I successfully knocked off state #15 with this race. I definitely think I picked the right one to run in Iowa and would consider doing it again in conjunction with the I-35 Challenge.

Pros:
*The half marathon course is pretty flat (this is not the same for the marathon). Given good conditions a runner could certainly PR here.
*The aid stations, oh the aid stations. If you were thirsty, you were doing something wrong. I think there was an aid station every mile if not more frequently.
*There was GU twice, TWICE, I say on the half marathon course - say what?!?
*The swag this year (and seemed like in years prior) was a half zip. They made it unique to each race by putting the distance on the back. I liked that, even more so if I were running the 26.2
*Parking was plentiful and free within blocks of the start/finish line. Hotels were reasonably priced and ours was incredible accommodating of late check out. And if you couldn't get a late check-out, you could shower at the YMCA before heading home.
*Open corrals, no feeling like a heard of cattle here.
*The finish line goodies, OH MY! I wish I could add the smiley with hearts for eyes. I will miss something but I'm going to try.... bananas, strawberries, oranges, spoons of PB, yogurt, ice cream, chocolate milk, Qdoba chips and queso, Noodles mac & cheese, BBQ sliders, pizza slices, cookies... no bottles of Gatorade, but seriously the spread was great.
*Medal engraving for $10

My two better ifs:
*It was chilly, so heat sheets would have been a nice addition.
*Due to the setup, it wasn't clear (unless you had a map) where the gear check was located. You couldn't see it across the block.

One other thing to keep in mind, the race is pretty much an out and back. While super scenic around the lake and cool to see some of downtown you get the view twice in some parts. Also, the paths are a bit narrow around the lake. But I felt like the race was small enough I still had a good amount of running room.

Again, definitely recommend this for someone looking to check off Iowa and if you're looking for a double they offer the I-35 challenge combined with KC, MO.