I have run every year. My first 2 years were the half marathon, but the last 4 years, I have done the full. There aren't many full marathons in Central Florida that are reasonably priced and I really, really love this race. The race is put on by runners for runners. A lot of people would probably complain about the weather but there is nothing that a race director can do to control the weather so this year, they offered runners the opportunity to exchange their bibs at the expo for a medal and then they could run it virtually. (whether they did or not is up to them. I hope that they did the right thing.)
This race is a fundraiser above all so once they allocate funds, they have to follow through with their obligations. The also allowed full marathoners the option to split off on the half on race day - all they had to do was go to the table at the finish line to confirm that they chose the half instead.

EXPO and SWAG
The expo was well-organized. Packet-pick-up is easy. They ask you to find your number before you come to the expo, but they had printed copies on-hand, for those who forgot. As usual, they allowed runners to transfer their bibs to others at packet-pick-up. (I think that they allow this because runners are going to do this anyway- but at least this way, they are covered insurance-wise and the runner can actually get credit for the run. Imagine BQ-ing but it was under someone else's name.)

SWAG
This year, we received:
• a nice comfy tee (not a tee for running but I never wear the race shirts unless they are "lounge around the house" material anyway)
• an insulated lunch bag that was a surprisingly-nice quality and was taller than wide (which I like because I can stand my bottles up) I also like that it is just the right size to fit my meal-prep containers.
• our choice of a really nice lightweight running hat with a sweet, elastic "cinch-tie" on it (I have long hair and a ponytail, so hook-and-loop (Velcro) closures are not my friends) or a wide-band elastic-fit visor. Both options had a custom-print that matched the lanyard. The theme/icon this year was the clock so the print was a bunch of gears. These hats came in handy with rain the next day.
• a heavy-duty bottle-opener with the race logo and water tower icon on it.

RACE DAY
I always get there as early as possible. I arrived at 5:30 a.m. and got a really nice spot. Since most of my friends run the half, I drove separately so they would not have to wait for me. The lines at the port-o-potties were short as most people were trying to stay out of the rain. The course is the same as every year and with the rain there were fewer spectators than usual but those who came out offered good support. I thought that the race felt a little "thin" on the first loop but when the half-marathoners broke away, it was flat-out lonely. Since I wasn't going for time, I stopped at aid stations to dry my legs and re-apply Vaseline, I talked to the volunteers, and helped a fellow runner tie his shoes because I had already seen him stop twice to do it. He said that his fingers were too cold. :(
The boardwalks are my favorite part of the course. A lot of people still think back to the first year when they were slippery but EVERY YEAR since then, the boardwalks have been power-washed before the race. This year, with the rain....oh! It sounded so peaceful. It was perfect.
My worst part of this race is mile 17. It's just a very long stretch of road with not a whole lot to look at and the band was tuning their instruments when I passed. I wouldn't have cared if they were out of tune at that point. All I could hear was rain and splashing so a little music would have livened it up. But then- a passerby said "Mile 21 is right ahead" and I thought, "wow! I've been grumbling about mile 17 for 4 miles?! Hooray!" By that time, I was back on the boardwalks and back in love with the course.
The course marshals did their job - they were at every turn pointing us in the right direction and I give them credit for standing out in the rain as long as they did.
The aid stations and water stations were well-stocked and - I was actually very surprised by the enthusiasm of the younger volunteers this year. They helped keep me motivated so "thanks, volunteers!" I was seeking Tylenol/acetaminophen, Advil/ibuprofen (something like that) at 17 and the aid stations only had bandages, Vaseline, and biofreeze (topical stuff). There may be insurance issues with that, but I made a note for next year to bring some with me.
The course itself is FLAT. FLAT FLAT FLAT... to the point where it almost feels like you are running downhill. I prefer a few hills here and there, but I do this race every year because:
(1) The race directors are awesome and so flexible for their participants
(2) The finish line area is amazing. Hot food, hot coffee, fresh pancakes off the griddle, massages, (this year, even a wedding). Oh--- that chicken and rice dish. Mwah! Amazing. nomnomnom So good.
(3) they have great S.W.A.G. It's usually one big SWAG item, but I liked getting multiple items this year.

I'll be back next year. I hope we have more marathoners so my 2nd loop is a little more lively this year. ☺