I write this review the morning after running the half marathon, still pumped up by yesterday's race. I have run some awesome races, but this might be my favorite. And like Jessica always says on the podcast, picking a favorite is difficult.

Let's get the logistics out of the way- the parking is very close to the start and finish lines, and parking for the expo is a breeze. Pro tip: For the expo, I found a small pay parking lot between buildings on 5th street just across from the convention center (before Race street, but just after exiting from the interstate and entering downtown)- $3/hour, much cheaper than the other lots. Also, if you are driving, plan to arrive at the race by 5:00 on race morning, and you will find the $5 lots still open. After they are full, it bumps up to the $15 price at neighboring lots. If you are in a hotel nearby, well, lucky you! I stayed in Florence, KY on the KY side because I procrastinated on booking a room, but it only took me 15 minutes to get to the parking lot. If you are doing this on a budget and have your car, definitely stay in KY and drive in. It's much cheaper. The Comfort Suites in Florence was located around grocery stores and Walmart/Target, which was important for planning my breakfast to cook in the hotel microwave at 4:00 a.m.

Toilets- When I arrived, people were inside the entrance to the Paul Brown stadium nearest the start line. The doors were opened to provide some warm space from the cool breeze outside (that cool breeze didn't last long) and runners were lounging on the floor and stretching. I went in and found a restroom with no waiting, and real toilets. Just outside were long lines for the port-a-pots. Shh!! THOSE people also didn't notice the plentiful port-a-pots in the corrals. I later used one of those with no line! It pays to explore a bit before joining the most obvious lines.

Okay, now for the rest of the day. It is a challenge to express how much FUN I had running this race. I don't remember LAUGHING so much in a race as I did during this one. Perhaps it was the hundreds of hilarious signs along the course, or the locals who showed up to dance, play music, and cheer for us, or the 8,000 volunteers they have to make this race go. I wish I could put that in bold- 8,000! There were cheering squads with volunteer shirts about every half mile, and they were...adoring. Every person looked us in the eyes and told us we were awesome, or strong, or doing great. Most races have pockets of cheering fans, but the only places I remember where there were no spectators were the bridges going over the river. Did I mention watching the sun rise while running over the bridge?

On the course- Gatorade endurance/Water stops were so frequent that I felt I had just tossed my last cup when the next station was there. They passed out GU at mile 9. Along the way, volunteers handed me tissues, cookies, Vaseline, (paper towels handed out shortly after that-details, anyone?), Swedish Fish, Hershey's Kisses (I passed on this one), oranges, wet paper towels at about mile 12, ice (that was a kind local not an official race volunteer), and my favorite- a Twizzler at mile 10 that I took tiny bites of throughout the final miles to savor and have something else to focus on.

I think because of the crowds, and so much to see with the parks, the urban areas, and the river, most people seemed to be running without music. Due to this, I had more conversations with fellow runners than I ever have. Everyone was having fun, and runners seemed compelled to share that fun with the person next to them. I found myself smiling most of the way, despite being a little under trained. I am middle-of-the-pack, and for this one, I hung back a little because I was not expecting a PR. I would be curious if the front-of-the-pack folks had the same fun, chatty experience.

Yes, there are hills, so prepare for them, but at least for the half marathon, it's the river crossings (but that view from the bridge is amazing) and a switchback to a park overlooking the river around mile 6 that is the toughest. They had volunteers there cheering and volunteering to take your photo. What a great excuse to rest a moment if you aren't going for a PR.

It was about 55 degrees and breezy before the sun rose, and because there was 90% humidity, once the sun came up, it was pretty hot. The marathoners who aren't in the front of the pack, or walkers in either race likely suffered this year. In this region, plan for any kind of weather when you pack in the spring. With heat/humidity, you might adjust your goals a little for that factor. You will have so much fun you won't care about a PR.

The post-race party is right on the riverfront, and I had a little picnic on the lawn in the shade of a tree. The free beer and pizza from LaRosa's was the perfect end to a sometimes challenging but always rewarding course.

The swag is great. The shirt is a tech shirt- be sure to size WAY up if you don't have abs to flaunt. I normally wear a medium shirt, but ended up exchanging my large for an extra large at the shirt exchange table. All marathon and half marathon runners receive a premium gift. This year, it was a very nice outdoor blanket that folds up into a nice bag with handles. We also received a commemorative poster and a 13.1 magnet. The medals were awesome quality, weight, and style. It's not all about the bling for me, but when the bling is good, that is a bonus.

My only suggestion for the race directors is to have pint glasses, etc. at the expo with half marathon on them. I didn't feel right drinking from a Flying Pig Marathon glass that I didn't earn. I suspect there are other customers like me who would buy these items!

A big thank you to the race organizers and the city of Cincinnati for providing such a lovely experience. I hope to visit Cinci again soon as a tourist and see more of the city at a slower pace.