The Newbo Run was such a fun experience. It begins in the New Bohemian (“newbo”) neighborhood in Cedar Rapids, which was so cool and charming.
Much of the race took place on a really gorgeous trail, but some of it took place on roads. The race organizers took care to block off what they could, but there were some roads that were still open to traffic. Since this event was pretty small, I’m sure they couldn’t really help that.
The elevation wasn’t very challenging, and a lot of the course offered a great view.
Aid stations were spread out every 1.5-2 miles, so I recommend bringing along hydration if you are a heavy drinker while you run. They also offered Gu gels around the halfway mark, which is nice.
The expo at the beginning was held at a local market. It wasn’t your standard expo with running gear/nutrition for sale but it was actually so much better. It was fun to explore the market and buy products from local merchants.
The T-shirt ran a little big, but it was nice and soft.
The finisher’s medal is made out of what looks like clay- it’s very unique, and such a clever way to show off local artisan skills.
The only disappointing part of the race was the after party food. They offered bananas, protein bars, and pretzel rolls made by a local bakery. I would have liked to see a bit more food offerings, but maybe that’s just me.