If you're looking for a challenging race with breathtaking views of a fantastic city - this race is for you!

Kansas City Race Management doesn't lie when they say this city is hilly! HILLS....FOR....DAYS! Be prepared to test your leg muscles and your endurance! But, that finish line is just so much sweeter when you complete this race.

If you can conquer the hills you will not be disappointed with the gorgeous views - often running past historical buildings and beautiful museums. I made a mental list of places I wanted to visit after I finished!

The post race party was awesome! Live band, huge gong to hit to celebrate your race, bounce houses and games for the kids and FOOD! Did I say food?!?! I was extremely impressed with the post race spread of food. Racers had their choice of hot food including chicken sandwiches, BBQ pork and other race fair; including bananas and all the water you needed! Chik-fil-A was there handing out their famous chicken sandwiches as well!

There were not corral assignments for this race, but pace teams were lined up accordingly. There were plenty of porta-potties, and the lines did seem to move quickly. I didn't see many potties along the race but I do know they were there.

The aide stations were well-equipped with water and gatorade and there were also a few spots along the course with fuel as well. Spectators did a great job at all the aide stations to keep us motivated, but it wasn't super crowded with support along other areas of the course that were not near major intersections or aide stations.

I cannot comment on the parking as I stayed only one block from the start and finish lines! The Sheraton was attached to the Race Expo as well. I HIGHLY recommend this option for the convenience alone! Great location and reasonable hotel rates as well. The race starts at 7am, so there was NO problem enjoying the post-race celebration and still getting back in time to shower before hotel check-out. Book your stay early though, just in case.

I completed this half marathon as part of the I35 challenge series. The next day I traveled to Des Moines to complete another half marathon as part of the challenge. You earn the I35 challenge medal when you're complete. Great option and fun to knock out two different states in one weekend!

I would absolutely recommend this fantastic race!

You can tell right away that the race managers really know what they are doing with this race! Well organized, well hydrated, well fed... I could keep going... and I will.

I completed this half-marathon as part of the I35 challenge and would recommend it to anyone who asks. Great challenge with Kansas City first and finishing in Des Moines.

The expo was located right in downtown with ample free and easy parking. It is a smaller expo but I liked it's charm. I had the ability to move around as I pleased and was able to try lots of samples, which I liked. I also stayed at a hotel close to the start/finish line and the rates were very reasonable.

Race day parking was a cinch and FREE! Can't beat that, and there were potties in the parking lot so extra bonus! If you come a tad early, I don't believe you'd have any problem finding a great and close parking spot!

I really liked that runners were seeded corrals, it kept us a bit separate and not quite as crowded, but this race does draw crowds - over 8000 runners I was told. I ran this race in very dense foggy and wet conditions so it was difficult for me to comment on the course scenery - you do get some views of downtown and there is a lake that you run around with wide paths - I wish I could have seen the view. Silly mother nature.

The elevation difficulty was on the easy side. However, there is one very large incline between mile 10-11. One race volunteer described it as " a sleigh-ride through HELL". Be mentally prepared for that, but there is also a fantastic return down hill as you approach mile 12 with the final mile a slight decline as well!

The spectators and race entertainment were amazing! There was no shortage of spectators cheering and many were handing out their own goodies to help races along the way! I really appreciated the support, especially because I was running my back-to-back half marathons! The race course did change this year and I heard many comments that the course was better than in previous years.

The aid stations on this course were amazing! I wasn't paying too close of attention to what mile markers they were located, but they were plentiful with gatorade, water and GU. If you didn't want to, you would't need to run with any hydration as you shouldn't be thirsty after this run.

Let's talk about the post-race food! One word: AMAZING. Pizza, sandwiches, cookies, chips, bbq pork, chocolate milk - and I know much much more. Lines were not long and there is plenty of room to navigate through even with 8000 people running.

The medal is also great and it ranges in size depending on if you ran the 5K, half or marathon. The 3/4 zip technical shirt has a nice fit as well.

I would absolutely recommend this race!

Grandma's Marathon is one that most people have heard about. It's often described as a "bucket-list" marathon and usually does sell out. If you're considering this race - register early!

The race starts in Two Harbors and finishes at the historic Canal Park in Duluth, MN. It's a point to point course and is generally flat. There are a few hills scattered t/o with the famous "Lemon-Drop" hill at mile 22. The hill itself is not crazy steep, it's the fact that it falls at mile 22 of your race. If you can get to mile 22 you will be happy to see the downhill the rest of the race and through downtown Duluth.

Race management really has the organization of this race locked-up. Shuttles take runners to the race start from multiple locations and they will shuttle you back to you cars as well. Just make sure to read the marathon guide as all of that information is included!

Grandma's is known for spoiling their race participants. All of the aide stations were well managed and they were LONG. No shortage of Gatorade and water. I loved the icy-cold wet sponges and cups of ice! It was HOT, very HOT for the race this year and grandma's was prepared. Usually, the temps are much much cooler.

For the first 18 miles, the spectators are few - with the exception of the water stops. You do get a few nice views of the lake but if you're not looking you could miss some of it. The long stretch of road before you get to town has private homes. Most of whom are out supporting runners with their own aide stations. Many had garden hoses out and sprinklers.

The post race party is fantastic with many food options ( although I was too delerious to eat any of it ). Beer at the finish line with a live band.

The medal this year was amazing! It was the 40th year and the medal was the lift bridge - how iconic! I have heard word that there is a new art director - so the upcoming medals for years to come should be fantastic!

