I ran the half-marathon in 2016 and 2017 and the 4-person relay in 2018. This race consistently runs smoothly under the eclectic Race Director Elby, who seems to make a personal connection with every runner that crosses the finish line.

This year was my favorite as far as the race shirt - always a loud, festive color and this year the fit is just right too.

The hardware is always impressive and I loved that the 4-person relay medals all connect together!

The race photos are free, the only downside is you may have to sort through them yourself on Facebook to find yours. However, there are multiple photographers throughout the course.

The course is beautiful, fast and flat. The "Blooms" part of the race title doesn't quite deliver what you would imagine - however maybe I have always been running to intently to notice if there were flowers along the way!

The veterans running with the flag is always a moving and humbling experience.

There are ample water stations and porto-potties along the course and the split-offs are well-marked and there are a good amount of volunteers.

After running this 3 times, I do prefer the half-marathon to the relay - primarily because the relay runners rely on busses to pick them up and get them from their finish to the next person or to the end of the course and the timing may not always work out.

The expo and and after-race party always provide a variety of things to see and do and the energy is very upbeat and fun. I will continue to participate in this race, it has a small town hospitality that draws from a broad surrounding region.