- This was my second RnR event, and both were very efficiently run and well-organized, from the expo to the finish line-herding (snacks, photos, get out of the way, etc).
- Was glad to see Sweaty Bands at the expo because I saw them at the Mardi Gras RnR expo but didn't take advantage of getting a headband without having to pay for shipping and handling. I took advantage this time and got a nice band that I wore for the race - worked perfectly!
- I was distressed when I first read that they recommended you drive to the finish line and park, then take shuttles to the start line, but this turned out to be very easy. We left our downtown hotel, followed the directions they gave on their web site, and we dealt with no traffic and had no problems finding Fair Park. We parked easily, and the shuttles (dozens and dozens of school buses) were very well organized and got us to the Start Line quickly.
- The race started on time and there was plenty of course support. The corrals were well organized.
- I've seen some people complain about the medal compared to last year's, but seeing pictures of last year's medal, I like this year's a lot better. I think last year's was kind of ugly! Just me? I also liked the T-shirt. White shirts are better for me in the summer - a dark color is too hot!
- The finish line was very close to Barbecs, an awesome diner in east Dallas where I got two pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage for $6! We met up with a college friend of mine who lives in Dallas for the meal after the race, and it was great!
- I love that the professional race pictures are ready the next day! Impressive considering the volume of pictures I'm sure they take and the number of runners they're dealing with.
Things I Didn't Like:
- The weather, though obviously this was not the race's fault! It was a very warm day on Saturday, the day before the race, but that night a cold front came in and it was extremely cold Sunday morning! I luckily had brought a pair of running tights and a throwaway long-sleeved shirt just in case. Still, we got to the start line an hour before the race and it was torturous sitting there in the wind for that long. Of course, once the race started and we began running, we warmed up quickly and sweated a lot, even though the sun never came out and it was overcast the entire time!
- I think that there were a decent amount of porta-potties, but this was my first time having to stop during a race to go to one, and on the first attempt, I was about fourth in line waiting outside 5 porta-potties and I finally gave up and started running again because it was taking so long! Might have just been bad luck - about 2 miles later, I spotted two porta-potties with no lines and was in and out of it in less than 1 minute. But those two miles waiting to see another porta-potty were the longest two miles ever!
- The course was nice, but much of it went through residential areas, including the rich Highland Park. That was fine, but apparently bands and course support tables weren't allowed to set up in the neighborhoods so the time spent running through them was rather boring. I am just not that interested in looking at houses. I specifically remember mile 5 and mile 10 feeling like they lasted forever because we were running through residential areas and it was just so boring!
- Bret Michaels is not really my cup of tea (though it's a better selection than the headliner for RnR Mardi Gras - Bowling for Soup). We did not stick around for the concert.
No comments:
Post a Comment