Latest reviews by Sarah

(2014)
"Fun Tulsa 5K with Great Swag! "
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Fleet Feet Tulsa puts on a great race and the Fat Guy's Burgers and Baseball 5k was no exception! The event was easy to register for, easy to get to, and a lot of fun for the whole family!
The T-shirt and swag was great for a $35 race. We got a cute bib (see pic) a cotton t-shirt, free beer, a really good burger at the end, and even a ticket to a local baseball game!
The aid stations were fine.Nothing too special about them.
Course scenery was good. We ran through downtown Tulsa which is always nice.
There is no expo for this small local 5K. You pick up your packet at either Fleet Feet location you selected when you signed up.
The elevation was pretty flat. We had one incline on the way back to the ball field, but we got to run around the bases!
Parking was easy. There is plenty of free parking in downtown Tulsa.
This race also has the option to do the Fat Guy's Burger Challenge! This is where you eat an entire burger and drink a shake on the course before crossing the finish line!

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(2014)
"Run For The Health Of It Recap"
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This race is located in a small town in Oklahoma called Pawhuska. It just happens to be the town that I grew up in so it's extra special to me and I love that I now have my 5K PR in my hometown!
The Course - this course is 100% flat. There isn't even a slight incline or bridge or anything. We started at the Cultural Park and ran on the road for about .25 miles before we got on a paved trail. There isn't a lot of scenery but we did get to run by the school and through the park so that was ok.
Parking - There wasn't any trouble parking. There is plenty of spaces to park at the park and nearby museum. We got there early for packet pick up and my parents were able to park there car directly facing the finish line so they could watch us from the car if they wanted to.
Race Management - everything ran smoothly this year. We got to the race kind of early and everything was already set up and our packets were ready for us to get. We signed in to get a our shirts and we were done with it.
There is no Expo for this race. But they did allow race day registration.
T-shirt/Swag - for a CHEAP race, only $20 I feel like we got a lot. The 5k was on a USATF certified course, we got a nice cotton t-shirt, and a water bottle. They also had medals for the top 3 in each age division.
Aid Stations - I remember seeing 2 maybe 3 aid stations on the course which was nice being as it started to really warm up during this race.
Overall - for a TINY race it was well put together. It holds a special place in my heart being as I grew up in that town. If you are in the Oklahoma area and would like to contribute to the Tribe's efforts to get healthy you should totally participate in this race! Plus since it's such a small race you might have a good shot at placing in your age group! My husband and I were both able to win our age groups which isn't possible when we run the larger races.

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(2014)
"Aquarium Run Half Marathon"
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The Aquarium Run is a FLAT and FAST half marathon in Jenks, OK. The run benefits the Oklahoma Aquarium where the race starts and finishes.
If you are looking for a Half Marathon to get a PR this is the race for you! I PR'd in the Half by a little over 3 minutes and so did a lot of other runners from my running club. The race isn't too big, a little over 700 people ran the half this year and it is 100% flat. The race follows the river and you have a long out and back but the weather is usually perfect for this race. This year we had temps in the low 50s with a small tailwind for the first 6 miles of the race. Then it was a small headwind coming back.

The T-Shirt/Swag - The shirt is a typical race T-shirt with the theme of the race on it. This year's theme was Run with the Bull Sharks. Swag included a ticket to get into the Oklahoma Aquarium (same day) and some post-race food. (Breakfast burritos, bananas, bagels, orange juice). In our packet we also got a small hand held fan/mist thing.

The Medal - I'm a little disappointed in the medal this year. I ran the race in 2012 and the medal was bigger. This year's theme, Run with the Bull Sharks, is cool, but the medal is smaller than I would have liked. But this race is very affordable. We sign up early so it was around $35. Not a bad price for all the swag that comes with it.

There isn't an expo but you can pick up your packet at the local Fleet Feet store or you can pick up your packet on race day. The half started at 8:15.

Parking isn't too bad, but you need to plan to arrive early to get a spot in front of the Aquarium. Also it's a single lane entrance so you'll have to wait in a line a little to get into the parking lot.

Since it's a smaller race, there isn't a TON of crowd support along the course but when you get closer to the finish line there is a great crowd waiting for you to return and happy to cheer you on.

