Rock N Roll Seattle Half Marathon

Did this one yesterday… new favorite!
Expo — yes, somewhat challenging to find if you aren’t familiar with the city. But once in… excellent! Spacious and good energy. Music was motivating and not deafening.
Course — this is my new favorite city for RnR Half event. The course was iconic — Space Needle! And we got a text the day afternoon before saying «Surprise» at the start line. The surprise was: Boom! Space Needle as starter gun!
National Anthem — acoustic version. I apologize, I have to get the names because they deserve a shout out. Brilliant! There’s also a large Armed Forces presence here and it was wonderful to see full respect.
Back to the course– beautiful start through DT Seattle, headed out to a loop and then off to Lake Washington. This part blew me away. (This is a section where the full and half course run along side each other) Out on the lake, you see a barge with a giant RUN HAPPY on it. Then the green-​canopied path gets more solemn — lined with photo after photo as you are running by — I’m realizing — of servicemen and women, killed in the line of duty. Just as it sinks in, a girl and guy ahead of me have swerved over to one of the photos and I hear… «Is it really him?» And she sees the photo and she bends at the waist. She’s sobbing but then she stands up and you can see that she is so happy he’s being honored. After the photos, there were individuals holding flags — one hundred in all! I nearly took a digger looking at the flags (foot caught one of those giant reflectors — gotta watch those!)
It continues to prove a great course as you run the expressway. I seldom like running tunnels, but these were so cool. Literally and fig. (Mind you, not complaining about sun in Seattle!) Whoa! Already mile 10 and there’s Safeco Field. Takes you to 99 and more waterfront. The Great Wheel etc.
Finish — best finish in a long time! Medal-​handers actually congratulating runners and smiling. Long exit so you can leisurely acquire bevs and snacks. Spill out finally into International Fountain, with Space Needle in the distance. Restrooms in the Armory v potties.
Perfect!