Coming from flat Texas, I understood pretty quickly that when people up north say "rolling hills" , it means that the course is definitely not flat! Lol!
You run the first part in the most historic part of the city, it's flat and it just flies by.
Second part, not so much!
I had bad weather and no many people were around so I can't really say anything about the crowd.
I wouldn't have mind more bathrooms along the course, I wasted almost ten minutes waiting in line! I was lucky enough to win a VIP entrance, so the after party with massage and changing tent was a very nice treat.
Expo is nice, but I have seen better ones.

I ran this race twice (three considering the virtual experience) and it's not my gem.
I was expecting to run part of the actual Boston Marathon, instead takes place completely elsewhere.
There is no expo (pretty disappointing) and the after party is minimal.
The course is definitely hilly and to get to the finish line you pass the starting line and you still have to run a bit because the race actually finishes inside the Stadium.
Tshirt and medal are nice, even though the tshirt doesn't have the best fit.
I would recommend this race only if you are local.
If you sign up for the Medley (5k, 10k, and half) you get a fourth medal at the end of the Half and easier access to the porta potties.
I don't think I will run it again.

This is my favorite 5k ever!
It's run the Saturday before the Marathon and you can feel the excitement all around Boston!!!
It starts and ends in the Boston Common. The course is super flat and fast, and the best part is crossing the Boston Marathon Finish Line in Boylston Ave.!
The race sells out pretty fast.
The Expo is great because is the same as the Marathon Expo.
I HIGLY recommend this race!!

When I ran this race it was pretty cold and the wait to the start was kind of long.
The scenery is impressive because you get to see the NYC skyline, you run in Time Square, and finish in Central Park.
I was expecting much more cheering (maybe it was too cold?) and some area were forbidden for security.
No pre or after party, they give you a bag with food and drinks, your medal, and you just walk away.
Expo is very minimal.
Overall it's not a very hard course, hilly because of a couple of bridges and Central Park hill.

The Houston Half Marathon is a flat and fast race. It's been run the same day as the marathon, so there are a lot of people cheering around the entire course. You run in city so there isn't really much to see, but people makes it fun!
The Expo is pretty big and there are a variety of brands participating.
The after party is nice and warm. There are table to sit down and enjoy your food/drink while chatting with your follow runners, much better than after parties in the North East!