I chose this half because it's close to home and I enjoy a loop course. I enjoyed that they took advantage of the small-town New England vibe--bib pickup is inside the beautifully refurbished mill building, and main street was blocked off for the race. As a mid-pack runner, I was disappointed that the post-race pizza and beer was almost gone by the time I was finished. Swag = a quarter zip!

This was my first half, which I ran in 2017. I loved running through center-city, and to be honest I almost cried as we turned around and started running towards the museum. I did not enjoy the out-and-back that came after that, however. That's more of a personal preference that marred my experience. Bag check and post-race snacks were awesome! I wish the shirts were sized better in 2017, as I could barely fit in the size I ordered, which has never happened to me before. Ultimately, if you love a BIG crowd of runners, this is your race! I prefer smaller races, which I know now that I've done a few, but the Love Run was a great intro to the distance for me.