Latest reviews by Brandy Talamoni

(2020)
"Great race "
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management

It was very well organized. Typically with first year races they are all over the place but this race was point!

Expo: there wasn’t one there was packet pick up at a fleet feet location or you could pick up your stuff race morning.

Transportion : I took the blue line then caught a train from millennium station.

Swag: I’m not a big cotton t shirt person but it was cute.

Deificulty.: I wouldn’t say it was hard there was chapter and cement throughout the course.

Scenery: the first part of the race was in this cement like room, it was boring, the rest room you through the auto show and you got to see everything.

10/10 would recommend and hope to be back next year!

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(2019)
"It was a fun race "
Overall
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Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
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It was a fun race but it was super cold that day. This was my first race since moving back stateside. I signed up for the 15k. I never thought to eat candy during a race lol. I think that was in the beginning. The cheering kinda goes down when the 5k and 15k split off but it wasn’t a big deal. Plenty of hydration through out the course. The swag was awesome. I wear my zip up hoodie all the time for runs. The expo was nice too and we got to taste some of the goodies that would be in the finished mug. Only thing I didn’t like was if you are a slower runner by the time you finished and got to the finished mugs they had ran out of chocolate fondue. So more motivation to finish quicker next time. The medal was nice but if I’m right only the 15k gets medals. It looks like a candy bar had a bite taken out!

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(2019)
"Great race "
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management

This was my second time running this race so bare with me as I talk about the race some!

Expo! The expo had a ton of vendors and was very easy to get to as well. It was held at McCormick place, you walked up and was assigned a bib number as soon as they scanned you QR code, after that you went and received your jacket. Also to note you could’ve had packet pick up. I took a train down for the expo so I can’t help with the parking.

Race!
Only thing I am irritated with is being a slower runner is being placed in a corral where it’s nothing but walkers. From the start there were people walking. I feel like if people are going to walk at the start they should have a option and make a corral just for them so runners can’t get out and not have to swerve around them! Other than that I had a fun race! They had chocolate around mile 1.5 and plenty of nuun throughout the course! They also had marshmallows around mile 7 ish I think! I don’t really eat a lot of sweets one runs. Packet pick up went very well for drop off and pick up

Post race!
They had plenty of goodies after and plenty of lines to go to to get more! Last year they ran out of fondue when i finished but this year they had plenty. I know I’m a run walker but it’s discouraging to start a race and be behind a Row of walkers.

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(2019)
"Fast course "
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management

This was my first marathon so I’ll try my best to give the best details as I’m a back of packer,
Expo
The expo was held in the convention center, we stayed at the staybridge hotel and suites so it was about a .5 mile walk, it was fast they had everything lined up in numerical order and you received your shirt. I get the shirt is suppose to resemble the Indianapolis flag but honestly that was such a strange design.
Race day
Race day they had the convention center open again for runners to hang out in till they started.

The course was nice and flat, the app did track me a little ahead for a bit.

There’s not a lot of crowds between mile 18-21 which my friend had warned me before thankfully. They did have some trivia out at like 19. Also during mile 19 there’s a big down hill prepare yourself it hurts a bit.

There were plenty of water stations but a lot of them ran out of Gatorade by the time I passed or bananas.

Plenty of heats sheets and beanies when I finished! In all it was a great first marathon. Some things with the water stations could be better as a back of packer but over all happy

My friend and I had witnessed a wreck maybe more road guards in the busier streets! It was pretty scary to be right next to one.

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(2019)
"Loved the race just a little improvement for next year "
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management

Okay so the expo went very well, we picked out packets up at the Roosevelt collections and the day I went they had out everything in one of the parking decks because it was super rainy that day! Thank goodness. Expo had quite a few different vendors.

Race day: they had free shuttles but I didn’t sign up in time for that so I went and got on one of the train to get off at 63rd street. It was pouring down rain. When I went over to drop my bag off for gear check there was only one volunteer back there. A few runners went back there to help her grab bags and place them on the racks but it definitely took a long time for gear check. Also after the race gear check did have volunteers finally but it still took a while as most of the bags were spread out everywhere. I hope next year there is a better system in place for it! As well as signs, i had no idea where gear check was arriving to the park.

Aid stations. There were aid stations all over the course as well as gels at around mile 9 I think! Plenty of water and Gatorade and I am so thankful for all the volunteers that stood in the rain to cheer us on and hand out water and such.

Scenery: I’m not one to really pay attention to it but it was cloudy, I imagine if it wasn’t you would’ve been able to see the skyline, we did run beside Lake Michigan at one point.

Finish line: there were a ton of people standing there vs moving along, it took a minute to figure out where the medals were and eventually someone walked up to me with a box and handed me one in plastic still. Maybe we can urge people to move away from the finish line next year to keep it clear like most races do! We had a beer ticket as well as a slice of pizza ticket, I didn’t see the beer tent but I was super tired and just wanted to grab food and dip out.

Overall: I loved this race, a little room for improvement for next year, but overall I loved the race, the swag and most of all I love my medal!

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