This was a last minute decision to add this and I was NOT disappointed! Texas is really a fun place to run!
Expo: The expo was pretty large! There were numerous vendors, lots of cool photo opts and sweet race swag by Brooks and LuLu. Overall the ease of parking, getting my race bib and a few extra items made this a quick, easy experience after a long flight into Texas.
Logistics: We stayed downtown between the start and finish lines. It made it very easy to get to the start and finish via walking. It also made it easy to hang out until 6:30 before heading over for the 7am start. (no bag check needed, although the UPS trucks were easily accessible and had short lines) There were tons of parking options as well if you were riding in!
Course: Although this race was primarily made for half marathoners, I still really enjoyed the full course. BEWARE: there are some hills! I will get to that later! The course starts downtown and takes you through some of the historic sights of the city. I think the course might have passed the Alamo in the past, but the area was blocked off due to construction. We looped around the city going through the Brackenridge Golf course (being from MD, it was fun to see palm trees and cactus on a golf course) and then through Fort Sam Houston. That was pretty incredule seeing the military buildings, old fort and overall support from the military personel. The course headed back downtown and at mile 11/12 split for the half/full runners. That was the FIRST big hill that the full marathoners had to hike up. Despite the hill, there were still tons of supporters, music and well supported aid stations to give you a boost after making it up the hill. The course looped through an industrial area before turning into the Salado Creek Greenway path. This was GREAT! The temperature at the start was 48, but was not getting warm! So this shaded path was perfect. Scenic, well staffed aid stations and still - great music. This portion was about 5/6 miles so by time you existed you were at mile 20! Mile 20 is hard, but this was where the rolling hills come in which was a big challenging in the heat. But I can't stress this enough - there were always people cheering, well supported aid stations and music. A few notable course highlights - the blue mile (a tribute to fallen soldiers which I have only seen in DC, but was really happy to see here) and a mile of mariachi bands! I mean seriously - one after another of bands and dancers. It was really fun!
The finish line was a fun area with a good amount of crowds cheering and fully staffed with everything! Food, water, electrolytes! Next to the finish line was a park with a stage and great music. A perfect place to relax with family and friends after you finish. Overall it was a great experience, fun course and exciting atmosphere. After I walked back to the hotel, I stopped by the Alamo to take a picture with my medal! The Riverwalk is near by for after race festivities and food as well!

This was my second time running the Wineglass Marathon. The first time was ten years ago and they made great changes!
The Expo was held at the Corning Glass Museum. An incredible venue for the race. It was easy to get in, shop lots of vendors, and then walk around the museum. (Discounted admission)

I registered late, so hotels booked quickly. I ended up staying at Horseheads, next town over. Super easy drive in the morning though! There was a lot of parking at the bus loading area which was great for those driving in. I love they have busses transporting to the start. A great way to relax and mingle post race. I hopped on around 630 (7 was the last bus) and headed to the start. Once we got there we had two options (a tent and garage) to hangout in to stay warm! Brilliant!

The race started at 8:15. Pretty lowkey walk to start and go! The course was the same with beautiful views, small town crowds and clean fresh air. The temperature was great except by 10am it was warm with no shade! The one change I would make are some of the sharp turns between mile 22-24. You can always drive the course to preview.
Overall I loved the finishline with the main street vibes. The finishline sign where you can post your time was a nice touch.

Overall I highly recommend!

This race!!!! I have had this on my bucket list for a while - and I'm not sure why I didn't run it sooner. Well first, my passport. I had to make sure I had my passport before I registered for the race, so make sure you get that done!
Communication leading up to the race was great. Their social media, ambassador program and local running groups put out TONS of information. I wish I had lived closer and could have done some of the local long runs prior to the event!
Expo - The expo had great vendors, was easy to park/locate, and had an excellent assortment of race gear for sale! We didn't arrive until midday on Saturday, but there were still a ton of items for sale both official gear and other vendors. There were fun maps and other cool photo opts at the expo as well. Bonus - I loved my shirt! It was a long sleeve with the Spirit of Detroit on it and a matching neck gator! Both two awesome items!
Hotels - We stayed downtown which made it easy for parking and walking. The loop course still allows for parking and an "escape" so you don't get trapped within the course.
Course - THIS COURSE!!!!! This was one of my most memorable courses. The fact that I ran over the Ambassador Bridge into Canada and then back through the Windsor Tunnel to the USA all while carrying my passport in my side pocket, was pretty exhilarating. From the Canadian side, runners had a great view of Detroit, fun support groups and a decent amount of supporters cheering on runners. Once you we existed the tunnel we were greeted again by a massive crowd welcoming us back to the US. Once back in Detroit, the course went through classic Detroit landmarks, scenic neighborhoods and a nice downhill through the Dequindre Cut, a nice greenway path through the city. Overall even though the course took you through neighborhoods, MANY people were out spectating, cheering and armed with speakers/music!!! For the full marathon, you ran with the international half marathoners first and then eventually met up with the American half marathoners second. You always had a solid group of runners around you on the course.
Finish line/Post Race - The course looped back into down town for an epic finish through the city. The post race party was only steps away after you finish! I loved the music, the food and the race atmosphere vibe. Not to mention the medal, with the two country flags, was pretty amazing. We walked back to take our picture next to the Spirit of Detroit Statue, which wasn't far away.
Overall this was a pretty epic race! I gave the elevation a two only because the climb up and over the bridge could be considerable if you are from a flat area. But overall, it was a pretty flat, fast course!
Other notable experience - at EVERY water stations - people cheered YOUR name. It was a great feeling hearing my name called out by so many volunteers. That detail right there makes a race special.

I swore off this race, but thought I would give it another try. I'm glad I did.

The course is tough! There are some tough uphill in the first 3-4 miles. After that you can settle into a nice net downhill. It's a neat course that begins outside of the city, but makes its way into the Inner Harbor area.

The course support is fun. Local area run groups man and cheer on throughout the race at Water stops and other areas. There were a few quiet areas, but nothing that made you feel unsupported.
The finishline was fun. The small uphill by the science center then allowed for people to cruise down Key Highway towards Under Armour. I thought the finish line was great! First, it was flat and allowed for a fast finish, but also there were crowds and music from the post race festivities. Live music, a great area to find friends and family and celebrate!
I'm glad they changed the race date until after Labor Day - made it a better option for those who sneak in one last beach trip! Final note, the race premium is always awesome. This year was an UA hoodie. Always great quality!