Run For The Dream 8k and Half Marathon Giveaway

That's right folks! I was lucky enough to be part of a giveaway for the half marathon and 8k races being held in Williamsburg, VA on June 1st and June 2nd. So, if you're interested in either winning a free entry into the race or getting a discount on registration, keep reading!

The Giveaway
I have one free entry into the 2013 Run For The Dream 8k or Half Marathon. Entering into the giveaway is easy, just leave a comment below. That's it. No special hoops to jump through, no special trivia questions to answer. There is a deadline though, so make sure you enter by midnight on Monday March 18th. That's the day after St. Patrick's Day. It gives you a full ten weeks to train for the half marathon. That's plenty of time to get your body ready for 13.1 miles of fun. And if you opt for the 8k race, that's even more time to train for nearly 5 miles. I'll draw the names on the 20th and announce the winner on the 22nd.

The Discount
The discount is even easier to use. Simply use the code BLOG2013 and get one of the following:

• $5 off your 8k registration
• $10 off your half marathon registration
• $15 off your Patriot's Challenge* registration

The code is only for civilian pricing and expires on May 1, 2013.

* The Patriot's Challenge is where you run both races, the 8k on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday.

Bonus Information
So, many of you may want to know more about the race, the expo, and what to expect in Williamsburg. I'll give you an overview here but feel free to ask questions.

First, I get nothing out of this giveaway and discount. I'm already registered for the Patriot's Challenge this year and the people from the race were kind enough to contact me out of the blue about doing the promotion. If I do get any freebies before, during, or after the race, I'll tell you about it.

Second, while I'm happy the race organizers contacted me to help them promote the race, I will do my best to keep it from influencing my future race reports. I've run this race twice and have had ups and downs each year and have always been on the fence about running it again. You can read more about that in my race reports.

Third, read my race reports from the inaugural 2011 race and last year's 2012 race. I ran the half marathon in both years and my wife and daughter ran the 8k last year. The course has changed slightly from 2011 to 2012 but should be the same in 2013 as it was in 2012. The early miles are great as you run through Duke of Gloucester Street and the section on the Colonial Parkway will eat your feet alive. The 2013 race is a bit later in the year than previous years so it may be a bit warmer. The course has very little net elevation change but the rollers on the Colonial Parkway will suck the life out of you. For comparison, I would say this is a bit harder than the Historic Half Marathon in Fredericksburg, VA.

Finally, there are a ton of things to do in Williamsburg when you're there. This is very much a destination race, for those coming from near or far. With Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown within easy driving distance, your needs for history, shopping, and entertainment can easily be met. There's plenty of stuff to keep my kids, my "history is so boring" wife, and myself occupied without even going to Busch Gardens. And if you need a place to eat, Retro's is well worth your money (and they aren't snobby like some other places).