A Philly classic already in its 6th year, I finally managed to run it this year. Being in August,…read moreit is typically a hot and humid race. Luckily, it was like a cool spring day this year. So what is it? A 10k thru "your streets". Yup, not the typical art museum/Kelly drive route! This race touches Passayunk, South, Washington, and even Chestnut (for a block or two). It is run by Philadelphia Runner, a local small business known for its focus on other small businesses. You'll get a locally made keepsake, an awesome shirt, and a local brew or two at the end. Regardless of the weather, the party at the end will keep you entertained. It's limited to about 4,000 runners so it will sell out every year. Having finally ran one, with a PR to boot, I'll be experiencing major FOMO should I not run it next year!

As I was running down the streets of South Philly and the surrounding area a gentleman held up a…read moresign for encouragement, "If I can change my six month old's diaper you can run a 10k". Ahh yes Philadelphia! There was also a side station where someone set up dixie cups with shots of alcohol and soda for encouragement by there rowhome. The sense of community this race created and at over 4,500 enthusiastic runners it was the evanescent of perfect for the required runners pace of not more then 15 mins per mile. The after party has extremely long lines for free beer so I passed but ran in to my fellow friends from crossfit manayunk what a small world! I will definitely be back for next years race and encourage others to take up running for a healthy goal to acheive...remember said the wise man from philly in his lawn chair if he can change a dirty diaper well you better be able to limp across that finish line!

Seemed to have skimped a little this year. Way less water stations and bathroom stations. The event…read morestarted on time this year which is great!

Had an overwhelmingly positive experience with this run. First of all--in terms of a tour of…read morePhilly, it's hard to beat a ten mile run down the main artery of the city surrounded by 40,000 other Philadelphians. Cruising by Temple University (complete with marching band and cheerleaders), the Philadelphia Orchestra (complete with tuba players and timpani) and city hall (with hundreds of locals cheering you on) is an absolutely delightful way to experience the city. I had so much fun and can't wait to do it again next year! The course itself is a dream--slightly downhill with almost no turns the entire route. Many personal bests to be achieved here! The crowd support is also amazing. I was shocked at how many people are out there supporting. This year was an absolute downpour yet there were still thousands of friendly supporters almost the entire route. Logistically the race went smoothly. It's very easy to pop on the septa and get to the starting line. Be prepared for a crowded ride, but it's a good natured crowdedness nonetheless. Got on the subway an hour and a half before start time and arrived about an hour early. Didn't experience lines for bathrooms or gear check. Really high energy before the start. I picked a corral that was on the slower side and was passing a ton of people throughout the entire race. I thought this was kind of cool because I felt speedy but for those who want a less crowded experience don't be afraid to estimate your time as a little on the faster side. One negative was the gear check pickup. Definitely a logistical struggle here, I waited about half an hour for my bag but I heard of people waiting over an hour. Consider leaving the gear at home unless really needed. I LOVED how close the end was to the septa station--was back home super fast (thank goodness, because as I mentioned, total downpour)!

I am no longer in support of this run. They are run by irresponsible people. As an avid runner, I…read moredo look into how runs are managed because it is a reflection of what the race director(s) stand for. However, I am very disappointed in how these people are handling the COVID situation. They are refusing refunds and offering only two options: deferral or run virtually. 1. Why would I pay full price to essentially go on a "training" run? Stop and go traffic, no awesome people cheering and being fun and supportive, etc. 2. You cannot possibly expect people to know their schedule this far in advance? 3. You cannot expect people to still feel secure and safe in March 2021 I sent an email requesting refund since I have no idea what's going on March 2021 or 2022. They sent me some generic response (screen shot posted) with a link to runner's world for me to look at for reasons why most races have no refund policy. This is hilarious (and lazy of them) because that policy only makes sense when I am the one cancelling for the date I actually signed up for. I know this because I bailed on two races due to unexpected hospitalizations and never asked for refund... So I respond to them outlining how Pittsburgh Marathon and Philadelphia Marathon offered refunds so it is indeed a viable option and to please reconsider. No response. There is nothing uneeasonable with giving people option of refund under such circumstances; when coast is clear for 2021, people will just re-register. It's not like this is a lottery run. "We are doing our best to provide you with as many options as possible.." That is comical because they only provide two.... technically three: defer; virtual, or let LR/CGI keep your money. Other races have offers: defer, virtual, refund, donation. That's four whopping choices without being dishonest! Double the options! Try harder, CGI because you clearly aren't trying hard enough. As for the other races that are managed more honestly/responsibly, I am absolutely re-registering. This gets better. On their facebook webpage they are deleting comments that mention their refund refusal. Any comments that are remotely close to constructive criticism they remove. Examples: "Is there an option for refund?" "Why is there not a refund option?" "Can you offer more swag for virtual run vs just medal/shirt?" ^All deleted, instead of addressing them professionally like a "business." And of course they deleted rants like mine. And they were all rated G rants... including mine. This was nail on the coffin for me. I get this is "business," but even business need to address questions/concerns/complaints. I have never gone to a restaurant and asked staff, "Does this have cilantro?" and they just give me a blank stare and walked away. This is run by some shady people. So I have a wild guess: Race Directors irresponsibly managed race funds and squandered away all their money they made from registration. Now they have nothing. It has nothing to do with "other major races have no refund policy." It's because CGI/Love Run literally cannot afford to.. and instead of addressing this, they delete any comment that doesn't praise them. Legitimate races have reserves for emergencies. I also have never encountered a business where I say something like, "I ordered this in black, not grey" and they go, "Sorry! We already spent what you gave us!" But then again, in LR's case, they would just hide and not respond. Regardless of how much one paid for the run, or if they can "afford" to bite the cost or not, it all about principle. They claim to care about well-being and safety, but they fact they are forcing one to run during these times negates their claim. They could have just made up something like, "We are a smaller organization and dont have funds / resources that larger runs have" and I would have kept my mouth shut. I'm definitely not supporting this run ever again, and neither is my fiance or my other running buddies.

