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This is a GREAT first 100 miler. It is a flat course and is mostly on paved or easy gravel trail. The trails are wide and follow the canal through the Akron area. The course was mostly amongst quiet backyards and scenic parks. It's not a super exciting course, but great if you're looking for the pure challenge of distance or for a fast finish. Aid stations were well stocked with food and basic first aid.
The race directors sent detailed emails with directions to packet pick up. The best part about pick up was that it was right at the start line. This made race morning super easy because I had already seen where to park and directions to that place. Plus, start/finish line at a local brewery is the best! The brewery was open early on Sunday morning so I was able to grab food with my crew before heading out.
With the course looping several times, the crewed aid stations were super spacious. Lots of people had full tents set up at the start line area. That aid station was visited 5 times before finishing. The vibes were high mid-day when most of the runners were coming through. Aid stations were well stocked and my crew was able to relax while I ran.
Whether this is a pro or con depends on your personal racing preferences. I liked the flat course for a quick finish time, but it didn't offer much in the ways of scenery or changing in leg mechanics. Using the same muscle groups all day made for some sore legs earlier in the race than I wanted. It is a Western States qualifying race.
** The course was rerouted in 2025 due to a partial government shutdown that prevented the race from using their permits through Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The race has historically run from Akron to Cleveland as an out and back. This year it was three repeated out and back loops along the canal trail. We ended before the southern terminus of the national park.
Aid stations were stocked with a ton of good food. They had Hammer gels on course. The aid stations had your basic, common ultra foods (candies, pretzels, salted potatoes). When the sun went down they pulled out warm food - breakfast sandwiches, coffee, ramen. Veteran runners told me they had pierogies, but I was disappointed to hear that they did away with those this year.
This local race seemed to be populated by the northeast Ohio running community. There were some runners who were less than friendly to me as a visitor. One tried to tell me I was running too fast and wouldn't be able to sustain my pace to make it to the finish line because it was my first 100 mile (he was wrong). But it did seem like they were super supportive in pacing other members of their own running clubs.
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