I decided to enter this half marathon just a few days before the race. After a disappointing half marathon 2 weeks earlier on a very humid day, I was excited that there was another race on a weekend that promised to be quite cool and dry. I was also intrigued by running a half on crushed limestone trails, which are far easier on the joints.
I arrived early to secure good parking and to register. The race had a low-key and slightly loose feel to it. This was a nice change from the hyper-professional races I've done in the city this year. It's not better, just more relaxed. The field was fairly small, under 700 total, but that was perfect for the course. The race starts and ends on a grass horse racing training track, which is a real novelty. Running on grass is not easy, especially at the end of a race. The rest of the course winds through the Danada Forest Preserve and offers a few gentle climbs and both open and forested sections. The scenery is great. There are a few loops that require turns, but the volunteers were very active and effective in directing traffic. There was almost no non- race related traffic on the trails. Fellow runners were very friendly and there was a surprising amount of fan support given the nature of the course. The pacers were also very helpful.
The cool weather and nice course enabled me to run a PR by almost 7 minutes, so my review may be influenced by my happiness about my time. Still, I would recommend this as a fun, casual, and unusual race on a beautiful course that should be easier on the legs. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, but all of the important elements, like good volunteers, adequate aid stations, a nice t-shirt, and plenty of port-a-potties were present.
My recommendations would be to improve the post-race refreshments and to do a little nicer job with the medals (a grey ribbon?).