Course Lay-Out
The race is simple and low-key. There was an aid station set up right next to the parking lot, which was nice, so it provided easy access. There were at least four different spots to hit the bathrooms. I preferred the one at the top of the hill past the aid station. It was the closest to the course. All the bathrooms were nearby, but I opted for the one that allowed me to jump on and off the course quickly.
The course is a 1.03 mile loop made of asphalt. It’s not “flat as a pancake,” as some would believe; however, there aren’t any real hills either. I’d say there are inclines and declines, which you’ll definitely feel after hitting your tenth loop or so. 😛 As a friend mentioned before, I prefer those changes in elevation, as running on a completely flat surface is mentally exhausting for me. The fact that I get to use a variety of muscle groups makes the run that much more enjoyable! :)

Volunteers and Runners
The volunteers were awesome, as were the runners! Everyone encouraged and motivated each other. It’s like running with a pack of cheerleaders! When I arrived that morning, I had no clue who anybody was. I left that day with an awesome group of friends, and I hope I run into them…literally, very soon! Seriously, you won’t feel like a stranger at this race. :) I even had one lady offer up her aid station to me, when I told her I had left my stash at home. She’s training for a 100 miler and had her crew out with her that day. I didn’t have to use it, but it was very cool of her to offer it!

Since the 12-hour runners were mixed in with the 6-hour runners, there were camping chairs set out everywhere, and several runners set up their own aid stations. I brought a little, handheld cooler with just the bare necessities, as I figured I’d just grab the traditional ultrarunner fare offered at most race. :)

Aid Station
Speaking of aid stations, the race had a nice spread set up for runners with a variety of items from which to choose. Later in the day, there were grilled cheese sandwiches and pizza as well. It wasn’t crazy, and it had exactly what most ultrarunners would expect to see at an aid station. :) I pretty much munched on the m&ms, almond butter roll-ups, and a cookie or two.

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END
I ran at a slow, comfortable pace the entire time. There was a time or two where I could feel fatigue coming on, and I knew I needed extra calories. Sure enough, shortly after taking an extra Hammer gel or grabbing a handful of m&ms, I could feel my stamina return. The same went with hydration. I always swell a bit during long runs, even before pregnancy; however, I pay particular attention to it for now. Whenever I felt the swelling was in excess, I pushed in more of my Hammer Endurolyte mix. Sure enough, within a few minutes, the swelling tapered off. I spent the race constantly assessing both situations, kind of like a balancing act. I managed to do so, although I now know that I need to add two tablets into my water versus one. I always err on the side of less is more. Put too little in, and you can still fill up the tank, if you listen to your body early on in the race. Put too much in, and well…you’re screwed. SOL, as some might say, with a high possibility of bonking. It’s hard to undo “too much.”
I hit a small wall around mile 23, which again, was due to needing extra calories. Once I filled up the tank, I was rearing to go again! I ran my final loop for 26.8 miles in 5:55, five minutes shy of the 6-hour mark. IT. WAS. AWESOME!

You know the crowd is great, when you actually hang around for a while after the race, which is exactly what I did. I spent a solid thirty minutes or more just chit-chatting with Lia and her family and other runners from the course.

THE VERDICT
Will I run this race again next year? ABSOLUTELY! My only decision is whether I’ll choose from the 6-hour or go with the 12-hour. :)