If I hadn't run Paris, this would easily be my favorite marathon.

The expo was a bit crammed...there was a bottleneck and was hard to get through since it was both the entry and exit.
The race itself was great. I love hills and the continuous rolling hills were just what my legs wanted. It was foggy and cold-ish when we started (45-50F) and it took me a long time to warm up. The fog didn't really disappear, which was fine since I've heard all you're looking at is the finish line miles and miles away. Aid stations were marked really well (and very organized), which gave me plenty of time to figure out where to be on the course and take a gel if I needed it. The hill at 22 was nothing special, but if you aren't used to hills I could see how that might be an unwelcome surprise. The last mile was a little frustrating because you kept turning and turning and expecting to see the finish line, which eventually appeared out of the fog.
The finish line itself was good, maybe a little confusing, but who isn't slightly confused and light-headed after a marathon? I really enjoyed the ice cream sandwiches they were giving out :)

I stayed at St Scholastica dorms and would definitely do that again. They had coffee in the morning and transportation (school buses) to the start, which arrived with more than enough time to spare.

Overall nothing but positives for this race. It was everything I want out of a course with ample support, other runners, and crowds, but you don't feel like a sardine.

Personal allergies aside, this race was great. Let me correct myself. This race weekend and whole experience was fantastic.

Pre-race wait in Athlete's Village can be a little long, but there are plenty of porta potties and other goodies (bagels, yogurt, coffee, gatorade, Power Bar) to keep you going.

The start line is unlike any other world major/huge marathon. You aren't kept in pens, which is awesome. It's more of a rolling start and you just keep walking until you get to the sensors on the ground with the start clock hanging out. It's not ostentatious or ridiculous like the pens at Chicago, where you can get locked out of your start. Head's up though, some people thought it would be a good idea to RUN to the start...not sure why you'd run to the start of a marathon since your time doesn't start until you cross the start timer. But anyway.

The race is nuts. It is 16 miles of downhill at the beginning. And it can be miserable. But the crowds are everywhere. There are no dead zones. There were kids with orange slices, freeze pops, ice, sponges, etc. throughout. **Write your name on your bib or your arms if you want personalized cheering. I can't count how many people called my name out when I was running.

The uphills aren't nearly as terrible as everyone makes them out. Heartbreak wasn't much of a monster, but if you don't train on hills I could see how it would be a challenge.

The finish is cool with the grandstands and the volunteers are experienced. I want to volunteer one year to give back and help create the atmosphere I enjoyed so much.

This was my first experience with the hills of Cary, IL. The course is great if you're looking for a hilly half a few weeks out from Boston or any other spring marathon.

Parking was great, got to the Cary Grove High School at around 7:15 and there were still spots close by. Everyone was in the high school before the race started, since it was freezing and windy. There was a packet pick-up option race day morning, which is great for us city dwellers. It was super quick and everyone was really friendly. I didn't use gear check, but it looked organized and well-,managed.
Indoor bathrooms were crowded, but I think that goes without saying on a cold day when runners don't want to poop outside in porta-potties.

The race is not chip-timed, so keep that in mind when you're deciding where to start the race in relation to the start line. The aid stations were good, offered Gatorade and water. The volunteers were helpful in making sure that you knew which liquid was in which cup. Finish line wasn't anything fancy, it reminded me of a cross country meet :)

The course is hilly and the crowd is faster than most races. I loved the hills. It was a great chance to figure out where I stand in my training and run a race without all the extra frivolous frills and fluffy crap. I'd call it a runner's race. Will be doing it next year and waking up at 5am to make sure I get in!

Quick sidenote: The shirt was pretty crappy this year. It was the only thing I was disappointed in since they've had hoodies in previous years.