This was my first race over 5k, so I attended the expo to get the lay of the land before the actual race. Getting to the actual expo was a little bit of a mess, because the signs were confusing and there was little to no parking left when I go to the campus. However, the expo itself was very organized as far as pickup for packets. With my friend's ID, I had no problem picking up her packet and mine, then went on my way to the vendors. There were multiple health/fitness vendors with small samples and a shop to buy race souvenirs. Due to the $50 cost, I was a little disappointed with the fact that the goodie bag was made up of only a pint glass, race program and a few small other samples.

On race day, my friend and I were running late but luckily had a driver who dropped us off at the starting line. He was able to park close to the finish line, which worked out well for us in the end. We were near the beginning of the pack for the start of the race. The excitement at the start continued through the whole race. The best way to describe the crowd support was that I was running a parade the entire time, with an audience to watch and cheer us on. This was especially encouraging for this being my first long race. There were many official water stations throughout the race, which were necessary due to the heat. There were even popsicles at one point and a couple of the fire stations had hoses to run through.

The difficulty of the course wasn't terrible overall. There were two major hills - one in the beginning at one at mile 6. The one in the beginning was steep but with the beginning of the race momentum, it wasn't too bad. The one at mile 6 was more gradual and not as difficult.

At each mile marker, there was a large lit-up sign letting you know your official time, which was helpful for those who were pacing (I was just trying to finish!). At the end, there is a large finish line and you are handed a finisher pin, then corralled into the after party, where everything from chocolate milk to popsicles, fruit and the free Saranac Beer. Once winners were announced, a band played and runners were encouraged to stay and hang out.

Overall, a great first experience for a long race and for the Boilermaker! Enjoyed the crowds cheering people on and the hype surrounding the event from the day before at the expo all the way to the post-race party. I will definitely be there again next year!