This was my first (and probably only) marathon, and I could not have asked for a better experience! Everything from the organization to the course to the crowd to the enthusiasm at the aid stations is top notch! I also had the added pleasure of running for a charity so I had fantastic coaching along the way. I finished the race after the main finish line was closed, but the people working the mini version of the finish line were the best cheerleaders, giving me high fives and cheering for me as they saw me approaching. I look back on that whole race and can't believe it's real! If you're going to run a marathon, this is the one to do!

This race benefits the Channahon School District 17 music boosters program. It is a small race but a really nice race! It is well organized -- pre-registering gets you a great hoodie! The course is run mostly though the local forest preserve so the scenery is magnificent! It is friendly to runners, walkers, families, and strollers, but the crowd is never so big that it gets hazardous running with walkers and strollers. Students run the water stations, and near the end of the race, the junior high pep band plays music as you run past. It's just a fun local race!

The Chicago Half Marathon was my first long distance race, and it is a great race for anyone taking their first steps into a long race! The start line is well organized and it is a ton of fun being able to run on Lake Shore Drive! It's also a nice flat course! It's a big enough race to be excited but small enough to not feel lost in a crowd.