2016 Denver Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon

This was the second time I participated in this race and it was so much fun! I didn't have any huge expectations going into this race as I had just done the Emerald Bay Half Marathon the weekend before, but just wanted to complete the challenge and enjoy it! I stayed at the Sheraton downtown and that was a GREAT decision! Last time I did this race (2014), I carpooled into the city with a friend that morning and we must've walked at least a 1.5 mile + to get to the start line...not the best way to start your race. My hotel was within a half mile of the race start and finish, so I didn't need to stress about waking up super early or dealing with the headache of traffic! Totally recommend. 

The course is relatively flat for the most part and while it's in a city, I feel like they do a really great job of highlighting Denver's best views of the landscape and mountains in the backdrop. The spectators on the course had a ton of energy and I remembering seeing so many enjoying their coffee and that pushed me to go even faster to the finish- I had a donut waiting for me when I was done! It was definitely going to be a hot day there, but luckily the race was finished before the heat could really affect me. There was one out-and-back part of the course that I really remember feeling pretty defeated on (around mile 11 or so- my weakness!) because you could see the runners who had already done the turn-around, but couldn't even see where the turn-around was! After this point, it's a fun finish to the park and the spectators along this section are the best. I was able to pull out a PR, but I definitely felt like I could've given it even more (but was tired from my race the weekend before and vacation blues). Rock 'n Roll does a great job of keeping the energy up and while this race (or expo) is nowhere near as exciting as Las Vegas is, it is still a lot of fun that's much closer to home!