Pre-race: A sufficient level of communication leading up to the race, including check-in information the week beforehand.

Expo: The expo was smaller, but OK. One of the major running stores in town had booths with discounted nutrition, socks, shoes, and apparel. A few other local vendors plus a few Kansas City-area races were on hand.

Shirt/Swag: The race apparel was a dri-fit, short-sleeve t-shirt. The 15th year medal was HUGE! It was well worth the work for a fantastic reward. Post-race beers from Martin City Brewing were good (choice between an IPA and a blonde ale). There were several food tents offering FREE post-race bites plus some cold, chocolate milk.

Aid Stations: There were 7 aid stations with water and Gatorade with Gu gels available just past the halfway mark.

Course scenery: Course is basically an out-and-back with a slight detour around Loess Park, which is a highly residential area. The course has a lot of rolling hills with a grassy median down Ward Parkway (hence the race name). There were a few folks along the parkway cheering, but many more around Loess Park. Overall, it may not be the most beautiful scenery, but is certainly not ugly.

Elevation: Per my Strava data, I gained 522 feet in elevation. There is a slight incline to start the up to Mile 3 before losing elevation until Mile 7. Miles 7-10 are rolling hills, but nothing too steep. There is about a 100-foot drop in elevation over the last mile, which sets you up for a super fast finish.

Overall: I really enjoyed the race. The course was a bit tougher than expected due to the hills, but not so tough that I didn't set a new half marathon PB/PR. The weather was pretty ideal, the crowds were good, and the post-race was fun.

I stayed at a hotel about 4 miles away and left 45 minutes before the race start, which made it VERY tight getting parked, dropping my bag, and getting to the start line. There was a record number of participants, but no police officers directing traffic. Parking and getting to the start was straightforward, but more than a bit hurried.

Despite the stress of race-day logistics, it was very well organized, and I would recommend it to others. However, I'd suggest aiming to arrive at the race about an hour (or more) beforehand instead of following my timeline.