This was the second time I ran the Detroit Free Press International Half Marathon. The majority of the course is flat. The ramp going onto the Ambassador Bridge is a little bit of an incline. While running on the bridge the incline isn't bad, its a slow incline. I usually just run on an incline a week before the race and I feel prepared for the small hills. The sunrise at the Ambassador bridge is my favorite view of the race, I attached a photo of it. Once you enter Canada the course is a nice view. You can see the Detroit buildings and there are a few hills but the incline isn't that bad. The Canadians always have cute signs such as "Go Random Stranger" and "I've been training for months to hold this sign". You even pass a Tim Hortons. At Mile 7 (Underwater Mile) you are coming back into the U.S./ Michigan in the Windsor Tunnel. The air is a little stale so take a deep breath before you enter the tunnel. It's best to take hats/headbands and jackets off because you go into the tunnel. You will sweat in the tunnel and don't want to get too cold once you exit the tunnel. A lot of people stop to take runner selfies at the U.S./ Canada border in the Windsor tunnel. At the Canadian and U.S. borders make sure your bib is in front so they can see it and then you won't be pulled to get a bib check. Some of the border patrol people will let you high five them as you pass the borders. Once your back in the U.S. you get to pass the Joe Louis Arena (Home of the Detroit Red Wings). I'm a huge Red Wings fan so another reason why I love the course. As you get closer to the finish line you pass the American & Lafayette Coney Island restaurants (Detroit coney dogs, so good!). There are brick roads at the end of the course, so I go a little slower so I don't fall. They updated the medal this year. At the health and fitness expo where you pick up your packet they made some changes to make it quicker. Instead of going to a separate line to have your passport checked they had customs right there to check your passport where you pick up your bib and shirt. Also, they gave you the option to walk straight to packet pickup if you just wanted to get your shirt and bib. After I went to packet pickup then I walked through the expo to get some last minute running items for the race. At the expo they have a ton of options (running belt, roo sport, etc) that can hold your passport. At the start line they have people with signs with the corral letter so its really easy to find your corral. There are a ton of porter potties/ aid stations/ stops for snacks. I remember one stop they gave our m&m's. They offer Gatorade and water at the stations. This is definitely a unique race, you get to cross the international border between the U.S. and Canada twice which I love. I do put my smartphone in airplane mode so my phone doesn't go onto a Canadian tower and saves the battery life too. Overall, fun race and you get to see great areas in Detroit. As long as you keep an 18 minute per mile pace you can finish the race in the time limit. They give you a few warnings if you start to fall behind, they want you to finish the race. They have to open the tunnel back at 10AM so if you just have to get through the tunnel by then. Since MGM offers free parking, that is usually a mess so I park in one of the lots they designate and it was only $5. The first year I ran the race it took over 2 hours to get out of MGM's parking garage so this year I parked at the Fox parking garage. (There was a Lions home game both years so that was why parking was a bit crowded). I was able to improve my time by about 5 minutes, new PR. I hope to get faster and will definitely run this race again.