This run is the last in the Red, White and Rose winery run series. This particular race was fraught with problems from the beginning. The website said to park at Unionville Elementary School, a couple miles near Butler winery, because there wouldn't be enough parking at the winery. The website promised a shuttle running regularly to get folks to the start line. I arrived an hour early, parked, and waited....and waited.... By the time the 'shuttle' (a woman in an SUV) showed up, there were around 20 people waiting and she had room for 5. "But", she informed us, "there's still plenty of parking at the winery". So we jumped in our cars and drove over to find more than ample parking.

I went to the registration table and was told they didn't have my information. I had registered for two races in the series at the same time, and apparently when one does that, one race often just doesn't show up. They got me registered on the spot, but when I asked where I should pick up the cheese platter I'd ordered for an additional $3 online, the woman didn't know what I was talking about and referred me to the tasting room of the winery. They informed me that they actually don't have cheese platters.

We weren't off to a great start.

Thankfully, once the race began, things looked up. The course is very pretty, with rolling hills and one steep, long uphill in the last couple miles.It goes through neighborhoods and forest, then along the edge of a lake. It's an out-and-back, which aren't my favorite, but the scenery is nice enough and the time of year so awesome that I didn't mind. The road was adorned with safety cones the whole way and folks directing traffic around the race, but that didn't stop a maniac driver from almost smashing into three of us as we crossed a road. The aid stations were well placed and stocked with water, though no Gatorade.

When we finished, half of us joined the long line for a free glass of wine, while the other half lined up for the medals and wine glasses. In line, many people complained that, though each run in the series was supposed to have a unique medal, they had received the same prize they got at the last race. Others complained that they had ordered extras like a blanket, but that it just said "Fun Runs" instead of being specific to the Red, White and Rose series. The wine cups distributed were also generic to Fun Runs. By the time I got to the table, they had in fact run out of medals altogether, so at least 50 of us did not receive one. The only plus was that, since I finished top 3, I got a $10 off coupon for another race and a banner to attach to my medal - even though I didn't have one!

Overall, this is a pretty race in a great location, but the organization needs to be better. If you run it, don't bother parking at the school - just park at the winery. And jump in line for a medal as soon as you finish. They won't run out of wine, but they might run out of prizes!