This race is brutal with swamps, tough hills and river crossings, not to mention you will almost certainly end up with poison ivy. However, it is beautiful and extremely well organized, so it is absolutely worth it for the bragging rights.
If you'd like an account of my full experience you can find it here: https://www.facebook.com/thiswaythru

This was my 2nd year and my husband's first doing the CLE Half and we are already signed up for next year we love it so much! We did the costume thing (Brownie the Elf and Manziel Money) this year and the response from the other runners and the spectators made it extra fun.

The course is easy and unless you live in Northern Ohio, ChicagoLand or somewhere just as flat, it is NOT hilly. The areas along the Lake are the prettiest. I wish they would have us run along it longer. I also kinda missed not starting by the stadium this year and watching the sunrise over the Lake before the start, but the course changes were largely for the best. I loved the new location of the finish and after party. However, gear check was in a confusing location and the starting line was chaotic with spectators blocking the route to our corral. I do not think the course was overcrowded though.

While there are areas with few to no spectators, you never go far without crowd support, and the aide stations are run well with helpful, encouraging volunteers. The best is the food at the finish line! I LOVE the real fruit popsicles and they have many other quality snacks to choose from. I think they even do better than Chicago on this. The after party is fun too, especially after picking up all the fallen beer tickets along the course!

I definitely recommend this race.

I loved the race this year and I'm already signed up for next year! It sold out within hours, but it has a good transfer policy, so you can get on the wait list with a good chance to get in.

It is truly beautiful--probably the most beautiful I've experienced to date--and it has the best RD and volunteers! I became lost adding 4+ miles and significant time to my run causing me to come in last well behind the other runners. Even with the generous cut-off time, I expected to be forgotten, but the volunteers kept the aide stations open and the RD made sure to greet me at the end and give me the finisher's buckle.

It is a challenging course as it is hilly (the famous hill is named Big A$$ Hill but there are many more) and has several stream crossings knee or so deep. Some years there is even a deeper river crossing with a rope to hang onto, but the RD made a game day decision to reroute us this year because of especially high waters and rough current.

But FTPR is not so challenging you can't enjoy the view. I really can't say enough about the scenery. The trees, hills and rivers are idyllic. There are romantic covered bridges, an old church and waterfalls. Other points of interest are the fire tower and vertical ladder of roots you must climb. The only part I didn't like was that the mud was ankle deep through much of the course this year because of the earlier rains, but I say that with a chuckle because it's part of trail racing. In other words, I loved it all.

A must do...if you can get in.

This was my first 50K (31 miles) and it was perfect for a first-timer at this distance. (There is also a "fun run" of approximately 10 miles which is great for those who want to experience the trails but not go as far.) It is a well-run event with a laid-back atmosphere and gorgeous Midwestern course of woods, lakes, streams and gentle hills.

As with most trail races, there are few if any spectators along the course, but the beauty of being surrounded by nature and the camaraderie and support from other runners more than makes up for it.

The course footing is dirt and not super technical, but those who are used to road running have to realize they are running a trail race. There are rocks & roots, 2 stream crossings and there can be slippery mud. In extreme years, I've heard there can be deep snow and one year there was major flooding, but the experiences and stories are epic and that is part of the allure.

This is a popular race with many returning runners each year and I know why. I enjoyed every step and am glad it was my first ultra!

The Chicago Marathon is a great experience from start to finish! This was my first marathon and I was a charity runner.

Chicago is a World Major marathon and it shows in the race management. I am still amazed at how smoothly everything ran with how many runners and fans are there. The shuttles to the Expo were uber convenient and ran so often there was virtually no wait for one. At the Expo, I literally walked right up to the table to get my packet, and although there were many people there, I never felt crowded.

As good as the expo was, the race was even better. It is hard not to love Chicago and the views of the city skyline are beautiful for an urban landscape. It is nearly impossible not to enjoy yourself even if you are hurting & tired because of the excitement & support you feel from the millions of well-caffeinated :) fans and volunteers along the course.

BONUS #1: It is a great race for runners but it is also great for family/friends of runners! My husband and brother were able to see me at 3 different points along the course because the "EL" makes it so easy for spectators to get around.

BONUS #2: You can make the race into a true runcation with all the there is to do in Chicago.

If I had any criticism, it would be that I had wished the course ran along the gem known as The Great Lake Michigan at some point, but overall, it exceeded my expectations and hopes for a first-time experience!