Registration/Cost:
The registration for this race is easily done online through an easy-to-understand page and form. Cost is reasonable and in-line with other half-marathons.

Packet Pick-up/Expo:
The packet pickup and expo was held from 10:30am-8:00pm at the Marriott Hotel in The Woodlands Waterway, on the day before the race (Friday, as this race is always on a Saturday). I went there after work, parked with no problems at the mall directly across the street and walked over. After entering the hall where the pickup is held, I checked in at the table with the signs for my bib number, they checked and verified my ID, and gave me my bib. I then walked to an adjacent set of tables to get my choice of either a hat or visor with the race logo. I looked at both and opted for the visor. Neither design or color was bad (dark blue with white lettering), but they look quite similar to prior years' hats and somewhat bland, not all that great or appealing--just 'meh'.

After picking up the visor, I walked through the snake-style hallways of booths in literally less than 5 minutes. I didn't see a single table or booth that came across as interesting enough to stop or purchase anything, but I guess if you were needing some gear or nutrition, they had it. It did feel though as if this expo not only had a lot less people (runners) attending, but also less booths/vendors than in years past (I have participated in this race 3 times before). I later exchanged texts with a friend who indicated noticing the same thing.

Swag: The main swag item was a finisher's t-shirt. It is green and made out of a nice, comfortable blend material, with an ok design on it. Again, not bad, but nothing to write home about.

Start Line: I parked for free at the neaby mall parking lot, approximately 2-3 blocks and easy walk from the start. The start line was conveniently adjacent to a large and spacious area, Tom Green Park and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion, a popular entertainment facility for concerts, etc. The corrals had staggered closure times and were well setup, controlled, and accessed.

Weather: I've read and heard people complaining about the weather for this race, but I have been fortunate that each year in which I've run it, the weather has been perfect, including this year. Temps at start time of 7am were in the low 50s with a bit of sun, little or no wind. I ran on a tank top and felt that the weather couldn't have been any better for racing.

Course & Support:
The course resembles a rectangle that goes out and starts turning back to the point of origin around mile 7. It is mostly pancake flat, with some segments of asphalt and some concrete, with a few declines here and there and just a short incline or two. From the very start I ran a pace better than I was targeting, all the way to the end and PR'd by almost 4 minutes (and prior to a few months ago, I had also set my PR here back in 2016), so this is definitely a fast course for me. There are tons of trees on both sides of the roads everywhere you go to in The Woodlands, so that is the view you have along most of the way---trees. The hydration stations were as indicated on the course map, well setup, organized, and staffed with volunteers.

Finish Line/Medal/Food:
The finish line had plenty of volunteers handing out medals and water and was quite wide with plenty of room for runners to walk or greet friends and family on the sides. The medal design was similar to how I felt about the hats/visor---not bad, but not all that great either. The post-race food was good, with plenty of fruit, breakfast tacos, chik-fil-a, and chocolate milk. The post race is held at an ample park area next to the finish line, with plenty of room to relax and celebrate with friends and family.

Conclusion:
While I did enjoy doing this race again this year, in particular being able to PR, I am not sure I will run it again next year because I've already done it a few times and don't feel there isn't that much new or appealing with it anymore for me. That doesn't mean I wouldn't run it again or recommend it to someone else, because it is a nice event done professionally; it's just that I would probably run and experience other races and locations instead for the time being.