Pros

Distance – a 15k is totally attainable for a half marathoner like me. It makes you do a fair amount of training that pushes you to run some longer runs on the weekend without totally exhausting you. Plus, it’s easier to PR on a distance that you rarely run.

Swag – loving my pullover.

Chocolate – everywhere. Pre-race, during the race, post-race. And the fondue is really, really good. I’m not usually a sucker for a gimmick, but…wait a minute. Yes, I am.

Parking/Access - You can take the Metrolink, but there ended up being plenty of parking spots north of Forest Park for those who want to drive. Also, I got picked up by my husband only a few blocks north of the park in a very convenient spot for both of us. I got to eat my chocolate while waiting for my ride. Not a bad gig.

Course - It has the right mix of hills and flats for those of you that like some variety. I prefer a flat course, so this wasn't my favorite, but since I knew the lay of the land, I knew where to expect hills and prepared accordingly in physical and mental effort.

Cons

Weather – it’s always in December, so you don’t know what you’re going to get. We had weather in the 20s but at least it was sunny. If it was in the 40s and rainy, it would have sucked even worse. I don’t mind running in the winter. I actually prefer it. But I don’t like waiting around to start with temperatures in the teens. Nope. Brrrr!

Scenery - I mean, it's Forest Park. If you don't live in StL, it will be something different. But if you do, you've run around this park a million times. Nothing wrong with it, just not that exciting.

More casual atmosphere – if you’re a serious runner and only like to do serious races, this isn’t for you. You can tell by how high I placed that the crowd at this race is not in it to win it. I’m not ever going to place in my age division and I’m not out to qualify for Boston (good thing, since this is only a 15k), so I don’t mind it that much, especially since I could start ahead of the more casual runners/walkers in the corral.

Plug and play atmosphere – you get the sense that they take this race on the road, and just use the same stuff in every town where they have this race. Which is what they do.

Final Verdict:

I will run this race again. They’re advertising that the prices start to go up in January(!), so I registered early to save a good $20 this time. There are really not a lot of other races going on around here at that point in the year that are longer than 5k, and, the training doesn’t totally wipe me out, so why not? My mom and kids told me they want to do the 5k next year. They’re some of “those people.” In it for the swag and the chocolate. At least maybe we can carpool.

Pros:

Mostly flat – pro for me, but I know some people (like my crazy husband) prefer hills
Accessible – parking was free, not too far away, and I didn’t get my car towed
A human dressed as a dancing cow– seen throughout various points of the course
Cowbell – and it was pink!
New Town – distracting by its quaint eeriness or eerie quaintness
Ring the bell photo op – if you PR—or just take your picture with an enormous cowbell, which is still fun

Cons:

Risky weather – could have been in the upper 70s in St. Charles this time of year, although we had absolutely perfect weather
Poorly designed starting corrals – can affect your starting mojo (or if you need something to slow you down your first few miles, this could be a pro, because some people come out of the gate way too fast)
Few spectators – if you’re an attention whore
Sketchy support with the water teams – potentially corrected next year and not a problem if you’re fast and get there before the water runs out!
Scenery – it’s mostly meh

Final verdict:

I would run the MO’ Cowbell again, especially as a St. Louis area resident looking for a fall half marathon. If you don’t feel like dressing up for the GO!’s Halloween race and you don’t particularly care for a different cover band playing subpar music at every mile a la Rock N’ Roll, this could be your fall staple. If you’re coming in from out of town, there is plenty to do in St. Louis that is free or super cheap; we are becoming a foodie mecca (for real!); and the race isn’t so crazy big that it’s intimidating. It feels like a hometown race done on a bigger scale but not too big.