Dogs. Everywhere. This is the biggest organized area dog walk -- it benefits the SPCA of Wake…read moreCounty and is held in April. I've done it twice and love it almost as much as Rex (my min-pin). Come out early for the pre-walk events (best kisser, best trick, best dressed) and browse the vendors (from big-box stores like Petsmart to local breed rescues and organic, gourmet doggie treat-makers). Perhaps best of all -- score swag! Freebies, giveaways, coupons, on-site discounted microchipping and pet portraits! Free water on hand, so pups and people don't get dehydrated. You can pre-register online, and this year they added a nifty and convenient online giving program where walkers can create a unique profile and cultivate sponsors. (Bugging people for money has never been so painless!) The 3K is through the streets of downtown Raleigh. Police help coordinate the walk and stop traffic. There's also a shorter 1K offered for senior dogs. After the walk, they host a Bark after Dog festival with live music and beer. Grab a table at a nearby restaurant patio to listen to the music over dinner. So much fun; and for a good cause too!

What a great event! There was a wonderful turn out even though the weather was a little dreary at…read morefirst...it drizzled a few times but that was nothing compared to the water that was coming down at the finish line of the race! Everywhere you turned there was a cute pup and its owner(s) enjoying the wonderful turn out of vendors and activities. This event is a must for the person who just added a 4 legged friend to the family or for the family who has had their loyal pup for years. From toys to dog massages, they have it all! Plenty of information on everything you could/should know about k-9s.

This year GHR celebrated their 20th anniversary -- which is pretty astonishing. I've been attending…read moresince 2011 and could really see the growth in the event just between then and now. Since moving it to Northgate, they are able to leverage the convenient parking as well as plenty of space for the various nonprofits, sponsors, and vendors. Not to mention the big soundstage and the kids festivities area they've introduced. The coolest thing about this event is seeing all the varied Triangle nonprofits come together in one place, and raise money/support/awareness for their cause. But the race itself is not bad. The course has changed somewhat, but it generally loops somewhere around the Watts-Hillandale neighborhoods. They have good on-course support, with cops monitoring traffic, volunteers signaling the turns, and a water stop or two. LOVED the post-race Core Power milk drinks. I was in a hurry to get to an appointment, so wasn't able to check out the rest of the race food, or the after-party. But I love participating in this event and hope it sticks around for another 20 years -- or more!

This race was a blast! This was a great route around Northgate and through the historic Watts…read moreHospital and Hillandale neighborhoods. The nice drizzle kept us cool; only thirty minutes of running and afterward we all looked like champions. Out and about on this race were Durhamites and other Triangle residents of all ages, shapes, and sizes. I am pretty sure I got beat by a little kid running in basketball shoes. (Little dude was fast!) Along the course were tons of nearby residents cheering us all on, not that we necessarily need it during such a short race, but it was nice to experience that strong sense of community. The post-run entertainment was such a great time! The Divas 'n Dude, a troupe of cheerleaders in their golden years, rocked it with their impressive dance routines to catchy tunes. This was followed by a dance-off of sorts, featuring the Electric Slide and the Cupid Shuffle. Tons of freebies and info were available at exhibitors' booths there on site---the Yelp booth in particular was bumpin'; everyone wanted a chance to win a swag bag!---and the Kona Chameleon truck was there to provide us with delicious ice coffee. YUM. Then we had our team photo snapped to commemorate the day, before heading off about our respective days.

Have run, paced and cheered. Great route - topographically challenging with famed rise Laurel Hill…read moreat the end, which has it's own timing mat to cross. Also available is the 4 miler. Very crowded and good support so it is a total fun buzz. DO IT!

