I didn't run the Shamrock Marathon in 2021, but I applaud them for their efforts to adapt Shamrock…read moreWeekend to the strange times we're living in while keeping the runners safe. The 2018 Shamrock Marathon was my very first and to this date, my only marathon. It was the year they changed the course so the Marathoners were mixed in with the half marathoners and I was so thankful. It was amazing feeling the energy of the crowd at the start. It was so empowering choosing to turn right to go for 26.2 instead of left to the 13.1 finish. That race was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but also one of the best. The whole Shamrock experience is amazing from start to finish. The expo brings in top talent in the running world as speakers. The swag you get at the finish and the quality of the after party hasn't been matched by any other race I've attended.

Finally, have checked this local marathon off my list. (And my first FULL marathon! Yay)…read more I'm a huge fan of J&A and feel so lucky that we have such a vibrant and fun race community right here in my home town. I've completed the 8k and half marathon for Shamrock weekends in the past and, like others have noted, this one is a flat and easy course with a wonderful expo and packet pickup. This year, they didn't personalize the bibs so you all had to stand in a single really long line on Friday afternoon that snaked all the way around the convention center to pick up a bib and write your own name on it. Number was assigned when you checked in and they scanned it. Lines moved OK but I prefer the personal bib method with the numbers you line up with.... Expo was a bit lacking in variety this year but they had a wonderful selection of Shamrock-themed goodies and I spent way more than intended! The race was fabulous, the pacers were excellent, and the results and photos and after party and medals all made me a happy gal. I've run a ton of races and no one does it like J&A. Top notch all the way.

So I typically dont do 5K races I usually do walks (Susan Coleman against Breast Cancer etc...)…read moreHowever my friends thought it would be something cool to do and it being hosted at night seemed like a fun idea. So we decided to purchase a Groupon which was significantly lower than the regular price to attend. Im happy we decided to get the Groupon. My first sign that something was off was when I started looking at the parking options and realized everything they suggested was pretty far. Which didn't seem like a good idea seeing as though we were about to run. We decided to park in a neighborhood not too far away so that we wouldn't have to walk very far. The race was to start at 8:30 we arrived around 8:15.Second sign I should have went home. There were hundreds of people outside the gate to enter the race. It was no less than 90 degrees and the crowd wasn't moving. We didn't get inside until almost 9pm. That was after security checked our bags and made sure no one bought in any water. They were turning people away that had camo bags with water in them. Finally, we get it in and it takes another 20 minutes for our group to get moving. We are still in this crowd. Fast forward and the race gets moving and it's not separated properly so that people running had a clear path away from people that were walking. So you literally had to bob and weave through people to get by if you were actually running. I didn't see all this music along the course as promised. There were a few stations set up for selfies and whatnot but they were crowded. The worst part of it was the fact that there was not enough water along the course. They had 1 station set up and then another at the very end. How could you take water from people and then not give them any? And the water that they were giving was hot as if it had been sitting out all day in the 90-degree sun. As we neared the end of the race it started to rain. Security was demanding we leave out of Harbor Park. Then as we were walking out security on the other side was making people come in to get out of the Thunder. What a mess. They were selling $7 draft beer at the end no complimentary cup, discount or anything for completing the race. This was a huge waste of my time a well as money. Due to the lightning, they canceled the after party festivities which was the biggest reason for the race. There was supposed to be a DJ or concert or something. there was a good chance of rain and people had been asking on their facebook page all day would they be rescheduling for inclement weather and they chose not to. This almost feels like a scam and people should stay away

Great idea. Fun idea. Something super for friends to do. But wait. This event was a major disaster…read more Throwing a bunch of people into one area and letting them walk/run off in waves with no method behind it surely made this experience awful. I know it's just a 5k but they should have had people begin in waves based on their estimated walk/run time. Putting both walkers and runners together made for the biggest cluster f*ck imaginable. Sure, no one cared for the race time but getting stuck behind a group of walkers actually makes it dangerous. A kid on a wagon with his dad pulling it face planted 200 steps into the run. Poor kid. Hope the kid was okay. The dancing/music stations looked pretty cool. One person described it as people high on molly having a good time. I would run this again if there seems to be some organization to it.

I didn't run the Shamrock 8k in 2021, but I applaud them for their efforts to adapt Shamrock…read moreWeekend to the strange times we're living in while keeping the runners safe. The 2016 Shamrock 8K was my very first race and it will always have a special place in my heart because of that. The race is around the Oceanfront area so the crowd support is awesome! You even have people cheering for you off their balconies in the hotels. Since it's such a large event that means no matter if you're walking it or truly racing it you're going to have a good time. You have some people who go for PRs, but I'd say most dress up and have fun with it. If you're looking for an extra challenge you can sign up for the Dolphin or Whale Challenges which has you run the 8K on Saturday and then either the half or the full on Sunday. The swag you get at the finish and the quality of the after party hasn't been matched by any other race I've attended. Everything is five-star from start to finish.

2018 Yelpie 100 Challenge One of the most fun runs to do…read morewhether you live here or are just visiting!! Lots of music, fun, entertainment, and most importantly, FOOD!!! Crowd support is unbelievable! The police and organizers are wonderful with security and coordination, so such a smooth-running event!!! The medals are great! The Irish stew nourishing!! And, of course, for all you beer drinkers, lots of Yuengling at the finish!!! But make sure you have your ID or wrist band with your beer tickets (on your bib), otherwise, none for you!! The post-race party inside the tent is amazing! Great band playing great music !!! Great way to start your day and end your race!!!‍ but why should the adults have all the fun...bring the kids for the Final Mile!!! Then you can all get your day off to a great start!

