I arrived to the race late Friday night so I wasn't able to attend the expo, but from what I understand, it's generally pretty small as they put out all the stops for the post-race festivities. The same vendors from the expo were at the post-race event plus tons more, so I kept the rating for the expo neutral. That being said, I did pick up my bib and shirt on race morning and the process was easy peasy. Waited in line maybe a full minute, and was given my bib and a nice tech shirt.

The race itself was well-run with plenty of aid stations, lots of hydration (both water and electrolyte drink at each stop, as well as a few aid stations that had salty and sweet snacks), and the residents were also out supplementing the aid with their own hydration (from water to champagne) and food (oranges, bananas, donuts, etc). They were seriously professionals at supporting this race! The town gets completely involved in the support and cheering and really made this race.

The views along the course were beautiful and even though it had some MAJOR climbs and descents, it provided a nice distraction from the intensity. I couldn't get enough of the sites and the crowd support kept me going.

I really felt like the race was a seamless experience. I had no negatives during the whole process (well, I might have been in denial about some of the hills), and it seemed like they had everything completely under control... if there were any hiccups, I couldn't see them!

Once you crossed the finish line, the fun didn't end! The finisher's village had tons of booths of merchandise, massages, food, and more. There was a photo booth that did animated images that were texted to you post-race, food trucks, a beer garden, and live bands jamming away. I was really apprehensive about this race due to the title 'America's Toughest Road Race,' but I honestly don't know the last time I've had that much fun in a half marathon. It was a truly awesome experience and I hope I can do it again with my whole family in tow next time!

Find my full race recap here: http://fitnewtonblog.com/foot-levelers-blue-ridge-half-marathon-recap/