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| - Elite Racing is known for creating the musically themed Rock 'n' Roll race series, first begun in VA Beach 8 years ago, expanding since throughout the country, offering marathon and half-marathon races from San Diego to Philadelphia, with inaugural runs in Seattle, Chicago, and Las Vegas for 2009. Their races typically boast a large number of participants, attracted to the cool medals, generally flat courses with lots of entertainment, making for a fun atmosphere.
The PF Chang's RnR Arizona is in their 6th year. I'm not a fan of mega-races, but I was impressed with their organization; from the expo to the finish, everything seemed to go without a hitch.
Shuttle buses were offered as a way of getting to the start. I was so worried about traffic, I insisted on getting dropped off a good 2 hrs. beforehand. There was no line for the shuttles and no traffic to speak of. (At the finish, I did have a 20 min wait at our designated meeting time for my ride to show due to the traffic, but leaving was a breeze.) The staging area had plenty of beverages to go around. Music blasted through the morning air, which set the mood for what would turn out to be a great, if not a lil hot, day of racing.
Much like the purpose of metering lights for traffic, the corral system ensured the course was never too crowded by separating hoards of people by pace time (e.g., fastest runners in Corral #1), releasing them in 1-2 minute increments. I did the half, which saw a larger field of participants compared to the marathon. And while I didn't enjoy weaving in and out of people through most of the race--even with all or most lanes closed off and available to runners, it was still jam packed--at least the corral system, as well as having the marathon start early AND having them run a different course than us, helped a lot in reducing congestion.
The course itself was lackluster (but as a Bay Area native, I enjoyed running past the Oakland A's training site). I expected there to be more bands, but the groups, including cheer teams, were an excellent motivator. It was also neat to be able to high five kids along the course. The water stops were plentiful, and long enough that you didn't have to crowd around and trample over each other just to snag a cup.
The port-a-potties were a bit of a clusterfuck, as they almost always are. Although I've never been in a race of this magnitude, I knew well enough to get in line when I needed to go, and get right back in line not long after getting out--because when you're drinking before the start, by the time you get to the front, trust that your bladder will need to be emptied again.
At $85+ for the half and $100+ for the full, it is pricey. But if you look around, on the 'net or from flyers at other expos, you should be able to find a discount code for registration.
If you're local, and/or due to the flat course, are a beginner or looking to qualify for Boston, RnR AZ is worth a place on your race schedule.
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