So much potential. Shot through the heart…read more It started out as a fun morning on a warm summer day, with tunes cranked to Eleven. We had parked in the field and made our pilgrimage to the music and start area. Color Color Everywhere! (Cue the Sun) It was hot. Not Africa hot, but certainly hot enough for some concern like, "When are we going to start this thing?" There were a couple of EMS vehicles stationed at the start, and some announcements by Mr. DJ to get water as there was none on the course. (Say what?!?!?) Start time rolls around and everyone in the gauntlet gets to go. About 100 people, it seems. Everybody is already sweating at gets to stand around for 15 more minutes before Phase 2 goes. By then we all realize our fate... we're already melting in the heat, so it's really going to suck if we don't get to go ASAP. Push and Shove become the operative words; take it from someone in the fight, in the arena. FINALLY, we get to go. It's just a 5K right? Well, after standing in the sun for the past 1.5+ hours, I'm already craving a water stop out the starting gate. The realization kicks in.... no more water for the next 5000 meters. That's a long way in a field that has no distance markers. Run Run Run... OMG.... Where the heck am I? How far have I gone???? The route was so hot, even the volunteers throwing color on everyone were zapped. Each color gauntlet was anticlimactic, and I even had to shout at a few of them to throw some color in the air. Seriously, it was sad. Thank the Lord for a row of trees shading the trail. MOST everyone was walking at this point (maybe halfway into it)... even the runners still too prideful to walk were taking their time through this section of the run. Coming out of the shade into the sweltering sun, I felt every ounce of restored energy kiss me goodbye. Water...water...water...... nowhere to be found. Where am I???? What's that sound? Is that Jumanji? The faint pounding of drums grows louder and finally caves to the familiar sound of the starting area. The finish line gauntlet eventually rises up out of distance... Free at last! Thank God Almighty, I am free at last!!! My brain was relieved to tell my feet to stop running, and I quickly found a water bottle, inhaling all of its contents under shade. Repeat. And repeat again. There were suckers still waiting to start. Muwhahahhahahaaaaaa..... They have no idea. Needless to say, we didn't stick around for the finish festivities. As we headed out to the car, we gave a family a water bottle to pour over their daughter's head who was suffering from heat exhaustion. After getting in the car, the traffic control to exit was so pathetic, we wasted 45+ minutes waiting to leave the field via the single lane exit. Was there even a plan????? BAD LOGISTICS PLANNING. FIRE THEM ALL.

I will say that J&A Racing has it going on, and the org definitely knows how to organize a great…read morerace weekend. From registering for the Shamrock Half, to the expo, the race itself, and the post-race after party, I thought everything was amazing. The Expo (Va Beach Convention Ctr): I picked up my bib on the 1st day, so it was somewhat crowded; however, things moved pretty smoothly. While I did not stick around to enjoy the festivities, there were plenty of vendors and things to do with the family to get the full expo experience. Like most expos, there were plenty of things to buy, but I did not get a sense that I was going to be harrassed to buy anything. Race day: This is a great race because the course is pretty flat. While most of it is a bit in and out for the half marathon, there are plenty of fun sights to see while running. The fluids stations were fully stocked, and there were not any major bottle necks at the start line and during the course. If I could make one change to the course, I wanted to spend more time running on the boardwalk. Other than that small complaint, everything was great. Post-race celebration: Here is where the real party was located. I was 100% pleasantly surprised that J&A Racing hosted the post-race party INSIDE of a huge pavilion tent because the temps were in the mid to high 30s. Swag: You definitely will get a lot of cool stuff with your registration fee. Pre- and post-race swag included a long-sleeve tech shirt, beach towel, cap, four beer tickets, a cup of a Irish stew (technically, soup), bag, and a bunch of snacks. *I feel like I'm missing something.* A couple of tips: -Be very careful with parking. Some of the tow truck companies were very predatory and towing cars left and right. -Arrive early to find well-priced parking. A few places were charging $35+ for day parking. This was disgusting because I'm sure they jacked up their prices because it was marathon weekend, which occurs during the off season. Fortunately for me, the parking garage at 25th St charged only $10 for 24 hr parking.

I didn't run the Shamrock Half Marathon in 2021, but I applaud them for their efforts to adapt…read moreShamrock Weekend to the strange times we're living in while keeping the runners safe. I've done all of the Shamrock Races, but the half is always my favorite. Well except in 2017. If you know you know... that race was BRUTAL! It's a flat and fast course. The scenery changes every few miles which is so great mentally and I've pushed myself to multiple PRs year after year. The crowd always comes out in force to cheer you on too. Everything is so well organized from packet pick up at the amazing Shamrock Weekend expo - full of vendors and world-class speakers to the finish line. I hope you're ready for a party- the Shamrock Weekend races have one of the best after parties in the business. It's a true celebration. I look forward to returning to Virginia Beach to run this one again and again!

This is a fun local race which celebrated its 6th year in 2022 run by local oceanfront faves The…read moreShack, Waterman's and Chix on the Beach. A few things make this race unique. First, you run on the actual beach between 7th street to about 30th and then run the final mile or so on the boardwalk back to 9th. Second, the race was kicked off with skydivers from Skydive Suffolk who dropped in in front of the start line and the national anthem was played for the final skydiver who had an American flag flying as he came in. Absolutely awesome. Third, they host several fun runs in the weeks leading up to the race and if you attend four of them (usually there are 5 or 6) you get a free gift. Usually a sweatshirt, blanket, nice cup or cooler or something. The free gift changes every year. You simply attend and check in every week so they can track your attendance. I'm always traveling around this time for my bday so I never get the gift but I love the motivational aspect of that. It's awesome. There is a post race party at The Shack with live music and, you guessed it, free crushes. You get a race packet and cute race medal for running and it's a smaller, local's race so it's fun to come to the beach, run, and then enjoy brunch or lunch somewhere on the water.