FINISHER! Woo hoo, I can't tell you how happy, relived and excited I was to cross the Tar Heel 10…read moreMiler finish line and put that shiny medal around my neck; I DID IT! What you should know about me: I was a collegiate athlete (crew) so I know what it means to train and train hard, I haven't done much since college other then a handful of 5K's and YMCA workouts. I started training for this race one month in advance after a friend (Katherine L.!) had an extra entry, at that point I was running indoors about 3-5 miles at a time. I started training hardcore once I had decided to race, following the Hal Higdon 15K plan. I trained on the American Tobacco Trail, Al Buehler Cross Country Trail, Duke Forest, Duke East Campus and of course indoors at Durham's YMCA. Before race day, my longest run at 7 miles before tapering. This was also my first LONG race. As far as pre-race information, the weekly e-mails that were sent out were very helpful. Everything from parking information to reminders about race bib pick-up, etc. was included and the week before the race coupons to various vendors and races were sent out. Bib pick-up was located at University Mall (technically in Chapel Hill, but convenient to Durham) between 11am-7pm. At an additional cost, you could pick up your bib at another time. Bib pick-up was fast, I was impressed by how well it was organized, and there were plenty of vendors around if you wanted to peruse a bit, I was even able to pick-up an extra t-shirt from the previous year for $5. Which brings me to the actual race... parking was a bit tiresome, but honestly, they did a great job warning people of this, giving them routes to take and times they should arrive. We left Durham at 6am and were parked by 6:45am or so. The 4 mile race began at 7:20am while 10 mile began right on time at 7:30am. When you're running with 4000+ people, you feel some empowerment. It's nice because you don't kill yourself right out the gate (you can't because it's too crowded). Things start to get less congested about a mile into the race and you're running 50/50 sun to shade and mostly flat with some slight hills until about mile 8.25. One of the best moments for me was running up Franklin Street, there are people running as far as you can see, and it's just the greatest feeling. Laurel Hill hits right after mile 8; I'd heard tales and really expected the worst. While it's not a fun hill, it definitely wasn't as bad as I thought, just keep tell yourself you've already got less then two miles and don't stop running! They also time you for the duration of the hill separately. There is also one other "steeper" incline right at the end going back toward the stadium, be warned. Most of the race takes place through neighborhoods in Chapel Hill, so you have families, volunteers, etc. cheering for you the whole way and they've got four or five water/goo stations, about every two miles or so. I really hope they get more volunteers at the water tables, it definitely slowed you down if you wanted water. Also, they should get some more bathrooms next year, I personally didn't need one, but felt really terrible for five or six people deep lines in front of every bathroom I passed on the course! Once you cross the finish line you are corralled into the stadium where you receive WATER, your medal (a magnet too this year!) and your pick of bananas, bagels, pretzels and gummy bears. There's more vendors inside the stadium and lots of room to stretch on the bleachers. I would definitely run this race again!

Smaller turnout, less glitz, and fewer vendors than the SPCA's K9-3K, but a wonderful event all the…read moresame. Held each May, the walk is a fundraiser to benefit Durham's APS. I've participated the last two years and love it for a few reasons. Despite being a die-hard Tarheel, even I will begrudgingly admit that Duke's campus has an evident beauty about it. The walk rendezvous point is Wallace Stadium and walkers take a directed path through campus that's both scenic and shady. The path veers for folks who choose to do the 1K option as opposed to the full 5K. Registered walkers get a tee-shirt and a breakfast before the walk starts. Enter your pooch in a competition or watch the Flyball team (rescues who compete in relay races). Browse the vendor tables and score some free dog treats. Bottled water is provided and there's a nifty poop-mobile that makes rounds during the walk to collect your bagged doggie droppings.

In my limited racing career, the Florence Forth Road Race definitely ranks at the top of the list…read more This is a very local race with not many bells and whistles, but that's what makes it so great. Sign up early for a discounted rate but the most you'll ever pay is around $50.00 after fees (for the 10k). Registration is quick and easy and this year, in addition to the athletic tee, they included post-race metals. Race options include a 5k and 10k, both starting simultaneously at 8am on the first Saturday in March. The weather is usually chilly, but very manageable for the later morning start and the course is wonderful. With small rolling hills and a path that takes you through some of the hot spots around Durham including Trinity Neighborhood, Duke East Campus (running parallel, not the actual trail), past Brightleaf Square and into Lakewood passing by Lakewood Montessori School and up past the Nasher Museum and Sarah P. Duke Gardens. You begin and end the race on Ninth Street and it's hard not to feel part of the great community that comes together each year to remember a little six year old who lost her battle to autoimmune encephalitis disease and may others who are still fighting. As you race you'll see your fellow racers in capes and super-hero gear, because we're fighting this disease together. Race-packet pick-up takes place at the Hilton Gardens Inn just off Ninth Street, where you're in and our with nothing fancy (no vendors, just bibs here). Post-race you'll find a small assortment of vendors (Big Spoon Peanut Butter, H&R Block and some fitness studios). This is one of the best organized races I've attended, I was able to easily arrive and park within less than 30 minutes to race time and the course is lined with volunteers and police officers. Two aid stations at mile 2 and 4 offer water and power-aid and you can even choose to compete for the USATF NC 2016 10K State Championship. Highly recommend the Florence Forth if you're looking to be apart of a great community race!