Expo/Packet Pick up: There expo was jam packed full of vendors with some pretty good deals on products. Packet Pick up itself was a super smooth process. I was there at about 6pm Friday night and there was no line at all!

T-shirts/SWAG: They provided gender specific short sleeve technical shirts for all participants. Minus the fact it was a burnt orange color (not my top choice for colors) it's a very nice v-neck shirt, that fits well. The medal was good size with the lift bridge in the background.

Parking: Parking for the expo on Friday was a bit of a cluster - as the 5k was going on that evening roads were closed off (we were given fair warning, but I couldn't make it there any earlier) There was no parking at the starting line of the race - only way to get there was via shuttle bus. My family found parking to be pretty easy near the finish line - they got there about an hour after the race started and said there was ample parking available, and then they walked to different spots on the course to cheer!

Course/Elevation: The course was awesome. It went along Scenic Highway 61 and into Duluth. There were some beautiful views of Lake Superior. Elevation wise - it was pretty flat with some nice rolling hills plus the infamous Lemon Drop Hill. Lemon drop is the steepest hill on the course, but its over fast (It wasn't ideal, but I'd heard so much about it, I was prepared for it. I can definitely see it being an issue if you're not trained running hills and the fact it comes in about mile 9 - mile 22 for the marathoners)

Aid Stations - There were aid stations every 2 miles until mile 6 - then there was one every mile. They had plenty of water and Powerade. Clif shots were provided at mile 7. They also provided cups of ice and cold wet sponges - which were life savers for the race since it was 85-90% humidity. The volunteers at every aid station were amazing!
There was TONS of support along the course from spectators, it was awesome! People set up their hoses in case you wanted to run to the side of the course and go through them to cool off. People were handing out bacon, fruit, and even shooters of beer and Fireball if you were so inclined. (I was really tempted to take some beer but decided against it.)

Overall: I would definitely run this race again. It was managed very well, and had some good SWAG. Not to mention I was able to PR! The process of getting your finisher's medal and t-shirt went very smooth. Bag pick up was a little bit of a cluster. Instead of waiting turns people were taking off their bibs and holding them up in the air until their bag was up. There was a hold up with some of the bag transportation, and not all bags were present right away (thankfully mine was there). Since there were so many people I missed the direct line to get the post-race snacks and had to do a full circle around the finishing area to find some chocolate milk and other snacks. All participants received a drink ticket for after the race - you could choose between Stella Cidre, craft beer, bud light, pop, or an energy drink.

Like I said - overall this was a great race! The weather decided not to be on our side with crazy humidity no cloud cover and just the tiniest breeze off the lake, but Grandma's didn't disappoint.

The Stillwater Half Marathon runs along the Gateway Trail, through Stillwater, ending in Pioneer Park.

Expo/Packet Pick up: There was no expo for this race. Packet pick up was at the Water Street Inn on Friday afternoon/Saturday morning. It was a very smooth process.

T-shirts/SWAG: They provided gender specific short sleeve technical shirts for all participants. (if you registered by a certain deadline, you could have your bib personalized) The medal was good sized! (also if you participate in their "Run Stillwater" Series, all 3 medals received connected via little magnets embedded on the sides)

Parking: Parking was easy as there is plenty of free parking in downtown Stillwater near packet pick up and the finish line.

Course/Elevation: All participants were bused to the start of the race, which took place on the Gateway Trail, a shared bike/running paved path. The path was tight at first, but spaced out pretty fast. Since the path was still open to bikers and other runners, be aware of your surroundings. There weren't too many bikers this year, but some of them seemed less than pleased that the path was filled with runners. (So again - be aware of your surroundings and make sure to share the trail!) . The course had a lot of tree cover, for the first 8 miles (which made my GPS act up a little - hitting mile markers about a tenth of a mile or so too soon) with rolling hills. The last few miles were run on the shoulder of Norell Ave (55) and then along side streets to the finish at Pioneer Park. If you've ever been to Stillwater, you know they are famous for their hills! The hills definitely made for a challenging course, especially towards the end. On the bright side, the last half-ish mile is downhill, which made for a nice finish!!
Stillwater Half also teamed up with MN Pacers this year - which was awesome! I'm pretty good at pacing myself usually, but this was a tough course and without the pacer there to keep my eye on my goal, I'm not sure I would have gotten a shiny new PR!!

Aid Stations - There were aid stations approximately every 2 miles on the course, which had plenty of volunteers helping out and cheering you on! They provided Gatorade and water at each.

Overall: I would run this race again. If you registered early, the race fee was $45 going to $65 on race day. It was managed well, and had some good SWAG. They offered all participants 21+ a free Coors Light afterwards, as well as discounted rates on the brunch and bloody bar served at The Water Street Inn. One more side note, with it being a smaller race there wasn't as much spectator support (although the spectators that were there were great!) Just another thing to consider if you're used to bigger races with tons of fans.

Expo/Packet Pick up: Great expo located in St. Paul. Plenty of ramp or on street parking available near by. There was a lot of vendors, and although it was busy, I didn't feel cramped, and could easily move about. Packet Pick up went very smooth.

T-shirts/SWAG: This year they had black long sleeve shirts for finishers. It did create a bit of a backup/bottle neck in the finisher's area, but I do like the fact you have to actually complete the race to get your t-shirt. (it felt more earned that way, vs. receiving at packet pick up.) At packet pickup racers also received a free running buff.

Parking: I was told ahead of time parking could be a pain, so I was able to convince my bf to drop me off near the start. He was then able to "chase" along the course and find a parking spot about a 1/2 mile away from the finish line. I know there are plenty of parking options, but it's definitely a good idea to carpool and get there early. They do also provide free green line light-rail passes to runners. (park at the start and get a ride back to your car from the finish area)

Course/Elevation: I thought this was a great course, with scenic views and great crowd support! There is one long hill starting around mile 4 going to mile 7 and then its flat with a great downhill to the finish line.

Aid Stations - Great aid stations/volunteers. They were located at miles 3, 4.5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, all of which had water and Powerade available, as well as port-a-potties.
After crossing the finish line, runners receive a Mylar blanket to keep warm. They also had water, chocolate milk, bananas, etc available.

Overall: The only negative I found was the start of the race - The corrals were nice, to space people out, but the first mile or two was still very bottle necked. There was a tunnel you had to go under that was more narrow than the course which made it worse. It took almost 2 miles to really be able to spread out and for me to be able to get on pace.
I would definitely run this race again. It was managed very well, had some decent SWAG, and the weather was perfect for racing! Oh, and you get a free beer at the end! :)
Since the 10 miler is such a popular race, sign up is a lottery system - unless you sign up for one of TCM's race series. I was signed up for the TC Summit Challenge, so I was guaranteed a spot.