Registration/Pre-Race:
Registration was available online until a few days before the race, and then race day registration was available as well, but was $10 more. Packet pick up was available at the Local Fleet Feet for a few hours the day before the race, but I just made use of race-day pickup.

There were no lines, and plentiful parking within a quarter mile of the race start. Things were a bit more congested than usual because there was a dog agility show happening at the Field House at the same time, but runners still had access to indoor space in case of inclement weather, as well as real bathrooms. There was a very small turnout (probably about 50 for the 5k and maybe 30 or so for the 10k), so I never really had to wait for anything.

The race directory always makes announcements before the races, which could have been significantly shorter, but c'est la vie. There were no corrals or wave starts; the 5k and 10k started at the same time.

Race
This race is an out and back mostly on trails; only the first and last little chunks are on the road. You start out running down Harbor Rd, then turn onto the Ti-Haul Trail, which is a mostly flat, and pretty well-shaded crushed gravel trail. The 5k turnaround was just before the end of the Ti-Haul, while 10k runners continued on across Bay Rd and onto the Shelburne Bay Rec Path. This trail is also mostly well-shaded, but has some challenging rolling hills. To get to the turnaround point, one has to get up a pretty brutal incline. The water station was at the turnaround point, and there were three volunteers handing out water and electrolytes. Unfortunately, the hills go both ways, so you don't really get a break on the way back, but it's quite beautiful.

Post-Race
The race is not chip-timed, but there are multiple volunteers standing by watching the clock to ensure that results are as accurate as possible. Bottles of water were available right at the finish line, and there were also quartered oranges, bananas, and bagels with cream cheese or peanut butter. There was a local chiropractic office on site offering free stretches, and a couple of massage therapists offering free massages.

The 5k race was RRCA certified, so there were a lot of awards for that. For the 10k, there were awards for the overall male and female winners, as well as first place in each 5 year age group. The prizes were pretty good--a Vermont Teddy Bear wearing a race shirt for 1st overall, bottle of wine for 2nd overall, and RaceVermont pint glasses for age groups. Because the results are not "official," there was some confusion during the awards ceremony. This is something that RaceVermont needs to work on, because I've witnessed this issue at their races before. After awards, there was also a raffle with some great prizes: Tifosi sunglasses, Balega socks, various pieces of running apparel, and gift certificates to Fleet Feet and the chiropractic office that was on site.

Overall
If you are a speedy runner looking for a possible age group award, this might be a good race for you due to the small turnout. Keep in mind that the trail has a lot of rolling hills and you'll be fine. RaceVermont may not have the most streamlined process, but they're small enough that they really care about their runners, and do their best to put on events that people can enjoy. Most of their races start and end at the Shelburne Athletic Field House, so there is a place to get indoors, and real bathrooms, which is always a bonus. And registration fees are very reasonable--$20 for a 10k is pretty good.