i had heard about this half marathon primarily because of the novelty of getting to run around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I found out that it's much more than that.
This is a very well managed race. There are lots of hotels and restaurants within walking distance of the expo, start, and finish, so it's very convenient to get around on race weekend. The hotel even let me check out late so I could shower after the race. The expo was efficient and had a nice variety of vendors. The highlight was getting to meet and chat with Meb Keflezghi, who served as race ambassador. He always makes time to give everyone personal attention. The wave start was handled very well, with little delay between waves. The scenery on the way over to the Speedway is not especially great, but the enthusiasm of the crowd and the huge number of bands and dj's playing made up for it. Running on the track was fun--it's kind of forgiving/soft, which is nice. It's a long way around, 2.5 miles! Lots of runners stopped to kiss the bricks, but I just ran on by. The last part of the run was prettier than the first. There are tons of aid stations with Gatorade and water and there was a gel station at about mile 8-9. The finish line was attractive and had lots of fans. The medals were excellent and the postrace party was fine.
The lingering impression of this race is that it is unusually friendly and easy-going. The runners were polite and not trying to push it too hard, the volunteers were wonderful, and the people of Indianapolis seems extremely friendly and accommodating.
I would recommend this for anyone looking for a huge race with a small town feeling.