Overall: Absolutely loved this race! The North Face puts on an amazing event for runners of all skill levels!

T-Shirts/SWAG: All participants got a green tech shirt that was printed on site. All finishers got a medal that said what their distance was and which location you ran on the ribbon.

Aid Stations: For the half marathon, there were 4 aid stations; one of them you ran by twice. Each aid station had CLIF products (gel shots, bloks, and electrolyte hydration drink) as well as water. Volunteers were very helpful and enthusiastic!

Course Scenery: The course winds through Kettle Moraine State Park; a lot of the course is on the Ice Age Trail. There's a mix of single track, hills, equestrian trail, and hiking trail to keep the terrain interesting.

Expo: There wasn't an expo, but The North Face hosted a discussion panel with the race director and some of The North Face athletes on Friday evening, where participants could also pick up their shirts and bibs. Participants also got a 10% discount at the store that evening. The panel was very informative, with the moderator asking pointed questions to each athlete. The race director shared information about the course and what was in store for us. I think this was awesome, as it got us all so excited for the weekend ahead!

Elevation: Friends of mine ran the longer distances on Saturday and said that there were some rolling hills at the beginning. As someone who isn't used to a lot of elevation change, I found the amount of hills challenging, but in a good way. There were a lot of rocks and rough terrain, but as long as you're paying attention to where you're stepping, you will be fine.

Parking/Access: Parking is available all around Ottawa Lake. There are attendant to direct drivers on where to park. Normally, people pay to park but all participants got a little green piece of paper so that they didn't have to pay for parking. My husband and I paid for a yearly parking pass earlier in the summer, so we could park on Saturday (when we were cheering on our friends) free of charge. Entry and exit were very easy befpre/after the race.

Race Management: This is one of the most well-organized races I've been to. There were port-a-potties as well as brick and mortar bathrooms. The finish area had a lot going on for both participants and spectators - foam rolling/stretching area with chiropractic employees, ice baths, The North Face booth had games for kids, sock brand Repreve was giving away socks to participants and anyone who recycled a water bottle, Gore-Tex had a try-on tent and there was food available ($12) and a beer garden with Sierra Nevada beers (3 on tap to choose from). Fire pits sprinkled the area for people to keep warm and there was a results tent with laptops for runners to check their times. The shirt/bib pick-up tent had a printer who printed the shirts on site. The North Face also has online race guides for each distance with information on the course, aid stations, recommendations, and spectator information. The finish chute has lots of options for food/drink, which is awesome and a departure from the typical water and a banana.

I think this is a wonderful race and provides lots of fun for both runners and spectators. There's a kid's dash that happens a handful of times throughout the weekend and The North Face booth also had a game for kids to win prizes.