Woo Hoo! My 600th review! And I'm pleased to present one of the most fun things I've done this…read moresummer so far. Dirty Girl is a ladies only obstacle mud run. 5K, 12 obstacles. A non-timed event and meant to be a fun run that you can take at your own pace. It was my first obstacle run and I loved that it was girls only--I ran with a team. I definitely think running this with at least one friend is the way to go. I've done regular 5K's by myself, but it's great having someone supporting you as you climb, crawl and slide. And who else is going to tell you that you still have mud on your face when you're still trying to clean up after the run? The obstacles were not hard physically. But once the day gets started the obstacles get muddier and more slippery. So the hardest one for me was the high cargo net climb, just because of my fear of falling onto hard gravel. Other than that, they were just fun climbs and crawls. Other than running, I trained for this by following my toddler through several playground equipment obstacles and I was just fine. Hahaha. This event was held at the Lake County Fairgrounds and although a few of us on our team tried to run as much as we could to challenge ourselves, some of the areas were not easy to run opon. The grassy areas were fine, but there was some gravel-twist-your-ankle-type areas. So walking was inevitable. They suggest arriving there 90 minutes before your start time. Check in was a breeze and we had a lot of down time before hand. But it was nice to get pics done in our clean team shirts before we got all messy. I loved my swag--t shirt and bracelet with a running girl charm. There was a secure bag check and a "shower area' for us afterward. I use shower loosely as it's just a bunch of hoses and cold water--but the tent is huge and although by the afternoon the ground is full of puddles, but I appreciated the astro turf they did lay down to prevent muddy puddles. Some of my observations: I don't know how full the heats get, but I'm glad we got there early because we got to start 20 min earlier than our team start time. Bring some water in a gallon jug and check it in with your bag. It was nice to have some clean water immediately after the race to clean my hands and wash my face since I was getting mud in my eyes. Don't wear anything you are worried about ruining. Even though we wore matching T-shirts, I knew they'd get muddy so we made sure the shirts were not too expensive. Budget some time for the after party. Paul Mitchell was one of the sponsors and they were fixing hair afterward. Have Fun!

This was a pretty cool event. I have not been to the Six Flags theme park in at least 6 or 7 years…read more I'm pretty sure the last time I was there, the water park was not even built yet! The race was very well organized and was not crazy at all -I would estimate that there were about 200-300 participants or so. I like that it was not crazy like some of the bigger downtown Chicago races. The first mile was through the parking lot; at mile 2, you enter the park. It was super cool to run through the park and see how it has changed. The water park portion was so extensive that I definitely want to go back next summer. -Not just for the water park but for the rides too! I had no idea of the additions and remodeling that had gone on. Running through the entire park brought back so many childhood memories for me. It was crazy to see all of the old structures still there as well as many new rides and attractions. If you are looking for some new "scenery" during a 5K, this was a cool event. My only criticism is how they handled packet pick-up: it was only 12-3pm on the Saturday prior in Gurnee. I had to work that day, and when I left to try to make it in time, there was a torrential rain storm and I had to get off the highway. However, I'm proud of the way they handled it -my friend who did make it out to Gurnee said they will let you come to the race early and pick up the packet beforehand. So, that's what I did. No long lines, no drama. Again, a unique event for those looking for something different than the typical neighborhood race.

I have to say, after a few bumps when they tried to do it the first time, they really pulled it…read moreoff. It was a really good event. Everything as promised. Cute shirt, a great medal, and DJ's every half mile. Tim Spinnin' Schommer was the main DJ on the stage in the after party. We will definitely come back next year and get a whole group with us because it was really really fun!

This was a pretty cool race. I have to give them credit -it was super well-organized. We got there…read moreabout an hour early to park in the lot with a shuttle bus that takes you to the start. My parents came to watch and I didn't want them to have to walk very far and this was an excellent service. The other lot option required you to have to walk about a mile, which is too far from them. The only bummer -and this is probably for safety reasons -was that I thought the planes were going to be taking off and landing closer to us. You know how you drive on I-90 or Mannheim Road and the planes are literally 10 feet over your head? Yeah -call me foolish, but I thought that was going to happen as we ran. I just assumed that if they got that close to the major streets, they would just be taking off and landing close to the route. So, you will not be experiencing that -but as far as a unique experience -this was still a cool race. There is a big plane that you can pose next to for pictures and just overall an interesting event because you are accessing areas of the airport property that most people will never see. You are literally running on a runway they close for the event. The shirt was cotton -would like to see a "tech-T" in future years, as they tend to hold up better after multiple washings. After all, it is going to be a fun shirt to wear and a great conversation starter regarding our experience!

