I had heard mixed things about the Shamrock run leading up to this event. Despite living in Portland for 5 years, this was my first year participating. Often, the weather has been less-than-ideal and this year was no exception. It rained for most of the race, but can't fault the race itself for that. Yet, it still taints the experience. Overall, I really enjoyed the event. It's always a fast field, which is a major bonus, and the Broadway/Terwilliger hill is a fun challenge. The long downhill finish is a great reward for the long climb; the hills make the race fun and unique. I'm very happy I ran the 15k, which started and ended early. The sheer enormity of the event is overwhelming and deters from the experience. However, since the 15k starts first, you have easier access to parking/use of portopotties/gear check. The post race party could have been enjoyable, but I was too cold once I cooled down to stick around long. To sum it up, fun/unique course in Portland (where many are too similar to each other) and good competition. I'd probably do it again, but mainly because of ease-of-access. It wouldn't be because it's cheap!