints!! This was my fourth time running it and this year I paced the 4:00 group.

This is one of the best managed races in the WORLD. Start and finish are all well organized. Aid stations are LOOOONG so offer plenty of opportunity to weave in and out and i LOVE it's always Gatorade first then water.

Swag was great. Shirt fits great, fun design, lots of good food options post-race and they give it to you in a BAG so you don't struggle with carrying everything. Plus they hand you a beer right at the finish!! And that's not even your finisher beer at the post-race party!! The volunteers are all amazing and the crowds in all the neighborhoods are truly unique.

I can't recommend it enough

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(2015)
"Cute, small race"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management

This was a nice casual Sat evening race. Easy to access. It was its first year, so there are still some small kinks that could get worked out. I ran it just for fun so some of the issues didn't bother me. But I wouldn't recommend this to anyone racing or trying to PR.

What was nice:
Post-race set-up along the river was a nice way to end the night. Great band playing too

Post-race beer + food: good beer choices especially!

Shirt: good quality shirt

What could be improved:
Traffic crossing - Not sure if this was avoidable, but the volunteers could have been more authoritative in stopping traffic to ensure runners could cross without worrying if traffic was going to stop. There were at least 3 stops each way so 6 total for the out and back

Aid Station - On my way back one of the stations was already running out of water and I had to wait for more water to be poured...and I was in the middle of the pack. It was warm in the early evening when the heat is the most oppressive in Portland. Additionally no one was handing out water, you needed to pick it up off the table yourself which would be a challenge if you were racing.

Finish - The finish line was down hill and then a sharp turn to the right which is brutal if you are kicking it to the finish. Ideally they would avoid the sharp turn in the last 5 yards of the course.

Overall - the runners were all great and friendly. Its a fun neighborhood race!

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(2015)
"Beautiful summer race - prepare for the hills!"
Overall
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This was my first RnR race outside Chicago (which I've done 5 years in a row) and the series lived up to its reputation. It had an organized start line, well run aid stations, great post-race goodies, and fun finisher party!

You get some great views throughout Seattle on this course, I especially loved running along the water.

Aid stations/volunteers were plentiful and friendly!

If you stay downtown the start-line is an easy 1 mi walk in the morning and very accessible.

Beware the hill kicker at the end of this course. Luckily I was warned in advance so I was mentally prepared. This would be a tough course to PR on but a great, fun, scenic race!

Post-race - always one of the best - tons of gatorade, chocolate milk, bars, fruit, bagels, granola, etc.

I would definitely recommend to others looking to visit the city!

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(2015)
"Always Solid"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management

This was my 6th year in a row running this race and it's always one of my favorites.

You can count on flawless organization, aid stations worthy of a marathon, and a great post-race atmosphere. The weather always turns out for it as well!

The swag is always a great (used to be picnic blankets, now a great durable bag that I'll be using as a lunch bag!). And there are great post-race giveaways. 312 beer (nice quality local brews!), Muscle Milk giving away full size recovery, American Cancer Society giving away ice-cold wet towels, and American Insurance giving away reusable ice packs!

It's a great way to kick off a holiday weekend!

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