Registration: Available online until Nov 27th, and just under $100. Included with registration was free admittance into Independence Grove (no $5 parking fee) a long sleeve unisex tech shirt, a sticker, and a Curate bar.

Expo/Packet pickup: There was no expo. Packet pick up was Friday the night before the race at a bar and grill in Waukegan. If you were out of town you could grab your stuff before the race start.

Pre race: There was free parking and plenty of it. A building was open with heated, real bathrooms. I picked up my packet without hassle. There were some pre-race announcements about the course, there was some mention about getting a medal or not having enough, but it was hard to hear. Then everyone lined up behind a starting arch, and then it was time to run.

Race/ Course: The course was run in a forest preserve.
-Terrain: mostly trail, but easy to navigate crushed limestone or packed dirt. There were paved sections too near the buildings on the grounds and underpasses.
-The course was 2 "loops" however each loop was not a circle, but rather 3 out and backs with a loop.
-Spectators - there were no spectators
-Aid Stations - these were top notch. Information was posted online about the location of these, so you could plan ahead. These were basically a buffet in the woods. They had everything you needed and more - water, Gatorade, sodas, broth, coffee, green olives, pickles, m & m's, jelly beans, pretzels, snack mix, clementines, bananas, muffin strudel bites, oreos, shortbread cookies.... I think I have named them all. There were always friendly and chatty volunteers at the aid stations making sure you were feeling alright.
-Photographers- There was a roaming photographer on a fat tire bike for the first loop. Available for free on the race Facebook page
-Elevation - while there were hills on the course, they weren't too steep
- Course markings - while most corners were marked with tape or marked off with cones, there was a volunteer on course during the first loop telling you which way to go. If you didn't pay attention you could have missed a turn on the second loop. There were no mile markers or timing mats. The trails were not closed to other users, or people on horses.
-Scenery: the course was in a forest preserve and given the time of year, there wasn't much to look at, but it was a beautiful area, wooded, near the Des Plaines River.

Finish/Post Race: There was a timing clock at the finish line. A volunteer shouted your bib number as you came across. Then you proceeded to a food table that doubled as an aid station to collect a belt buckle. The Aid station table was also the post race food. There was a nearby tent set up with a heater for finishers to celebrate.

My race: This was my last race of the year, If I finished I would accomplish my 2016 goal of a marathon (or longer) a month. I had to finish the first loop in 4 hours to make sure I didn't get cut, I did that in 3:13 and picked up a new friend on that lap too. We carried on until about mile 17, and I continued on by myself until the end. There was some walking, and about mile 28 the sun came out. I came across the finish line when the clock struck 7:01, which would be a PR for me in the 50k, except my watch registered it at 30.54 miles. (My watch also said I had a total of 6:40 moving time, so I wasted 20 minutes at aid stations and using the bathroom) So maybe if the math was done, I set a PR?!? I know that I will run another 50k, so it's not a big deal, and in longer events with trail, distances are off. I also overheard someone say they measured the course twice.

Overall: While the price may seem high, it's comparable to long distances in the area. It's a great beginner 50k and an easy laid back event. I would run this again.

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