There is a Holiday Inn Express right next door to the Aquarium if you are traveling from outside the Oklahoma area and need a place to stay.
The race is capped so it tends to sell out. You should register for this race in February or early March if you would like to participate. It is also important to note that this race is ran on the Riverside Trail in Jenks/Tulsa so it isn't 100% closed meaning there will be pedestrians/bikers sharing the trail but it has never been an issue.

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(2014)
"Lunchador 5K "
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The Elote's Luchador run is a fun 5K that runs through downtown Tulsa. This race is SO MUCH FUN! You need to grab a few friends, put together a Luchador costume, and sit back and have fun! It is technically an obstacle race and the race boasts "urban obstacles" in downtown Tulsa.

Overall - I am doing this race again next year and I'm recruiting more friends to go with me. I have never laughed so much during a 5K. I did a half marathon the same morning of this race and I didn't even care that my legs were super tired because I was having a great time.

Course - The course is pretty easy but you have to go through Urban Obstacles during this race like the Route 66 Roller Derby girls with foam bats, a silly string attack, make a Frisbee Golf hole-in-one, and even successfully Limbo under the Limbo stick before you cross the finish line. You also can chase the Elote's Luchador's in a flag football kind of race. They take off 5 minutes ahead of everyone and your goal is to steal their flag and keep it as a badge of honor!

Cost -This race benefits the local YMCA's Y-Kids to Camp program and was pretty affordable. We signed up the week of the race and it was $30 if you wore a costume or $35 without.

Swag - Since this race is just a fun 5K the swag was limited to a race T-shirt. But after the race each person got nachos and beer and we were treated to Luchador wrestling matches in front of the Elote's restaurant.

Expo - There is no expo being as this is a smaller race you just pick up your packet at Elote's or on race day at the YMCA.

Aid Stations - The Aid stations were AWESOME! One of them handed out Gelato, one handed out water in little shot glasses, one handed out jello shots, and others were your typical water stops.

Parking - Parking isn't a big issue being as it is in downtown Tulsa and you just park on the streets. Everything is close by so walking to the start line wasn't far.

In summary - In order to have the most fun you need to bring friends, get a costume, and relax and have fun! Oh, and stay around for the wrestling matches at the end. They are hilarious!

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(2014)
"Garmin Wickedly Fast Half Marathon Race Recap"
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The Garmin in the Land of OZ half marathon is an enchanting race. If you love the Wizard of Oz, you must do this race! The race takes place in Olathe Kansas and while it is not a booming metropolis it's the perfect setting for this theme. This year the weather even gave us a perfect backdrop of storms to make us really feel like we were in the movie! Luckily, no Twisters made an appearance!
The Expo was really small and was more of a packet pickup than anything but they had a couple vendors present. Also the best part about this event was that Meb, aka the first American to win Boston since 1983, was there at the pasta party! Since Garmin sponsors him, I hope he makes an appearance at next years race!
The Swag! The shirt is a typical tech shirt that follows this year's theme of the race, The Cowardly Lion. I understand that the Full Marathon finishers medals change each year and represent a different Wizard of Oz character. In 2012 it was the Scarecrow, in 2013 it was the Tin Man.
The Half Marathon medal is always a version of the Wicked Witch and this year's medal even glows in the dark! Totally in love with the bling from this race and now I need to do the full marathon for the next few years so I can collect the whole cast of Oz!
For the Half Marathon the Aid Stations were great. They were spaced out nicely and had water and Gatorade. Later in the race for the half marathoners they even handed out Gu.
The scenery was nice as well. The race started by the Garmin building so it was kind of in a parking lot but we quickly made our way to more residential area and even a spent a great deal of time in the woods on a paved trail.
The weather was typical for Kansas in the spring. We had a nice storm that kept us cool but we did get rained on. If you run this race, be sure to wear a hat to keep the rain out of your eyes.
The elevation was a bit of a surprise. Since it was Kansas I was expecting 100% flat and while this race wasn't overly hilly, it did have a couple that I wasn't expecting. Just set your expectations accordingly and you'll be fine.
Parking was probably the most difficult part of this race. We left our hotel 55 minutes before the race was to start and only made it to the starting line with 15 minutes to spare. The race is at the Garmin building so while there is plenty of parking in their parking garage, it's a 2 lane road to gain access to it so traffic backed up a lot. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get there and park!
Overall I loved this race and plan to do the full marathon next year. I loved seeing everyone dressed up as the various characters from the Wizard of Oz!

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