This was my first time running the Chicago Half and overall I had a really good time.
Expo/Swag: The expo is at Navy Pier which is easy enough to get to via CTA but it was PACKED with tourists which was kind of annoying. However it's Navy Pier so it's to be expected. The expo was smaller than I thought it would be but there was a good mix of vendors. I was able to get my bag pretty quickly and everyone working was pretty friendly. I really liked the long sleeve shirts (dark grey with orange/red writing). I have so many short sleeves so I like getting long sleeves. The finishers medals were also nice, very sturdy.

Parking: I am a little crazy about getting to the course early and I didn't know how traffic would be so we left SUPER early. Traffic wasn't bad so we got there pretty quick. We were able to find a parking spot along the mall by U Chicago for free and only walked maybe a half mile to the race area. There was also parking at the museum but we didn't want to pay $20 to park, but that is another option. You can also use the shuttle that the race provides but you need to pay $15 for that.

Course: The course is nice and flat so it's great if you're trying for a new PR. There are a lot of runners but the streets are wide enough that I didn't feel like I was constantly running into people. They have corrals but they don't really enforce you being in the one you signed up for. I originally was in H but I started in J with a friend of mine. There were a lot of aid stations and they were pretty evenly spread out so I didn't ever feel like I was dying to get more water. Also there were at least 6 port-a-potties at each aid station and I didn't notice anyone having to wait to use one during the race. The course is mostly along the lakefront so you have some nice scenery to look at which was nice. We also lucked out and the weather was PERFECT! One thing I should mention is that the distance that they had marked was off from what my app said. Each mile was marked about 200-300 m after what my app said and I heard people around me saying the same. However at the end it showed me running 13.3 and my friends said 13.5 (I use Nike+ and she uses Map My Run).

Post-Party: You get a free beer (Michelob, yuck) and pizza. I can't eat a lot right after a run so I didn't get anything but they are there if you're interested. They also hand out bananas, granola bars, Lays potato chips, and gatorade (red, orange, and yellow) in the shoot after the finish.

Overall this was a fun race to run and was really well organized. I would definitely recommend it to first time half runners and people who are looking for a fast time.