Do you Rock 'n' Roll?

The Rock 'n' Roll race series has taken on a life of its own. I remember when they were just starting out and now it seems they are in every part of the country, easily accessible to anyone who wants to participate. Have you participated in one? How did it compare to other race events you've done?

A friend and I were talking about the series a few weeks ago during one of our weekday runs. I was on the fence about my next marathon and getting her thoughts on which one I should do. Even though the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego marathon fits well into my schedule, we both describe this race series the same way: a circus.

Whatever happened to simply running a race for the sake of running a race? Do we really need concerts from C-list artists at the finish line? Or another race shirt that we'll never wear?? The Rock 'n' Roll San Diego race is $160 for the marathon. No thanks. You can count me out of those. I'm personally not interested in the circus atmosphere of these races. I may rock, but I don't roll that way.