I’m a big fan of Hershey Park, so I jumped at the chance to run an October Half in the Park. The registration fee includes two tickets to the Park, so i enjoyed the Park Saturday after packet pickup and Sunday after the race.

Registration and pre-race communication was clear and concise. I knew exactly what to expect.

I got to packet pickup at the stadium as soon as it opened on Saturday morning. Line moved quickly with no apparent issues. Expo was small but adequate. Tees are high-quality, technical, and gender-specific. Apparently the women’s shirts ran small this year, but my large men’s tee shirt was true to size. The reusable tote was race and year specific. Nice momento.

There are several hotels nearby at various rates and levels of comfort. I chose the Holiday Inn Express. Perhaps a tad more expensive, but very close and well-appointed.

Race morning was fun and drama-free. The race starts at 7:30, so I arrived an hour earlier. Plenty of free parking near the start (no fee collectors on duty at that hour) and a line of portable toilets. (There are also flushing toilets in the stadium.) Clear announcements, music and photo-ops with Hershey characters. Race started on-time.

Course is fun, especially running through the Park. It’s a bit challenging with several hills, but it’s not difficult. Highlights include students from the school and the chocolate at mile 11.5. There are enough water/Gatorade stations, but no gel. Bring your own. Orange cones are labeled every tenth of a mile. Nice way to count up the miles.

Finish line is inside the stadium. Medals change every year. This year it was a big a-s Hershey Bar. The souvenir lunch tote had snacks. I heard someone complain that bottled water was too far from the finish line, but I wasn’t bothered by its location. However, this was an unusually warm day for the race.

Baggage pickup line started to get long at around the 2:00:00 clock. I didn’t bother since my car was so close. I did partake in the showers. Nice touch. They’re old open showers in the stadium, but they saved me from going back to the hotel to shower. Once you leave the parking lot, you’ll pay to park upon returning. I waited around the entrance to the park before it opened so I could get on some of the roller coasters hassle-free.

Overall, I thought it was a great organized race at a terrific amusement park. I’ll definitely do it again.