(I wrote this review once, but it disappeared!) This was the first year for this race, and was actually billed as a "festival" with food vendors and fun kid activities. I really wanted to run since the course took you in the opposite direction from the "usual" bike path race, across the newly constructed Morgan Street bridge (not the best area of town, but in a group, hey, why not?!) Race was held on a typical Saturday morning, but was promoted more as a "community melting together" and "Spring melting away". It was about 12 degrees out with the windchill. There was no chip timing, so you needed to start your watch. We got a later than planned start due to a train, but I'm all for safety first! We ran down Madison, and then headed across the Morgan Street bridge. Yay! There were some hills built in (nothing dramatic) but they helped weed out the crowd. I enjoyed the course. I did not like the end though. They brought us down and behind the library on a narrow bike path, which funneled onto the Jefferson Street pedestrian bridge. The course was not marked with mile markers, and since a guy was shouting, I quickly checked my GPS to see where we were, slamming into the yellow divider which prevents vehicles from driving onto the bridge (my bad) and other runners. I then realized we were in the last few hundred yards, so I started my sprint in an awkward zig-zag across the bridge, until I was in the finisher's chute. Then we were done. Somewhat anti-climactic. But they had good snacks. And then there was the festival part. Awesome food, great vendors, good music, stuff for the kids (Free skating, trolley rides). Parking was easy, shirts were sooooft cotton blend in construction worker orange. Best part? My crew of runners didn't realize we had placed, and we all LEFT!! But they made sure we received our medals :)
I'd suggest it if you're in the area. Fun festival. Plan to bring the family. Knowing the organizers, it'll get better each year!