“Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Detroit Free Press Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!”

Expo/Packet pickup:

We rolled into Detroit and were lucky enough to get early check in! We headed over to the expo at the COBO Center and packet pickup was your first stop. Your pickup was by Bib# and if you didn’t remember or know your number there were computers set up to look it up. Once at the pickup counter you presented your passport, and boom, bib and packet in hand. It was a really nice package complete with your finisher shirt, a 26.2 sticker, a temporary tattoo, and a tech head wrap that was a new addition this year!

The expo was your typical snake configuration of vendors. There were some regional races represented, local charities, hydration drinks, clothing, etc… The only perk I usually look forward to is to try some free samples of new products and there seemed to be much fewer of this type of thing than other race expos I had been to. The best part was seeing the official race gear with the retro emblem and with the star and maple leaf. I really liked that!

Race Day:
Parking- I was in a local hotel so I didn't have to worry about that. Being in a downtown area the race directors recommended being downtown by 5:30am to find a parking spot. I know a lot of people bought parking reservations online prior, which totally made sense.

Port-o-Potties: Seemed like there weren't enough as the line creeper along and I was in line over 30 minutes. Definitely the longest I had ever waited at a race. But, it was still worth the wait. As a plus, along the course there seemed to always be enough and I never waited more than a couple minutes.

Aid Stations: Lots of them! We were advised not to bring fluids along as we were crossing the border and could be subject to being searched by border patrol. I brought along single serving sleeves of my favorite electrolyte drink and mixed it with water I picked up at the stations! That was my brilliance for the day.

The Course: the only hills that were a challenge for me were ambassador bridge and the tunnel coming back from Canada. That was until mile 22. There was a slight incline getting back to the bridge from Belle Isle. The distance made this a challenge for my legs at that point.

The crowd was super enthusiastic and cheered us all on. There were a few spots where you were alone, and this is where mental toughness comes into play.

The course was shared by the international and US only half marathon runners. I forgot about the US only half starting later and was scratching my head when people were sprinting by me at mile. 23. Then I remembered, haha!

Approaching the finish line race coordinators made sure to direct each of us to the appropriate lane (marathon vs half) and we all crossed! Donned with our medal and approached by volunteers with a bag of food. There was water, Gatorade, and chocolate milk which was all very welcoming as well!

Overall, the Detroit Free Press Marathon was a great experience with just a few areas for improvement. I loved the course layout, not too many long straightaways to get too boring. The crowds enthusiasm definitely helped as well! I would definitely run this again and would recommend it to friends!