This review is officially for the 2014 race, although I have also run it in 2013. There isn't an expo per se, just a packet pickup tent at Hooters. Nice swag -- a spike bag, tee shirt, and samples of some products (eg, Hammer Fizz tabs). The course itself is a nice mix of twisty-turny road segments on the first 6.5, then a 1 mile out-and-back hill over the Edison Bridge (the lone hill on the course, accounting for two 55' segments of rise), and a long, straight 4.5 mile shot to the finish. The race is well-run, with a cyclist taking course-leading duties, officials at the halfway point separating the relay runners from those doing the half.

The only downside to this race, really, is the view on the back half -- there's about 3 miles of not-so-nice neighborhoods that you run due south through until you get to the turn by Edison Mall to finish. The only decent landmark on that portion of the course is the old City of Palms Park (where the Red Sox spring training games were held until they built Jet Blue Park outside town a couple years ago).

After the finish, the afterparty is excellent -- the title sponsor provides beer and wings for all runners (beer for those of age, naturally), in addition to the de regeiur bananas and bagels. There's a live band and ample seating for the awards ceremony. Age group and overall awards are a stein and a stuffed owl, but everyone gets a Hooters branded medal with the owl. Parking by the mall is plentiful, approximately 1/4 mile from the finish.

Overall, I'd recommend this race to anyone wanting to run a half in early March (1st Sunday in March, traditionally). It coincides with Red Sox and Twins Spring Training, so it makes a decent destination race if you've got a mixed-sport family (run the race, see some baseball). And if you're local, there's really no excuse for not showing up. The weather has been fairly nice for the past 2 years; 50's to low 60's at the start; sure beats running in the snow north of the Mason-Dixon!