I really enjoyed this race (and not just because I rocked a PR and placed 3rd). This is a smaller race and I would not recommend it for a first timer unless you are running with a friend/family member. The race is held in the forest preserve so there isn't a lot of opportunity for crowd support. My other thoughts:

Pluses:
*The scenery was great and we were blessed with amazing weather.
*A lot of the race is on crushed limestone (much easier on the body).
*The shirt was a quarter zip long sleeve (love something other than tees).
*Plenty of room on the course to get in your own groove.
*More than enough potties at the start and the start was so close to the potties, no need to rush.

Deltas:
*Parking is offsite and you are bussed over. There is quite a bit of parking close but I assume they aren't able to coordinate with the preserve to allow runners to park (since it is normally $10 if you aren't from Lake County)
*I'd personally like to see a couple more aid stations, but given the cool temps it worked out.
*There were no course marshals (that I saw) which is kind of scary since there isn't much crowd support and the aid stations are spread out.
*Bummer on the finish line goodies (no gatorade)

This is a great race for a seasoned runner who enjoys a quiet, open race.

I successfully knocked off state #15 with this race. I definitely think I picked the right one to run in Iowa and would consider doing it again in conjunction with the I-35 Challenge.

Pros:
*The half marathon course is pretty flat (this is not the same for the marathon). Given good conditions a runner could certainly PR here.
*The aid stations, oh the aid stations. If you were thirsty, you were doing something wrong. I think there was an aid station every mile if not more frequently.
*There was GU twice, TWICE, I say on the half marathon course - say what?!?
*The swag this year (and seemed like in years prior) was a half zip. They made it unique to each race by putting the distance on the back. I liked that, even more so if I were running the 26.2
*Parking was plentiful and free within blocks of the start/finish line. Hotels were reasonably priced and ours was incredible accommodating of late check out. And if you couldn't get a late check-out, you could shower at the YMCA before heading home.
*Open corrals, no feeling like a heard of cattle here.
*The finish line goodies, OH MY! I wish I could add the smiley with hearts for eyes. I will miss something but I'm going to try.... bananas, strawberries, oranges, spoons of PB, yogurt, ice cream, chocolate milk, Qdoba chips and queso, Noodles mac & cheese, BBQ sliders, pizza slices, cookies... no bottles of Gatorade, but seriously the spread was great.
*Medal engraving for $10

My two better ifs:
*It was chilly, so heat sheets would have been a nice addition.
*Due to the setup, it wasn't clear (unless you had a map) where the gear check was located. You couldn't see it across the block.

One other thing to keep in mind, the race is pretty much an out and back. While super scenic around the lake and cool to see some of downtown you get the view twice in some parts. Also, the paths are a bit narrow around the lake. But I felt like the race was small enough I still had a good amount of running room.

Again, definitely recommend this for someone looking to check off Iowa and if you're looking for a double they offer the I-35 challenge combined with KC, MO.

Race assessment....

Pro's:
*Abundant pre-race communication
*Expo was easy to get to, free parking, and quick process
*Very cool finish area, you run down an airstrip lined with flags towards the hangars, then round to run through a few planes.
*Plenty of stocked aid stations (probably every 1.5 miles).
*Loved the swag (long sleeve tech tee)
*Good variation of post-run items (bagels, muffins, bananas, Jimmy John's, gatorade, protein drink, water...)
*Great opportunity to thank those serving our county

Cons:
*Not the most scenic and very little crowd support outside the aid stations
*It was cloudy on my race day, without the clouds there would have been a lot of exposure to the sun
*Suggested arrival time of 2 hours prior to race start is probably excessive. I was in the parking lot and parked within 20 minutes (hotel was 1.1 miles from one of the gates). Perhaps traffic backs up more closer to the half marathon start time
*Parking was in a grass lot. With storms moving in I kept hoping I would get out before it started raining!
*Parking was felt like it was about a mile from the start line

Other thoughts:
I didn't spend much time at the expo, rather used the time to go visit the USAF museum. I liked that this race gave me an opportunity to visit something I probably wouldn't specifically make a trip to visit.

We passed on the pasta dinner, there were plenty of restaurants within a 10 minute drive (including an Olive Garden if you are looking for pasta).

The cons didn't kill the race for me. I enjoyed the race, would recommend it to others, but probably would not make the drive to do it again myself.

This was my third year doing this race, first year going the expo, and first year running as a pacer.

Expo - There is only one day for packet pick-up, thankfully it is a weekend. I got there fairly early as I was helping out at the pacer table. Packet pick-up was divided by race; however, within the race there was no indication of where to line up for your bib. I of course went to someone several bins away from the bin that contained by bib. They scaled back on the goodie bag this year, only a t-shirt and your bib. No poster or pamphlets this year, they moved to the virtual goodie bag. The t-shirt is nice, I personally preferred the long sleeve offered last year. Packet pick-up and the start/finish are both at the iWireless so this is a great opportunity to know where you are going if you are from out of town.

Race day: I was there early (6:15 - race start 7:30) for the pace team picture. There was plenty of open parking when I arrived. All three years I've done the race we've been able to park in the main parking lot. The exit from IA does start to back up as it gets closer to the race time.

This is not a large race so they still use the open corral method. I agree with a prior review it does get a bit crowded and if you are near the back it is hard to hear the announcer. Unless you are an elite runner or manage to squeeze to the front, do not expect your first 1 - 2 miles to be quick. Between the normal start line shuffle and the tight course across the first bridge it is hard to get a solid pace. Shortly after mile 2 there is a decent hill followed by a few rolling hills. After about mile 5 the course is pretty flat. You will run on various terrains - gravel, paved road, bridge grates.

Do not come to this race expecting a ton of crowd support. There are certainly areas on the course that have a lot of spectators but there are also a lot of areas that do not. The views however are pretty amazing early in the morning running across and then along the Mississippi.

There were two areas where they were handing out Boom energy gels. I've never tried them so I took the ones I brought myself. I do think it would be helpful if there were a couple more aid stations, but I've been to races with fewer. I think this one the stations are about every 2 - 2.5 miles. It definitely gets warm if the sun is out, a number of uncovered areas.

The finish line is stocked... you should be able to find whatever your stomach needs for recovery! The medals are always quality, they do not skimp there.

Overall, I enjoy this race and keep coming back. I think it is generally well organized and ran. This year I watched the race director out near the finish line giving high fives to the half marathon finishers that were coming in post 3 hours.

I signed up for this race as a pacer for the 2:20 finish. As mentioned in other reviews, this is a decent trip from the city where I typically run.

Pros:
* I liked the crushed limestone path, it is a bit nicer on the joints.
* They offer day of packet pick-up (great if you aren't from the race area to get your packet at the expo)
* Quiet, scenic route, I found this to be a nice change to the bustling lake front path in the city.
* Small race, I like the more laid back nature of smaller races. Lining up 5 minutes before the race is much preferable to lining up 20 minutes before the race.

Cons:
* Parking is limited. I arrived shortly before 7am so I was able to secure a spot near the start/finish. They do offer nearby offsite parking w/ a shuttle.
* I wasn't a fan of the 1/4 mile start in the grass as it was a wet.
* The course could get HOT if the weather doesn't cooperate. There are long stretches that are exposed to the sun.
* There were fewer water stops than I would prefer. It was acceptable given the weather was low 60's but if it got warmer I could see that being a real struggle for runners.

I'd recommend the race to anyone that lives in the Western Suburbs and is looking for a smaller race. I do recommend bringing your own water if the temperature is supposed to be much over 70.