All-around excellent race experience! This was my second half marathon and could hardly have gone better. First, RAMracing offers the super convenient option to have your packet mailed to you for a small fee, so I didn't have to deal with packet picket up at all. I'm from Chicago, and had never been to Highland Park before race day. I was bit nervous the location would be hard to find--it was super easy. I was worried I'd have trouble parking--tons of free spaces available. With perfect HM weather on top of it (45 and cloudy), everything leading up to the race was going great.

I'd taken note the night before that there were copious aid stations--so many I was worried the reality might be disappointing. But they were all there, seven aid stations, all stocked with tons of water and powerade, and one with snacks. (And all had port-a-potties.) This really helped me, especially because of how much it broke up the race.

The course was challenging for me. The distance is still a challenge, but also there are some decently rolling hills in Highland Park. I happen to live near a sledding hill, but Chicago is FLAT and hill training isn't very feasible except in the most limited ways. Anyway, this course wasn't tough by any means, but ti was tough enough for me. The route wound through mostly residential sections of Highland Park, which I found enjoyable. It really reminded me of the suburbs near where I grew up, in Fairfield County, CT. Several families even came outside and hung out in their front lawn or driveway to cheer the runners on--and I think they were pretty dedicated, because I was definitely toward the back of the pack.

The last section of the course, through a bland development and around Fort Sheridan, was a bit harder. The scenery just wasn't keeping me as interested, and let's face it, I was tired. But I was almost home, and getting out of that area right at the 12 mile mark put a spring in my step for the end of the race.

The course marshals were great, and there were tons of them. There were also lots of police officers, as all the roads were open to local traffic, and some were open to through traffic in one lane. It was the first time I had run a race without fully closed roads (or a path), and while I thought it would be off-putting, this suburb is quiet and sleepy enough on a Sunday morning that it was all extremely calm and cautious, cars would wait for a large break in runners with police supervising in busier areas. This may have been more difficult if you were ahead of me with a higher concentration of runners, I suppose.

As I mentioned, I was toward the back of the pack, and I was happy with the density of the runners. Even with a number of curves in the course, I was never out of view of at least a handful of other runners, and many times I was even in a light crowd.

I missed most of the post-race excitement, but there were still people cheering us on at the finish line when I came across. Very happy with the singlet and medal, and the food at the finish line. For a suburban girl who lives in the city, this run just felt like home, and everything about the experience was great. Highly recommended!