So first a little history lesson, because if you're like me and you know there is a parade attached to this race and people are dressed colonial-style, you may find yourself wondering, "What is the deal with Gaspee anyway?" So, according to Wikipedia...

"The Gaspee Affair was a significant event in the lead-up to the American Revolution. HMS Gaspee, a British customs schooner that had been engaged in anti-smuggling operations, ran aground in shallow water on June 9, 1772, near what is now known as Gaspee Point in the city of Warwick, Rhode Island, while chasing the packet boat Hannah. A group of men led by Abraham Whipple and John Brown attacked, boarded, looted, and torched the ship."

Apparently, in RI we celebrate this event with a race and a parade each year. If you're into history, you can find all of that information on their website which provides a ton of information. This race has been taking place before the parade for 51 years at the running of the last one, so they have this down pretty well.

I picked up my bib on the morning of the race. On their website, parking in the neighborhood away from the parade course was suggested so runners are able to leave after the race, because they smell and aren't dressed colonially for the festivities typically. Just kidding, we are encouraged to stay and leave when we want. We arrived about an hour and a half before the start and parked in the lot right next to bib pick up. One of the organizers told us how to get out and avoid the parade, if we needed to.

We got long sleeve soft shirts and our bibs and there were a few stands around. This race is also a qualifier for the Senior Olympics, so they had some information on that, our local running store was present and had brought their beginning running group to run their first 5k. The field is pretty big for a local 5k and the competition can be fierce.

The starting line is a few blocks away and we walked down there. The organizers do their best to keep the fast people on the starting line, but if you're planning to be fast, be early and get up there. This race has a lot of kids and as you may know, kids love to be first on the line, and potentially be in your way after about 100 yards after the gun goes off. There are also a lot of first timers who don't really get the order of things, so rather than be a jerk, just line up as soon as you can and hold firm rather than elbow yourself into place.

The course is an out and back and through a residential neighborhood. It's pretty, relatively shady and one kind person at the halfway mark hung their garden hose in a tree over the street so we could run through it. I love you, whomever you are! The course is hillier than I would like in a 5k, so not the fastest. The energy is amazing, because it takes place right before the parade so the streets are lined with people cheering you on. Great crowd support!

There is lots of food and beer at the end. We had free frozen lemonade (a Rhode Island summer staple) and potato chips. The results area was very cool. Tablets in a circle and a computer system read names and times out loud. There was also this cool finish line timer that allowed you to type in your bib number and it would display your name and time for a photo op (See below). The winners get money and there are prizes for overall winners, age groups and local runners.

Really great 5k! I strongly recommend this one.