Real runner feedback on course feel, crowd support, aid stations, and logistics (parking, hotels, restaurants).
Course is very accessible, and because the field size is small, it's not crowded; which contributes to the fact that local walkers/runners/bikers are generally gracious with this event's use of their trail. As a skinny tallish guy, I have to say this year's race shirt is the best-fitting long-sleeved race shirt I've ever gotten. Bathrooms at the start are always a challenge at this event; they're about 2 portapotties short of what's called for. There's a public restroom, but bring your own TP; it ran out this year!
Support is great, and the loop format only helps with that. I didn't finish this year (and knew that I probably wouldn't), but because it's a 3-mile loop, I was able to show up and do as much as I could without worrying about getting a ride back :-)
The power lines on the East side mess with your GPS; use the mile marker flags.
Excellently ran race. Great crowds and format with bottles. Pacers were top! Weather 60-80 degrees this year sucked but unfortunate luck.
Pretty congested first couple miles on small loops. I’d start back and ease up to pace group after the start. Lots of tight turns and gravel stretches. One thing I wish I knew was this course is not very smooth. Half of it is very uneven for a bike/run/walk trail from what I expected. Wear a firmer/stable race shoe. My ankles and calves are destroyed from using typical softer supershoes and I dropped at 14 due to weather.
Comfort Inn was great. Windmill Grill and Pizzaria in Batavia was excellent. Shoppes in Geneva are cool.
Packet pickup was simple and personal. There’s a preview shake out jog after packet pickup the evening before the race. The start time was perfect at 6:30am. Small group of runners that have to have a qualifying race time to be accepted made it more personable as well. Lots of spectators and a great volunteer crew! 8 laps help you know the course around the beautiful Fox River. The post race was small town feel with PBJ and chocolate milk, as well as a bell to ring when you BQ. Everyone on race crew was extremely helpful and friendly.
The Pacing Crew was fantastic. They pace 3mins faster than BQ time so you have a great chance to ring the BQ bell! The course features two small loops and 8 big loops through wooded areas, down town, and across bridges, but never gets redundant. Personal bottle table is fantastic so you don't have to carry all your fuel with you and plenty of opportunities for hydration and fuel. Or if you have someone that you want to hand you your fuel/hydration they can stay anywhere along the loop and have it every three miles. Race starts on time.
Stayed at Comfortable Inn and Suites about 2 miles from the course, made packet pickup and race day easy. Arrived 40 mins before race to place my water/fuel bottles and warm up as well as meeting my pacers.
The course is fantastic! The volunteers and race crew were extremely helpful and incredibly sweet! Felt like a personalized, elite, small town race with all the small town charm. Less than 300 runners ran the race so it wasn't crowded at all.
Pacers for each age group were absolutely fantastic and gave me the positive push I needed to finish under BQ time. The course gives you the luxury to see your support crew/family 8-10 times during the race due to the loops, which helps with getting through the marathon. The personalized bottle table is exceptional, offering fuel/hydration every three miles so you don't have to carry everything with you. Race day started on time and was a perfect 32 degrees with 41 dew point. Perfect race day conditions to BQ!
Comfort Inn and Suites was only 2 miles away, which made packet pick up, shake out run course preview, and getting there race day morning easy to get there. Packet pick up offered a station to personalize your bottles and speak with the race director who was extremely helpful. Parking was simple, across the street. Arrived 40mins before race to warm up and had plenty of time to place my bottles and meet the pacers
It was a great race, even though the weather ended up being not ideal. Craig, race director, was very helpful with my many emails prior to the race. I really enjoyed having an elite style personal fueling table and also enjoyed the course very much (actually really liked that it was 8 loops - helped me know what to expect). The tee shirt material wasn't great but ultimately, I ran 3 minutes below my BQ time so that's the most important thing. What I didn't like was the company that was in charge of chip timing. It missed 1 or 2 of my laps and initially showed that I didn't finish the race! When I contacted the company, they were able to fix it quickly and show that I did finish the run, but my splits were totally messed up and they weren't able to fix it. Also, the email responses from them were short & rude.
I think there were more than 10 people who started out in our pacing group (3:51 for 3:55 BQ time) and I was the last one to stayed with the pacer. There were 3 different pacers who took turns pacing. I was with the last pacer until 21.5 miles or so when the heat & wind got the best of me. I thought since I was the last person with him that he would try to stay with me and help pace me but he went off on his own. I finished 3:52:02 so I wasn't that far off. Kinda wished he would have stayed with me... oh well
I stayed at Hilton Garden Inn in St. Charles since I'm a Hilton Gold member and it was fine. Nice, clean, spacious. Couldn't take advantage of their breakfast on the race day since they don't start until 7am. On Friday after we picked up the race packet, we ate at "Lao & Thai Spice Noodle" restaurant in South Elgin and it was great! I had Tom Yum Pho noodles along with their Laotian sausage and both were so delicious...
The inauguration spring version of Last Chance BQ.2 has the perfect running weather, 40-50 with no or little wind. A small well organized race with friendly staffs.
The course is flat 8 loops around a lake which helps mentally since you know what's coming for the rest of the race once you run the first loop. If you like a flat course and try to BQ, this is the race for you. But I found out the hard way that my legs don't respond well with super flat course, they cramped up at mile 14 and multiple times along the way. I pushed on and still PRed but did not BQ, missed it by seconds. Elite bottle table was nice so you can drink anything you've trained with without having to carry it the whole way. There are two additional water stations beside the elite bottle table so you basically have access to water almost every mile. Pacer for my group ran a bit fast for first half but not significantly faster. Paramedics on course are very attentive, if they spot runners in distress they will approach by running along side you and check if you are doing ok. I was in a really bad place for my last loop, Joanna (paramedic) approached and ran with me the whole final loop, encouraging and checking on my conditions. My legs gave out a few hundred yards before the finish line causing me to miss my BQ. But overall, a great race and excellent staffs!
Race is in the park near downtown St Charles which has plenty of good restaurants to choose from. I went to Giordano's, not for deep dish pizza but simple spaghetti with marinara sauce. Good size portion and tasted great! Get there early so it's not too crowded since it's Friday evening. I went there at 5 pm and there were plenty of tables, by the time I left at 6:15 they were all filled up.