This is my second year running this race, and all and all...it's a pretty okay race. The big positive is that you get to run in controlled temperatures of 65 degrees. Where else in Missouri can you run in shorts and a tank in the dead of winter? True to its name, the Groundhog Run takes place in one of the underground caves of Kansas City.

When you get there, you'll probably have to park at the casino parking lot. There, they have free shuttles take you to the race site, so I suggest getting there 30-45 minutes before your race (an hour if you like to warm-up). Shuttles ran smoothly going to the race, but after the race, there was probably a 15 minute wait in the cold to get a ride back to the parking lot.

For a 5k, it is a bit pricey...costing $45. My company comp'd it for me, but I'm not sure I would pay for this race if that wasn't the case. You receive a t-shirt (not dry-fit) and the medal is nothing to write home about. The overall and age group awards are basically the same medal with a different colored ribbon. Post-race snacks are standard water, chocolate milk, bananas and granola bars.

There are a lot of sharp turns, so my biggest tip would be to stay wide and not closest to the turn or else you'll get cut off by runners outside of you. If you aren't in the first and fastest wave, it's easy to get stuck in the crowd.

The caves are cool to run in (definitely beats the dreadmill in the winter), but myself along with a lot of my friends who run it usually get pretty nasty colds after running in there...the air's pretty tough to take in. But if you're looking for a race to get you out of your winter running slump (without freezing your butt off), then this is definitely a good choice and probably the only indoor race in the KC area that takes place in the underground.