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Registration was super easy. Once you are registered communication comes almost weekly with training plan info and race day information. The expo was easy to get to via public transportation or ride sharing services. They had parking onsite but it was $$. The expo had some new vendors this year which I really enjoyed. It is a mid sized expo but never disappoints in the samples and new products. I also got to meet the Kathrine Switzer!
Race day starts early and is easy to navigate via public transportation. Parking is available but is limited right around the race start areas. Bathroom lines were a little long but moved fast. They were out of hand sanitizer in most of the toilets which was gross but luckily everyone was great about sharing what they had to clean your hands.
My corral was easy to get into and was not over crowded. It started raining while we were waiting but had been dry until that point. The course for the half was nice but with the rain the bridges were very slippery. It would have been nice to have sections of carpet to avoid slipping.
The course was well supported with volunteers even with the rain. There was plenty of hydration on the course. The new gels on course I was not a fan of but others said they liked them. I loved that Race Guards was out supporting the course as there were many people I saw off to the sides of the course and with significant chafing issues due to the race day conditions. My least favorite part of the course was the tunnel under McCormick Place. It was very dangerous with pot holes and puddles and minimal lighting. The Achilles guides had to mostly walk with their partners due to the conditions. I think more lighting in this area or routing around it is necessary to improve safety.
The end swag was chocolate milk, granola bars, PB crackers, bananas, boxed water, and Gatorade endurance. They even gave us a bag to carry everything in. The medals did not disappoint and the post race band was playing even in the rain.
I also got to meet Lindsey McRoberts at the finish line which was fun even if it was pouring on us! Overall this is a very fun race with great course support.
Post race I claimed my results easily by logging into my Athlinks account and hitting claim. I could easily compare this year to my previous years. It was not my worst year and not my best either.
