Overall:
I love this race. I ran it in both 2014 and 2015, and hope to run it for years to come! It's a real community event, held in memory of the 6 Worcester firefighters who died in the line of duty in 1999 (it's been held every year since 2000). Most of the volunteers on the course are firefighters, and most spend the race applauding, thanking, and high-fiving runners. It's great motivation!

Pre-race:
Plenty of parking in nearby WPI garage and on side streets. On-site bib pickup is quick and easy; numbers are emailed to runners beforehand. I've never been able to pick up my bib before race day, so I'm not sure how it compares. A handful of porta-potties are on hand at Institute Park - not a lot, but the lines generally move quickly.

Race:
Mid-June with an 11:30am start time = traditionally hot race. Not much shade (if any) on the course, which winds through downtown. There is one glorious part where the course dips under a bridge into lovely, cool shadow, which is always welcome for me! In 2015 there were just over 1100 runners, and for a mid- to back-of-the-pack runner like me, the course is never too crowded. Ends with a gradual uphill, but otherwise relatively flat (76 ft gain).

Swag:
The race shirts both years I ran were tech t-shirts with cool graphics. However, both years the sizes ran very large. If I didn't swim in the shirts, I'd wear them all the time!

Aid stations:
Two stations serving water. For past races, local high school and roller derby teams staff the tables and have been great! The water is always quite warm by the time I get to the stations, but it's hard to prevent that in the midday heat.

Course scenery:
I'm biased because I'm from Worcester and get a kick out of running through my hometown. For the unbiased there's not much to look at. Bonus: course takes you by a fire station where firefighters have a hose out to help cool down the runners.

Post-race:
The Sutton Fire Department turns their giant fan into a misting machine and it's amazing. There's a post-race BBQ at Institute Park with entertainment, food, and free ice cream for runners.

Room for Improvement:
In 2015, the pre-race announcements took about 15 minutes. This wouldn't necessarily be a problem if the race weren't held at midday in June, and if the announcements weren't delivered while all the runners stood in the sun at the starting line. I understand that this is a very special event for the city of Worcester and for the firefighters and their families. That’s the whole reason why I run this race! Moments of silence and ceremonial gestures are special parts of the event. But if you’re going to make announcements and thank sponsors while all the runners are standing in the beating midday sun, please don’t ramble on for 15 minutes!