My one negative, and it's a fairly big negative is the lodging. You may have to auction off a small child - (OF COURSE I'M KIDDING!) - to afford the lodging. ALL of the hotels in and around Duluth REQUIRE a two night stay. This gets very spendy - reaching upwards of 500-600 dollars just for lodging. There are a few areas where you can find one night stays but they require you to drive into the city on race morning. I did this and it's not too bad - I just couldn't bring myself to spend the money on the hotels. Another option is to stay on campus in the dorms - less expensive but a two night stay is required and you have community bathrooms and showers. If you want to run Duluth - book your hotel early - some hotels book one year in advance!

Would I recommend this race! Absolutely! Spectators are EVERYWHERE from mile 20-26. Lots of fun to look at on the course and amazing encouragement from total strangers!

I will be running this race again in 2017. A little redemption is needed for my finish time. Let's hope for a tad cooler temperatures!

This was my first year running Lola's Half Marathon and it's 5th year of the race. Overall, for only 5 years of running this race, the organizers do a great job. If you want a challenge, fantastic post race food, and a GREAT big medal - this race is for you!

I'll start with my ONLY negative. Please please please get more porta-potties. They were severely lacking and it caused many many runners to not make the starting line. I'm estimating, but there were maybe only 30 total? 2000 runners between the Kids Fun Run, 5K, 10 mile and Half. I would say triple the amount is needed. I am aware that there may not be space, but this I feel for most runners is a huge problem. There is nothing worse than running with a full bladder. I only saw 2 porta-potties on the race course. There may have been more, I could have missed them. I had to stop back at the start ( which was about mile 3 ) to use the potties again.

There was no way I was waiting in line for the bathrooms before the race. People were commenting they had been waiting 40 minutes!! Instead, I found a local church where a few runners were "sneaking" in to go. Graciously, they opened their doors to hundreds of runners. THANK YOU for your kindness. I wish I knew which church this was but it was right next to the park where the race start was!

The race start was a tad chaotic. The 10 mile started 10 minutes before the half marathoners, so I think we all assumed that we started at the same place. Just another block over and we were all set.

The course is beautiful. Wonderful views of the lake for around 5 miles. We ran mostly paved roads, but there was a section of grass and about 1/2 mile of narrow trail. This part got a bit bottle-necked, but it gave a nice breather because your pace was forced to slow down as we ran single file for 4-5 minutes.

This course is hilly and they are NO JOKE. There are hills every mile. I don't remember how many hills exactly, but the hill at mile 5-6 and mile 10 were tall and steep. The rest were rolling and fairly short so you didn't exert too much energy. Mile 12.25 does bring you up a short but steep incline and that's always difficult when you're nearing the end.

The post race after party at Lola's Lake House Restaurant was great. They had a section for a BBQ pork sandwich or hamburger, a section for beer, and a section for soda and water! You just needed your ticket on your bib to get your food. The BBQ sandwich was HUGE and yummy. I loved the fact that it was actually a meal to eat. We were given chips as well. I grabbed a Coke and it was amazing. Fully - leaded sugary goodness. :)

Lola's is right on the lake so you can stroll the docks if you wish as well. It is a short 2 block walk from the finish line. At the finish there was water, pearsons nut rolls and bananas. The common post race essentials, but it appeared well stocked.

The MEDAL is amazing. Way to go Lola's. And the best part! Everyone gets a medal. The ribbon was a different color for every race distance. The t-shirt is technical and fits true to size. I liked the women's cut because it had a great curved edge at the bottom. Unfortunately, the color was a drab grey. Not the cutest in the world. Next year - maybe neon! :)

I will definitely be running again. On another note, the race wasn't terribly expensive. I'm not exactly sure what my registration fee was, but it was between $50-60.

This is a great race from start to finish! If you're looking for a beautiful point to point race with great cheer sections, easy transportation, great SWAG and post-race food, this IS your race!

I may be biased because this race is in my hometown of La Crosse, WI. But, I have ran many races and this small town race is a race you definately want to add to your bucket list.

This year, the expo was relocated to the Radisson Hotel. It was small, but well managed and easy-in, easy-out. A+ for the change in venue this year. Last year's expo was cluttered and a bit crazy. Fantastic job to the race management for figuring that out and moving it.

I have always been impressed by the medal and this year it didn't dissapoint! The unisex technical long sleeve shirt featured thumbholes and was adorable. It's one that will not just sit in my closet and I know that I will wear it a bunch!

I registered early January for this May race and the registration fee was just $40. I feel that is a fantastic price. However, the registration gets steep the longer you wait. I believe it caps out at around $80 the closer you get to registration and there is NO race day registration so if you're on the fence about this race, don't wait too long to register. Early on if you follow the events Facebook page you can score discounted race fees with coupon codes as well.

Parking to this race is FREE and is easy as pie! You park almost at the finish and shuttle buses transport you on about a 15 minute bus ride to the start on the top of Grandad Bluff.

The elevation difficulty is right in the middle. The first two miles are straight downhill. If you're like me, you'll feel those quads burning for days after. Once you are down the first 2 miles the course levels off with a few rolling hills and one larger hill at the 10K split. The course winds through residential and a short industrial area until the last mile runs along the river and finishes at Riverside Park. The park is gorgeous as it sits alongside the famous blue bridges that join MN and WI and the Mississippi River. The medal has always been designed around these two bridges.

The Aid Stations and cheering sections of this race are fantastic. They compete for prizes so they are very energetic and keep you motivated. Spectators on the course are moderate. Some areas have 50-100 people, other areas just a handful, but typically you won't go more than 1/2 mile without someone cheering for you. I had a ton of fun this year on the course dancing with people in banana costumes, doing the wave through people at one cheering section and even climbing on the hockey rinks snow pile they make just to throw snowballs! You won't be disappointed with the cheering sections.

Post race food is water, bananas and brats! And if you're 21 beer from the local brewery. The post race party is kid friendly as well with many inflatables. My kids had a blast!

Race Management gets an A+. I look forward to doing this race next year!