Lake Sammamish Half Marathon Race Report – Rohit E

Race: Lake Sammamish Half Marathon

Runner: Rohit E

Date: 3/10/2018

Location: Redmond, WA

Results: 2:14:56

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/1446111619

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

The course; extremely flat, wide, and easy terrain (though there’s a slightly gravelly section in the middle which slows you down slightly.) It’s pretty well organized; for instance, parking is easy at Redmond Town Center, and the buses run promptly to return you to the start from the finish line. Aid stations are well stocked and they indicated clearly what they would have at the stations, which allows you to prepare.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

No complaints.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

I was coming off an injury and decided to just take it easy and not go for a PR, which was a pity because the weather was perfect for a strong race. I just ran an easy pace and had fun with it.

Lessons Learned – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner or yourself on the next time around

It’s a fast course, and if the weather’s good, then this is a good race to set a PR. I forgot to check where the porta-potties would be at the start, and it wasn’t immediately obvious from looking at the website, so I had to hunt around a bit until I found them.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

Flat for most of the course. Gravel section for about 3-4 miles around miles 5 to 9; which is a bit slower than trail or asphalt.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Well-oiled machine.

Logistics – Anything special regarding getting to/from the race, hotels around the course, registration…?

Parking is extremely easy, in a very large parking area (Redmond Town Center).

Weather and typical race conditions

I’d say in early March, it’s about 50-50 between good racing weather and rain. This is the second time I’ve done this race, and both times I’ve had perfect weather.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Not sure. Parts of it are on an urban trail, so not the most easily accessible at every point, but there are plenty of spots to meet your runner.

How’s the swag?

They had a hoodie, but I haven’t tried it on yet.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

5 stars, and highly recommend.

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