Pre-race: No pre-race expo. Plenty of street and garage parking near the starting line and post-race party venue. I stayed at the official race hotel and had only a half-mile walk to race day packet pick up. There was plenty of communication leading up to the race with a detailed map of the course and directions from packet pick-up to the starting line.

Shirt/swag: The race shirt was an off-brand long-sleeve dri-fit. The unisex runs fairly true to size and may be just a tad big. The medal design was great and the ribbon was high quality. The dri-fit hat is very nice, too. Runners also received entrance to a post-race party, which included food and two drink tickets. Non-runners could purchase admission to the post-race party for $20, which covered food and 2 beverage tickets.

Aid stations: With and out-and-back course there were technically only 3 aid stations. However, runners were able to stop at two of the stations going out and coming back (Mile 2/11 and Mile 4/9). The third station was at the turnaround point. All stations offered water or Gatorade. None of the official aid stations offered chews or any refueling snacks.

There were three porta potty spots on the course with 2 facilities at each stop (Mile 2.5/10.5, Mile 4.5/9, and at the turnaround point). There were also two porta potties at the packet pick-up/post-race location at Deer Park Tavern.

Course scenery: The scenery was outstanding! The course traverses the University of Delaware campus, the James F. Hall Trail, and several neighborhoods (Devon, Binns, and others). Whether you prefer wooded scenery, neighborhoods, or a university campus you spend just enough time on each before a change in scenery. I especially enjoyed running along the Amtrak lines on the trail.

Elevation: Per my Strava data, I gained 376 feet in elevation over the course. The course is mostly flat with a few rolling hills, but two big hills provide a good challenge. There are two big hills on the course (around Mile 4.5-5 mile and Mile 7.5). The hill at Mile 4.5-5 is about a 3% grade and maxes out at 4% while the hill at Mile 7.5 is about a 4% grade.

Overall: I loved racing in a smaller town. There were several people watching while going through the UDel campus and neighborhoods. The trail was a nice break with some quiet, especially on the way back to the finish. The swag (from shirt to medal to post-race party) was excellent. There were plenty of good food options immediately after finishing and at the post-race celebration. The hotel was convenient to downtown, which has lots of food options. The race was good value at $79 for an early registration. The course is also USATF certified. Whether you're a 50 stater, or just looking for a slightly smaller race (about 330 runners in inaugural year), the First State Half Marathon packs a lot of punch.

Pre-race: There was a lot of communication from race director regarding COVID measures to enter the expo and race itself.

Expo: Expo was great, as expected from a World Major race. Lots of vendors with all sorts of gear available. Several UK-based charities are also on site for fundraising and information. Most disappointing part of expo was New Balance running out of several items and have no information about anything being available at its online store or main store on Oxford Street.

Shirt/Swag: Finisher shirt is great material and fits perfectly. The medal, which features braille for the first-time ever, is also outstanding. Very disappointed that New Balance store had a 4-hour (or longer) wait if you wanted medal engraved with your finishing time the day after the race.

Aid Stations: Lots of aid stations at just the right spots on the course. Most were water stations, but had two with electrolyte drinks and two with goo. Water stations had small water bottles, which made for easy grab-and-go process.

Course scenery: Calling the scenery iconic is selling it short. From starting near the Greenwich Observatory to passing the Cutty Sark and running across Tower Bridge, the race drips in historic and wonderous scenery. Finishing in front of Buckingham Palace may be the highlight of the course.

Elevation: Per my Strava data, I gained 421 feet over the course of the race. There is a drop off from the start and it levels off circling the River Thames.

Overall: It was a great experience from start to finish. I got info upfront about COVID requirements and was able to prepare accordingly. The expo was an amazing hours-long experience. The race itself had everything you need whether you're an experienced marathoner/runner or a newbie tackling your first marathon.