This was my first Ironman after competing in triathlons for nearly 7 years. After volunteering the year before, to experience the race firsthand from the sidelines, I signed up and trained my tail off for a year. The entire town comes out and cheers you on. The town

As with all Rock n Roll races, the logistics of packet pickup, race start, aid stations, finish corrals are all taken care of and easy for first timers to figure out. Weather was clear and a perfect 45 degrees. Good crowds on course. Only Negative is you MUST pay

This race was very easy to access and had amazing weather and a scenic route. I enjoyed running it since it was well-managed and the crowds were minimal. Packet pick-up was at Navy Pier, though, which was somewhat difficult to access.