Ever since running my first 5K back in 2014(the now defunct chickie's and pete's boardwalk run)…read more I've always wanted to reach that half-marathon status. I wanted to see what it took to push through that many miles and come out victorious. Am I up to it ? Am I a strong enough runner ? Don't you have to be elite to do that sort of thing ?? Self doubt and questioning of my ability as a runner crept in & pretty much kept me focused mainly on 5k's, 10k's and an ocassional 10miler(looking @ you broad street) The day my 2nd child was born I noticed an email come through. "love run half marathon register now !" I'm sitting up 3am in the hospital room with my wife ... my newborn son was sleeping in her arms. hmmmm Love Run ... I have a new Love in my life ... I always wanted to do a 1/2. The gears starting turning. I'll Run the love Run for a new love in my life. I need a new Goal. (does it sound lame ?) well, it made sense to me at the time so I went ahead and registered. Looking back, it sounds damn near insane as well as a bit ocd ... I mean god knows how little sleep I was about to have or the time I'll have to train with a newborn at home. wtf was I thinking ?? Well, in the end it all seemed to work out. I even went as far as starting a vlog on youtube to record the process and to keep me motivated. The audible app also became my go-to for daily motivation ...with such reads as "My year of running dangerously" & "Finding Ultra" haven't read them ? check them out. This review is getting long winded so I'll cut to the chase. Race expo was a breeze, I got in and out within 10-15 minutes (The reading market was calling me) Race day arrived and with that history was made. The positive atmosphere, sights and sounds ... The entire experience was unforgettable. Approaching and then crossing the finish line while hearing my name called out over the PA will stay with me forever.... For those few seconds, I was in the moment. It's difficult to put words to it honestly. It just felt so right. I'm not sure if I'll ever get the chance to run a half again but if I do, I'd sign back up for the love run in a heartbeat. I truly loved the entire process. btw the coffee mug is badass. . . the medal too.

I loved this run so much! This year was the first year that the Upper Dublin Parks and Rec had…read morethis 4 miler, and they had about 80 runners. I came in close to last (but not last!) because my butt is so slow! But I am just happy to participate. It begins and ends at Temple Ambler. It brought back memories when I went there 10 years ago, and weighed about 75 heavier. I remember I would get out of breath WALKING up the "hill" towards campus. This "hill" (I wouldn't even call it that now) was the last leg of the run. I sprinted up to the finish! It was a proud moment for myself :-) Running through the nearby parks gives a different kind of scenery than what I usually look at. And the finisher medals are no joke! I've run as far as a half marathon, and this medal might be as big, or bigger than the medal I got for my last 13.1. I hope they do this run again next year. I'd come back and bring some friends.

I ran the Racesmart Philadelphia race last weekend. Sign up process was easy, check-in was…read moreseamless, and getting started went off without a hitch! We were presented with our clues right on time and got started. Winning this race requires trivia knowledge, basic knowledge of the city, and not screwing up one of the clues and going all the way to West Philly for something that doesn't exist and costing yourself a cash prize (okay it was me). You compete in teams of 2 to 4 to solve clues and go to local landmarks to complete additional challenges (sometimes physical, but mostly silly and fun). Wait, did I just say CASH PRIZE?! Yes! My friends, you can win cash prizes in the amount of $250, $175, and $150 if you win, place or show! A great winners' prize, which made my accidental misdirection so much more frustrating. I would definitely participate in this team race/scavenger hunt again. I had an absolutely amazing time! As an added bonus, at the end of the race, we got some well-stocked finisher goody bags!

This place is sus...as in suspect…read more Your looking at decent wait times for your chance to race on a race track and the controls have attention warnings that mean you have to slow down....legit the system will override you and you will stall out. I personally hate that shit, if I am being a fool I would like the opportunity to hit the wall and learn for my self. Another mention that I have to detail is legit the bathroom was one of the worst kept bathrooms I have ever seen. It looks like a bathroom out of your high school but never attended to. The arcade looks fairly decent however my nephews that attempted to have some fun at the arcade said most of the games were out of order. Although I personally enjoyed myself as this was a new experience racing a go-kart I have to advise you should go to a different spot for this activity. We initially wanted to go to Arnold's Fun Center in Oaks, PA to race but they recently changed the hours and that is why we ended up at this location. Also, be careful if you pay in cash as I received the wrong change and they had to get the manager involved in how to break a $100 dollar bill. If you do choose to pay credit card they will charge you an added fee btw. As always people SYOY!!!

Fun Saturday night with friends. The carts and the tracks could definitely use some updates. They…read moredo have an online system which is a plus so you aren't stuck there waiting until it's your turn. I think It's better if you go with a lot of people so you can race each other. If not, other people will be apart of your race. The food options are CRAPPY. Definitely eat before you go. They have a couple of "arcade" games for kids but they are definitely out of date. The rock climbing wall was closed when I went. Not sure if it's a seasonal thing or not. There is a one membership fee when you sign up. Not really beneficial if you don't plan on going multiple times a year. Overall, this place needs some updates if it wants to keep people coming. There are more fun places to go.