I didn't run the Shamrock Marathon in 2021, but I applaud them for their efforts to adapt Shamrock…read moreWeekend to the strange times we're living in while keeping the runners safe. The 2018 Shamrock Marathon was my very first and to this date, my only marathon. It was the year they changed the course so the Marathoners were mixed in with the half marathoners and I was so thankful. It was amazing feeling the energy of the crowd at the start. It was so empowering choosing to turn right to go for 26.2 instead of left to the 13.1 finish. That race was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but also one of the best. The whole Shamrock experience is amazing from start to finish. The expo brings in top talent in the running world as speakers. The swag you get at the finish and the quality of the after party hasn't been matched by any other race I've attended.

Finally, have checked this local marathon off my list. (And my first FULL marathon! Yay)…read more I'm a huge fan of J&A and feel so lucky that we have such a vibrant and fun race community right here in my home town. I've completed the 8k and half marathon for Shamrock weekends in the past and, like others have noted, this one is a flat and easy course with a wonderful expo and packet pickup. This year, they didn't personalize the bibs so you all had to stand in a single really long line on Friday afternoon that snaked all the way around the convention center to pick up a bib and write your own name on it. Number was assigned when you checked in and they scanned it. Lines moved OK but I prefer the personal bib method with the numbers you line up with.... Expo was a bit lacking in variety this year but they had a wonderful selection of Shamrock-themed goodies and I spent way more than intended! The race was fabulous, the pacers were excellent, and the results and photos and after party and medals all made me a happy gal. I've run a ton of races and no one does it like J&A. Top notch all the way.

Fantastic mud run; my husband and his best friend attended this event this weekend and they had a…read moreblast. They had such an awesome time, that I am planning on signing up for their next event, June 2014. Very well organized; great band and food. Everyone was very helpful. The course was very well-laid out. The only negative I would point out is that they should have had more showers available. There were 2 long lines and they waited over an hour to reach the showers. Not cool. But other than that...everything went well; great location.

From the owner: America's premiere 5K obstacle course race with 13 awesome obstacles…read more Register now at www.greatamericanmudrun.com/virginia

I didn't run the Shamrock 8k in 2021, but I applaud them for their efforts to adapt Shamrock…read moreWeekend to the strange times we're living in while keeping the runners safe. The 2016 Shamrock 8K was my very first race and it will always have a special place in my heart because of that. The race is around the Oceanfront area so the crowd support is awesome! You even have people cheering for you off their balconies in the hotels. Since it's such a large event that means no matter if you're walking it or truly racing it you're going to have a good time. You have some people who go for PRs, but I'd say most dress up and have fun with it. If you're looking for an extra challenge you can sign up for the Dolphin or Whale Challenges which has you run the 8K on Saturday and then either the half or the full on Sunday. The swag you get at the finish and the quality of the after party hasn't been matched by any other race I've attended. Everything is five-star from start to finish.

2018 Yelpie 100 Challenge One of the most fun runs to do…read morewhether you live here or are just visiting!! Lots of music, fun, entertainment, and most importantly, FOOD!!! Crowd support is unbelievable! The police and organizers are wonderful with security and coordination, so such a smooth-running event!!! The medals are great! The Irish stew nourishing!! And, of course, for all you beer drinkers, lots of Yuengling at the finish!!! But make sure you have your ID or wrist band with your beer tickets (on your bib), otherwise, none for you!! The post-race party inside the tent is amazing! Great band playing great music !!! Great way to start your day and end your race!!!‍ but why should the adults have all the fun...bring the kids for the Final Mile!!! Then you can all get your day off to a great start!

I will say that J&A Racing has it going on, and the org definitely knows how to organize a great…read morerace weekend. From registering for the Shamrock Half, to the expo, the race itself, and the post-race after party, I thought everything was amazing. The Expo (Va Beach Convention Ctr): I picked up my bib on the 1st day, so it was somewhat crowded; however, things moved pretty smoothly. While I did not stick around to enjoy the festivities, there were plenty of vendors and things to do with the family to get the full expo experience. Like most expos, there were plenty of things to buy, but I did not get a sense that I was going to be harrassed to buy anything. Race day: This is a great race because the course is pretty flat. While most of it is a bit in and out for the half marathon, there are plenty of fun sights to see while running. The fluids stations were fully stocked, and there were not any major bottle necks at the start line and during the course. If I could make one change to the course, I wanted to spend more time running on the boardwalk. Other than that small complaint, everything was great. Post-race celebration: Here is where the real party was located. I was 100% pleasantly surprised that J&A Racing hosted the post-race party INSIDE of a huge pavilion tent because the temps were in the mid to high 30s. Swag: You definitely will get a lot of cool stuff with your registration fee. Pre- and post-race swag included a long-sleeve tech shirt, beach towel, cap, four beer tickets, a cup of a Irish stew (technically, soup), bag, and a bunch of snacks. *I feel like I'm missing something.* A couple of tips: -Be very careful with parking. Some of the tow truck companies were very predatory and towing cars left and right. -Arrive early to find well-priced parking. A few places were charging $35+ for day parking. This was disgusting because I'm sure they jacked up their prices because it was marathon weekend, which occurs during the off season. Fortunately for me, the parking garage at 25th St charged only $10 for 24 hr parking.

I didn't run the Shamrock Half Marathon in 2021, but I applaud them for their efforts to adapt…read moreShamrock Weekend to the strange times we're living in while keeping the runners safe. I've done all of the Shamrock Races, but the half is always my favorite. Well except in 2017. If you know you know... that race was BRUTAL! It's a flat and fast course. The scenery changes every few miles which is so great mentally and I've pushed myself to multiple PRs year after year. The crowd always comes out in force to cheer you on too. Everything is so well organized from packet pick up at the amazing Shamrock Weekend expo - full of vendors and world-class speakers to the finish line. I hope you're ready for a party- the Shamrock Weekend races have one of the best after parties in the business. It's a true celebration. I look forward to returning to Virginia Beach to run this one again and again!

