Over the past two years running this race, there are things that continuously stand out to me that make the Publix Savannah Women's Half Marathon & 5K weekend different than most other weekends. Here are just a few of those "special touches" that make this weekend one of my absolute "must do's" each year.
Sometimes I feel like when I walk into a race expo that I am quickly overwhelmed by the number of vendors selling the exact same products or seeing the same booths at every single event. What is great about the Savannah Women's Half Marathon & 5K expo is that is more "boutique" like. Rather than a ton of big business vendor set up, this expo is very boutique like and features local Savannah businesses. This is a really fun way to check out some of the great shops, restaurants and businesses that you can find in Savannah to explore over the weekend. No matter if you are local or visiting for the weekend, you will be sure to find some great new spots to check out. Don't worry, if you forgot something in your race bag or just need to pick up some new gear for your next training cycle, the team from Fleet Feet Savannah is on hand as well.
Y'all! Let me tell you that this is one of the most beautiful courses I have ever ran! The 5K course mainly takes you from Forsyth Park to the downtown Historic District and back to the finish just in front of the fountain at Forsyth Park. The half marathon runs the same first 2 1/2 miles or so before heading out to some of the historic residential areas including Washington Ave, 12 city squares and out to Grayson Stadium (home of the Savannah Bananas baseball team). The tree lined course also offers great shade along the way - BONUS. Oh, don't worry, the half marathon gets that picture perfect backdrop of Forsyth Park Fountain as well.
Each year one of the highlights of race day is the post race party at Forsyth Park. Forsyth Park is a beautiful place to gather with family and friends to celebrate your race day accomplishments. With complimentary beer and mimosas on hand for those runners 21+, a live band for entertainment, and greenspace (and an awesome playground for kiddos), there is something for everyone. Hint: the post-race party is open to everyone so your family and friends can hang out in the park and head over to the finish line as you finish.
One thing that the Publix Savannah Women's Half Marathon & 5K team prides themselves on are unique gifts for runners. Having run over 100 half marathons and countless other distances, my medal collection is quite large (and borderline obnoxious). I have pretty much seen every medal design you can imagine at this point, but some of my most unique medals are those from this race. Last year's medal featured Savannah’s famous Candler Oak, located just across Drayton Street from the finish line which is one of the oldest landmarks in the area.
Real talk time. I cannot even begin to tell you the number of race shirts that I own. Since I race almost every weekend, you can only imagine what my shirt collection looks like. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love some of my race shirts, but a lot of them get worn once (if that) before going into a tub to later become a quilt or get donated. This is why I absolutely love that instead of race shirts, participants receive different gifts. The first two years were tote bags, followed by a bangle bracelet in 2017 and a sport backpack last year. The bags have been my absolute favorite because they are so practical and are things that I use often.
On the morning following the Publix Savannah Women's Half Marathon & 5K, be sure to stretch out those muscles and relax with a an amazing hour long yoga session with the team from Dancing Dogs Yoga. The best part? It is FREE! That is right, head out to Yoga on the Square at Ellis Square for some great recovery yoga from 9am-10am. New to yoga? Don't worry, the Dancing Dogs Yoga staff guides you through all the movements and helps everyone get the most out of the session. This is a very unique perk to the race weekend for sure. I can count on one hand the number of races that I have seen offer FREE yoga. Trust me, your body will thank you!
Save 15% off the 2019 Publix Savannah Women’s Half & 5K with code FUNNER15. For more details or to register, go here.
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