Going in to this race, I was looking simply for an August race - something to fill the gap between races and help me log miles for marathon training. What I didn't consider when signing up was the weather. Being that it's still hot and humid in the Midwest, it was ROUGH running conditions, with the temperature starting in the low 70's and the humidity hanging around 90% at the start time of 7am.

PROS:
+ The race started right on time, at 7am. There were plenty of restrooms (though the lines were long, as to be expected), and it was easy to find the Fleet Feet pacers among the rest of the runners.
+ The shuttle rides over made parking super convenient! We were disappointed to not be at the host hotel within walking distance from the starting line, but we ended up being less than a half mile from the shuttle stop, and that was really convenient.
+ Small field size. While some people prefer a huge race (and I enjoy those as well!), it was nice to have runners around without feeling claustrophobic.
+ Good aid station set up. After every major hill, there was an aid station close by. It was really nice to push through a hill and see water and Gatorade waiting nearby!
+ Plenty of medical support on the course. I saw a lot of people down, and there was always a medic with them. They also had tents out on the course (both near the aid stations and in random locations) for anyone that needed help along the way.
+ While there wasn't a huge crowd, they had a few entertainment groups out on the course, which was fun to see!

CONS:
- The shuttle ride over was on a school bus (so it was even more hot and humid once you got inside and on the bus) and the ride was very stop and go because the driver wasn't sure where he was supposed to be going. Got a little motion sick on the bus, which wasn't great for right before a race!
- Long (and slightly uphill) shuttle for finishers to get food and drink after the race. Medals, cold water, and cold towels were quickly given out, but if you wanted other food, you had to go around a corner and up a small hill; not ideal after finishing a race!
- My only complaint about aid stations: it seemed like around mile 10, they were already shut down on some of the later aid stations. I only had one opportunity from mile 10 to the finish to grab water, which wasn't the greatest situation considering the weather.

I didn't pick up my own packet, so I can't say for sure how smooth that process was, but I didn't hear any complaints from my friend. Also, they offered PLENTY of times for pickup, so out of town or not, it was very easy to get your packet and race swag.

Overall, I enjoyed this race. It was pretty well organized, though there were a few key emails (like a last minute weather update) that I didn't receive but my friend that was also racing did get. There wasn't a ton in the swag bag, but the shirts were awesome and since I don't live in Ohio anyway, it's likely I wouldn't have used the items that are typically offered in race swag bags. The medals were great, so if you enjoy collecting bling, this is a good one! The course scenery was very pretty, depending on what type of a view you prefer. I'm not much of a nature person, so I wasn't super thrilled to be in the woods for that long of a time, but I did enjoy the shade and the winding path. I would definitely recommend this race to a friend, with just a slight caution on making sure you get the emails and check the weather!

Link to this review