First, let me say if you can spring the extra cash, pay for the VIP upgrade. This upgrade allows you to have private parking, a nice lounge inside the omni hotel with a breakfast buffet, as well as a post race buffet, massages, and a mimosa bar post race. Who wouldn’t want to hang out here before a big race, and use real bathrooms? The first four or five miles of the course was hilly, but not consistently hilly so it was bearable. After that, it wasn't completely down hill, but it was mostly flat, and I'm totally okay with that. There were plenty of aid stations, bands, and support, and I never at any point in the race felt lost. Which was very important to me as this was my first half marathon I was completing.