Things we loved:

10 am Start: Most races usually start around 7 am, which means waking up at 5 am at the very latest. Starting at 10 am we didn't have to feel rushed to fall asleep the night before, we could sleep in, and relax and take our time eating and digesting and getting everything ready for the morning.

Convenient Bag Drop: No line, very easy. They provided everyone with a nice drawstring backpack with the Bend Ale Run logo, and it was the only bag you were supposed to use. We did see others, however, so they were not very strict.

Good Aid Stations: There were aid stations every 2-3 miles, all with water and Gatorade. Many of them also had energy goos and gummy bears. This saved me because I was an airhead in the morning and completely forgot to put mine in my pocket before the race!

Scenic Race: Half of the race was on trails through the woods, and it was very beautiful.

Free Food Truck Lunch: Every runner received a coupon for a free entree after the race. This was cool because usually there are some snacks at the finish but not full meals.

Ending at the Bend Ale Fest: This was one of the best parts of this race. Every runner was given a pint glass, 4 tasting tokens (worth a quarter of a beer each) and a coupon for a free full pint at Deschutes Brewery. It wasn't just for runners either, so there were lots of other people there to enjoy the festival!

Cons:

10 am Start Time: I know, this one a very high pro, but it also makes the cons list. They didn't start on time, and it got pretty warm in the afternoon. 8:30 or 9 am probably would have been the best time to start.

Porta-Potties: It may have been better to have a few more by the start and finish lines. There were three areas, and one was a little far away and unknown. Those ran out of toilet paper and the other two locations always had long lines.

No T-Shirt: They did a beanie instead of a shirt. It's okay, but it was a tiny bit of a bummer not to have a shirt. We didn't love the color, mustard yellow, but otherwise, it's a cute hat.

No Snacks: The free lunch at a food truck was great, but that meant there was nothing else besides water at the finish line. With the heat and a beer festival going on it would have been nice to have bagel bites and bananas or something for runners right after the finish. The food trucks were open to the public as well, so we waited almost an hour in line for food after already waiting about 45 minutes after the race to get food.

Hills: I actually like having some hills during a race to switch it up a little bit but these were MONSTER HILLS. There were some big downhills too, but sometimes it felt like you were just constantly going uphill.