Let me start off by saying that I ran this race in 2011, and it was by far the worst race I've ever run. I decided to give it another try in 2017 when a group of high school friends and I decided to all make the trip from various different states to run together. I was very impressed with the improvements that were made. In addition, I have to commend the race organizers for shifting gears last minute after the tragedy that occurred just six weeks before the race. They had to reorganize the entire pre-race festivities and also the start line. At the expo (which was amazing by the way, despite the long lines to purchase race gear), we had an opportunity to write a message in highlighter on big banners that said Vegas Strong and had the Rock 'n Roll logo. The banners were then placed along the Route 91 venue and there was a section of silence around that area, which I thought was a very nice and respectful way to honor the victims. The starting line area was a little difficult to navigate, but considering the change of location I think they did the best they could. I felt safe and really appreciated the security around the start line, including the helicopter flying overhead. The course itself was great, I loved running down the Strip! The halfway point was a little boring, but once we got back to the Strip the energy kicked up again. The finish line was nicely organized and it was easy to find our medals and water. Overall, I was impressed with the improvements made and the last-minute changes that had to be made to the course. I would definitely recommend the half marathon to anyone who loves running and loves Vegas!