This was my second Chicago Marathon and I wish I could this one every year! A flat course, aside from Mount Roosevelt placed conveniently at mile 26, makes for a nice fast race. You can’t get any better than the spectators in Chicago, they are rows deep throughout the entire way. The energy they exude is toxic and just what any marathoner needs, especially as the miles tick away and fatigue sets in. I didn’t have a good race day but the spectators were so spectacular that I loved every minute. The aid stations are frequent and long, giving plenty of time and space even during the early miles before the race spreads out (which with the wave start, is never an issue to begin with) that you can grab multiple cups if needed. If there is just one marathon you do, make it Chicago!

This race takes place in a small town out on country roads. The course is mainly flat, with small (yet long and steady) inclines leading into miles 1 and 4. There are only 4 turns or so for the whole course, which allows you to really settle into a nice rhythm, which is huge on a short race like the 10k. The weather was a nice, cool and crisp 40 degrees. Love using this race as my final speed test going into the winter off-season. For a small town, the amount of spectators out on the course is phenomenal, although many of them only start cheering when they see their runner. A bit of a buzz kill to see people looking like zombies while you're putting in a hard effort, but I put on my headphones and zoned out, so it didn't bug me one bit.

The only downfall of this race is the start. This is a race with lots of newbies/non-runners/non-racers, so the start can be a little congested with people lining up in the wrong spot. There's no wave start, just one big mass of people going at once.

There's good octoberfest beer at the finish, and a small but tasty selection of food at the finish.

Highly recommend this race to anyone wanting to end their season on a high note with a potential 10k PR!

The only thing this race has going for it is the scenery, it’s ran along the Fox River and surrounding neighborhoods, which offers nice views. To break it down...

Expo: there is none, just walk in to the police station, and pick up your bib and shirt. It was quick and easy and the volunteers were super friendly and energetic

Course: ran along the river and some neighborhoods. There are very little to no spectators along the course, which can make the later miles very boring. There are several big hills throughout the race and even though the last 3 are “downhill,” they don’t really feel like it. I’m just glad that the half was actually a half, as this organization has had issues for the past few years with the course being short.

Aid stations: few and far between, which is much less than ideal when you consider that this is an August race, when temps potentially get up close to triple digits. The only good thing about the aid stations were the volunteers, the bursts of energy that you get were helpful to keep you going.

Start/finish: crowded! Everyone is squeezed into a small section for the beer garden. The beer was semi cold, which is the last thing you want to be drinking after a race!