I have done this race for the past two years, and it has consistently been my favorite race.

Pre Race: Packet pickup is at a local school and is very easy. I would recommend doing it the day before rather than on race day.

Race Day: Get there early, and do not underestimate the time it will take to park. There is one way in, one way out to Fort Adams, and it just takes a while to park. They encourage you to try to bike to the race, but I have driven the past two years.

The Race: as you line up, there is a DJ and an enthusiastic emcee who set the excitement level for the race. Perhaps the best part of this race is the course itself. The emcee was amazing for both crossing the start line and crossing the finish line. You spend the first half of the race with gorgeous ocean views, and for the second half, you wrap through all of the historic mansions in Newport. The variety of scenery alone makes this race amazing. There are plenty of water stations, and there is a surprising amount of crowd support despite the race being so early in the morning. This race seems to fly by.
The course has a few steep and winding hills, but nothing too bad. The course ends at Fort Adams. You run through the Fort itself at the finish line, so it is something to look forward to.

Post-race: The medal is really cool and is quite large. There is plenty of post-race food, and you get drink tickets. Getting out of the Fort is a bit of a pain, but I think it is unavoidable. Definitely take your time at the post-race celebration and it should take less time to exit the area.

All in all, this is a great race which sells out, so make sure to register for this one!