There was a lot I loved about this race, the wave start, the plethora of aid stations with Gu and Gatorade/water, etc. The first 9 Miles or so was awesome, nice scenery, rolling (but not too challenging) hills. I loved running on the bike path. But once we got into Iowa City/Coralville we were running on sidewalks and that’s unacceptable for a major event. It’s dangerous for one, it forces people to pass in the grass and in the street. It’s also a legal nightmare, if someone tripped on a heaved sidewalk they could end up suing a homeowner who just happened to live along the route. To make matters worse, they released the 5K runners so late that the 5K walkers were finishing at the same time the serious to somewhat serious marathoners and half marathoners were finishing so they had to dodge the walkers on 4 foot wide sidewalks.
This has a potential to be a great regional event, but they have to close some streets or adjust the route.