So I typically dont do 5K races I usually do walks (Susan Coleman against Breast Cancer etc...)…read moreHowever my friends thought it would be something cool to do and it being hosted at night seemed like a fun idea. So we decided to purchase a Groupon which was significantly lower than the regular price to attend. Im happy we decided to get the Groupon. My first sign that something was off was when I started looking at the parking options and realized everything they suggested was pretty far. Which didn't seem like a good idea seeing as though we were about to run. We decided to park in a neighborhood not too far away so that we wouldn't have to walk very far. The race was to start at 8:30 we arrived around 8:15.Second sign I should have went home. There were hundreds of people outside the gate to enter the race. It was no less than 90 degrees and the crowd wasn't moving. We didn't get inside until almost 9pm. That was after security checked our bags and made sure no one bought in any water. They were turning people away that had camo bags with water in them. Finally, we get it in and it takes another 20 minutes for our group to get moving. We are still in this crowd. Fast forward and the race gets moving and it's not separated properly so that people running had a clear path away from people that were walking. So you literally had to bob and weave through people to get by if you were actually running. I didn't see all this music along the course as promised. There were a few stations set up for selfies and whatnot but they were crowded. The worst part of it was the fact that there was not enough water along the course. They had 1 station set up and then another at the very end. How could you take water from people and then not give them any? And the water that they were giving was hot as if it had been sitting out all day in the 90-degree sun. As we neared the end of the race it started to rain. Security was demanding we leave out of Harbor Park. Then as we were walking out security on the other side was making people come in to get out of the Thunder. What a mess. They were selling $7 draft beer at the end no complimentary cup, discount or anything for completing the race. This was a huge waste of my time a well as money. Due to the lightning, they canceled the after party festivities which was the biggest reason for the race. There was supposed to be a DJ or concert or something. there was a good chance of rain and people had been asking on their facebook page all day would they be rescheduling for inclement weather and they chose not to. This almost feels like a scam and people should stay away

Great idea. Fun idea. Something super for friends to do. But wait. This event was a major disaster…read more Throwing a bunch of people into one area and letting them walk/run off in waves with no method behind it surely made this experience awful. I know it's just a 5k but they should have had people begin in waves based on their estimated walk/run time. Putting both walkers and runners together made for the biggest cluster f*ck imaginable. Sure, no one cared for the race time but getting stuck behind a group of walkers actually makes it dangerous. A kid on a wagon with his dad pulling it face planted 200 steps into the run. Poor kid. Hope the kid was okay. The dancing/music stations looked pretty cool. One person described it as people high on molly having a good time. I would run this again if there seems to be some organization to it.

Decided to give this place a try while out on the boardwalk. They have a mirrors maze downstairs…read moreand a Selfie/Funhouse upstairs, so we decided to do both. We did have a 30 minute wait to do the Funhouse so we decided to do the maze first. The maze wasn't very long, honestly probably five minutes or less to go through it, so we basically went back and forth through the maze numerous times to pass the time. I would give the maze a 6/10; it was decently fun, but would've been better if there was just more to it and it was longer. *they take and hold purses/bags with them behind the counter while you're in the maze; you get your purse back before you go upstairs though* As for the Selfie/Funhouse, I definitely loved the concepts/themes in the different rooms and the trippy aspects in each room. I recall there were only 4 rooms and a few decorated/themed walk through halls. I would give it an 8/10; I thought it was pretty cool. Definitely felt like it could've used a few more rooms/interactive areas. For what they provided though, I would say it was a pretty decent experience. You definitely go through the entire thing in about 15-20 minutes, so just like the maze, not very long; really just in and out. After doing it once, I don't see myself going back again unless they were to add some new aspects to the place. My overall rate of experience : 7/10

kay and erin are amazing and the absolute nicest people genuinely best experience ever not to…read moreexpensive over all amazing and loved it !

Monsters on the beach was awesome!!! I take my kids every year to the Monsters Jam in Hampton. This…read morewas a more fun for us. We got to see the trucks up close and personal. The trucks are loud but on the beach it was not as bad as being in the arena. It was cool to see them race and do high jumps and riding through the water during the sunset. It was a beautiful sight. We will return next year For bigger louder fun!

This very loud family event might be just what the doctor ordered if you've got a screaming brood…read moreof over sugared little ones. Distract and silence them with the sound of monster trucks thundering down the boardwalk. You may have a headache by the time it's over but at least they will be worn out so you can sleep it off in peace. It's not really my thing, but I can see how some adults might also enjoy watching monster trucks battle for supremacy. I can definitely say it was fun to see once.

Beautiful day for a walk at the oceanfront! These fine gentlemen on their steeds keeping us safe…read moreand happy!!!

This park is great. I'm surprised I haven't reviewed it yet…read more It's a great area for beach events, a lot of races start here, and during the summer this is used for some of the free concert series. There is a large green space/lawn for seating and/or milling about depending on what show is on the small covered and framed wooden stage that is so cute. There is a cute sidewalk from Atlantic Ave directly to the beach boardwalk as well. There are bathrooms here but they are locked sometimes so you can't always count on that - it depends on the event and the coordination. If you have the PPPark App on your phone you can try to park in some off the metered spots in and around off Pacific or can walk a few more blocks by parking in the neighborhoods a bit further away. This year, the Wicked 10k weekend's Monster Mile started here on Friday night and it was an easy landmark to navigate to for this local.