Let me get this out of the way: the 2018 Half marathon had terrible weather. It was raining, cold, and we faced 30MPH headwinds on the way back. That was the hardest part about this race.

I live about 2 hours north of AC, so i got up early and drove down - and had no trouble at all parking in the FREE resorts casino deck! Hooray for free parking! I paid for same-day bib pickup and it was a breeze. I was delighted to find that my race tshirt was comfy and soft - glad I sized up to XXL, because it fit perfectly. I will absolutely wear this one again. Then, the best part was waiting fo rthe race to start. It was miserable out - so being able to wait INSIDE a comfy warm casino with a good amount of bathrooms was amazing. Every race would be better with this as an option ;-)

The course was flat and fast, out a few miles on the boards, then onto the road for the middle portion, then back up onto the boards for the last few miles. I like being able to see and cheer for my fellow runners, since i'm usualyl at the back of the pack. It was a tough race because of the wind and rain - not because of the race itself. The water stations were well-equipped. The finish line had popcorn, italian ice, and a free (tiny) beer. Would've loved a free NORMAL sized beer, but what can you do? I was happy to relax for a few in the casino before driving the two hours home. My friend even played a round of roulette and came home with a few hundred dollars - can't beat that!! Overall, a great race. Wish I lived closer, I'd go every year!