I live 100 miles (about two hours) from Santa Rosa. My friend left home about 4 AM on Sturday and we arrived at Old Courthouse Square about 6 AM for the 7 AM start (10K). There was ample parking on the streets and nearby mall parking lot.

I could not attend the Expo on Friday to pick up my bib and did not pay to have the bib mailed to me ($21). I emailed the race organization and they got back to me quickly about getting an “emergency bib” at the Info desk on the morning of the race. I actually found a friend to pick up my bib, so I didn’t end up with an “emergency bib”.

The 10K started promptly at 7 AM. The race announcer was lively and brought life to the early morning crowd. The 10K course took us around downtown Santa Rosa to the Santa Rosa Creek Trail and the Prince Memorial Greenway. The course was flat with the exception of a few underpasses along the Santa Rosa Creek Trail. Cones along the roads clearly marked the race path in the downtown area and mile markers were visible at each mile. Most of the race course was on road and paved path; there was about a mile stretch that was on gravel. Overall, the course was easy and my friend and I enjoyed the art along the way.

There was one race photographer along the course and a couple photographers at the finish. The photos were uploaded quickly and we received a link to view and purchase photos a few hours after our finish. We loved that the photo package was $10.99 (for all of your photos along the course). What a deal!

We received a medal at the finish along with water, fruit, and sweet treats! We checked in gear at the start of the race and liked that there was no line at the end to pick up our gear. We are impressed at how organized Gear Check was! Kudos for making this process smooth and easy! Oh, The swag included a long sleeve half zip! It was perfect for after the race since it was a cool morning.

The after party was fun with a few food trucks (including shaved ice!) and awesome music! We hung around to enjoy our treats, hoping to catch the start of the 5K at 9 AM. Everyone got a beer ticket with the bib, so beer fans were enjoying beers before 9 AM.