So this is still a pretty small race limited to 1,000 runners for the 5k and 3,000 for the half marathon. I ran the 5k in 2013 when it first started and then half marathon in 2015. Both are fantastic races put on by a locally owned running store, RunAbout Sports.

Be sure to check out my blog for my race recap for the half marathon: http://thriftyrunner.blogspot.com/2015/09/3rd-annual-hokie-half-marathon-race.html
And the 5k:
http://thriftyrunner.blogspot.com/2014/09/inaugural-hokie-5k.html

The expo has been held in two different places. In its inaugural year, the expo was held in the Inn at Virginia Tech and in 2015 it was held at Blacksburg High School's gym. Both years it was okay--you could pick up anything you needed last minute and shirts from previous years. Other than that there really wasn't much to look at or much free swag.

The courses for both races are awesome. The 5k stays mostly around the research park and municipal airport in Blacksburg, and the half marathon goes from Blacksburg to Christiansburg on Business 460 and then back using the Huckleberry Trail. The trail is paved and very scenic since it goes through forest and past wide open fields. (For me, I have a soft spot for the race since I started running on the Huckleberry Trail.) At times it can be a little narrow since there are some points where you go out and back so they split the path in half so it can be hard (if not impossible) to pass other runners.

The 5k is fairly barebones in comparison to the half marathon. At registration, you get a t-shirt and a bib. For the half marathon, at the expo you get a long sleeved race shirt and your bib. When you finish though, you get a finisher's t-shirt, a car magnet and a large medal. All of the swag you get from the race is hokie themed.

Support on the course itself is great. Lots of water stops and a little more than halfway volunteers hand out gu both with and without caffeine. (They tell you ahead of time which side has which flavors so you know who to aim for well in advance!)

I definitely recommend doing this race if you're in the area or a big fan of the Virginia Tech Hokies. (The Hokie bird makes an appearance at the expo!)