This is a classic Wisconsin running event. The 20 mile run has a long history but there is also a…read more10 mile run and 17 mile walk affiliated with the event. The course runs from downtown Madison to Stoughton. Race is part of Stoughton's Syttende Mai citywide festival, so when you finish the race you can have some fun at the festival. The course is very hilly. Participation in the 20 mile run seems to have slowly declined over the years (which I would attribute to the non-traditional distance (i.e., it is not a marathon), adding the 10 mile run, and the difficulty of the course). Entry fee is reasonable (~$60). There is no finisher medal, but you do get a short sleeve tech t-shirt for finishing.

This was perhaps one of the best races I've ever experienced. Located in a quiet room setting, very…read moregently rolling hills provided just enough challenge To make the course something I will remember. I absolutely love this race and hope to return next year and for many years after.

Wow! This was quite the event. It was my first time and I most certainly had a blast. I will be…read moreattending these events every year from here on out. The most important thing about it is that it isn't a race but more of a spiritual journey (to me at least). I was able to tap into my inner being and push into the unknown. There were so many motivating people there especially the person who hypes you up before starting the run. The obstacles were amazing and definitely hard. The run itself was challenging but worth all the sweat I produced LOL. Parking was super easy and not congested (luckily). Finding the place was a bit confusing as the address provided takes you to the other side of the airport so you will want to make sure you check the signs and get there a bit earlier for your race (maybe get there an hour early to ensure no hiccups in finding the place. You will get very very dirty hence the name of the event. You will be challenged and pushed to the edge but it is worth it. The other mudders are there to help fallen folks and folks that require help getting over obstacles - I felt like there was a huge sense of community throughout the whole thing. All in all, I had an amazing time and the end of the race was the electric obstacle. I got shocked right in my butt and it took me down so be careful in making your decision LOL. Enjoy the ride and go for it :)

This race was great and you truly felt the community coming together to show their pride for…read moreHighland Park, the Firecracker 5K, and specifically S.M.I.L.E., which is a program that provides funding to help disadvantaged youth participate in activities and events that they otherwise couldn't afford. My husband is very passionate about their cause. We parked in the park parking lot and didn't have to walk very far to the building where restrooms, registration and packet pick-up were. They had race day packet pick-up, which I always appreciate when these races are so far from home. The only thing I would recommend in regards to that is having better signage since the sign and arrow for that was close to the ground and easy to miss when people stood in front of it. I made a couple circles around the event area and that building before realizing where to go to get my race bib and goody bag. The goody bag is primo, by the way. It's a high quality gear bag and I will use it for all of my races until it dies. The shirts were nice, too. I'll likely donate mine, though, since it's a bit big and I have more than enough. I prefer medals. This race was not chip timed, but they did keep track of people's times to the best of their ability. They timed me at 32:48 and my Fitbit (usually accurate within 1 second) read 32:45. This race is difficult. You start out in a field, so you're already on less than ideal ground and it only gets harder from there. The first mile has low incline, rolling hills on the paths through Sunset Woods Park and the paved streets of Highland Park. You run into some small potholes and cracks, but it's nothing to be incredibly worried about. You'll be more concerned with the steep hill you have to climb halfway through the course. The good news is that you get to go really fast down the steep hill right before it. And the rest of the race is a lot like the first mile since it overlaps a bit. The after party was fun and casual. Their A to Z Entertainment DJ was great. I didn't do well enough to place and I didn't win anything from the raffle, but I got a free snow cone. I consider that just as good.

Modeled after the television show The Amazing Race, the Amazing Milwaukee Race is the local version…read moreof the race. Trust me, it's a lot of fun! The Amazing Milwaukee Race is a great way of meeting people and to learn about Milwaukee. It also brings more awareness to community activities, various restaurants, non profits and places you probably would never have visited otherwise and make a difference in the Milwaukee area (such as donating to the Historical Society to upkeep a memorial, building a prop for a local acting company, or spruce up a wall of a school by painting it). Per The Amazing Milwaukee Race's facebook: "Teams of two experience Milwaukee landmarks and businesses on an amazing urban adventure with clues: activities, puzzles, & checkpoints that challenge participants to get from start to finish. Inspired by the TV show's design, it is a one day "Amazing Race."" I strongly recommend you participate in it to not only learn about Milwaukee but just to have fun!

I attended a conference here and thought it was a cool site for a group of 40 or so if you like…read moretrendsetting. The event ran smoothly and they never ran out of refreshments