Review
This was the inaugural marathon, and I’m fortunate enough to participate in it!
Usually, inaugural events are rocky and there are tons of ways for the organizers to improve, but I don’t have any major notes for this one.
I drove to Savannah, and it took me about 9.5 hours (definitely wasn't my favorite drive)
At least the trip was easy to navigate since I didn't have to constantly switch between highways
The expo was at the Trustees Garden, and it felt mid-sized
The bib pickup was fast since there were tons of volunteers and computers
Afterwards, we went to a section to pickup our shirts
We could check out some merch (unfortunately there was a major shortage, so Rabbit decided to offer more items online)
There was a wall with our nametags that indicted how many marathons we have completed prior to EWM (ex. first timers, 11-30, 60+).
Outside there were tables for Girls on the Run, Black Girls Run, Information
There were other activities that runners could sign up for like cooking classes, yoga classes, and hair braiding (I wasn't interested in them).
Most of the garden space was outside and in front of the stage where a band would play, so it was nice to sit out there
We started at the Emmett Square
Since this was a walker friendly race, corral 1 consisted of runners that would finish under 4 hours. The other corrals would be every 30 minutes
There were pacers for throughout the time limit by 30 minutes (ex. 4:30, 5:00)
There were about 7,000 people total!
Unfortunately, tons of runners didn't finish since the time limit was 7:45. Looking at the results page, there were a great deal of people that DNF or DNS sadly
The Rock 'n' Roll race series has cut back on tons of their races over the years, including Savannah
The last time a marathon was held in Savannah was in 2019
I'm happy that the spectators came out to support us! I was under the impression that the city didn't want a marathon in Savannah since that was part of the reason why (ex. road closures, revenue)
The course itself was mostly flat, with some elevation gains (ex. bridge at mile 1)
The volunteers were 10/10! Volunteers were very helpful and motivational!
My favorite sign was a woman holding "Go! Vaginas! Go!"
The afterparty had a lot to offer!
Water, milk (including lactose-free), Lays Chips, Cheeze-Its, granola bars, Stroop wafers, bananas were offered right at the finish line
There was free beer, food trucks (had to purchase), stretch booths, recovery area
Bands played on stage, so it was nice to sit back and enjoy!
It's possible to use this as a BQ/PR opportunity since the hills weren't terrible. However, Savannah is a major hit or miss in terms of weather.
Race Website: Every Woman's Marathon
Expo Pictures!
Marathon Pictures!