The EC Half Marathon was a Midwest hidden secret. I did not know what to expect from the race, the course, management and all the details. I was very surprised how well the who event was put on. There was no shortage of volunteers, events, support, cheer squads and everything in between.
The expo for the event is pretty straight forward. Now thrills, just local businesses, packet pick-up, race gear, and accessories. It was at the university so there was plenty of parking all over the place. Everyone was very helpful with their directions and information about the race.
The race starts and ends in Carson Park. There are designated parking lots for the event and shuttles that run very often. We decided to park in the neighborhood at about .5 miles into the race. It was easy and not a far walk. The race activities are in a large parking lot in the park. This was great because there is a ton of space and a lot of vendors. They had a bag drop, which was clutch.
The race starts on a downhill. Throughout the first half of the race, the course elevation varies and there are a couple bigger hills. You run on the street and on bike paths so there are times when it gets kind of tight. The second half of the race is flat or downhill. At this point you run through downtown and through the university. Both areas are filled with so many people that are cheering you on that it gives you a huge boost. You also run through some residential areas and the people there were super nice handing out food and water. The finish is UP HILL. That really sucked. But it does make you feel even better when you finish.
My top tips:
- Park in the neighborhood
- There is plenty of water so no need to worry about that
- Get amped for the Bluegold Mile
- Don’t count the bridges
- Keep a little energy for the end, you’ll need it for the UP HILL

The reason I gave two stars on the Expo and T-Shirt is because there was nothing special there. For runners, its just a standard that there is an expo and a shirt. Gotta go above to leave an impression.