I have to give 5/5. This race was handled extremely well and staff members were very responsive. I've done small to medium and large races the past 5 years and honestly, this medium-ish race was the best.
The Fort Collins Running Club should be very proud of their race skills. Seriously. Every little detail was thought of, handled accordingly, and executed in a perfect manner. I flew in for the race from Atlanta and I was pleasantly surprised at how things went RIGHT. What also helped is... the weather was amazing. Starting mid 30s ended in 50s. Can't complain.
- I got several emails regarding bibs, parking, runner drop off, and what to tell my bf meeting wise post race.
- The parking situation was AMAZING. I saw volunteers directing cars, clear signs on where to go, and the volunteers were knowledgeable regarding race.
- I saw bus shuttles post race that boarded runners (Just like they promised). I didn't use it, but I saw several who did. The shuttles looked comfy, too! Some races who say shuttles will be provided usually use meh ones.
- Runners Village was super cool. Saw tons of tents, stretching area, bathrooms (portapotties), music playing, and etc.
- Every staff member was really nice. That means a lot since I've had past races have really unhappy members, haha.
- Right after the Finish Line - they had a ton of snacks and some sort of Beer Glass. I didn't take one sadly since I wasn't sure I had space in my luggage. :(
Race itself:
1. Holy Hills. I knew the hills were there, but... OMG. I could literally touch the hills. The first 10k or so, I kinda wanted to die, haha. BUT the GORGEOUS mountain/city/lake views made the pain go away for a little bit. I really encourage people to carry a water bottle with them during this race. I'm SOOOO glad I did. Otherwise, I'd have been in serious trouble.
2. Remember the views I mentioned? They are breathtaking. 100% worth running up the mountain.
3. The last 6 miles or so have very small, minor hills. More residential/farm areas. Still very pretty!!! Honestly, I soaked it all in. Since I'm not from CO, it was refreshing to see Fort Collins' beauty.
4. The photos I've seen so far from the race are awesome! Free, I believe.
5. It was nice to see the residents of Fort Collins cheering runners on.
6. You finish at a Brewery...BEER!
I am very happy I chose this race. If you're like me and doing 1 HM per state, choose this one! It's tough, but you will feel accomplished. read more