This is my second year doing this race, and I always enjoy it. This is only the 2nd year of it being a half marathon.

The race starts at Saylorville Dam, and ends in downtown Des Moines. You run on roads (closed to traffic), and around mile 9 is, you catch up with a trail which you stay on all the way until 11ish miles, where you're back on the road until the finish. Overall, this course is flat, except for 3 fairly large hills; one right after mile 6, around mile 9, and about 600 meters from the finish. The first half of the race, you get to enjoy the country scenery, and it is not until the big hill after mile 6, where you are running through neighborhoods. Many spectators throughout with many of them being in the second half of the race. There are very few to no spectators from around mile 9 until 11 as this is the trail portion. If you are a runner who thrives off a lot of spectators, this race might be challenging for you.

In order to get to Saylorville Dam, you are bussed out there. When you register, you have to pick one of the four sites you are taking the bus from. You are required to find your own transportation back to your pick up location which is why I recommend downtown, as that is where you will finish. There are many parking ramps in downtown, and they are free of charge on the weekend.

The expo is in a large space, and packet pick-up is very easy. Come hungry!! There is so much food! The t-shirt was hot pink for females this year, and in your swag bag, you get a pair of Brooks socks! The socks are awesome! Lots of food to choose from when you finish.

One downside to this race is the weather. In 2014, it was very hot and humid. This year, it was cooler but very humid! The only other downside is waiting around when you get to the Dam. Depending on when you take your bus, and is a last bus departure time, you will get to the Dam 1 to 1.5 hours before start time. It wasn't that bad waiting last year, but this year is was very windy, and raining a bit, so it made for a chilly start.

Overall, I really enjoy this race, and it will be one I do many more times!

This is my third year (2013, 2014, 2015) doing the half and I really enjoy it. It's a very small and local race and is in conjunction with the Marion Arts Festival. They have a cap of 2000 runners for both the 5k and half marathon.

The expo is very small. They do allow you to pick up your packet the morning of the race which is very helpful. Many runners, including myself, pick up their packet on race morning. The process is smooth, and well organized making it an easy process. The color of the shirt this year was a bright yellow - not my favorite choice in color, but the design on the front is neat.

There are aid stations at miles 1.75, 3.5, 5, 7, 8.5, 10 and 11 and at there is water and Advocare Rehydrate at the stations. There are only a handful of volunteers handing out fluids at the stations. At the mile 3.5 aid station, they were scooping water out of the jug when I got there versus it being handed out.

Overall the course is flat except for 4-5 short, but very steep hills. The course starts in downtown Marion, and then winds through neighborhoods, then near a golf course, next to the local high school which takes you to a small trail. After this trail portion, you wind through neighborhoods again, taking you to a small park, more neighborhoods, and the final gravel trail. As soon as you cross the bridge on the trail, you make your final stretch finishing where you started.

There isn't a parking ramp or large parking facility in Marion, leaving it difficult to find parking, especially if you don't know the area and or arrive late. There are many side roads, small parking lots for business that you can park in throughout the area. All parking is well within walking distance to the starting line.

I always enjoy doing this race! Always well organized and spectators throughout.

This was my first time running this half, and I really enjoyed it. I also did the Half I-Challenge; run a 5k on Friday night and then the half on Saturday morning.

The expo was smaller, but still had a lot of booths. I didn't get to the expo until later in the afternoon, and traffic was a little backed up, but classes could have been getting out as well as people entering for the expo. Parking was excellent!! Very well marked, multiple lots, and very easy to get to on race morning.

This is a very flat and fast course which runs through neighborhoods, a trail, and the Illinois campus. It didn't get crowded until around mile 7 or 8 ish (I can't remember), when you entered the trail portion. This might hinder your time, but it wasn't a huge issue for me. There also aren't a lot of spectators or fans during this trail portion, but this also could have been because of the weather. The last quarter mile, there was some weird turn around to make your way into the stadium, where you finish on the 50 yard line. I thought this was really neat, as there are many fans in the stadium and they have the jumbotron on as well. It gave me goosebumps!

As other reviewers pointed out, the weather was windy and rainy the entire time, but there were volunteers at all aid stations, and there were even spectators at many spots along the course cheering the runners along. Post race was great as well!! Lots of food, drinks, and volunteers at the end. Very well organized a very affordable race, even when doing the I-Challenges.

Despite the weather, I really enjoyed this race and will do it again!!

I have run this race the last 2 years, and be prepared to sweat! It's toasty in July in Chicago. Not sure what happened this year, but there weren't as many bands as in the previous year. There were maybe 5-7 total instead of the "bands every mile". The course was also slightly different. It's not a difficult course at all, but you are running on roads and bridges. I don't mind the scenery, as you're running through Chicago, but it's a lot of buildings to look at. The aid stations are always packed and at times you had to wait for water or gatorade. But, you can expect that with a race of this size. The expo was huge! Lots of booths and products to look at and see. The cost is quite high, but I will always run this, as I have enjoyed it.

This is a very recent race, with it only being the second year. The last two years it has been run in early April, but for 2015, the race will be in June. Marion, IA isn't the most scenic place to run a half or full marathon, but it's a local race that has been excellent to participate in. You run by farms, through neighborhoods, on the road, small trail, leading back to the high school. You finish on the track. There isn't much of an expo - held at a local high school gym, some booths. You get a nice long sleeve shirt and the medal is nice as well. There are aid stations along the course, even a food and or gel station. Its a very well run event, and I enjoy the nice mix-up of a smaller race compared to larger events.