I trained for this marathon with lofty BQ goals, after getting injured a couple months prior to the race I was really bummed about letting go of those. However, the course was awesome, the crowd was epic and regardless of goal times, this was one of my favorite races.

I read a review on the course before I ran it that read something like: the first half of the course is super fast, around miles 14-16 the crowds thin out and the reality of the amount of work left to do sets in. I'd say this is pretty accurate. There were a few miles the city skyline completely disappeared and the finish line seemed impossibly far away. But there really wasn't any point on the course where there wasn't anyone cheering or encouraging you to keep on powering through.

Really dug the mostly flat course, although the last little incline (I'll call it a mountain in context of sitting at mile 25.something) was rude... I'd recommend mentally preparing yourself for that one in advance.

Only complaint is the finisher's shirt seemed like an after thought. Ploy on Nike's part to get you to buy the $45 alternatives?

In a nutshell: awesome race, and absolutely worth every painful step down the stairs the next day.

The course- If you're looking for a half marathon that runs through the streets of Boston- this is the race for you. It's pretty awesome running through downtown Boston from the Seaport area, to across the river through Cambridge. You get both the downtown vibes, and the beautiful Boston skyline from the Charles. One of the coolest parts of this race was the police/first responders lining the street by the river. Great patriotic vibe for a Memorial Day weekend race.

Getting there- This is a task. The race starts pretty early, earlier than train that would normally take you right to the start is open. So if you're taking the train there, plan on taking the first train of the morning and walking over a mile to the start line. If you're driving (which I did last year)... make sure you get there early to find parking and expect to pay upwards of $20.

T-shirts/swag- These are the worst. Both years I ran it they were white and cotton. Not a huge fan, and surprising for a big city race.

This is a pretty no frills, small town race. Lots of rolling hills. There are some pretty areas, like the airline trail section, or the rolling hills through farmlandish areas in Mansfield. The majority of it running through Willimantic, wasn't the most picturesque. The course wasn't well marked, and half of the time I wasn't even sure if I was still running in the right direction. Traffic also wasn't closed off either and there really weren't enough volunteers to make sure motorists were aware a race was going on and to watch out for runners. I had a few close calls and had to stop running and wait for cars to cross on several occasions.

The weather was awful this year for this race, cold and rainy... not bad to run in but awful for the post race after party which is arguably the best part. There was a craft beer festival right by the finish line, and the race bib came with 4 drink tickets! Amazing.

My advice: If you're in the Willimantic area and feel like doing a long run with rolling hills, a few water stops, not a lot of people and a bunch of beer at the end, go for it. If you're looking for a race with an expo, all of the amenities, a bunch of swag etc... this race isn't going to be for you.

My favorite Thanksgiving tradition!!

I'd say it's a pretty no frills race, you have to buy a tshirt if you want one and there's no water stations (although, there's almost always people lining the streets offering jello shots and champagne). If you want to run this race at a decent pace, you definitely need to get seeded in the first couple corrals. Otherwise, good luck passing people, it gets insanely crowded.

Highlight of the race this year was seeing Amby Burfoot running!

Always lots of people dressed up in costumes, just generally a really fun race and good vibes. Make sure you get there early for parking though, as the lots fill up and roads close super early.