This was my first big in-person event post pandemic and it did not disappoint. The race was so well managed, as always. Starting with the t-shirts and swag, the t-shirts were handed out during packet pick-up this year (a one time deal) as opposed to when you cross the finish line. I loved the fit and design of this year's t-shirt. It's a minor thing but who doesn't love a good race t-shirt? Getting your packet is a little tricky, the venue is easy to find and easy to get to but the parking and congestion around the DECC in Duluth is just busy. So many people show up to the event and the area is tight on space so you might be waiting a bit in traffic. Once you get into the DECC, the expo has plenty of vendors and packet pick-up is simple and efficient. This year there weren't as many vendors which I expect was due to Covid but there were still plenty of interesting things to see. At the expo there is a variety of extra race gear you can purchase if the finisher t-shirt isn't your thing and race swag is important to you. On race day getting to the start line is so simple. There are so many buses available to shuttle you to the start and a variety of locations including Superior. The bus shuttles you directly to the start line. Once on course you can expect to find rolling hills along the scenic highway next to Superior. Be cautious about the weather this time of year in Duluth because it can be 40 degrees and rainy or 90 degrees and humid. They use the flags to indicate the weather condition on course. This year was about 70 degrees, clouds and high humidity - not ideal but not horrible either. The rolling hills make the course deceptively challenging. It's easy to crash and burn if you go out to fast, but if you run smart this is a fantastic course to set a new PR. The aid stations are fully stocked and are scattered all over the course. They had water, powerade and ice along with some stations with fruit and gels in the later part of the course. There were medical tents along the course as well if you happened to run into issues along the way. Along with lots of aid stations, the crowd support is awesome. All the people in the area come out and cheer you on. If you have family they might have a tough time getting to different parts of the course so be prepared to only see them once or twice. At the finish line my husband found me easily so the organization of the finish line was good. My only complaint was that the finish area seemed really long to walk through but that's only because you just finish running a marathon that is seems so long! I had my husband pick me up at the end of the race where again the parking was a bit tricky as it was during packet pick-up. They also have shuttle buses available to bring you back to your original shuttle location. Overall, this was a fantastic race and really well organized. It was a big welcome back to in-person racing after the year of cancelled races.