I love traveling to the Rock n Roll races in Savannah for many reasons. I can drive there (hooray for no planes), it is a fun race series, and I LOVE Savannah. This year I headed to Savannah with my friend Jenn from Runs with Pugs. We were both super excited to get our weekend full of races started!
Once we got to Savannah our first stop was at the expo to pick up or race packets and check out the vendors. We were doing all three races (1/2 marathon, 5k, and 1 mile) so we had a much of stuff to pick up and keep track of. I think some people just shook their heads as they saw us taking pictures with all our bibs. We are crazy and we know it!
We made a quick loop through the expo to pick up our RnR Tour Pass lanyards and say hi to the folks at the Publix Savannah Women’s Half booth and then headed out. Hunger won out and our next stop was at Crystal Beer Parlor for dinner. Apparently we arrived at the exact right time because we didn’t have to wait at all. I filled my belly with an amazing local beer and some shrimp and grits since I knew we had a big day ahead of us in the morning.
After checking into the hotel and getting our stuff ready for the next day we went to bed early since we knew we had an early start the following day. Thank goodness for comfy beds!
We had VIP privileges for this race which included parking, so we had to be there a little earlier than we had planned in order to get into the parking garage before they started closing roads. It worked out great though because parking was a breeze. We spent some time in the VIP lounge at the Hyatt where we were able to check our stuff, use clean (warm) bathrooms with no lines, grab a quick bite to eat, and catch up with friends. We tried to make it to the We Run Social meetup but didn’t make it in time. Thankfully there were a few stragglers and we grabbed a “slacker photo” before heading to the start line.
A group of 4 of us, all Rock n Rock ambassadors, decided that we were going to stick together and take it easy. Our goal? Finish! Jenn and I both had two races the following day, Anna-Marie was injured, and Amy hadn’t run in quite awhile. This turned out to be the perfect decision as we had a GREAT time. The weather was great, the course was beautiful, and the company was amazing. I have to say that even with our slow time this was the most fun I’ve had at a Rock n Roll race yet!
After the race we headed to the VIP tent to grab our stuff and a quick beer. The VIP area has its own bathrooms and changing areas which is GREAT. The tables, buffet, and separate bar make this extra expense worth every penny. I was lucky enough to experience the VIP treatment for free this year, but I would pay for it in a heartbeat. Totally worth it!
We had reservations for brunch (hooray The Ordinary Pub and bottomless mimosas) so we didn’t stick around VIP very long since we wanted to stop at the fountain for some pictures. I mean you can’t finish a race in Forsyth Park in Savannah and NOT get pictures at the foundation.
The rest of our day was very laid back since we knew we had two more races to do the next day. More on that later…
*Disclosure: I am a Rock N Roll ambassador and received complimentary entry to these races and the VIP area. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
